Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1863-01-24

W S'oeo ohu Natloidt SbfeTutueut, Wy
breaking up the social system. If home
laws are not respected, the more general
authority will not be regarded. Our peo.
pie have therefore, viewed with alarm
practices and pretensions on the part OF
officials which violate every principle Of
good order, of civil liberty, and Of con-
s,itutional law. 1t is claimed that, in
time of war, the President has powers as
Commander Chief of our armies which
authorize him to declare martial law, not
on y within the sphere of hostile move.
mCnts, where othes law cannot be enforced,
but also over our whole land that, at his
pleasure he can disregard, not only the
statutes of Congress, but the decisions of
the National judiciary that, in loyal
States, the least intelligent classes Of off
cIaIs may be clothed with power not only
to act as spies and informers, but also,
without due process of law to seize and
imprison our citizens and carry them be-
yond TIE limits of the State, and 20 hold
them in prisons, without hearing and
without a knowledge Of the offences with
which they are charged. Not only the
passions and prejudices Of these inferior
agents led them to acts of tyranny, but
their interests are advanced and their DO.
sitons secured by promoting discomfort
and discord. Even to ask the aid OF coun.
sci has been held to be an offence 1t has
been well said that to be arrested for one
knows not what, TO be confined no one is
entitled to ask where, to be tried no one
can say when. by law no where known
or established, or to linger out life in "a
cell without trial, presents a body Of tyr
amy which cannot be enlarged The
suppression of journals and the imprison.
ment Of persons have been gIaringly par
tisan, allowing to some the utmost licenti-
business Of criticism, and Furnishing others
for the fair exercise of the right of dis.
eussion.
Conscious of these gross abuses, an at.
tempt has been made to shield the viola.
tors Of law and suppress inquiry into their
motives and corduct. The attempt will
fail. Unconstitutional acts cannot be
shielded by unconstitutional laws. Such
attempts will not save the guilty, while
they will bring just condemnation upon
those who try to pervert the powers of
legislation to the purposes of oppression.
10 justify such action by precedents drawn
from the practice OF governments where
there is no restraint upon legislative power
will be of no avail under our system,
which restraius the government and pro.
tscts the citizens by written Constitutions
| shall not inquire what rights States
in rebellion have torfeited but | DENY
that this rebellion can suspend single
right Of the citizens of loyal States |
denounce the doctrine that civil war in the
South takes away from the loyal North
the benefits of one principle Of civil lib,
erty. 1t is high crime to abduct citi-
zen Of this State. 1t is made my duty by
the Constitution to see that the laws are
enforced. ! shall investigate every al
legged violation Of our statutes, and see
that the offenders are brought to Justice.
Sheritfs aud District Attorneys are ad
monished that it is their duty to take care
that no persons within their respective
counties are imprisoned or carried by force
beyond their limits, without due process
or legal authority. The removal to Eng
land of persons charge with offences, away
from their friends, their witnesses, and
means OF defence, was one of the acts of
tyranny for which we asserted our indie
pendence. The abduction of citizens from
this State for offences charged to have
been done here, and carrying them many
hundreds Of miles to distan. prisons in
other States or Territories is gu outrage
of the same character, upon every princi.
pie of right and justice.
The general government has ample pow.
er to establish courts, to appoint officers
to arrest, and Commissioners to hear com.
plants, and to imprson upon reasonable
grounds of suspicion. 1t has a judicial
system in. full and undisturbed operation.
Its own courts, held at convenient points
in this and other loyal States a,e open for
the hearing of all complaints. Its laws
are not ample for the punishment of often
ces, it is due to the neglect of those in
power. Government is not strengthened
by the exercise of doubtful powers, bu,
BY wise and energetic exercise of those
which are incontestible. The former course
never fails TO produce discord, suspicion,
and distrust; while the latter inspires res.
pect and confidence. This loyal State,
whose laws, whose courts, and whose off