The weekly Butte record., 1863-06-13
What Gov. Seymour thinks of vanan.
digham's Arrest.

The following excellent letter from Governor
Seymour, of New York. to a meeting called
for an expression of opinion in regard to the
arbitrary arrest and drum-head trial Of Hon
C. l. Vallaudigham. by the minious OF the
Administration, will be read with the deepest
interest. If the Governors of the different
States possessed the same patriotic devotion
to civil liberty and to the rights of the States.
a stop would at once be put to these acts of
despotism, which are rapidly reducing the peo-
pie to condition but slightly more tolerabe
than that Of the Russian serfs:
ExgoUTrvE DEPARTMENT, MAY 10th.
| cannot attend the meeting at the capitol
this evening, but l wish 20 state nv opinion
in regard TO the arrest of Mr.. Y Nallandigham
1t is an act which has brought dishonor upon
our country 1t is full of danger TO our per
sons and our homes. 1t bears upon its front
conscious violation of law and Justice. Acting
upon the evidence of detailed informerS. shrink
ing from the light of day. in the darkness Of
night, armed men violated the house of an
American citizen and furtively bore him away
to military trial. conducted without those safe
guards known to the proceedings of cur judi
cial tribunals. The transaction involved q
/ series of OtfenSeS against our most sacred
rights. 1t lnterfered with the freedom of
speech il molested our rights 10 be secure in
/ our homes against unreasonable searches and
seizures it pronounced sentence without trial,
save one which was mockery. which insuted
as well as wronged. The perpetrators now
seek to impose punishment. not for an ofense
against law but for the disregard of an invalid
order. put forth in the utter disregard of the
4 principles of civil liberty. If this proceeding
is approved by the Government, and sustained
/ by the people, it is not merely step toward
revolution-it is revolution; it will not only
lead to military despotism-it establishes mill
tary despotism. In this aspect ii must be ac-
cepted or in this aspect it must be rejected.
If it is upheld. our liberties are overthrown,
the safety of our persons, security of our pro-
perty will hereafter depend upon the arbitrary
will of such military rulers as may be placed
over Us, while our constitutional guarantees
will be broken down. Even now the Cover
nors and courts of some of the great Western
States have sunk into inSignifcanee before the
/ despotic powers claimed and exercised by mill
tary men who have been sent into their Dor
ders. 1t is fearful thing to increase the
danger which now overhangs Us by treating
the law, the Judiciary, and the State authori
ties with contempt The people of this coun-
try now wait with the deepest anxiety the
decisions of the Administration upon these
acts. Having given it a generous support in
the conduct of the war, we pause to see what
government it is for which we are asked to
pour out our blood and our treasures The
action of the Administration will determine in
| the minds of more than one-half of the people
of the loyal States whether this war is waged
to put down rebellion at the South or destroy
free Institutions at the North. We look for
its decision with most solemn solicitude.
Signed HoRArIo SEYMOUR.