Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-05-23
GOVERNOR sEYxouR's LETTER.
THE SYRACUSE MEETING

THE SYRACUSE MEETING
The meeting a, Syracuse on Saturday evening
WAS large outponring of the masses of the
Central City Market Hall was thronged The
Mayor of the city. Hon. d BookStaver, presided
and the names Of the other officers embrace the
most infuentai citizens.
Speeches were made by the Mayor, Judge
Comstock. b II Gardner. Rev. Dr. White. of
Montezuma. and others. and resolutions of a
similar import 10 those OF the Albany meeting
were adopted
We have room for only few extracts from
Judge ComsiC OK speech:
EXTRACTS FROM THE SPEECH OF JUDGE coMsroCK,
LATE OF TnE COURT OF APPEALS
FELLOW CIrIzE>s: You nave Sembled To
press Your sentiments upon i recent event OF
threatening import the rights and liberties OF
the people OF this country | scarcely need 10
saw that you have right thus TO assemble and
declare your opinions This right * the corner
stone of American institutions. Il is older thin
all our Constitutions Our ancestors wresleJ il
several hundred years ago from deSpntic throne.
and secured it hy magua chara. IL is the Heaven
descended franchise OF every citizen of this land
ICheers 1t is moreover guaranteed IN the
spirit anu b, the very letter of the Constitution
Of the United States and the Constitution of this
State: and | thank God that New York has ah
Executive who has pleds ed himself to IN lin
tain, every hnzir. the dignity of the State
and the Liberties OF the people. Loud and
continued cheering
Its impossible to think without Indignation
and difficult to speak with camness. OF the recent
bold and daring outrage constitutional
rights and guarantees, which more than any other
has startled and aroused the public attention
The circumstances the-e-thnt dstin
cnished citizen Ola sister State. the Hon Z l.
Nallandig CHAM. not only not guilty. but not even
accused of any offense against the laws or Con
stltut0n OF his country. has been arrested without
legal process. i'm the midst of pea al cOmmu
rtv. where he resided, in his own house. AT the
hour of midnight, torn from his family. hurried
away to distant city, Plared on trial before an
irresponsible military commission, and condemned
to- an infamous punishment by a military Chief
who had no more authority over his person than
you or have In vain did the victim of tins
outrage utter his manly protest aSanst proceed
ing so tyranncal In vain did he appeal % the
sacred guarantees of the Constitutions to the great
fundamental law of the land, which dsavowed
alike his alleged oifense, and the authority OF the
tribunal before which he was brought drum
head court martial convened without the shadow
or pretense of legal power. proceeded to his sum
mary conviction for 10 other crime than freely
uttering his opinion in public meeting. concern
lIp tue llpttN OI TIE OONeIHHltub. us Ii-lt 10
canvass. criticise aud condemn public men and
measures. was as plain as yours or mine. aud YOU
and know that our right to breathe the air OF
heaven is no palmer. Cheers
should he false to the obligations and duties
of the honorable profession TO which belong
profession which and ever ought to be the
guardian and conservator of liberty and law--i
! did not denoulce this lawless proceeding; and
] do denounce it, calmly and disp' ssionatey. but
tJ,o tla
occasion.
The danger must be met at the Threshold
There cannot be- with safety, one moment OF nc
quiescence the part OF the people Their
instantaneous protest ought to he uttered with
calmness aud dignity, but with unalterable firm
ness.
The inquiries which arise oct OF this occasion
OF grave and serio import. They cannot
fail To arrest the attention of every who is
not fiji for servitude fCheers Was Mr Val
landigham guilty Of any crime known 10 the law
of this country? Not only was he limo ent. bnt
he was not even accused OF crime have read
the proceedings against him, far they have
been allowed to see the light He was only
charged. before his military Judges. with the ut
terance OF words in a public assembly. lawfully
convened in the State of Ohi". this assembly
j. now lawfully held ia the State OF New York.
In the sneech delivered by him he fl 10 de-
nOunce. in strong language. certain leading mea-
snres of the National Administration | con
denim them also with all the sincerity of calm and
deliberate conviction Had he right thus to
to speak to his fellow citizens. and have right
thus To sneak 10 this assembly?
say this right admits OF 10 argument or con
trover~v " e must not argue in favor of rights
so plain. We must. and We will have them with
out Al argument. And it ! may lawfully ad-
dre-S public assembly. there i no authority Ia
thi- land which can prescribe ~ me The words and
phr,-e, which 7 may use Cheer preler
always to SI.e,k NTH the mo,ierati'n that becomes
me. but when tind occasion Ia declare the con
vrticn~ Of my own mind ernng public
policy which has snhV erte ed the Constitution and
brought The nation 10 the verge at rum, | shall
select my own language Cheers No rnIiit..
nv chef .uhai'er shall relch me what opinions
] may utter. or how may utter them Aud this
right ut opinion aud debate. right clear ~ the
sun ~ uonudav--o clear that the demonstration
and prDoi aie useless If not impossible Is the
very night Tor the exercise of which MIR Villain
dgham Torn from his home Vt midnight. hnr-
riel before court martial. tried and sentenced
TO te'nu'> punishment
have said that Valandigham was not eren
charse-i bv his with any offetse crime
recognized toy the laws OF this country. Suppose
this were otherwise Suppose that some ground
or pretense existed for a criminal accu-ation
against him. We demsnd then to know the au.
thoritv OF that tribunal before which ne tried
Hni condemned. | appeal to the letter of the
Constitution:
''No person shall be held to answer for a CAPT
nj or otherwise infamous crime unless on present
ment or indictment OF Grand jury, except IN
Gases arising in the land and naval fOrce- or IN
the miiitia when in actual service in time of war
or public Danger: nor shall any person be deprived
OF lie, liberty or property, without due process OF
law
And again:
In I'll criminal prosecutions, the accused shall
enjoy The right TO speedy and public trial BIZ an
impartiai jury OF the State and District wherein
the crime shall have been committed, which Dis
trct shall have been previously ascertaued by
law "
Now the victim Of this monstrous wrong was
never in the military naval service of the Uni
tel States he sss simply a citizen remote from
the scene OF coutict between the cOntending arm
ies II he was guilty of any offense il was nh
oiiense against the evil laws of the country. and
he could be rightiuly tried only by the civil tri
bunals dis right 10 trial by m impartial Jury OF
his State and District. and before the Judges ap
pointed 10 administer the laws j. too clear to AL
mt OF question or doubt. and there is no one who
does question or doubt il. Now. this right i of
80 high and sacred nature, that without il liberty
r. but a shadow and a name. Cheers. II per
sons whose sentiments on public questions may be
obnoxious To Others can be accused in a manner
unknown 10 The laws OF the land. kidnapped by
soldiers IN the "a ht time and hurried before mil
itary commissioners for condemnation and sen
ii =.