North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1863-01-21


While they car thus take away or add TO
the power, the General Government can in
no ways@puch one right Of the States or invade
their jurisdiction.
The Obligations which rest upon the Sta es
to respect the Constitution, laws and author
| ties of the General Government, also demand
that the General Government shall show
| equal respect for the rights and constituted
author tiles of States
To State legislation and authorities we look
Tor the good order of society, the Security OF
life end property, the protection of our hoine>
and all that is nearest and dearest T.. us in the
relations, duties aud actions OF life. 1t is dan
ger";ls and deinoralizIng to chow contempt
for State Authorities and laws. II undermlnes
alike the foundations Of State and National
Government. by breaking up the social sys-
TEN. If home laws are not respected, the
III re general authorities will not be regarded
ARBITRARY ARRESTS.
Our people have therefore viewed with
alar practices AMI prelensions on the part OF
officials, which violate every prIrc'pIe of good
order, of civil liberty and of constitutional
law. 1t is claimed that in time of war the
President has powers, as COMMANDMENTS Chief
of our armies, which anthJr.z, MN 10 declare
martial law, not only within the sphere of hos
tile movements, where other law cannot be
enforced, but also over our whole land Thar
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 class of officials r1ay be cloth
ed with power to act not only 10 act as spies
and iniOrmerS, but also, without due process
IF law, to se'ze and imprlson our citizens; srd
carry them beyond the limits Of thu State, to
hold them in prison without hearing or
knowledge Of the offences with which they
were charged Not on y the passions and
prejudlces Of these inferior agents lead them
to acts Of iyrrany, but their interests are ad-
vanced and their positions secured by promo
ting diSconien, and discorl. Even to ask the
aid uf counsel has been held to be an offence
1t HAS Utci " Gil Sdtu ~ uC dlISStcu lll
one knows not what to lie confined no one
entitled to ask where Ia be tried, no one can
say when, by law nuwh here know or estab-
lished or 10 llnger on, life in cell without
trial presents body of tyrrany which cannot
be enlarged"
Tn suppression Of journals and the impris-
"nment Of persons have been & arirgly rarti
san allowing TO some the utmost mentions
ness Of criticism, and furnishing Others for the
fair exercise Of the right Of discussion. Con
scious Of these gross abuses, an attempt has
Teen made t. shield the vnlaters of law and
suppress il qury INTO their motives and con
duct. This attempt will fail. Unconstitutiona,
cts cannot be sh ieIded by unconstitutional
laws. Such attempts W II not save the guilty
while they will bring just condemnation up
On those who try to pervert the powers of
legislation TO the purpose of oppression. To
Justify snch action by the preredents drawn
from the practice Of governments where there
is no restraint upon Legislative power, will be
of no avail under our system, which .estraln>
he Government and protects the citizen by
written constitutions.
shall not inquire what rights States in re
belion have forfeited, but deny that this re
bellion can suspend single right of the citi
zcns Of loyal States. Genounce the doctrine
Il at civil war in the South takes away from
the loyal North the benefits vi one principle
o. civil lib erty.
II is crime to abduct citizen of this
State. 1t Is made my duty by the Constitu
ton to see that .he laws are enforced. | shall
investigate every alleged violation If our stat
utes, and see that offenders are brought to
justice. SherItfs and District Attorneys are
admonished that it is their duty To take care
ttIat no person within their respective c"un
ties are imprisoned or carried by force beyond
heir limits, without due process of legal au-
,hority. The removal to England of persons
charged with offence, away from their friends
their witnesses and means OF defence. was
one Of the &C Of tyranny for which VIC as
serted our independence. The abduction of
citizens from this State for offences charged
to have been done here, and carrying them
many hundreds of miles to distant prisons IN
other States or Territories, is an outrage oi
the same character upon every principle OF
Fight and justice.
The General Government has ample pow
ers to establish courts, to appoint officers to
arrest. and commissioners to hear complaints,
and to imprison 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 are open for the hearing ofall COM
plants. If its laws are not ample for the
punishment of Offences, it is due to the neg
lect of those in power.
Government is not strengthened by the ex
o rcisa of dOuhtful powers hnt hv a wise and