The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-08-01
JEFFERSON ON ARBITRARY ARRESTS
Some years ago Gen Wilkinson mado al

JEFFERSON ON ARBITRARY ARRESTS.
Some years ago Gen. Wilkinson, made al
arbitrary arrest" of Aaron Burr, who was
believed to be engaged in an unlawful en-
terprise on the Western rivers. A few pol
iticians were found then to object to the
act and stir up an agitation against Gen.
Wilkinson and President Jefferson. The
! latter, in replying to the letter of o friend,
used the following language:
"Ihe question you propose-whether cir
cumstances DO not sometimes occur which
| make 1t "a duty in officers of high trust to
assume authorities beyond the LAWS easy
OF solution in principle, but sometimes
embarrassing in practice. A strict obser-
vance OF the written laws is doubtless one
of the high duties of good citizen. But
it is not the highest. The iawS of necessity,
Of set preservation, OF soUing our country
,rhe'' IN danger, are GU OF higher obligation
To lose our country by a scrupulous ad-
herehce to written law, would be to lose
itself with life, liberty, property, and all
those who are enjoying them with as,
means.
| 'In Judging the case we are bound to
consider the state of the information, cor
rect and incorrect, which he (Wilkinsonl
| then possessed. He expected Burr and
his band from above, British fleet from
below; and he knew there was Il formidable
conspiracy within the city. Under these
circumstances was he justifiable-lst. In
Selling notorious conspirators? On this
there can be but two opinions; one of
i the guilty and their accomplices, the other
that of all honest men. I'd. In sending
them to the seat of Government when the
written law gave them a right to atrial in
the Territory The danger of their rescue
i-of their continuing their Vaccinations, the
Hardness OF the law anafhv of the IllNppS.
active patronage OF the whole tribe OF law
yers, unknown disposition of the iuries,
and hourly expectation of the enemy, sal
), walton of the city and Of tie U,sio,. itself,
which would have been convulsed to its
centre had that conspiracy succeeded; all
these constituted law of necessity and
self-preservation, and rendered the SGtats
pODuH supreme over the written law. The
officer who is called to act on this superior
ground, does indeed risk himself on the
justice of the controlling powers of the
Constitution, and his station makes il his
duty to incur that risk
4 There would seem from this to be little
doubt how Jefferson would act were ne at
the head Of affairs now.
i THE SANITARY COMMISSION ON THE
FIELD OF GETTYSBURG.-A report from
the Sanitary Commission describes In SIM
pie language the noble work performed by
that body on the field of Gettysburg. Be-
ginning with the movement of the Army
of the Potomac from its position on the
Rappahannock, the agents of the Sanitary
Commission followed it step by step; re-
moving twelve thousand hospital patients
when the army started; throwing supplies
inte Harper's Ferry after Milroy's retreat
from Winchester; accommodating stores at
Frederick and concealing them successful
ly during the rebel occupancy of that town;
establishing central depot at Westmin-
ster-the nearest point Of railroad commu-
nication-at the beginning of the great bat
field before the close of the three days fight
with such an ample supply of comforts for
our wounded heroes as seems almost m
credible; yet the figures are given in detail
to show the extent of the relief
Some of the items in the list OF articles so
provided are: Eleven thousand seven hun
dred pieces of bedding, equivalent to a
complete equipment for 1,S0o of the more
severely wounded men, 10000 pounds OF
| ice, 1000 jars of jellies and conserves, 1l6
, boxes of lemons, over 3, 600 bottles OF wines
and liquors, besides 600 gallons of ale-not
orgetting tobacco and pipes, and the more
, important aid rendered to the field sur
} geons, by ample supplies OF sponges, oiled
silk, bandages and other articles.
1t is not surprising to hear that our suf-
J fering soldiers and surgeons thanked God
when they saw the approach OF the agents
of the Sanitary Commission, during the
{ heat and turmoil Of that sanguinary strife.
1t was magnificent work of relief that
t was performed by the Commission at Get
| tysburg-one more link added to the chain
, OF gratitude which binds it TO the hearts OF
the people and the army.
Two BRoTHERs.-It is oftenthe case that
3 two members of the same family widely
differ in their political views. There are
e two brothers in our mind Just now who
! serve to illustrate this disagreement In
r principle. We refer to Fletcher st. John,
1 now in the army, and his Constitutional
S Democratic Copperhead brother, Jacob M.
q st. John, Esq, of this city. Fletcher went
8 to the war hating the Republicans with
: perfect hatred. He remained down in
a Dixie for year. The scales fell from bis
: ewes as they ought to fall from Jacob 8;
|, and recently the young soldier sent the
: following letter to friend in Van Buren,
s county. We copy it from the keosauqua
q Republican:
8 81 am glad to find that you are possessed
g with the proper view of the so-called Cop
g perhead party. No where in our country
e are there men guilty of treason to that ex-
tent that these Copperheads are. They OBJ
e ject to the emancipation proclamation; they
e grumble at the suspension OF the writ o.
;, Habeas Corpus-at arbitrary arrests, and
9 to the Administration in every particular
e for no other reason under the sun, other
d than they are afraid that Southern traitors
h will get their dues. Do they expect US
/, the armed defenders of the nation-tc
3; guard negroes belonging to traitors, in
o arms against us? Do they SEQ in the Con
h stitution any clause providing for the pro-
Il lection of property of traitors endeavoring
l. to destroy that very instrument itself?
ol I am for fighting rebels with white men
o indians, negroes, bull dogs, hell-hounds
V hot shot and burning brimstone-fire il
4 rnar fra in their front and then may
J, the Iegions Of Lucifer open the gates O.
If perdition and the winds of Heaven gently
J. watt them in"
l. Jacob, how do you like that, eh.-De