Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-06-18
Arbitrary Arrests in the OIden Time.

Arbitrary Arrests in the Olden Time,
In 1907, during the administration Of Presi-
dent Thomas Jefferson, In the Bur- conspiracy,
bill was introduced into the House Of Repre-
sentatives authorizing the President to suspend
the writ of habsGs corpus for three months
Here Ia the way the bill was received:
The opponents Of the bill desired to show
their adherence of 10 by refusing to consider II
after IL had been read once in the House Mr..
Elliott, of Vermont, opposed the bill on the
grounds far more cogent now than they we're
fifty-fVe years ego, 1.-THE bill gives" says Mr..
E., "the power Of dispensing with the ordinary
operations Of law, toa host OF these Htk great
men, who are attached to every Government un-
der Heaven. Wish not to reflect upon any Of
these subordinate officers who may be employed
by the Government of my country. Bat no one
oan doubt that In times of alarm and danger
many will be clothed with the functions Of office
who are incompetent to the discreet exercise Of
such boundless discretion. can never Wish to
sec persons invested with the means of aiming
at the heads OF their private enemies, or other
innocent and utoffendlng citizens, the thunder
bolts of public indignation, or scorcbing them
with the lightning OF public suspicion. Says the
poets:
"Oould great men thunder Jove would neer be quiet
For every petty pelting officer
Would use his heaven for thunder"
John Randolph followed on the came eide
He said he should regard the bill as establish
Ing new era in the Government, "When |
was a boy" said Randolph, 81 recollect TO
have consulted such chronological tables as
could get access to. I recollect to have read
that certain monarchy was abolished In Rome
little while after the fret Dictator, and be-
lleve, as In the case Of apoplexy, che hardly
got over the third f!. believe suspension
of the writ OF habeas corpus might have here
tho same effect as the establishment of the frst
dictatorship in Rome. In what situation would
IL place yourselves and the citizens Of this ooun.
try7 It would leave them as the mercy not
merely of Justice OF the Peace, but at the
mercy of every subaltern officer in tho army
and navy"
The debate was closed by Mr.. Dana, of Con-
necticut, who considered the form 60 much
above the semblapce of liberty that under no
pretense, however plausible and specious, would
he consent to place the liberties of the nation,
even for a short specified period, in the hands
of the great apostle Of Americanism-Thomas
Jefferson.
"Tbe BILL" says Mr.. Dana, "authoizss the
arrests Of persons, not merely by the President
or other high officers, bus by any person acting
under him. imagine this to be wholly With
out precedent. If treason was marching to
force US from our seat, would not agree t.
this. would not agree thus to destroy The fun.
damentaL principles Of the OonstitutiOn, or to
commit such an act, either Of despo.ism or
pusilanimity. Under this view Of the subject
am disposed to reject the bill, as containing
q proposition upon which cannot deliberate p
The bill was at once rejected by vote Of liz
to 10. This was the firs, and last attempt, up
to the last session of Congress, to place the
liberty Of the citizen at the dispoeal Of a single
individual.
The writ of ha6sas corpus has now been sus.
pended indefinitely in all the States at the pleas
ure of the President! What contrast between
the Congress of 1907 aud that of 1868.