Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1863-06-27
tn. President on arbitrary Arrests.

The officers of the Copperhead meeting
at Albany transmitted to President
Lincoln copy of the resolutions adopted
then and there, for his consideration. The
resolutions declare their purpose to sustain
the cause OF the Union and the Govern
ment in every lawful measure to suppress
the rebellion, and restore ell the States un-
der the Constitution. All this is q mere
cover for what follows, which is a pointed
and severe censure of the President for per.
hitting arbitrary arrests, and especially
the arrest and punishment of Mr.. Vallan
digham. And finally these earnest patriots
call upon the President to restore Mr.. V.
to the liberty of which be has been de-.
prived. The President replies to these
rather uncourteous criticisms and demands
in kind and friendly spirit noticing their
assumptions poiut by point, overturning
them with bis irresistible but homely logic,
aud in fact completely vindicating his
course with respect to the arrest OF sympa-
lbizers aud the suspension of the writ of
habeas corpus He concludes as follows:
The name of President Jackson recalls
an instance Of pertinent history After
the battle of New Orleans, and while the
fact that the treaty of peace had been con
cllded was well known in the city, but be.
fore official knowledge of it had arrived,
General Jackson still maintained martial
or military law. Now, that it could be
said the war was over; the clamor against
martial law, which had existed from the
first, grew more furious Among other
things a Mr.. Louaillier published denuu
ciatory newspaper article. General Jack
son arrested him. A lawyer by the name
of Morel procured the Uulted States Judge
! Hall TO order a writ of of habeas corpus
| to relieve Mr.. Loualler. General jackson
arres, ed both the lawyer aud the Judge.
A Mr. 'Hollander veutured TO say that "it
was dirty trick" General jackson ar.
rested him. When the officer undertook
to serve the writ of habeas corpus, General
jackson took it from him, and sent him
away with a copy. Holding The Judge in
custody few days, The General sent HIM
beyond the limits of his encampment, aud
set him at liberty, with an order TO remain
till the ratification of peace should be reg
ularly announced, or until the British
should have left the southern coast A
few days more elapsed, the ratification OF
the treaty of peace was regularly annoan.
ced and the Judge aud others were fully
liberated A few days more and the judge
called General jackson into court aud fued
hm q thousand dollars for having arrested
him and the others named The Genera
pald the fine, and there the matter restet
for nearly thirty years, when CongrasS re
funded principal aud interest. The lat,
Senator Douglas, theu in The House OF Re
presenlat,ves, took leading part IN the
debates, IN whicl the constitutional qaes
ton was much discussed l am not pre-.
pared 10 say HON the journals would suoW
70 have vo,eu lor tne measure.
|. may oe remarked: FIrst, that we had
The same Constitution then as now; Sc
coudly, mat we thea had'a case OF inva
sion, and now We have u case OF rebellion;
aud, thirdly, that we then had the perma
uent right of the people 10 puolic discus
slou, the liberty of speech ana OF the press
the llial by jury, and the law OF eveideuce
aud the hdUeas corpus, suffered no detGl
ment whatever 10y tue conduct ot Gcuera
jackson, or It's subsequent approval 10y tue
American Congress.
Ana ict me say, that in my own discre
llon, | do no, Know whether | wound nave
urue,eu the arrest vi Nj Vailauuiguum
Wnle | cauuOJ shift the responsibility from
myself | hold that, as general rule, TIE
commander lu the held is tue better judge
OF the necessity in any particular case. Vi
course, l must praclice general directory
aud reylsory power IN the matter.
Que OF Inc resolutions expresses the
op nlou of tue meeting that arDlIrary ar
rests will have The effect to divide aud dis
tract those who should he united In the
suppression of the rebellion, aud am spe
clally called on to discharge Mr.. Valau
dlgLam regard tins Us, at least, fail
appeal 10 me on The expedleucy OF exercls
ing a constitutional power which l think
exists la response to such appeal have
10 Say, it gave me pain when learnel
that Mr.. Vallsudgham mad been arrested
that is, | was pnned that there should
have seemed To be IA necessity for ar. estlng
| nlm-auU l0dI ~ VIII duOtu piCuo
ure to discharge hun SO soon as 1 can, oy
any means, believe TIE public safety Will
not suffer by it. further Say, that as The
war progresses, it appears lc me, opinion
and action, which were IN great coutusot
at first, take shape and fall luto more regu
lar channels, SO that the necessity fol
strong dealing with them gradually de
creases. have every reason TO desIr'
thai it should cease altogether. aud ta
from the least is my regard for the opiu
ions and wishes of those who, like the meet
ing at Albany, declare their purpose t
sustain the government in every eunsIitu
lloual and lawful measure 10 suppress Ih
rebellion, Still, l must continue TO do 81
much as may seem to be required by th'
public safety.
Speech of an old Democrat.
Hon. JOHN BRoUGH, formerly Auditor
State, aud now canidate for Governor of Ohio
: few days since attended Union mass meeting