North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1863-05-13
The Rights of A Freeman
Violated.
Arbitrary Arrest of C.L. vallandigham.

morning last, Dy squad OF soldiers sent up
by special train from Cincinnati for that pur-
pose The soldiers had to smash in several
doors before they could get him. The bells
were then rung and an attempt was made to
rescue him, but 1t failed, and he was taken to
Cincinnati. This arrest so incensed the nei-
ghbols and friends of Mr.. Vallindgham at
Dayton, that on the same day they proceeded
to the Journal (Republcan) office and com
pletely gutted the building. They then set
fire to it and burned it to the ground. The
fire communicated to the adjoining buildings,
and all the property from the south end of
Phillips house to the middle Of the square
was destroyed. All the telegraph lines in the
city have been cut down, and bridge on the
Xenia Railroad is reported destroyed. At 10
o'clock on Tuesday night, troops arrived from
Cincinnati and Columbus, and succeeded in
putting dowR the rioters. On Wednesday
the town of Dayton was comparatively quiet.
About thirty of the rioters ha d been arrested
and placed in Jail. The soldiers removed
swivel from the E. Office, and also took posses
sion of two wagon loads of muskets stored in
the Light Guard armory. Mr.. Vallaniigha m
was brought before the court marital at
Cincinnati; on Tuesday for trial. He refused
him, and the Court proceeded with the evil
deuce, the publication Of which is not allow.
ed The charges are based on his Mount
Vernon speech. Mr.. ValIandigham was at
the Burnet House under strong grard.-
Dayton and Montgomery county have been
placed under martial law. The total loss by
the the coadlgration at Dayton was $40, 900
The damage otherwise by the riot was small.
from the Cincinnati Commercial of Saturday.
The trial Of Mr.. Vallandeham having been
concluded, it will not be improper now to
publish the charges and specifications against
him. and SO much Of tie evidence as is of
Importance.
The Judge advocate read the general order
from the headquarters Of the Department
Of the OHIO appointing officers
commission to try al. parties brought before
it, and Mr.. VaIlaudigham was asked wheth-
er he had any objections to offer to any
member Of the Court.
Mr.. Vallandigham said he was not ac-
quainted with any Of the members of the
court, and had no objections to offer to them
individually, but he protested that the COIN
mission had 10 authority to try him, he be-
ing neither in the land nor naval force of
the United States, nor in the militia in the
actual service of the United States, and was
not therefore triable by such a court, bul
was amenable only to the judicial courts OF
the land.
The members Of the court were then sworn
to try his case impartiaIly.
The judge adyocate-then read the follow
ing charge and >pecication
CHARGE.
Publicly expressing, in violation of Gener-
al Orders, No. SO, from headquarters, De
partment Of the Ohio, his sympathies for
those in arms against the government of the
HllSu CldlCS, dCCIdI dioiOt di oSIIliilG MS
and opinions, with the object and purpose Of
weakening the power ofthe government in
its Efforts to suppress an unlawful rebellion.
SPECIFICATION.
In this, that the said Clement L. Valan-
digham, citizen Of the State of Ohio, on or
about the 1st day of May, 1868, at Mount
Vernon, Knox county, Ohio, did publicly ad-
dress large meeting of citizens and did ut.
ter sentiments in words or in effect, as fol-
lows: declaring the present war "a wicked,
cruel, and unnecessary war ;" "a war not
being waged for the preservation Of the I'm
ion :" ga war fop the purpose Of crushing
out liberty and erecting despotism = "a
war for the freedom of the blacks and the
enslavement of the whites ;" stating " that
if the administration had so wished, the war
could have been honorably terminated months
ago; ;" that peace might have been honara-
bly, obtained by listening to the propo~ed in
formulation Of France; ;" that" a proposition
by which the Southern States could be won
OaCk ana tne SOuin De SudI lueli 'ShtS
under the Constitution, had been rejecte d
the day before the late battle at Fredericks-
burg, by Lincoln and his minions," meanidg
thereby the President of the United States
and those under him in authority. Charg
ing that the government Of the United States
were abJut to appoint military marshals III
every dlstrct TO restrain the people Of the ir
liberties, Ito deprive them Of their rights and
privileges Characterzng General Order
No. SO, from headquarters Department of
the Ohio as " a base usurpaton of arbitrary
authority )" inviting his hearers to resist
the same by saying " The sooner the peo,
pie inform the mnlons of usurped power that
they will not submit to such restrictions up
un their liberties the better )" declaring
" that he was at all times, and upon all oc-
casions, resolved to do what he could to de-