Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-04-14

NNAANAAeA aAAA " m ----''
cessitT.
Many Of the positions assumed by the
so-called Democracy of the present day,
have been proved to be directly opposed to
the Democratic doctrines put forth by
Thomas Jefferson. The Democracy claim
to be Jefersonians, and yet they ignore
some Of the plainest teachings of thstgreat
leader. Among other positions upon which
they plant themselves is that of declaring
that there is no such thiDgas 4" war power
delegated to the national authorities, and
that they have no rig to do in time of war
what they could not do in peace. Hence,
they dsnounee the system Estate arrests, of
the suspension Of the hqbeas corpus and other
measures which the present Administra-
lion has been compelled to adopt for the
suppression Of the rebellion, as "uncOnsti-
tutiOnal and illegal Upon this point we
have in definite shape, the views of Mr..
jefferson as expressed in a letter written
by him 10 J. B. Calvin and found in the
9th volume of orks 1t clear
" shows what the author Of the Declsra-
ton Of Independence thought to be the
duty Of the President Of the United States
in time Of iusurreolion and public danger.
In that letter he says: A strict observ-
snoe Of the written laws is doubtless one
Of the high duties Of a good citizen, but It
Is not the highest The laws Of necessity,
Of self. preservation, Of saviHg our country
lOheH in danger, are Of higher obligation. To
lose our country by a scrupulOus adherence
to written law, would be TO lose itself, with
life, liberty, property and all those who
are enjoying them with US; thus absurdly
sacrificing the end to the means" No
language could more clearly declare the
existence and the justice Of " war plwer "
than this.
But again, Jefferson speaks still more
pointedly as to the necessity and the right
fulness Of making military and arbitrary
arrests of persons supposed to be plotting
against the Government he speaks of the
conspiracy of Aaron Burr and of General
Williamson's arrests in New Orleans, fully
justifging them in the following language:
WHe expected Burr and his band from
above, a British fleet from below, and he
knew there was formidable conspiracy
within the city. Under these circumstances
was he justifable 1st In seizing notori-
Gus eonspirators On this there can be but
tlDo opinions one, Of the guit,y and their
aeeOHpliees; the other, that Of all honest
men. ID. In sending them TO the seat Of
Government, when the written law gave
them 8 right to trial in the territory The
danger Of their rescue, Of their continuing
their Vaccinations, the tardiness and
weakness Of the law, apathy Of the judges,
active patronage Of tho whole tribe of
lawyers, unknown disposition of the ju-
rors, an hourly expectation Of the enemy,
salvation Of the city, and Of the UuiOn
ITSELF which would have been eonvulsed
TO its center had that conspiracy succeed
ed all these constituted a law of ne cessiiy
and self preservation, and rendered the
OoIsas popui supreme over the written
law The officer who is sailed to act on
this superior ground, does indeed risk
himself on the justice of the powers Of the
Constitution, and his station makes Il his
duty 70 incur that risk"
To all Copperheads and peace Democrats
these opinions of the father of Democracy
are commended; but as has been truthful
ly remarked, there are now two kinds of
Observation-Disclosures Democrats and
JefersOn-Davis Democrats. TheIatter are
as widely removed from the former as the
North from the South.