Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1863-08-26

Ine mercy OF new funcuOnarleS CalleQ
"provost marshals.'' Secret accusation
before these officials takes the place of
open hearing before a lawful magistrate,
and no writ of habeaS corpus may inquire
the cause of the arrest. To illegal ar
rests have been added the mockery of a
trial OF private citizen for his political
opinions before a court-martlal, ending IN
the infliction of a new and outrageous
penalty, invented by the President OF the
United States. We need not comment
upon acts like these. The President of
the United States has no authority, in
time of peace or war to try, even an enlist
ed soldier by court-marlial, save by virtue
and in strict conformity with the military
law laid down in the act of Congress "es-
tablishing rules and articles for the govern
ment OF the armies of the United States.
! Iet by his proclamation of September
oath, 1862, he has assumed TO make all
| citizens amenable to military courts. He
has violated the great principle OF free
! government, on which Washington con-
Quoted the war of the Revolution. ana
Madison the war of lS12-the principle
| of the subordination of the military to
the civil power. He has assumed to put
ssmartial law" which is the rule Of force
at a SPOT where all laws are silenced, in
the place of civil justice throughout the
| land, and has thus assailed, in some of the
States, even the freedom of the ballot
box These are not occasional acts, done
in haste, or heat, or ignorance; but new
system of government put in the place OF
of that ordained and established by the
people That the Queen could not do
what he could. was Mr.. Stewards boast
70 the British Minister. The "military
arrests" of Mr. Stanton received the
* hearty commentator " OF the Conven-
ton that renominated Governor Curtin
and it pledged him and his party TO
Z" hearty cooperation" In such acts of the
Administration in the future. Such is the
degrading platform on which a candidate
for Chief Magistrate of Pennsylvania
stands before her people These pretcn-
sions to arbitrary power give ominous
! significance to a late change in our mill
} tary establishment. The time-honored
, American system of calling on the States
for drafts from their militia, has been re-
placed by Federal conscription on the
} model of European despotisms. We
t would not minister to the excitement
= which it has caused among men of all
2 parties. Its consttutionality will be
tested before the courts. If adjudged tc
D be within the power of Congress, the
y people will decide on the propriety of 8
: stretch of power, on which the British
n Parliament-stiled omnipotent--ha:
e never ventured. On this you win pas
y at the polls, and the next Congress vii
e not be deaf to the voice of the people.
d For all political evils, a constitutions
If remedy yet remains in the ballot box
g We will not entertain fear that it is no
y safe in the guardianship of a free people
Y If men in office should seek TO perpetu
e ate their power by wrestling from tn
le people of Pennsylvania the right of SUI
Of frage if the servants of the people shoul
le rebel against their master, on them wi
d rest the responsibility of an attempt 9
of revolution of which no man can forese
he the consequences or the end. But in nov
d addressing you upon the political issue
{ of the day. we assume that the institution
It of our country are destined to endure.
e. The approaching election derives ful
S exercise upon the policy of the goverr
e. ment. The aim of men not blinded b
re fanaticism and party spirit would be ,
u reap the best fruit from the victori,
or achieved by our gallant armies-the be
at fruit would be peace and the restoratic
ct of the Union. Such is not the aim of II
ne party in power. Dominated by its mo
ai bigoted members, it wages war for Il
IS negro. and not for the Union. 1t avov
nd the design to protract the war till slave
.ts shall be abolished in all the Southe
of States in the language of one of its par
ii pheteers, chow can a man hoping, al
d: PRAYING for the destruction of slavery, d
nd sire that the war shall be short one
he Mr. Thaddeus Stephens, the Republic;
M leader in the last House of Represent
I'll tives. declared, 'sThe Union shall nevt
ass with my consent, be restored under t
to Constitution as it is, with slavery to
Sc protected by it." The same spirit appea
,ne in Mr. Lincoln's late answer to the CT
of zens of Louisiana. who desired the
err turn of that State under its present CO
ted stitution. Mr. Lincoln postpones them
red that Constitution shall be amended. L
in Abolitionists desire the war to last I
,ri- freedom is secured to all the slav,
the hordes of politicians, and contractors, a
Yet purveyors, who fatten on the war, des
can it to last forever When the slaves
1y. all emancipated by the Federal arms,
at constant military Intervention will