Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1863-05-14

If the arrest of Vallandigham, which we
report this morning, strikes anybody with
surprise, it must be only because it has SO
long been deferred. Justice never strikes
too late, but it often strikes so late that much
evil is permitted. It is well that this in
famous traitor is arrested now, but il
would have been better If he had been or.
rested long ago. The best time would
have been directly after. his participation
with Breckinridgs in the complimentary
supper given to the latter by the rebels Of
Baltimore, with rebel pudding and oys-
ters warm in his sympathetic stomach and
the grease of welcome still glistening on
his face. The delay was doubtless good
for his digestion but bad for the nation
He has never in one word. or act, or look.
by indirection or suggestion. done any
thing that was not for the good of the re-
bellion. He has never pretended to be o
friend to the government. One tenthpsrt
of the rigor here. which his rebel friends
hove practiced in the suppression OF Union
sentiments among themselves. W would have
put him many foot in the ground two
years ago. That he is still liviRg. and till
yesterday free to talk. to council treason,
to suggest resistance to the laws, and to
assail with mean malignity those who sup-
port the government, is the best possible
proof that the tyranny he was so fond Of
denouncing was leniency that deserved
to be denounced. He never mounted the
stump to assail the oppression of this ab-
olition government" that his very presence
was not a proclamation Of his fslsehood
In no other nation under heaven. and new
er in this nation at any other time,
would man who made treason his mis-
sion and duty have been endured q
month All the evil that has followed his
suggestion, and all that the example of his
immunity in uttering them could produce.
the government has permitted rather than
trench upon the right OF personal liberty;
and in permitting them has done grie-
vous wrong to the nation. Il is truo hc
has been dexterous in covering his crime.
He has rarely put it In such form that an
indictment could have been based upon it.
But II is none the less true that his treason
has been just rank and notorious as that
Of JEFF. Davis. Nobody could doubt it,
He should have been stopped at the start.
But, ss we said, justice never strikes too
late. His arrest will not be without its
lesson, even now.
The Immediate cause of this very deci.
ded step of Gen. Burnside. we believe, was
speech made by Vallandigb ham in Co.
lumbus few days ago, in which he de-
nouncsd Order No. 3S with great vehe.
mence. declared he never would obey Il.
and advised his friends never to obey it,
This order prohibits men in the loyal
States from shouting for Jeff. Davis. and
exhibiting other indications of sympathy
with the rebellion. This is the whole of
It. vallandigham's declaration Of his
purpose to dfsobey it was, therefore, as
distinct an affirmation Of his purpose to
show rebel sy pathizers. as could Be ask
ed. It was both an avowsl that be felt
them. and that no power should keep him
from showing chem. Unless General
Burnside meant to allow the authority Of
the Government 20 be defed under his
very nose, he had no other course to take
than to arrest valandighan, Now he
has him we hope ho will send him down to
the rebel States at once. He belongs
there. not here. His friends there viii be
glad to see him. And he can there de-
nouncc Order No. 38 and wear Butteraut
amblems as much As he plesses 10
the best thing to do with him. Let
Burnside have him and showhim to the
army for IN hour. and ithtn 'sead hin 10
Bragg .ours,o5 ss7s q wods II