The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1863-04-22
From The Charleston Mercury.

tUH INV euhIitsluH mPIcufy.
SUSPENSION OF HABEAs CORPUS
The Richmond Enquirer yerv properly
denuunces the government of the United
States us despotism. Well-what con-
slitutes despotism? One thing, and one
thing alone-the suspension Of Me acrit of
habeas eo,pus. BY the suspension Of the
writ, President Lincoln can arrest and cast
into prison any citizen he peases, and there
is no power by which the citizen can be
released, but his arbitrary will. This
power makes President Lincoln despot.
and his government a despotism. Yet.
strange TO say, the Enquirer supports the
proposition that the Congress of the Con.
federate States should pass exactly such a
measure over the people Of the Confederate
States-President Davis 10 be empo wered
to suspend the habeds corpus act: and, like
President Lincoln, TO arrest and imprison
whom he pleases, in the Confederate States,
without any amenability or restraint from
the Courts Of the land. Does not the En-
quirer suppnrt The establishment of a des-
potism in the Confederate States, exactly
similar 70 that il denounees in the United
States
But The Enqairer alleges that President
Davis will not abuse the power, If conferred
upon him. by law making him despot.
This j. exactly the plea of the abolitionsts
OF the United States, is making Lincoln
despnt. 1t is ever the plea used in the
establishment Of all despotisms. Admit
the statement, however, to be true-the 90
UernDlent Is nevertheless despOsism. The
right Of personal liberty is gone. We
have no right 10 be out Of prison If the
President chooses we shall be in il. Sup
pose the Confederate States are conquered
by the United States, will there be any
worse form of government over US: Can
there be any worse. in its principless Ii
is 10 avoid just such a government, with
all its inevitable results o. political ruin.
slavery and death, that we are nov fight
ing
But the Enquirer argues that there are
districts If disatipcted country where the
suspension nf the writ Of habeas corpus
ought 70 prevail. Admit this to be true,
Tor arguments sake--what then ? Shall
the writ be suspended throughout the Con-
tederasy "lsre disafection does moi pre-
vail: IL give anv effect 10 the argument,
lei the suspension be limited by lac TO the
districts lisaiiected. To 90 further, is us
lng the dlsaiirction in small pa5t of the.
Contederac, to extend despptism over
the whole. The Enquirer further says, in
defense Of this measure, that The power 10
lmprison, anil 70 keep in prison, will only
extend TO State prisoners to prison
srs incarcerated by hf Erteuiire of The
CONFEDERATE STATES! Why-it is oult for
the bensIit Of such prisoners that the writ
Of habeds corpus is bulwark Of liberty.
Who are thUse in whose behalf Lincoln has
defied and annuled the writ Of habeas cor
pas on the other side Of the Potomac
State prisoners, and State prisoners only!
They consis. Of those who have dared 20
speak or 10 write in defense Of their con-
stitutIOnal rights against the. military des-
potism set up over them: Those by thou-
sands GIT bis dungeons and bastiles.
Rnt President Davis, in the opinion ot
tile Enquirer. can be safely entrusted win
su, power over our persons and Iibeft.es.
II tsdent Davis were second N4,t.
ingtou, Or an angel upon earth, the Agsga.
lalion such surrender of our ltghis I'M.
plies, would still be abhorrtnt io every
freeman. Those are fit 10 Ill slaves who
! Voluntarily seek master. n W arc tv