Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1863-06-24
Interesting Letter from Judge
Duer.
OswEGO, May, 20, 1868.

OswEGo, May, 20, 1868.
GENTLEMEN: l received some time ago
your letter inviting me to attend the pub
lie meeting called to viudicate the right of
the people to express their sentiments on
political questions. 1t was not in my
power to be present at the meeting, and
illness has prevented me until the present
moment from answering your letter. /
answer it now, though late, both to ex-
plain my apparent incivility, and also be-
cause think that in the present crisis no
loyal citizen ought to shrink from the ex-
preston of his opinion.
The action that has taken place since
your meeting was held, convinces me that
it is the intention of the President and his
advisers to crush opposition to their acts
by means of force and.terror. For this
purpose they have established and do
now actually enforce martial law in sew
eral loyal States, and they will doubtless
do the same in New Y ork and everywhere
else, unless they are made to know that
the people will not submit to it.
To many persons the words "martial
law" do not convey any very definite
idea They know that it is something
very harsh and rigorus, and summary,
but they suppose that it bears some re-
semblance to all other laws of which
they have ever heard or read, in this re-
spect at least; that it defines offences and
fixes their punishment. And l cannot
but suppose that many of those who cla-
NOR for its establishment are ignorant
that it is nothing in the world but the alb
solute and unrestrained will of a military
chieftain. Permit me, then, to give de-
scription of martial law upon the authori-
ty of the highest judicial tribunal of our
country. The language is that of Judge
Woodbury. in delivering the opinion OF
the court in a case determined by the Su-
prcme Court of the United States: " By
it, says the Court, " eve1y citizen, instead
of reposing under the shield Of k,,o,cn and
.fred lars as to his liberty, property, and
life, erists ,cith rope around his neck, sub
.ject to be hua,g up By a military depot at TIE
nert mrnp-post, u"de'' tacisentence Of sonat
d,.,u,,-heaG court MARTIAL
1t is true that Republicans have reason
to believe that they will be safe from tn,
horrors of this law under a Republican
Administration. No Republican or Abo
litionist has yet been arrested, imprisoned
or banished, and they may reasonably
calculate that none ever will be. Sucl
persons are permitted to stigmatize thu
Constitution as league with hell, ano
insist that the war shall be prosecuted, no
to restore the Union, but to destroy it
without being regarded as guilty of any
8: disloyal practices" The only sufferers
SO far, have been Democrats. Indeed
the very purpose for which the establish
ment of martial law is sought by tn
managers of the clubs and leagues, is +
destroy the Democratic party. And w
find it declared in an official documen
emanating from the War Department
; that to support the Democratic party
is to support the cause of the rebels
This terrible engine, then is to be set i
, motion by one political party for the pei
secution of an other, arming neighbo
against neighbor, and setting ISSUES
S every household. The machinery is pre-
t pared. Already the secret societies ar
D in motion, bound by what oaths l kno'
? not. That they who design these thing
design all their dreadful consequences
: do not believe but they know little I