The mountain Democrat., 1863-07-25

dom OF opinion, Of speech, Of the press
Of domicil, of bearing. or Of public
assembly nor any security Of the righ
Of trial by jury, or Of the other rights anC
privileges which constitute the sum o
rational liberty. The government is no
administered by means Of permanent
uniform, public and imperative rules o
civil conduct. There is no sure exemp
tion from arbitrary authority. Public
officers are the masters, and not the Serv
ants, of the people. The will Of the ma
tiOn and the States, authoritatively ex
pressed in constitutions and laws. is set al
naught. The republican character Of the
government over these Statce Is lost -
They are substantially under martial law
and in some localities that "law" has
been declared to prevail. They are moi
merely under the articles Of war, and
subject to be tried by a military commits
sion, as If all the inhabitants were in ac
tuai military service, (Which is sufficient
stretch Of pOwer,) but they are subjected
to even I" higher law" than the military
code-namely, the arbitrary judgment
and will Of q military commander or hi:
/
tered by the military tribunals. The
military has Snatched the supremacy ovel
the civil power. Those States, Therefore
are no longer under government Of law
This military despotiSm has furnished
shocking and ever memorable demon
Strntion of its tyrannical and destructive
character in the case Of the distinguished
citizen and statesman, Vallandigham.- -
Living in the patriotic State of Ohio, he
was arrested by squad Of soldiers, in
the night, by a violent entry into his
house and inner department, in obedience
to military command, and brought be.
fore board Of military officers, tried up.
on n charge Of violating a vague general
order, emanating from q military com
munder, forbidden to resort effectually ia
the civil tribunals, convicted on such evi
dence as the triers in their mere discre
tion chose to receive, and sentenced tC
such punishment as suited that discre
ton - subject to such notifications as
might be dictated by the policy and will
Of higher power. Here is rank military
despotism, If there was ever such thing
in the worlds history. Here are all the
elements and forces suited to destroy our
republican government, and to overthrow
and annihiIate our liberties Without
swift and effectual rebuke from the peo
pie, this act will seal the doom of our civil
| institutions.
In this fresh act Of glaring usurpatior
and oppression. the American people have
renewed occasion for deep sorrow and
humiliation, and for the most gloomy
foreboding. The liberty Of every either
has been snitten by the hand Of power
our country has drawn upon itself the
indignant scorn Of the friends of liberty
throughout the world-an the future
threatens to bring with it still more for
midable, desperate and concentrated at
tacks npon our civil liberties. Every
true-hearted American, therefore, must
grid up the lo;ns Of his mind, and prepare
himself to vindicate and defend his birth
right of freedom. Those who have rs
sailed the liberty Of the people must be
punished {; and every just and available
means must be nscd to defeat their cor.
rupt, wicked and destructive designs. -
I But we must retain our calmneSS and
self lCpoSsrsSion-act with deliberatIon and
mc,hod-and frown Indignantly upon all
violent and unlawful proceedings. The
great work will require the most full and
rigorous use Of all our Intellectual pow.
ers, an end which passion will defeat il
cannot be accomplished in day, but
may require the vigilance and per>eve
rance Of many years; and every act oI
disorder and of resistance to law and its
ministers. will tend directly to destroy
our cherished government of law, and
thus Mt last to overthrow our liberty -
Finally, let us be assured that the uIti.
mate result will be the triumph of the
constitution, the law, the people, and the
cause of constitutional liberty. With the
Divine blessing, the Vaccinations of our
enemies will be defeated the constitution
will vindicate its supremacy against both
rebellion and usurpation-t people will
still sway the sceptre of sovereign majesty
and constitutional liberty will, { r ages
to come, be the hearts treasure of the re.
deemed and happy millions of our land
A. B. j.
". H. ~ oo ,ono