Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1863-06-13
Judge Duer's Letter.
We place the letter of Judge Duer, Of
New York, before the people, without one
word Of comment. II speaks for itself

Woru VI commeDW lb SPEAKS ior ilssn
OswEao, May 90, 1863.
GENTLEMEN---I received some time ago
your letter inviting me TO attend the public
meeting called to vindicate the right Of the
people to express their sentiments upon
political questions. II was not In my
power to be present at the meeting, and
illness has prevented me until the present
moment from answering your letter. I
answer it now, though late, both to ex-
plain my apparent incivilty, and also be-
cause 1 think that in the present crisis no
loyal C c'tizen ought to shrink from the ex-
preston of his opinion.
The action that has taken place since
your meeting was held, couvinces me that
it is the intention of the President and
his advisors 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 York, and every.
where else, unless they are made to know
that the People will not submit to it.
10 many persons the words "martial
law do not convey any definite idea,-
They know that it i, something very harsh
and rigorous, and summary, but thew
suppose that it bears some resemblance to
all other laws of which they have ever
heard or read, in this respect at least ::
that it defines offences and fixes their
punishment. And l cannot but suppose
that many Of those who clamor for its
establishment are ignorant that it is moth
ing in the world but the absolute and un.
restrained will Of a military chieftain.-
Permit me then to give description of
martial law upon the authority of the
highest judicial tribunal of our country.
The language is that of Judge Woodbury.,
in delivering the opinion of the Court, in
case determined by the Supreme Court,
of the United States "By it," says the
Court, "every citizen, instead OF rcposng
under the shield of known and fixed laws
as to his liberty, property and life, exists
with rope round his neck, subject to be
hung up by military despot at the next
lamp-post, under the sentence of some
drumhead court martial"
1t is true that Republicans have reason
to believe that they vii, be safe from the
horrors of this law, under Republican
Administration. No Republican or Abo.
litionist has yet been arrested, imprisoned
or banished, and they may reasonably
calculate that none ever will be. Such
persons are permitted to stigmatize the
Constitution as league with hell, and
insist that the war shall be prosecuted,
not to restore the Union, but to destroy it,
without being regarded as guilty of any
'disloyal practice The only sufferers,
50 far, have been Democrats. Indeed the
very purpose for which the establishment
of martial law is sought by the managers
of the clubs and leagues, is to destroy the
Democratic party. And we find it declar-
ed in an official document 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 in motion by one political
party for the persecution of another,
arming neghbor against neighbor, and
setting issues in every household. The
is prepared. Already the Sc
cret societies are in motion, bound by
what oaths, 1 know not. That they who
design these things design all their dread.
|ul consequences 1 do not believe; but
hey know little of human nature and lit
lie of history who cannot discern them.
Under single despot there is equality;
rom single despot there may be hope of
escape, But the worst form that despot-
SIN can assume is that of the tyranny of
party over party; and if anything can add
20 its horrors it is when the dominant
action is inhamed by fanaticism and led
by priests.
What matters it that these men are
'onscient ious, that they act under sense
'f duty, of religious duty! I do not im-
peach their motives. The more conscien-
'ious they are, the worse. All fanatics
are conscientious, and it is this that makes
their tyranny, of all tyrannies, the most
What we can and ought to do, beyond
'he me-e expression of our sympathy, in
aid OF our oppressed countrymen in Ohio,
Kentucky and Indiann, is subject upon
which it may be as we'll at present to say