, 1863-06-09

citement growing out Of the Order Of Gen,
Burnside, suppressing the Chicago TINES, I
was urged to ask the President to revoke the
order, refused to do this, because not hay
Ing read that paper for several weeks preyi-
ously I did not know how far tho paper had
gosa, nor precisely upon what grounds the
order had been Issued. did, however, re-
| quest the President to give his careful con-
sideration to a petition, asking thai the Order
be rcscinded or suspended. Il was not In my
power then to express any intelligent opinion
as to whether the order should or should not
be abrogated, and I never have expressed my
opinion to the President On tha. point, one
why or the other. But that which Iasked the
President to do, have enaeayored to do my
self I hare given 1t careful consideration,
and have come to the conclusion that the
President has done right in revoking the Or
der, and as in this opinion differ from some
Of my friends, I desire to express the reasons
why approve OF this act Of the President.
Hyou will pause aud reflect little, I think
can satisfy you that you have been doing the
President and others great injustice. It WAS
Burke, I think, who said that the shield
against ca1umnY was character. Isympathize
with you In your natural Indignation at tho
existence Of paper among US Of the charac-
ter of the Time, Yonr rnnd emno,,on ~ maj
regret, ,but1 appeal to your sober second thought.
Strike if you please, but hear me first. Is
there man in Chicago who wonld have had
more personal reason to rejoice to the sup
preston Of the Times than /! If so, know
not who he is. No other man received from 1t
so much personal abuse, and that Of the most
bitter and malignant character. l believe It's
tendencies are dangerous to our country's
tional right to abuse me aud the Government,
subject 10 punishment by the laws Of the
lanI. think the President" did right in revok-
Ing tho order for ita military suppression.
Had listened to personal resentment or in
dignution, should certainly have urged the
der. Even those who differ with me viii per-
hans give me credit for honesty Of PURPOSE.
I feel entirely confident that when tho nasainn
and excitement Of the day have passed, You
will approve Of my conduct Us heartily as
ent Be- GnS m S & the s ordee ss o
Gen. Burnside WAS unwarfaptcd by the law
ard lie Constitution, If that order had been
sustained by the President, it would have
made IN issue before the people, upon which
the friends Of the Administration, not being
sagacity and good sense Of the President have
saved you from political disaster.
Ny friends. VIC havcn common purpose-to
crush this hcllish rebellion; but ia 1t not pos
sihle that you are wrong In the zaeans. when
one Of them is the suppression Of freedom Of
tie pres By military power: When you sec
the President, the Judges Of the United States
Courts, men, all OF them, OF your own party
men whose patriotism, loyalty and integrity
no n,an will qucstion--Ehcn you see them all.
although hating the Times Us they hate treason
itselt, Jet al declaring thnt tais military nr-
In error, and that these thongh1ful, true men,
acting under their responsibilities to the Con
ttitution and their oaths--is 1t not Just posi-
bic that they may be right, after als
do not propose to argue thu constitutional
question It Is too clear TOR argument: 20
1ntelligent man can deny that snch IN order
Violates the constitution. 1nte!ngeut and
candid men, Who justify the Order, defend
1t, not as constitutional, but as necessity, re-
snlting from the dangerous condition OF the
conntrr.
It is simply an exercise Of power in direct
conflict cor with every guarantee Of the Constitu-
tton and Of the Magma Charsa To those
who excuse OF Justify this Order on the ground
Of necessity to save the life Of the nation. let
nc beg their attention moment, while at
tempt 10 show that no such necessity exists,
and that an adequate remedy exists, without
rcsorting to 50 dangerous precedent. Tho
American. people are not ready to acsnowl
edge Our Constitution failure, nor are they
ready to sec military dictator established.
There Is no difficulty In Furnishing treason,
ard snppreesing srdition, without eFerturning
the Constitution. Where war or insurrection
arrest and punish, dangerous characters, aad
suppress summarily reasonable aud seditious
publications. THIS was done by Gen. jackson |
at New Orleans, and defended on the ground |
Of necessity, By Judge Douglas.
All violations Of military orders, which |
a military commander, under the articles Of
war or tue laws Of the land, has the right to
make, the military power can punish. For !
Instance, if any person aids 4 deserter to cs-
cape, or resists his arrcst, or creates by word |
or act, mutiby or 1nsubordination in the !
camp, for all such, and like offences, the Of |
fender may be suu1marily arrested aud pun.
ished By military power. !
For resisting the draft, and an offences con-
ions II the law are ample, II the Chicaao |
Zines encourages desertion, advises resistance /
to tue arrest Of q deserter or resistance to the
punishment, If 1t in any way gives aId and I
cucouraCcment to the re6cls-as In nv iudg.
nent Il Sftcn l,as-nuder Tic provisions of Tia
law It nay be Iudictei. tried and nunished.
But, I may be asked, what shall be done
where, os il tic Border States. the civil law ia
naraiyzed. VIXEN eyn,pathy with tbe rebels il
nrtiye. zca,ons anil and i1anrerouse I m.
hxycr. fnr sucI, SECTIONS of the countrr ~ in
Missouri. Tenncssrc. and MOTIONS OF other
S,ates-you must hnya martial inv. Ia Chi
cago and Illinois in that conditions # 30,
hen nm for martial law. That. mr. felloy
citizens. Is The remedy, If ttaItora are con
snirinr in our midst. to oTerthrow Tia CIV.
crnmrnt ard r,rcnn rfnr tn inoI,rnrnte cfril
war. in nnr mfdst. nnd 9he DANGER ia immi-
neut, let the writ Of habsas corpW; be suspend-
Cd and martial law nroc1aimed
If insnrrection. febelion md civil wnr arr
beine concocted md prepared in Illinois md
If The nnb]ic eafetv reonires It. the Preaident
hns tbe mower nn1 he ourht to exercise f. of
euspcndine tie writ Of Iabsas corpus. and
uroclaiminr martial INV. This la has The
Clear constitutional right to do.
These then are the powers. ample and full.
to punish treason and se6ition1 and ali who
aid and abet it, without ovcrturuing tie great
principles Of liberty which make our Govern
ment worth all the blood beinr shed to nra-
serve II. > >~e' 1'NS~ f1"'
is it then wise to resort to doubtful
means Of punishIng traitors, when Te can
reach them by legal and constitutional means.
The greatest danger which now threatens
the success Of the Union cause is serious
division In the loyal States. With the loyal
States substantially united, our success in
restoring the Union Is only question Of time.
Illinois, although the fourth State In the
Union, il, ! think, first In the physical and
moral pow er It has brought to aid the President
in crushing the rebellion. 4 serious division
here between the people and Legislature Of
our State, and the Federal Government, and
our great cause would be greatly jeopardized.
Is it prudent for the Administration to bring
on an issue, involving the liberty Of the Press,
with the Judges Of the Supreme and District
Courts of the United States, and both the con-
fdentfa1 friends Of the President, and our only
Republican Senator, agalnst the Admiuistra |
tion On the issue.
Aga1n, you suppress the Times By military |
force, you must suppress the expression Of |
the Fame sentiments, by whomsoeyer and !
wheresoevcr uttered. That which is scdftion |