Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1863-03-05
NEW SERIES-VOL. 25-NO. 3


But, sir, what is martial law, to which
every man in the United States, contrary
to the Constitution, is made subject by this
proclamation, and what are the courts
martial and military commission? the
Duke Of Wellington, who ought to be
good authority upon this subject, in de-
bate in Parliament declared that martial
law was neither moro or less than the will
Of the general who commands the army.
and he contended that the General who
declared martial law and commanded that
it should be carried into effect was bound
to lay down distinctly the rules and reg
ulntions and limits according to which his
will was to be carried out" The Presi-
dent Of the United. States is commander
inChief of the army of the United States.
Under his proclamation, what he wills to
be disloyGl practices are such. Any one
who he wills, may be arrested as vio-
later of his will. The law by which he
declares violater of his will shall be
tried in his will. The tribunal by which
the grave offender is to be tried is consti-
tuted as the President wills, for the mill.
tary commission is appointed by his AT.
thority alone. The punishment inflicted,
if the President wills that his will has
been violated is Just what the President
wills, no more, no less. 1t may DO the
deprivation of liberty, or property. either
or all The Constitution provides that
no person shall be deprived of these with
out due process of law. But what is the
Constitution when we have a President
that has a will? Ali these things the Pres
ident Processes to have done to save the
Union aud protect the Constitution. Is
| he mad?
Among all the causes that have been
/ potential in dividing public sentiment
and preventing concert and harmony of
action in the adhering States, none bavo
been more so than these usurpations of
power and acts of oppression by the Pres
idcnt, The question ceased to be so much
whether negroes shall beStee, as, shall
white men be made slaves? Every bas-
tile has been more disastrous to the Union
cause than an army lost, ard every wrong
full Imprisonment of the citizen more in
furious than a defeat.
THE ABOLITION PROCLAMATION.
Another measure adopted by the Pres.
ident, protessedly as necessary mea-
sure to suppress rebellion is his proclaim
alton Of the 1st inst, proClaiming free"
dom to nearly three millions Of slaves in
the revolted States. 4 6rutuD fulmen.
y Popo's bull, as he himself has well
said, against the comet. Are the slaves
which he declares free in his possession
or that of their masters? Has he or they
control over them Can his paper bull
give them practical liberty? If it can,
surely it can TO some other and more eff
/, lectual things toward suppressng the re-
bellion. If it is so potential, why not
issue another declaring that the eyes OF
the rebels shall Immediately drop out?--
They could not then see to fight against
him. Why not still another. that the
guilty shall all become lame They
could not then march against him. And
yet another that every nerve of every reb'
el shall be Immediately encrvated They
could not then fire gun ordraw q sword.
Still another, that Richmond is takcn?-
They then would have no capital One
more, that they are all dead without heirs?
! Then indeed, their possessions would all
escheat, all without the Gid of confisca-
, tion bi ! could be parceled out among the
thousands of disnrerested but hopeful
and eXpoctant patriots who are impatien
tly waiting for the time to come when
they shall be bidden to go down and pos
g sess the "goodly land"
Mr.. President, while this utterly uncon.
: stitutional and abominally wicked proc
!. lamatcn can be of no service toward re-
storing the Union, it will, while unre
" voked and attempted to be executed, for
:. ever prevent peaceful reunion OF the
If States | say PEACEFUL REUNION
n for never dreamed of a reunion 10y force
!. YOU CANNOT CONQUER THE
r. SOUTH That number OF people inhab
= iting that extent of territory have neve
been conquered siuce the world began 81
Q as to be made permanently to live in po
,r hti,al connection with another people
. against their will. You cannot restore M'
as Union 6y force. 70 nevar could here been
d preserved By force.
m Would some modern slave-lreeing pat
b, riot hear what wiser man than Abra
t, ham Lincoln has said on this subject ?
n Would some modern patriot who ques
s., lOnS the loyalty Oh All thoHc "ho "'"S
ID in opinion from HIMSELF would some pa
IT trotic editor of a newspaper which. per
cl haps, may denouuce ne as disloyal, be
IS, cause have uttered this sentiment. iste
tn to what a greater man than the preser
is Executive, or even than a mighty edito
ora scribblcr for some obscure newsps
cs per has said? Ii so, l invite his after
st tion to the words of John Quincy Ad
v ans in reference to this matter. Was b
a disunionst, was he secess!onist bt
Ell cause he did not believe that a Governmer
n created by consent, and united by the a
n fections of the people, could not be kel
is together and preserved by force. wht
he the people of the different sections hf
ew become alenated ? Ii he was not di
." unionist or seccssionist for believing tn
vc what reason have the modern pretendel
lw to patriotism, but whose patriotism
We however, in too many cases, results fro
We public contracts or from feeding at Il
ms public crib, to charge me and those wi
he think with me with being disloyal to Il
Of Government Of my country, or to Il
M 4, of tho In nd. hi