Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1863-11-20
WHAT WE ESCAPED.

The Cleveland Herald says: Imagination can
hardly picture the calamity averted by the de-
feat of Vallandigham in Ohio, and Woodward in
pennsylvania. The former would have headed
a civil war within the borders of our State, and
Frank Pierce's prophesy, that blood would run
in the streets of the North, been fulfilled. But
woodward is even more dangerous man thar
Vallandigham, in as much as he is more secre-
tive has greater talent, and greater moral infu-
ence. What he would have DONE had he been
elected Governor OF Pennsylvania, may be infer
red from what he, since the election, has done
as one of the judges of the Supreme Court of
that State.
Judge Woodward, at a late session of said
court decided that the law raising men by draft
ing is unconstitutional and hence void. VAL
landigham, with all his might even as Governor
OF Ohio, could not strike such blow to the Uni
on cause, as has this Copperhead Judge in Penn
lsylvania Under that ruling every drafted man
| in our army would be released and the doctrine
that has been law since the government has had
being would be overthrown.
Judge Woodward takes the State Rights path
to his conclusiOn-that same path which the
rebels have trod for thirty years. leading direct
ly to this outbreak. He says the Federal Gov
Iernment cannot pass such law for the power of
Originating war was committed to the represent
atives of the States. He says:
"The great vice of the conscript law is. that
it is founded on assumption that Congress
may take away not the State rights of the citi-
zen, but the security and foundation of his State
rights. And how long is civil liberty expected
to last, after the securities of civil liberty are
destroyed The Constitution of the United
States committed the liberties of the citizen in
part to the Federal Government but expresslv
reserved to the States, and the people of the
States, all it did not delegate 1t gave to the
General Government standing army, but left
to the States their militia"
His objection to the law may be summed up
as follows:
"lst That the power of Congress to raise and
support armies, does not include the power to
draft the militia of the States.
I'D That the power of Congress TO call forth
the militia cannot be exercised in the forms ~
this enactment"
In speaking OF this decision by Woodward
and Lowrie the Pittsburg Commercial saws:
III Woodward had been elected Governor. and
Lowrie had been reelected to to the Supreme
bench, Woodward would have appointed good
lcopperhead as judge in his place, majority of
the court would in that case still have been dis
loyal the decision of the court on the final hear
ing would have been the same as that now made
on the preliminary hearing, and perpetual in
Junction would have been awarded to prevent
any draft under the act of Congress; Woodward
as Governor. would have issued proclamation
bordering all the conscripts from Pennsylvania
under the late dTat to return home immediate-
ly, and prohibiting the Federal officers from en-
forcing the draft under the Presidents new call;
and he would have called out the militia of the
State to enforce his proclamation. The conse-
qpence would have been a war between Penn
sylvania and the General Government And
then Woodward would have got this State to 90
to do.
"Have we not abundant reason TO thank God
that he has saved us from such a peril by ena-
bling US to defeat Woodward and Lowrie at the
iate aye electionf As things now are, this decision
ofthe court is but the bray of diving ass n
was made on a preliminary hearing. Before
the final hearing Lowrie will be off the bench,
and Agnew will be in his place. The majority
OF the court will then be loyal and consequent.
iy the decision on the final hearing viii be
loyal decision; and the only effect Of this decis-
ion will be to consign to eternal infamy the
Judges who made it"