Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-07-04

The Eiequence OF the Hon. George r.
Pugh--ff,s Splendid argunaent An
the vaiIanaighsm Case Before
Judge Leavitt.
The argument OF the Hon. George L Pugh IN
the Vallandigham ease. iefore Judge LeAyitt,
upon the application for he writ Of hapeas corpus.
Is one of the most powerful and mastery that
Was ever deliy ered in q court OF justice IL CON-
bines. together with strength and power ia srgu
ment, splendid and eloquent dction. As spec
imens Of its character, We select the following
passages. which We know will be admired by
lovers of the patriotic al d beautiful. Mr. Pugh
said OF the doctrine that our liberties are not in
danger: IE- Az
Il not only fear, but am well assured BY the
examples Of history that our liberties can not sur
vive patient submission 70 arbitrary power. IL
is mot the cry of demagogues: it is the voice of
wisdom in all ages-it speaks 10 Us from the
tombs of a hundred Republics. once happy and
proud. and confident of perpetuity. 1t is the
watchword Of patriots and the testament of mar
ssrs--it should be the 6sa lesson of youth. and
the last injunction of the agel to their children
Eternal vigilance i. the price Of liberty We
can have il for no less and UPON other terms.
Religion. Civilization. Elucationp These do
not supply the place of liberty at all. nor have
they been found sufficient to preserve It. Other
nations living under despotic forms Of govern
ment. are quite as religious and quite as thor
oughly civilized as We are-sOme Of them are
much better educated. The rude Roman WAS
free-the Roman Of the higher civilization be.
came abject lave
81 will not intrust my sacred birthright to any
man, let him be ever so great aud good, upon
his promise that y-and by. when he shall have
conquered CT enemy or pr. down rebellion, he
will give it back TO me. he may take il without
ny consent; he may DC 20 strong that can not
seeist; these are uisfortunes shich I msy not 90
able to Svod; bat 10 words or hatteTy, nc power
on earth. can deceive me or compel me TO any
measures OF compliance. Better the sharpest
pangs of de lth. "a life of exile and poverty and
constant hlrdships Give me the crust OF bread
and cup OF ,ter With liberty rather than the
amplest luxury with servitude Give me. instead
of this genial climate this fertile soil this pros
porous community. under arbitrary Govern
ment. the bleakest Arctic or Antarctic region.
under the almost insult rible winter the night OF
one lnlf year in durstnn. the day. which cab
hardly he called day: but give me wihal the
consciou .ness--lhe proud. the noble. the price
less. the inexpressible consciousness-of being a
free man.
But. sir, what has become of our safeguards
what avalls the experience Of seven hundred
years here is that Constitution which declares
Maior General commanding the Department OF
the Ohio. or anv other officer. civil or military
can create and multiply definitions OF tie son at
his pleasuref The ancient Ruminalis put forth
leaves when all men supposed il To- be dying
whether the tree OF American liberty will he able
To supply the place of that splendid foliage which
has heen stripped from it, branches and scattered
beneath our feet, by the rude blasts OF arbitrary
and unlimited authority. is a question hereafter
20 he determined. The question does not con
Germ NV distinguished clieIt more than Y con
Germs any uther citizen The pirtisans in power
t. dry will be the partsans in opposition Ia NOR
row-then military command will be shifted from
thuse who Cypress To those who have been or
pressed: md So with the mutations Of political
faction, must the personal rights. the rights OF
of property md even the lives Of all be in con
stant hazirdf | pray that NV learned friends
upon the other side will consider this in time
that they will their influence not only with
the defendant but with those 10 whom he Is
amenable 10 revoke. ere il Toe 90 tie, the dread
iul fiat of the tyrannv. OF hopeless confusion. OF
unlimited anarchy, which has been denounced in
our midst
"And such Lord Eldon, while Attorney Gen
eral md addres.ing the jury IN the Case of Htr-
dy. October 2e 1894. declared to be the true
constitutional meaning Of the act Of P,ramenf,
then in force whereby the privilege at the writ oi
habcaS corpus had been suspended. Little did
he conceive. with al his incIinations to an arbi
trary and irresponsible government. and 1t the
very time when he WAS endcavO:ing Ia maintain
the authority OF the crown against what he re.
garded IA an extensive and most dangerous con
spirncy--at time when the people of England
stood aghast ut the horrors of the French Revo
luton. and even doub:si whether such anarchy
would not extend TO them-litlc | say did Lord
Eldon conceive that NJ ,jor General or Field
Marshal could arrest men. other than soldiers. NJ
his pleasure, and for ofenses unknown to the
law, could cunfne them ia military PRISONS. could
deprive them of the writ OF habeas corpus. with
oat All, act OF Parliament, suspendipe that priv.
le. @; could subject them TO the :otm at trial
by courts or commissions composed of mtar,
officers. aud upon charges and specifications alike
indefinite, inconclusi,e and frivolous.
"And vet, sir. to that we have come in the
iir-t century of our Republic. with a written Con
situtiut, less than eighty years old. Ia counir,
protesting to be civilized, intelligent. re6ncd--
and rirangcst ot all, to be free. II Is our cnsc--i
yur HONOR please, your own case aud n,ine--and
not merely the case of Clement l.. Nallnndig.
ham lie u the victim TO DAY but there will be
and must bo other victims to morrow. What
rights have We. or what security for any right
under such systcm NJ thisf
"'sysry mlnlsietins spy
That will accuse and swear, s lord Of you
Of me, &c III our fortunes ann our lives.
out looks are called a. cue ton, ami our words,
How innocent sotvcf, are made cflnes,
We sh Ill not shortly dafe 10 tell cut dreams,
or think, but twill be ueason.'
"lmpe,ch tho President oh yos, undoubl
ed, ,if he will DO kmd enoegc to allow thu,
"What chance have hts country mcll--what
chance can they have i,r calling him D an ne
eountf Their lives, thor liberty aud their prop
crty-to Mr. Perry lnsrts--are ~ his ah.olnlr
dospoii.nl, nd r c,n. II lie Will. keep them in
that DEGRADED estate iufever ] do not marvel
thai the vcty name ot pe,ee should be- ,ilst,s,efu
tp men posso-sei OF such authority, and able ~
exercise u ronslhu lIonally ~ hng ~ war con
TIMES Can We hupe ilr peaoo on amy term
Will, such authority i admiuedr No. uo; never
newer What man. of bis own accord, will pbdi
cate power % chenply oh,aned, and. w'lhal. so
vast and lricsI-nblel Power Which can perpelu.
ate ts.li without any effort Power which may
even be tran, uitIei. like an imperial diaden.
from sire ~ son Power frpm The dom MON of
which lhete J. nu poicefu' dciiy-rance on earth.
:" n'erd no rer-onal di,respect 10 Mr. Perry
nor to his as.ouate, the District Attorney. when
| expressed my utter horror of the doctrines To
which they nave ou this oc,as n lent The aid OF
their names aud abilities, but. sr. can hot say
less than that the advocacy OF such ducuiuts A.
! underrt'ud them. Isl crime against the chafic
ter oi our professions: crime against the Justice
NJ nutl ind erin he Ill