Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1863-02-18
A MESSAGE FROM GOV. CURTIN.

A MESSAGE FROM GOV. CURTIN
The following message, relating to military
| arrests, was transmitted to the Penn'a Legis-
lsture by Governor Curtin, on Thursday, Feb
| ruary 18th, 1868:
Ex. CHAMBER, HARRISBURG, Feb. u, 1868.
| To the Senate and House OF Representatives of
| the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania:
GENTLEMEN I'll desire TO call your atten
! tion to subject of moment.
When the present infamous and God con-
| demned rebellion broke out, Congress was not
! in session, and the occurrence of such a state
OF things not having been foreseen in former
| times, no adequate legislatio ion had been had to
| meet it. At the same time the life of the
| country being at stake, it appeared necessary
| that some means should be taken to control
| the small band of traitors in the loyal States,
| so as TO prevent them from Vaccinations which
might be injurious, if not fatal to the national
| cause. Under these circumstances the Gener-
| al Government resorted to the system of mil
| itary arrests of dangerous persons, and having
| thus commenced acting under it, have con-
| tinued Cat long intervals in this State) to pur-
| sue it. The government of the United States
| acts directly on individuals, and the State
| Executive has no authority or means to inter
| fere with arrests of citizens of the United
| States made under the authority of that gov
| ernment
Every citizen of Pennsy lvania is also cti
| zen of the United States and owes allegiance
to them, as well as (subject 20 the provisions
OF the Constitution of the United States) he
owes il to Pennsy lvania. If he be unlawfully
! deprived of his liberty, his only redress is to
be had at the hands of the judiciary. In such
times as the present it is more than ever nee
| essary to pursue regularity in official action.
| Great efforts have been and are probably still
being made, by persons blinded or ill disposed
to throw us into state OF revolution that
| is to say, to create anarchy and Confusion
and ultimately 10 bring about the destruction
OF life and property among Any irIegu-
lar, much more illegal, interference by your
| Executive, with matters which by the Consti-
tuition are not entrusted to his cognizance,
and especially any such interference with the
| action OF the Executive of the United States
| or with the functions of the Judiciary, would
| be in the existing crisis emphatically danger
Gus it would have direct revolutionary ten
| dency; in fact it would be to commence
| revolution. The courts of justice open,
and no doubt all personal wrongs can be prop
| erly redressed IN due course of law.
do not know how many arrests of the kind
| hereinbefore referred to have been made in
Pennsylvania, as | have at no time been privy
| to the making of them, but believe they have
| been few. l was under the impression that
there would be no necessity for more of them,
| but recent events having shown that this i'm
| preston was erroneous, deem it my duty
| now to invite your attention to the subject.
The contest in which we engaged is one
| tor the preservation of own liberty and
welfare. The traitors at the south hate the
| great body of our people who are loyal, and
hate and bitterly despise the few who are
| ready for submission. Unless the rebellion
| be efectually suppressed We must lose our
pride of country, the larger portion of our
| territory, and the elements not only of great
ness, but OF prosperity and even of security to
| life, liberty and property. Notwithstanding
\ all this, it is, fear, an undoubted truth that
a few wretches among us, false to all our free
| and loyal traditions-false to the memory of
| their fathers and to the rights OF their chill
| dren-false to the country which has given
| them birth and protected then--only STOP
ping short of the technical offence of treason
| in the very madness of mischief, are active
| ~ plotting to betray us-to poison and mis-
lead the minds of our people by treacherous
misrepresentations,an and TO so aid and comfort
| the rebels that our fate may be either to abaD
don the free north and become hangers-on of
a government founded in treachery, fraud and
| insane ambition; or at least, TO dissolve the
Union under which we have prospered, and
| to break this fair and glorious country into
| fragments which W i'll be cursed by perpetual
| discords al home, and by the contempt and ill
usage of foreign nations, from which we shall
| then be too weak to vindicate ourselves.
That such offences should be duly punished,
no good citizens can doubt-and that proper
| legislation by Congress is required for that
| purpose be little doubted. Whether
| such legislation should include suspension
of the writ OF habeas corpus in any and what
part of the country, is question which be-
| longs exclusively to the Legislative authori
ties of the United States, who under the Con-
stitution have the right to determine it. That
| great writ ought not to be suspended, unless,
| to the wisdom of Congress, the present ne
| cessity shall appear to be urgent.
l therefore recommend the passage of a
joint resolution earnestly requesting that Con-
gress shall forthwith pass laws defining and
| furnishing offences of the class above referred
| to, and providing for the fair and speedy trial
| by an impartial jury of persons charged with
such offences, in the loyal and undisturbed
| States. so that the guilty may Justly snffer and