Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1863-07-17
Mr.. Lineoln's Letter TO the Albany
Committee.
ENnCUrIvE MANSION.
a.LInrfnr In. IL f.El /.


a@NAeA AAhE hAN-lONs
Warrington. june l.. iSs2. I
Hs7. ErssfEs Csraiag sa@ ofs,rs.
Geuilemea Your letter Of May i9th.
enclosing the resolutions of a psblic meet
ting held a. Albany. y. Y. on the iGsh o.
the sane month. vas received several davs
ago.
The resolutions. a. I understand them.
arr rvsoivAble into pr0positious-6r.,. the
eNPrcssioa Of a purpose 70 sustain the
cause Of the Cnion. 10 secure peace thru
victory. and 90 support the Administration a
an every constitutional and lawful rnea..
ure % suppress the rebellion, and seco nd.
iy. declaration Of censure upon the AL.
rninis'ration for supposed unooas;itsiional
action. such as the making of military ar
rvs;. And from the two propositions a
third - deducted. which Is that the gen
usmen composing the meeting are resolved
ON doing their part % MAINTAIN our con-
mon government and country. despite the
folly or vickedness. a. they have conceived
Of any administration. The position +.
smineniiy patriotic. and as such TIA
the meeting. aud congratulate the nation
for n- Ny oNn purpose 10 the sane: %
that the meeting and myself have a com
mon object and can have no difference. eI.
eePt IN The choice Of means or measures for
efieciins that objeet.
And here / ought % close this paper.
and would close it II there wcrc no an
Prchension that more injurious conscqaen-
ocs that arc merely personal 10 myself
might follow the oensures systemaii callv
cast upon ne Tor dong wAai. in nv view
Of duty. / could not forbear. The r,,o-
lutions promise 10 support ne in essrv
constitutional and lawful measure 70 sup
press the rebellion and have not know.
ingiy employed. nor shall kuo-ingly em-
ploy any other. But tie meeting. bv their
resolutions. assert anl argue tia, certain
military arrests. and proceedings follo--
ins them. for Which Am ultimately 70
sPouslbie. are Unconstitutional I think
they are not The rrsolsfions quote from
The tonstitutio son the definition Of treason.
and also The liaitins safeguards and 2 uar-
antees therein provided for the citizen on
TRIALS Tor treason. and on his being held
% answer Tor capital or otherwise infa-
mous crimes. and. IN criminal pr0secuiious
his night % a speedy and public trial bv
an impartial jury. They proceed % re-
solve " that these safsgsards Of the rights
Of the ciiIEen against the prctentions q
arbitrary power Eers iaisnle1 more e.
pccialiy for has protection in times Of civil
commotlon- And. apparently 10 domon-
straic thc proPositioa. the resolutions pro
oeed q" They we're secured substantially
% the Engiish people after years ol pro-
tracted civii var. and we're adopted into
our Consolidation At the close Of tie revo-
luton" N0uld no; the dcmonstraiion
have bees better. y it could have been tr,i-
y said 'hat these safe-uards had been
adopted and applied during the civil wars
dlrng our revolution instead % after the
one and a. the close % the oihers I. too.
am desoiediv for them after civil var. an
before oisil var. ani a. al times. 90 exc~r,
vlrn, in case oi rebellion or invasion. the
public saiety u.ay require their suspcn-
sion. The resolutions proceed % tell Us
that thcsc safeguaris 4" have stood tb. tes,
oi scveuty-siH years q trial. under our
repablican system. under our circumstancc.
~hich show dat While they constitute tie
foundation % al free government. tLcy
arr the elements. % the enduring ia
hihig oi the rspubhc.- No one denies
that Ley have 30 stood the test up o. tLe
bsginnins of tbc prcscni rebellion. u We
eEceTt certain occurrsncc a. New Or
leans Dor docs any one question that th-v
Wil stand the sane test much l0n-cr after
the rebellion closes But these provi.-
sions of tie Constitution have no arofrs
ton to The case We have in hand. bec,u..
the arrests complained 81 we're not made
i1r treason -llist D.. not for thc treason
defnsd in the Coustituiion. and uf.on tLe
conviction of vii,h tie punishment b.
deaih-ror get wee, thcy male to hold
persons to anse-.r &c say capital or oth-
erH.ss irtamo-s utfsvs nor were Ic
rro.cel.a.s fs..ss.ug in aav constitution.
al or irgal sense '' cria.irsi prosecution. .-
Tie arrests were made IN totally d.Hercnt
grounds. ari ihs proceeding h.iouing
according 9TH the -rounis of che arrests.
let us consider tho real case with uLich
~c are dealing and apply n % ibc parts
% che 'onstituiion plainly made isr .arh