Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1863-07-21

Have we not been told, in this very place,
not two weeks ago, by the voice of an
authoritative exposition; do we not ell know
that the cause Of our calamities is the yics
ious intermeddliUg of too many of the citi.
zens Of the northern States with the con-
/ stitutional rights of the southern States,
cooperating with the discontcnts Of the
| people Of the States? Do we not know
that the disregard of the constitution and
Of the security it sffords to the rights of
States and of individuals has been the cause
Of the calamity which our country is called
to undergof And now war, war, in it's
! direst shape; war, such az il makes the
blood run cold to read of it in the history
of other nations and of other times war on
the scale OF a million men in arms; war,
horrid as that of tarbaric ages, RACES in
several Of the States Of the Union, and issE
morsimmediate field, and casts tho Iurid
shadow Of its death and lamentation'
atbwart the whole expense, and into every
nook and corner or our vast domain.
Nor Is that all (; for in those of the
States which are exempt from the actual
| ravages of war, in which the roar Of the
cannon, and rattle of the musketry aud
the groans OF the dying are heard but as
faint echo of terror from other lands, even
|
military usurpatiOn strikes down the liber-
ties OF the people, and its foot trampies
upon desecrated constitution. Jap
plause Aye, in this land of free thought,
free speech, and free Writing-in this Re.
public of free suffrage, with liberty of
thought and expression as the very essence
Of republican institutions-evsn here in
these free States, it is made criminal for
citizen soldier, like gallant Edgerly of
| New Hampshire, to vote according to his
conscience; or like that noble MARTYR of
free speech, VaIlandigham, TproIopged
cheers , to discuss public affairs in Ohio;
aye, even here, the temporary agents of
the sovereign PEOPLE, the transitory adS
miristrstoIs Of the government, tell US that
IN time OF war the mere arbitrary will Of
the President tskes the place of the con-
stitution, and the President himself an
| nounces TO us that it is reasonable TO
| speak OF write otherwise than as he NAV
| prescribe; nay, that it is REASONABLE even
to De silent, though we be struck dumb by
the shock Of the calamities with which evil
councils, Iocompetency and corruption have
| overwhelmed our country. Loud ap-
plause
| l will not say this without referring to
the authority upon which rely. In his re-
ly. 10 bis letter of June u, 1868, address
ed 10 Erastus Corning aud other citizens of
the State Of New York, the President
makes use of the following extraordinary
language:
Indeed, arrests by process of courts,
and arrests 10 cases of rebellion, do not
proceed altogether upon the same basis
The former is directed at the small per
centsgs of ordinary and continuous per.
| petrati9u of crime, " bile the latter is di.
rected at sudden and extensive uprisings
against the government, which, at most.
will succted or fall in 20 great length of
time. In the latter case, arrests are made.
not 80 much for what has been done, as
for what probably would be done. ZAP
plause and laughter. The latter is more
| Tor the preventive and less for the yipdic-
tive than the former. In such cases the
purposes of men are much more easily un-
derstOGd than in cases of ordinary crime.
The man who stands by and says nothing
| when The peril OF his government is dis
cussed, cannot be misunderstood Taught
er. If not hindered, be is sure to hello
the enemy; much more, is be talks am.
bIguously. talks for his country with butts
and ifs and 'ands.'"
| 1t is seen by this letter, at least. that
/
responsibility for those uncc Institutional
acts of the last two years. perpetrated oy
subordinate officers Of the Federal govern
ment. both civil and military properly at
tacbes; but who, ask, has clothed the
President with power to dictate to any one
Of us when we must or when we NAV
speak, or be silent upon any subject. and
| especially in relation to the conduct of any
public servantP By what right doee he
presume to prescribe formula of lang.
uage for your lips or miner 1t seems in
credible, and even with this authentic pa
| per before US, is amazing, that any such
sentiment should have found utterance
! from the elected reI resentative of a free
! government, like that Of the United States.
My friends, let those obey such bebests
| who will; you and ] have been purtured
| here among the granite hills, and under
the clear skies of New Hampshire, into NO
such servile temperament. True il is, that
any of you. that 1 myself may be the next
| victim of Unconstitutional, arbitrary, ir-
responsible power. But we, nevertheless.
are free men, and we resolge to live, or. if
it must be, to die such ["Amen % That's
| it" and cheers. Falter who may, will
never cease to hold up on high the CONSTR
tuition of the Uuion though torn to shreds
by the sscrllegious hands of Its enemies.
| A voice, "We'll do it"] How strikinsly
significant, how suggestive to US, on this
| occasion, Is the contemplation of that
august spectacle Of the recent convention
at Indianapolis Of seventh five thousand
citizens. calmly and brsvely participating
in the discussion Of the great principles
underlying their sacred rights as freemen
-neither awed by cannon frOwning upon
their liberties, nor provoked by threats
! into retaliatOry violence. / would say 10
/ you, feilOw-citlZens, emulate that exhibi-
ton Of wisdom and patriotism. Be pa.
tent, but resolute. Yield nothing of your
rights, but bear and forbear Let your
actions show to the world that, with cour-
age to confront despOtism, you have also
the discretion to avoid iuconsiderate action
10 resisting its advances. g.
/ trust it may be profitable on this occa-
sion. as the call of your meeting suggests,
| to revive the memories of that heroic epoch
! OF the Republic, even though they come
laden with regrets, and hold up that peri
cd Of our history 10 contrast with the pres.
eut. Though they come to remind US of
what were our relations during the revoIu-
ton, and in later years, prior to 1861 to
that great Commonwealth which we were
accustomed to refer to by the name of"tbe
mother of statesmen and of States :" and of
what those relations now are Can it be
| that we are never to think again of the
land where the dust oe Washington and
/ Patrick Henry, of Jefferson and Madison
repose, with emotions of gratitude admira-
ton and flial regardP Is hate for all that
Virginia has taught, all that Virginia has
done. all that Virginia now Is, to take the
place of sentiments which We have cher
ished all our iAes? Other men NAV be
asked to do this, Tut tits in vain to appeal
to me. So far as my heart IL concerned, it
is not a subject of yoliti0n. While there
may be those in whese breasts such Sc uti-
| ments as these awaken no reHnnnsira faal>