Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1863-03-31
"of two E,iIs thoose Tho Least..

Upon this sandy principle, The people
are too choose Chief Justice next Tues
day. Il is as good as any to guide human
action if we could always sum up the near
and remote consequences Of q given cause
Of action. Gould any benefit arise from
the defeat of Judge Dixon? Would it be
Of no benefit to track the professcdly loyal
men, that they cannot court the nonina-
tionof Coppeihead convention, agreeing
beforehand to indorse such 'sgeneral reso-
lutions" embodyi2g The decisions Of the
Supreme Court Of Wisconsin as Ryan, the
father Of Copperheads, might see tit to
draw up; and then, in case he should fail
in said Coppeahead convention, claim sup
port Of Union men? The Platteyille Wit-
ness Of last week contains d letter from
Judge Byron Paine showing that Judge
Dixon agreed with Ryan to do this thing.
Of course one of Ryan's general resolu-
tons" asserted in the opinion Of that court
sailed the alleged tyranny Of the govern
rDent in unmeasuro3 terms, on account Of
tie suspension of the ho5eas corpus writ
in matter of the Ozaukee rioters aud in
other cases. Judge Dixon was willing to
60 into the Ryan convention on plank Of
his own setting mp, hurting anatl emss
against the administration for arresting by
military force persons charged with resist
ing the draft +? We have now the strange de
cision that the late draft was valid, but that
the administration could do nothing to en-
force it. The rioters could be legally seized
and imprisoned hy the military power.
This important and spitelul decision en-
feebled the administration, and the draft
partially failed, though the court feared to
carry out its decision; and thus Judge
Dixon missed a seat in the Copperhead
convention at Ft. Lafayette. Can any
man fail to see that he hal an interest in
this decislons Did he moi expect TO gain
the good will Of the Copperbeads9 Plate
AMI Herod made up and were friends at
tue crucifxion of Father Abraham; clearly
the object was a determination between him
and the Copperheads. The latter hunted
him up, offered to support him in the con-
vention and, says Byron Paine, he agreed
to accept on platform asserting this opin-
ion of the court. We are astonishel at
what Major Rountree says BY his letter in
the Wsiness, that Judge Dixon Informed
him "that no living man had his permits
sion to present his name TO the democratic
convention, nor had any man intimated to
him that they would do so.' AT all events
We must believe the statements of Byron
Paine, showing that we are now called up
on to support the cast off candidate Of a
Copperhead convention, who came within
Is votes in convention of $50 of having
a majority over Cothren. The union
members Of the Legislature were lately
unanimous for the administration and
against Dixon's decision.
Mr.. acknowledgements his late speech in
New York. boasted that he succeeded in so
tanning the Consumption act by iltroduc-
ing provision that persons resisting the
draft, CLEARLY q military ofiense,) should
be punished 10 the civil courts republican
Judges in Wisconsin having decided that |
the habeas corpus could not be suspended
in such case. No man EN- calculate the /
damage to our country caused BY This cop
perhead decision. Indeed, can the cir
cunstances ever occur in which Cothren
would do an equal amount Of damage
disposed as he is, not doubt, to do as
much or more.
But, it is truly said, Dixon has given his
assent to the soldiers suffrage law and may
at last agree to the law suspending actions
for debt against the soldiers. Ii is taking
the back track to meet the only party that
had enough confidence in him to hold him
up. He has got sick Of copperhead com
pany, and will probably never want any
more oft Ii coppl rhead aseendency caus-
es him to break and crawl back. He will
have three times the influence that Goth
rem will over bis associates upon the bench.
lie will never disgrace the State by intern
2erate habits. Cothren will 60 with Ryan
not doubt in our mind, go beyond Ryan
in stopping "this aoicked rebellion against
our Southern brethren" so far as bis power
in the court may enable him. So Of the
two evils, choose the least, it ii strongly
urged, not without some reason. We'd as
sent, close our eyes and swallow the poison
but for this, that if all union men do SO
there viii be nothing to hinder similar ne
cessities year after year-therefore 10 end
to the evils to choose amongst. Were we
TO casts vote at the election we'd support
Dixon, by choice as ten to on. We prefer
to choose no evil, instead Of between evils.
GFT The President has decided to make
The first draft in States that failed to fill
their quotas. This will include Wisconsin
the Supreme Court having SO meddled
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