The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1863-02-18

| getner ana reason eactl Win Ihe Otnef up
on the best mode 10 obtain the great
blessings of peace, union and liberty.
RESOLVED, That there can be no liberty
where there is not freedom of speech, and
freedom Of the press, and that, in the
language of Daniel Webster "Senti-
ments lately sprung up, and now growing
popular, render it necessary to be explicit
on this point. 1t is the ancient and con-
stitutional right of this people to canvass
public measures and the merits Of public
men. 1t is home bred right-a fireside
privilege. II has ever been enjoyed in
every house, cottage and cabin in the ma
ton. 1t is not 10 be drawn into contro-
versy. 1t is as undoubted as the right
of breathing the air and walking on the
earth. Belonging to private life as right,
it belongs TO public life as a duty. This
high constitutional right we defend and
exercise in all places, in times of war and
10 times of peace, and in all times liv-
ing we will assert it; dying we will as
sert il; and, should we leave no other leg
acy TO our children, by the blessing of
God we will leave them the inheritance Of
free principles, and the example ofa man
ly, independent and constitutional defense
of them" ia
Resolved, That the act of the Federal
administration, in suspending the writ of
haJeds corpus, the arrest Of citizens not
subject to military law, without warrant
or authority; transporting them to dis
tant States; incarcerating them without
charge or accusation; denying them the
right of trial by jury, witnesses in their
favor, and counsel for their defense; with
holding from them all knowledge of their
aecusers, and the cause of their arrest; {;
answering their petitions for redress by re-
peated injury aud insult; prescribing in
many cases, MS condition of their re-
lease, test oaths, arbitrary and illegal; in
the abridgment of freedom of speech and
of the press; in suppressing newspapers
by military force, and establishing cen
sorship wholly incompatible with the free
dom Of thought and expression of opin-
ion; in the establishment of system Of
espionage by secret police, oinvade the
sacred privacy Of unsuspecting citizens;
in declaring martial law over States not
in rebellion, and where the courts arc open
and unobstructed for the punishment Of
crime; in declaring slaves of loyal, rs well
as dsloyal citizens, in certain States and
parts of States, free; in the attempted
enforcement of compensated emancipation
in the proposed taxation of the laboring
white man TO purchase the freedom and
secure the elevation of the negro; in tho
dismemberment Of the State of Virginia,
erecting within her boundaries new State
without the consent of her Legislature,
are, each and all, arbitrary and unconsti-
tutional, subverting the constitutions,
State and Federal, invading the reserved
rights of the people and the sovereignty
of the States, and if sanctioned, destruc-
tive of the Union, establishing, upon the
common ruins of the liberties of the peo-
pie and the sovereignty Of the States, n
consolidated military despotism.
And we hereby solemnly declare that
no American citizen can, without the
crime of infdelity TO his country's consti-
tuition, and the allegiance which he bears
to each, sanction snch usurpations. Be
lieving that our silence will be criminal,
and may be construed into consent, in
deep reverence for our constitution, which
has been ruthlessly violated, we do hereby
enter our most solemn protest against
these usurpations of power.
RESOLVED, That, while we condemn and
denounce the fragrant and monstrous
usurpations OF the administration and en-
croachments of abolitionism, we equally
condemn and denounce the ruinous here
sy of secession rs unwarranted by the
constitution, and destructive alike of the
security and perpetuity of our govern
ment, and the peace and liberty Of the
people.
Resolved, That we earnestly condemn
the agitation of political questions in pub
lie educational institutions and il is the
duty Of those having the supervision
thereof to repress every attempt 10 per-
vert our educational system into an inslru-
mont for the propagation Of sectarian
crecds or partisan dogmas.
Resolved, That those sections Of the
State military law which exempt from
service in the army and from draft large
and comparatively wealthy body of
preachers, members and officers of the
Stale Legislature, officers and guards of
the State Prison, State and county Off
GERS and teachers in public institutions,
and schools-as well rs that section which
exempts from draft upon payment Of the
sum of ono hundred dollars--are unjust,
are outrages upon the equal rights of
those of our citizens who, poorer and less
favored in worldly position, have thus far
felt most severely the pressure of civil
war. ra ed
ResolUed, That our Senators and Rep
resentatives in the Legislature be request
ed to urge tie speedy repeal of these
odious and invidious sections, so that all
our citizens, without regard to wealth or
position. may he compelled tn defend the