Smyrna times., 1863-02-12
A Patriotic View on Arbitrary Arrests

The Philadelphia Ledger, while condemn
ing the arbitrary arrests and imprisonmet of
people, as in the case of Boileau, of the
Ereiiag Journal, says:
4 prosecution in our courts of those who
seek unlawfully to obstruct the Government.
would command the sympathy of every
loyal citizen. Secret and arbitrary arrests
only increase the number Of the opponents
to the Government, and give them pre-.
text for their oppos ton upon which they
can sustain themselves with better show
of right and justice.
But while entertaining this opinion upon
this subject, we are not disposed. because.
the Government takes different view of its
duty and rights, to make factious oppos-
ton to it, to disregard its authority, weaken
its power, and lesson the public respect it
should command with loyal citizens, by en-
deav voring to magnify its mistakes and per-
verting Its acts and purposes. We know
that 1t will require all the power free peo-
pie can afford to give it, to render it sue
cessful over the daring and desperate con-
spiracy which is now seeking to destroy it.
Unless there is firm and united effort on
the part of the loyal States to sustain the
Government, treason will never beconquer-
ed, and our country runs the risk of being
torn to pieces by faction and falling into
hopeless and incurable anarchy. 1t must
he manifest from recent indications in New
| Y ork, that there is fixed purpose with
some to Illustrate the objects Of this war,
and TO coerce the Government into dis.
IL.
rebellion. There Is no attempt even to con-
ceal this purpose 1t is openly avowcd.
Faction not ouly stands ready to offer peace
to the rebel authorities on terms which
would not have been listened to at the be.
| ginning of this war, but tits disposed to
brlbe rebellion into pacific disposition by
offering to leave the New England States
out Of any future reconstruction which NAV
be deemed desirable. The only penacea
These political constructionists have to offer
is disunion to cure disuni0n They would
traffic the rights Of the nation and the
strength by which those rights are secured
for the temporary advantage which the pos.
session of power under such a coalition
would give them.
But what prospect is there that their pur-
pose would be accomplished even by hold.
ing forth such inducements to Davis and
his coadiutors. The rebels reject all ad.
vancements looking to reconstruction Of
the Union with free States Their consnir.
acy against the Union originated in con.
tempt of free labor, and to destroy IN,
political control ofits numerical power. Or
the first effort of coercion to accomplish
: separation, an, eminent South Caroliniar
leader, in his GnbernatOriaR address, avowe(
that the interests Of the two, sections, social
ly and politically, were eternally diverse :
thst Southern expansion and Southern pros
periey required total and different recon
struation Of Southern CGosernment-tha
henceforth it was to be ga government
based on military power,w with suffrage large
lly restricted" Every man of common sens,
knows what kind ofgovsrnment that mean
that it is, a complete ignoring of the right
Of the people generally, for the benefit of
class, and that class to be sustained in pow
err by military authority. or,etaa ,itis :. -
1 Ia. u li e