Maryland free press., 1863-01-30
. tbe Hmm. of Hr0crstotc7s::

you, aS 1layoF'
j was willing to believe that consigned your
nan.e e to this paper, in ignorance Of the law
which expressly forbids yAu todu So butiearn
that you did it with The pfJhlbl'ons OF Tue
law all open before you!
In virtue of your Office. yoar are one oi Tie
coussrvat rs Of the law, you have set an ex-
ample Of barefaced violation of law.
You have no excuse for this. The plea OF
"sii!itary necessity does ,Iot apply to you.-
You have not violated the laws Of your State
with view to promote the war, your notes
would be spit upon by every soldier lhe
army would laugh at your silly pretentiens.
You excuse y0urselfon the plea that the pub
lie necessity" demanded these worthless is-
sues.
Let US look at this plea. Whu, or what
law, made you Judge Of public necessity"
You profess to be IGw aiding man, and,
dressed in little brief authority" uspurn
tie laws, and assume T. be abJ7e the Lesis-
lature, the Governor and the Courts.
The Legislature and the Go"ernc! are tie
sole judges Of public necessity" The Con-
s;itution, which you would have the people
believe is dear t) you, denies you any such
right us 70 Judge what the public necessities
d., or do not require.
You knew when you signed these n"ts, yoa
was viu!1t,lg he laws, which you slcore t.
maintain, but yru cared not how much OF how
often you violated the laws, only so you were
not lunisfea for it. Had you been aware that
punishment would have followed your viola
tians Of law, you would not have violated
them. This can safely say for you. But.
arc you less a inaleiactor because you are not
punished? d. not lilseii you to y thief or a
cheat, tut is man less thief, Or less cheat,
because be is not punished?
You arc smorn officer, too. Sworn to
maintain and preserve the laws, and with this
official oath upon your conscience, you yet Vi
olate the laws you called Heaven to witness,
You would preserve. 1t does nat alter y'ur
cIse, that Others tell You, you have done right.
The vcice Of the law u!;,st ever be supr, ne
it is above tie voice Of the mUit:iry'e.
Even the R,nln Governor, Plate had cor
science enough to act upon this principle, wLe,.
tae multitude cr;ed cruelty" "cru:iry."
Plate would not bow down to the multitude
lie kept lis official character rure--he refr, ed
to polute it for the purpose Of popularity, OF
gratifying the clamors Of an unroa,oning Pop
ulaoe. Tac people saw a "palli3 necessity"
for the crnci6ction. Plate saw no law fr
it. He was not expressly f6r5i}i:a, as y,u
are. There was only want of authority, in
his case. You have not only M authori Y, lut
you are e1Yoi,oa isc, tc do tic i,5s yc,s hare
done but you sc5?e that you ,c5aZa o5sestc
tic IGIo @hich 3njoias you.
But perhaps a christian Office ho.d:r ike
you, do TO. relish examples drawn FROM the
condnct Of Pagaas Hot was a Pagln. H
did not understand the resi- disabilities n d
obligations Of Il cl ristan cath. But M
Chase is a Christian office holder. I'D he
p7oEane HIS oath of Office, and deflo his offi:.
character, hy violations, Of of ;i,A obligations
at the call of public nccc c.sity?' Take Lin.
/ for an exemplar.
For six months prior u the Assembling Of
the present Congress, the troops in the fed
had not beer paid. THJ Government was IN
arrears TO these soldiers, millions of dollars
Their families were in want and desti;u.i n.-
! The Treasury was empty. If there was
''public necessity" that appealed to, and plead
with christian officer, to vi1!ate his oath f
ofices and over loo'; the public las, this W S
one. Yet not one dJnar wNald Mr. Chase is
sue, without authority Of law. lie was 10.
forbidden as you are, He simply had 10 au-
tIority--and great, urgent and pressing as
was the NECESSITY" he dared not depart fioM
the obligations which his oath imposed on Ii,
conscience, ant he waited until Congress met,
and granted hin, power to act.
Was the public nece. sity," in your case,
greater than in his?, llad you greater interests
to look after than Mr. Chase? Was there anv
thing in your Office, or the circumstances
around you, which absolved you from your 3D..
legations to the law, which mikes your case
different from that Of Secretary Chase?
You attempt to screen yourself behind par
/ ty pre,udices, and cry Secession" whenev, r
your worthless trash is refused. 1t wonla be
more honorable in you to admit your wrong,
draw in your illegal issues and keep hereafter
within the humble sphere Of your office You
I'VE sent poor, friendcsS people to Jail for less
offences than yoU have committed, and Il G
t!w which You have violated denounced a
Heavier penalty against yoa, than it gives you
the power to inflict on any person.
shall close here, but next week will cxhib-
it to you, still further, how you have prosti-
tuted your Office, and polluted Your official
character Very Respectfully, your friend.
SWAMP Fox.
! Fer the Free Press"
0The paSgins frhrnn1,,