Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-07-01

For the Tribune

Mr. EDITOR Chapter v Of the Gene
raj Laws Of 1851 passed at the extra ses-
sion, in May of that year entitled "an act
Ito prerent rendering aid to rebels, and
10 be found on pages 329-30 Il 81, of the
general laws of 1861 contains among 9TH
er provisions the following:
SEC l. ANY person who shall within
this State levy war against the United
States, or who shall, by some overt act
give aid, advice or comfort 70 the enemies
of the United States, or who shall, know
ingly and wilfully, aid or assist any enc
mics IN open war, or persons in rebellion
against this State or the United States, by
joining their armies or by enlisting or pro
curing or persuading others to enlist for
that purpose, or BIZ furnishing such enc
mics or persons IN rebellion, with arms,
ammunition, provisions, munitions of war,
or any other articles for .heir aid or com
fort, or by shipping or sen1irg or carry
ing to such enemies or rebels or their
agents, any such articles, or who shall
manufacture, husband, store. or have in
possession any sGch articles for The pur-
pose Of being sent or shipped to any such
enemies or rebels or their agents, or who
shall carry on any traitorous correspond
ence with any such enemies OF rebels, or
who shall send any intelligence to any
such enemies or rebels, or to anv pretend
ed government engaged in resisting the
laws or authority of this : ase or Of the
United States, for the purpose OF betray-
ing the forces Of this State or of the Uni
ted States, into the hands or power of any
such enemies or rebels, shall, upon con-
viction thereof, be imprisoned in the pen
itentiary for term not less than one, nor
more than twenty-five years, and paw fine
not less than FIVE hundred nor more than
ten thousand dollars, or either, at the dis
cretion Of the Court, which fine shall be
lien on all the real and personal proper
~ OF the person so convicted from the
date Of tn;n arrest if arrested before indict-
ment
SEC ". II shat be the duty Of each
Judge Of the Circuit Coust IN th1s State
to charge The Grand Jury, at c.st~h ter, o.
said Court, % enquire into all oBs'lces
against the p.-0UiSioRs Of this act, and To
present any person who may be guilty Of
any such offence within their county.
Now, Mr. Editor, although the above
has been the published law of this State
fer more than two years, 1t is said by per
sons who are in the habit of attending
Courts, that IN some portions of the State
at least, no notice whatever has been ta-
ken of it 1t is scarcely possible that iudg-
e., who of all persons are bound to know
what the law is. are ignorant of the exist
ence of such 4 statute. Is the act uneon-
stitutionai, aud hence not binding on iudg-
es or anybody else? Or is it more likely
that some of them in their zeal for the
rights IF Southern masters, and the sa-
creduess of Southern soil, have forgotten
this most salutary statute for the preser-
vation of peace and good order near our
own doors and fresides
1t was the custom, both in this country
and in England, in times of war or other
great trouble, present or prospective, for
Judges in their charges to Grand Juries
to present the various statutes and laws
peculiarly adapted TO such state of things
and to admonish the people Of their duties
IN such extraord nary emergency. Aud
IN this custom may be recognized one OF
the controlling influences which have
made the Anglo-soaxon a law abiding and
an authority respecting people.
Perhaps you or your cotemporary III
this City may enlighten the public as 10
why positive act OF the State Legislature
has failed to revive this custom
ENQUIRER.