Washington telegraph., 1863-06-10

| forced concentration Of our forces But If we
hold it, we will have cause for exultation, and
receive renewed assurances of the most posi-
tive character of the strength of eur Govern
| ment to wear out and subdue the INVADING
| hordes of the North. For the calamities which
we have pointed out will fall upon them most
inevitably. and. compared with those, their
scores OF thousands of dead which now lie
around Vicksburg are trihes.
GEN. RoYsToN AND MARTIAL LAw.-An i'm
preston prevails in some portions of this Con-
gressional District that our present represen-
| tatlve is an advocate of martial law. and bv
his votes in Congress has yielded to the supre-
macy OF the military over the civil authorities
we think it due to our citizens to correct this
as IL Is our duty to see that they are kept iu-
FORMED OF the conduct of their public servants
ways glad to perform in behalf of any public
man whatsoever.
1en. Royston, from the beginning. has earn
estly opposed all transgressions of the law. or
tary men. He has been, indeed, so faithful in
urging the correction of these evils upon the
attention OF the President and Secretary Of
War, both by enquiries through Congress and
by personal representations Of particular in
stances, that it is a matter of surprise that it
has now come to be thought that be advocates
or is willing to tolerate martial law any further
! other than the civil laws and Constitution may
allow. There has never been a bill before
Congress, having for its object the correction
ton of the abuses of our military commanders,
and the punishment of their usurpations, which
has not received his support. At least we have
heard of none. and we know that ne supported
Mr.. Lyons bill for that purpose in the last
Congress.
The misapprehension is doubtless founded
upon his vote during the last session, upon a
series OF resolutions introduced into Congress
expressing the opinion and sense of Congress
upon the subject of martial law. The senti-
ments of the Sc resolutions were all very good,
with the exception of the fourth, which af
forls too much pretcxt for an abuse of power, }
nut Il uuuiUeT Vi ultHiDcTS COhStotiCu AiistN II
i'll bee me Congress to be expressing empty
opinions not having the force and effect of law
and voted again st them therefore as nugatory
and trifing. Congress should command, and If
punish them. Mere resolutions. denouncing
them and not taking the shape of act to
govern and prevent them, empty sound.
and having commanding authority tend,
by being utterly disregarded, to bring Con-
gress into contempt. Hence the resolutions
in question were opposed by Gen. Royston,
and we believe many others in the House Of
Representatives, who believed martial law
Unconstitutional and improper, but who be-
lieved either that the laws already in force
under the Constitution, were sufficient to cor
rect it. or if not, something more potent than
mere Congressional resolutions were demanded,
aud the latter rather hurtful than otherwise
as tending to substitute themselves for more
efficient action. Martial law Is already un-
constitutional. L; is justified by no law of
Congress, and is as illegal as it can be made.
| We would have little opinion Of Legislature
which, during the prevalence of any vice pro-
hibitcd by law, should meet and pass high
sounding resolutions expressing its views OF
the evils of thai vice. Better insist upon the
Executive and Courts doing their duty. and
pass laws to compel them. 1t is the business
OF the Courts to resolge what is illegal in each
particular case, and if any laws exists, to pun
| ish it.
The conduct of Cen Roystou with reference
to unfolding the supremacy of the Cons titu-
ton, and civil laws, in his official intercourse
with the President and Secretary of War, with
military commanders, with the Judicial tribu-
mails. and as n member Of Congress. is fair
subject of criticism, and those anxious for in
formation on the sEbject. may no doubt OBJ
tain it upon application to himself or the pub
lie records We know that he has done much
| 1--WE will not say more than any other repre-
sentative from the west, for We are not pre-
pared to compare merits.) but he has done
very much to correct The evil of arbitrary mill
itary assumptions in this department, and that
in quiet, proper, and really effective manner.
We venture the assertion that never once by
word or Iced has he justified, or been the apol.
| ogist of any conduct on the part of the mill
tary authority, subversive of the Constitution
and the laws. If such be the case, at least
it has escaped our observation.
| GREENS Observation-Disclosures may well