Juliet signal., 1863-06-02
Judge Leavltl,s DecIsIon.

Inc most Infamous man of the English |
race was JeHries, the cruel and subseryiect !
Judge, whose career on the bench was an |
uninterrupted eeries of murders aud op> |
preSsIone. As judge whu u-ostituted HE |
Ofhce to the subversion Of iusti aud 10
assistance ofusurpation, he has been Justly
regarded in this country and in Great Brit.
ain as pre-emenently depraved man. For
here, as well as there, the purity, indepen-
dence and fidelity Of the judiciary to their
great trust, is held one of the chief safe,
guards Of liberty. Nothing shocks the NOR
al sense so terribly as to behold ajudge
trucking to power. overthrowing principle
and making himself a to,l in tae work of
rObbing men of their lawful rights.
1t is not our purpose to-day. to ascribs
any motive to Judge Leavitt for his deci>
sion in the Valiandigham case. If despo-
tism Plants itself immoVesbly upln this
people, be will be held TO have done il good
service by his decision.
If republican freedom triumphs AID re-
mains to us and to our children, it will be
Gods mercy to Judge Leavitt and to bis, to
have hi, memory forgotten forever. His
argument, his plea for the absolute power
! of the President, as commander-in-chief of
the army, is so startling judicial emanci.
I
of liberty which the people have cherished,
SO completely resigns life, property and lib
! erty to the keeping Of one man, thai, lift is
the Jaw of the land. our fathers in forming
the government subjected us to a severer
despotism than that Of Great Britian.
The principle asserted by this judge is
simply this: s-..
The President in his military capacity is
! IaA h1 ooE =
! dependent OF all other branches of the gov
ernmenth would only be necessary to state
that this proposition to prove its monstrous
wickedpess and uncOpstitutionulry. At that
time, If the caee Of Vallsndigham had been
put alphabetically before the people, the
universal answer would have been, no ad-
ministration would dare to treat an Ameri
can citizen in such a manner, and no Judge
could be found who could be induced 70
sustain them if they did.
Yet here is the fact--here is q judicial
officer fastening with eager zeal to an
nounce that the military is not subordinate
to the civil power-that in peaceful State
the President and his officers may silence
freedom Of discussion, aud may drag men
unconuected with the army before a tribu>
nal composed of military dependents of the
administration, there to be tried by tie des
pOtic military code, and to be p..nished f,r
exercising ri gbt which is indispensable to
the security Of all otheT rights. Where doe
the President derive this pOwerl How il
1t that from the day of the formation Of the
government down to the decision of Judge
Leavitt, no man has dreampt of it's exist
ence-no officer has d-red execute iti-
Wonderful times these, in which such rev.
elations burst upon nation Of freeman
Terrible delusion is that, which during
nearly a century has blinded US the faci
that our fathers Knocked US with the f,rm,
of freedom. while they gave US for an in
heritsnce the very substance of o5sulut.
ism
J But this sbtject is beyond argument
J Every American citizen knO,Cs that Judy,
LeaVitt has not asserted the law of the land
Freemen cannot live under the doctrine IN,
doctrine that be has manufactured to sui
the exegencies of the administration, witt
} have only shown vigOr in violations of IN,
institutions of the cOuntry.-DetrOn Ere
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