The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1863-03-19
had dared, as became freeman, to de-

and honored in public life by those who
had known them most intimately in every
relation, arrested in my own State Tor no
o1enses known to any law, and without
warrsn, without commitment, made to
eat bread which captives' tears have wat
'ered in every age of despolism. In the
month Of October last l met three friends,
distinguished citizens Of Indiada, who,
six years ago. served as Senators together
In her Legislature. met them, sir, serv-
ing to gether in the same prison term of
Imprisonment which had no other duration
or limit, 10 beginning or end. no other
cause or conclusion, no other condition
or circumstance to support 1t than the mere
arbitrary, unlawful, unenlightened, will of
the man here in Washington city. Sir, as
stood in thatguarded room, listened to the
story Of their wrongs, and looked out up
on the sunshine and the air--and the flag
of the white mans freedom floating in the
dIstance-strange thoughts possessed my
mind, and strange VISIONS arose before me.
A new sensation penetrated my heart. |
seemed to dwell for awhile beneath the
shadow of the Bastle, aud hear the cries
and groaus which finally rent its wals.--
The dungeons Of Austria opened around
me. and the prayers of their victims for
liberty seemed TO fill all space and all time
The damp vaults of Venice and tie fearful
caverns of the Spanish Inquisition yielded
up their horrible secrets. The Tower of
London, that melancholy tomb of genius
and o! beauty, the imperious form of Hem
ry VIII. the headmans axe, the reeking
block, all became distinct to my view; and
looked, as it were, face to face into the
frightful, appalling coun 'enance Of yrspny
studied its lerocious and revolving fea
lures in the light of historical associations.
But when came to reflect on all this. and
reason from cause 10 effect found that
precisely the same terrible principle of op-
pre-. sion which has diSgraced the past. and
filled other countries with tears and blood,
was triumphing in my very presence
| turned away, and took my appeal from
tyranny TO God,
But on the question of the integrity of
the Constitution and .he protection which
it affords to the citizen. the voice Of the
people comes to our ears with sound
equally plain and clear. 1t rang out from
the cities and plains. the mountains and
the praitie>, il stern denunciation of every
infringement which this Administration
has made OF that holy instrument. and in
favor OF the preservation of civi! liberty,
whatever else might parish. 1t demanded
not on that the prison doors should roll
back and the victims OF despotsm be
yielded up To The guardianship of the law
but 1t demanded So. in the s,vcreign and
imperIouS tone of tree people that the AL
dacious and dangerous principle on which
arbitrary arrests have been made. and
speedy aud public trials denied, shall be at
once and forever abandoned in tho most
open and explicit manner. Nor, sir, will
the people give any second wa ming OIL this
subject. They intend to be obeyed-
They know themselves to be masters
and not slaves If the peaceful ad
monition of the ballot box goes un-
needed; if the reasonable aud earn
est remrnstrance of an enlightened and
patriotic people is lost on those who seem
drunken and mad with power; if the insane
wickedness which mas ruled this Congress
and launched the present Administration On
its schemes of ruin cannot be reached and
restrained in its destruc,ibe career by the
popular voice coming up here in all its i'm
pressive grandeur; the sword, the sword,
sir, must once more In the annals of the
world determine the ancient issue SO often
baptised in blood, between the absolute
power Of one man, and the inalienable in
destructible rights of the masses. Ispeak
plaialy. The time for words without mean
in has gone by. You may pass this bill
to protect the Executive and his agents in
the exercise Of arbitrary power from the
consequences Of their own acts You may
place them above all responsibility. You
may elevate them above ths law, and say
that it shall have no claims on them for the
violations it has suffered. You may say
the victims of their balbarous oppression
shall. be- dumb in their presence. You
may say that The citizen shall have no le-
gal redress for his wrongs. You may
ssnctily power and outlaw liberty
Sir, no such law can be enforced. 1t will
not for one moment be obeyed. The
courts will obey the Constitution. and so
will the people. but they will treat such a
law as this IA An intruder and a miscreant