The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1863-02-05
The True Policy Of the War
A Pat.iotic Democrat on the Conduct of
the Opposition.
Speech of Senator Wright, of Indiana.

Speech Of Senator Wright, Of Indiana.
On Tuesday, January 9th, the United
States Senate resumed the consideration
of the bill to provide for the discharge
of State prisoners and others, and to au.
thorize the Judges of the United States
Courts to take bail or recognizances to
secure tho trial of the same The pend.
ing question being on the motion eff Sen.
ator Powell to strike out the third sec
tion of the bill, Senator WRIGHT, of H.
diana, said:
Mr.. President: The bill under consd,
Grafton contemplates the release of polit-
ical prisoners under certain circunlstan-
ces; and, under the conditions of the
Constitution, it is designed to authorize
the President to suspend the writ of
haLeas corpus Some days since ] voted
to lay the resolution of the Senator from
Delaware Mr. Salisbury on the table;
and did so, because, among other rea-
sons, this bill, if it shall pass to the stat.
ute book, will entirely superccdc the ne.
cessity for such "A resolution and, there
fore, its further discussion would be not
only Improbable but actually injurious
The Legislation for great country should
be accomplished in broad and catholic
spirit, and not be tinctured with party
contentious or local jealousies, or even
isolated eases of wrong and oppression.
Such cases have their teachings, and
they may prompt us to a vigorous man.
tenance of our iralienable liberties, but
when they have effected their purpose
they may be laid aside and the remedy
be pursued by comprehensive states.
manship. l lprefer, therefore, that the
brief period which is left to US Of this
tleetlng session shall not be sacrificed to
individual eases, but given to legislation
on general principles, whicA shall EN-.
brace in their operation the vast area of
the republic and the aggregate of our
fellow citiz ms. l am in favor of the bill
now before the Senate as it came to us
from the committee, that We may here
fter regulate, by law which shall not
be misunderstood, that about which
there has been much acerbity aud con-
fl'ctin- judgment. 1t is scarcely neces
sary, then, for me to say, that shall not
vote for the pending amendment, the
motion of my honorable friend from Ken.
tuck (Nir.' fo~c',o 70 s,r,Ae "ouv- ,,rc
section.
THE FOUNDERS OF THE UNION ON POLITICAL AR.
| RESTS.
We cannot, if We would, conceal the
fact that much capital has been made by
politicians out Of arrests which have been
directed by the President, or others act,
'pg under his authority. Men do no,
seem to realize the condition of things in
the country, and the most improper ap-
peals are made to the ignorant and un
suspcctips, which alarm their fears on
this subject La the dark days of &c
| General Lee wrote to James Bowdoin,
| President of the Massachusetts, Council:
| "We must save the community in spite of the
ordinances of the legislature. There are times
| when we must commit treason against the laws
| OF the state for the salvation Of the State. The
| present crisis demands this brave, virtuuus kind
| of treason"
No statesman of this day would be
willing to use language so strong as that
which one of Washingtou's Generals
used in the war of the Revolution; but
occasions arise when arrests become
necessity which cannot be disrccarded
without an impeachment of fidelity to the
best interests of the commonwealth; and
| am rot disposed to yield the credit to
the Republican party of originating
POLICY as bold as it is necessary, for in
the despondent days of our infant strug
gle for liberty it was justified. Jefferson
and jackson subsequently demonstrated
that 1t had their sanction, and it ever
has had the approval of old fashioned
Democracy. Gen. Jackson suspend ded the
liberty of the press in New Orleans, and
he kept the entire city and suburbs un.
der martial law after the British had left
the coast. lie arrested Judge Hall for
issuing writ of haJeas corpus in favor
of French subject who had been seized
by General Jackson's orders and a re-
cent Congress of the United States, by
its legislation. commended that exercise
of authority. Firmness and prompti-
tude, fearlessness in assuming RESPONSE.
bility when his country was in an emer-
gency, were among the prominent traits
of his character, which secured the deep
devotion of the democracy, and the earn.
est and enthusiastic regard which was
akin to idolatry.
THOMAS JErrERsoNs OPINION.
Mr.. Jefferson sustained Gen eral Will
kinson for suspending the haJeas corpus
in New Orleans on the occasions of GER
tain military arrests of persons who were
suspected of completely in Burr's expe.
dition thus justifying the setting up of
military authority over the jurisdiction
Of the courts in times of public danger.
As late as the Sd Of February, 1907, in
letter to Governor Claiborne respecting
Burrs conspiracy, he wrote:
"On great occasions, every good officer must