The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1863-10-02
Suspension of Habeas Corpus
Letter from Mr. Vallandigham.
j \ MES Is. tRf
Provost Marshal General,


To the President of the Democratic Mass
Meeting at Carthage, Ohio:
Since writing to the mass convention at
DAYTON Today, the monstrous proclama-
ton of the president has appeared, sus
pending the privilege Of the writ of ha>
beas corpus, and thus declaring martial
law throughout the United States, in eve
ry one and every pant of every one Of them
and in all their territories. 1t COMES
without previous warning. 1t is .announc
ed at a time when the success of the fed
eral armies and the reserves Of the confed-
crates are greater than at any period
since the beginning of the war; at time
when the lines Of the former are extended
and of the latter more contracted and fur
TIER removed from the original frontier
than ever before, and at time when, &C
cording to the secretary of state, the re
bellien is at last almost crushed out 1t
appears in the midst of no riot, tumult or
other popular CONFUSION anywhere in the
state always true to the Union, and no pre-
paration for any: and when even the obi
Gus " conscription, is being executed
quietly md without resistance during
the rebellion the president being the
sole Judge and arbter of how long the res
belion shall be deemed to last. At such
a time, and under such circumstances it
can have but one object-the pending
election this fall, but especially the presi
Dental canvass oflS64. 1t is, indeed, the
full development of that of which have so
often warned the people Of Ohio and of the
United Sta'es-the great conspiracy
agains. constitutional liberty and free pop
uar government-the establishment of a
" formal and proclaimed despotism " in
your midst. Oh, that the warning voice,
feeble though it was, which two years ago
in the beginning Of this great struggle, IN
accents earnest as ever issued from human
lips, cried aloud to the people that, one bv
one, their liberties were about to perish,
ard that anarchy first and strong gov.
eminent aferward.., no more state Y:
~ more state government, but consoli
dated monarchy, or vast centralized mill
tary despotism, must all follow in the his,
tory Of the future, as in the history Of the
past they had centuries before been written.
But that voice found no echo then save n
the columns and corridors of the capitol.
To-day it is lifted up az; in And hereaf
ter let no man tell you, least of all the SEN
tinels upon your watcbtowers-that there
is no danger, no ground for alarm or APP
prehension. To-day your president is in
form, as for two years and more he has
been in fact, a MILITARY DIcrAToR.-
The most incredulous may see at last that
the issue is, indeed, whether there shall
any longer be constitution and law in the
United States, othea than the will, un-
known or expressed, Of the president :;
whether freedom of person, of the press,
of speech, free political assemblages and
free ballot, shall any more exist amono
us, and whether the people shall hereaf
ter, as heretofore, choose the legislatures
and chief executives of the state and feder
al governments, Shall there be free state
elections any longer or another presiden.
tial election of any sort Shall popular
government or despolsm, unlimited by
law and uncontrolled by judicial courts,
henceforth prevail in the United States (?
This now, men of Ohio, more than ever, i:
the issue before you.
The revolutionary purpose the admin,
istration to perpetnate by intimidation or
force, its power in the states and in the
general government, stands now fully re-
vealed. Next after this declaration of
martial law, will follow the armed seizure
and occupation of your state by federal
troops, to intimidate or overpower you at
the polls, But this mons,rous purpose
will not and cannot be executed, except
the people cringe or cover before the
threat or the attempted execution. The
time, therefore, has now arrived for the
solemn, inexorabIs declaration
and pledge, by the people to each other.
through the press. and in public assemble.
ees, that they mean to MAINTAIN theta lib,
critics at avery hazard. and to have and to
hold free elections, PEAcEABLY IF THEY
CAN, FcRcIDLr If THEY MUST. BY the con
s.itution of Ohio no soldier OF marine Of