The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1863-07-25

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President Lincoln Answered. Reply Of
the Albany Democracy 10 the Rreident's
Letter Of June IL. s n ~
To His Exceilency, Abraham Lincoln. Pres.
ident OF the Uniied Stats: N41
SrR: Your answer, which has appeared In
the public prints, TO the resolutions adopted
alta recent meetinRin the city OF Albany,
affirming the personsI rights and liberties Of
the citizens ofthis country, has been refer
red 10 The undersigned, the committee who
prepared and reported those res oiuIicns. ~
The subject will now receive from US some
further attention, which your al sw er seems
to jus ify, II not 10 invite. Wehope not to
appear wanting IN the respect due TO your
high position il we reply with freedom and
enrnes,ness suggested BY The iafni.e gravi
" and importance Of the questions upon
which you have thought proper to take issue
at the bar Of public opinion.
You seem 70 be aware that the Constiiu-
lion OF the United States. which you. have
sworn 10 protect and defend, contains the
following guarantees, 10 which we egain,
ask your attention.
!. Congress shall make no. law abridging
the freedom ofspeech or Of The press.
?. The right Of the people to be secure inI
their persons against unwssraDtable seizures.
shall not be violated, and no warrant shall
issue but upon probable cause supper eI by
oath. ny
g.. No person. xcept soldiers and mari.
ners in the service oflhe Govefn ment, sh N
be held 10 answer for capital OF iniamousI
crime, unless on presentment oi a grand
jury, nor shall any person be deprived Of life.
liberty Or property wi.hou due process uiI
law.
a In all criminal prosecutions, the accus
ed shall enjoy the right Of speedy and ub-
lie trial BY an impartial jury Of the State OIL
district in y hich the crime shall huye been
committed. and to be con tron.ed with theI
Witnesses sgains. him. t
You are also no doubt aware that on the
adoption Of the Constitution these invs lus
bic provisions we're proposed BY the jealous
caution Of the States, a0d wfro inserted asI
amendments fore perpetual assurance oil
liberty against the encoscfments OF power
From your earliest resding Of history. you'll
also know shatthe great principles of Iiber.
" and law which undcviie these provsio mel
wsre derived BY us from the British Cine ti.l
tuition. 10 that country they we're securedl
by magma chars more than six hundred
years ago, end they have teen confirmed
by many and repest statutes Of the realm.
A single psIpable vioIolIon Of them In Eng.
land would not only srouse the public in.
digna'ion. bus would endsnger the ,hroneI
itself. For . persistent disregard Of them.
Charles the frs, was deihroned and beheadedI
by his rebellious subjects.
The fac, hiss already passed into history
that the sacred rights and immunities which
were designed 10 be protected BY these con-
s,i,utionsl guarantees have NOT been pre-.
served 10 the people during your administrs.
lion. In violation Of the first Of them, the
freedom Of the press has been denied In re-
peatcd instances. newspapers have been
suppressed in the loyal States because they
criticised, as consti,utionaliy they might,
those fatal errors Of policy which have char
acterised the conduct OF public affairs since
your advent to power. In violation Of the
second Of them, kundreds. and We believe
,htust nds Of men have been seized and i'm
|mured In prisons and bastiIes not only with
out warrant upon probable cause, but with
|out any warrant, aud for no other cause iha
"a constitutional exercise Of The freedom or
speech. In violation Of al there guarantees,
d distinguished citizen Cf a peaceful and
loyal State has been torn from his home OF
midnight BY band of soldiers, acting under
the orders Of ore Of your generals tried be-
fore military commission. without Judge Or
Jury, convicted and sentenced without even
lshe suggestion Of any offense known 70 the
Constitution or laws Of this county. For
oil these acts you svo~-yossssIf ultimate y
Responsible 10 the special cssc cf M.
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