The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-06-24

PRESIDENT LINCOLN ON VALLAN.
DEGEsATE AND EAE2BETEaARY Ar.
RESTS"
"A great Democratic meeting" was helt
at Albany on the 10Th ult, to denounce tht
, arrest of Yallandigham and demand his resto
ration to liberty. Hon. Erastus Corning, NJ
c., presided Mayor Eli Perry was first Vice
. President, &C., &C. This meeting having
unanimously ---- -. 5.. .5,sa5
Resolved That we demand that the Ad
ministration shall be true to the Constitution.
shall recognize and maintain the rights of the
States and the liberties of the citizen; shall
everywhere, outside of the lines of necessary
military occupation and the scenes of insur
rectiou, exert all its powers to maintain tht
supremacy of the civil over military law.
ResoEUea, That, in view of these principles
we denounce the recent assumption of mil.
itary commander to seize and try a citizen o
Ohio, Clement L. Vallandigham, for no othei
reason than words addressed to a public meet.
ng, i'll criticism of the course of the Admin.
stratiOn, aud in condemnation of the militia
~ orders of that General.
ResoEuel, That this assumption of power
by military tribunal, if successfully assert
ed, not only abrogates the right of the people
to assemble and discuss the affairs of Govern
ment, the liberty of speech and of the press
he right of trial by jury, the law of evidence
and the privilege of Raleas corpus, but ii
strikes fatal blow at the supremacy Of law
ard the authority of the State and Federal
Constitutions
&C., &c.,-closed as follows:
ResozUett That the President, Vice-Presi-
dents and Secretary of this meeting be re-
quested to transmit copy of these resolu-
tons to his Excellency the President of the
United States, with the assurance of this
meeting OF their hearty and earnest desire to
support the Government in every constitu-
tI0nai and lawful measure to suppress the ex-
isting Rebellion.
The officers obeyed this request, in note
/ which reads as follows:
ALBANY, May 10, 1863.
. 10 his E1celIency the President of the United
States:
The undersigned, officers of public meet
ing held at the City of Albany on the 10th
day of May instant, herewith transmit to
your Excellency copy of the resolutions
adopted at the said meeting, and respectfully
request your earnest consideration of them.
They deem it proper on their personal respon-
sibility to state that the meeting was one of
the most respectable as to numbers and char
actcr, and one of the most earnest in the sup
port of the Union, ever held in this city.
Yours, with great regard
ERASTUS CORNING,
-'etH President &C., &c.
TO all which the following answer has
beer returned by the President:
MR.. LINCOLN'S REPLY.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, WAsHINGToN,l
June II, 1868.
Hon. ERAsTUs CORNING and others --
GENTLEMEN: Your letter of May 49, III
closing the resolutions of public meeting
held at Albany, New York, on the 18th of tie
same month, was received several days ago.
The resolutions, as I understand them; are
resolvable into two propositions-frst, the
expression of a purpose to sustain the cause
OF the Union, to secure peace through victo-
ry, and to support the Administration in every
constitutional and lawful measure to suppress
the Rebellion; and secondly, a declaration of
censure upon the Administration for supposed
unconstitutional action, such as the making of
military arrests. And, from the two propo-
sitions a third is deduced, which is that the
gentlemen comprising the meeting are resolv-
ed on doing their part to maintain our COM
mon government and country, despite the
folly or wickedness, as they may conceive, of
any Administration. This position is emil
nently patriotic, and as such thank the
meeting and congratulate the nation for it.
Ny own purpose is the same; so that the
meeting and myself have common object.
and can have no difference, except in the
choice of means or measures for effecting that
object. 4-. -
And here I ought to close this paper, and
would close it, if there were no apprehension
that more injurious consequences than any
merely personal to myself might follow the
censures Systematically cast upon me for do
ing what, in my view of duty, l could not
forbear. The resolutions promise to support
me in every constitutional and lawful meas
ure to suppress the Rebellion; and 1 have not
knowingly employed, nor shall knowingly
employ, any other. But the meeting, by
their resolution, assert and argue that certain
military arrests, and proceedings following
them, for which I am ultimately responsible,
are unconstitutional. I think they are not
The resolutions quote from the Constitution
the definition of treason, and also the limiting
safeguards and guarantees therein provided
for the citizen on trials for treason, and on his
being held to answer for capital and otherwise
Infamous crimes, and criminal prosecutions,
his right to speedy and public trial by an
impartial jury. They proceed to resolve
=" that these safeguards of the rights of the
citizen against the professions of arbitrary