The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1863-05-21


the will Of the Commanding General for the
common or municipal law. and which
ought not to be resorted to except in cases
of absolute necessity. When domestic
turbulence and riot prevent the exercise of
the ordinary jurisdictions, when the pres
enee of contending armies drives on. the
inhabitants. when the behests or law are
set at nsught by an entire district, there is
occasion for the strong hand Of the military
power. But in other social conditions, the
appeal to it is unnecessary. and in all prob
ability hurtful.
Eallandigham Offences, moreover, have
been as yet conisd to the use Of foolish
words. He calls Mr.. Lincoln bad names;
he dcnounces the republican party; he
abuses Burnside's new military orders:
ant his example and his instructions are
exceedingly pernicious. Bat, alas! we can.
net. in the spirit of Anachrssis Clcot's de-
mand, hang all the dastarjs and Scoundrels
a. discretion. val'andigh.m has not,
that We hear. committed any overt act of
treason, he has not resisted the laws,
though he has perhaps counseled resat
ance, and, until he does, his silly o4bb!ing,
like Brooks's and Wood must be allowed
10 pass for what il is worth. 1t is not like
" to persuade more than few ignorant
or malignant men to do wrong. Besides,
no governments or no authorizes are tn be
held as above criticism or even denuncia
ton. We know no other way of correcting
their faults-spurrng on their aluggish
ness. or restraining their tyrannes--thsn
by open and bold discussion. How can a
popular government, most of all, know the
popular will, and guile its course in the
interests of the community, unlts it be
told from time to time what the popular
convictions and wishes are? Desposisms,
like that Of Louis Napoleon o, the Gar OF
Russia. have no need OF this inspiration
and control from the people. because they
are not admni,trsted in the interests Of the
people, and look to those Of q sirgle man
or a family, which can very wei
manage It's own affairs. But a republic
lives alone in its fidelity to tie sentiments
OF the whole naion.
A 4 e
this Unlimited freedom of public criticism
bu, these are apparently inseparsole from
The use; and without the abuse We should
scarcely have the use. 1t is a question,
too. who is to draw the line between the
use and the abuse outside Of courts estab
lished for the detection and punishment of
8 ! offences. Ii Vallandigham' peace non.
s,nss is reasonable, may not Grecley's be
equally so7 Ii he cannot arraign the
conduct Of the war, can Mr.. Schalk. who
has written book on strategy, which Is
the severest arraignment of it yet printed?
II he may not question the justice or the
propriety of Burnsiies orders. even the
Evening Post or thousand other journals
venture to hint doubt of the superhuman
military abilities of Con. Hallsck. We
know it My be said that his motives are
bad and unreasonable, while those Of the
others are loyal; but tribunals and com
missions cannot inquire into motives -
Deeds are tangible. but not thoughts.
Our article is already to long or we
should like to add line of the punish
msnt melted out to this western demago
que. lie has been sentenced, it is sad,
TO two years confinement to the Tortdgsa
Islands. II is a penalty which will make
him q martyr, and rouse his old friend and
others to earnest expressions of sympathy
He ought merely al the most to have been
scnt beyond our lines. TO the rebel friends
whom lie 30 much sdmires and serves;
a I'd the change would have been a gain to
US, il no great gain to them. Nor. sup
posing the rghtfuluess of the Jurisdiction,
could any one have complained Of SEN
leucs which mercifu!ly confines the cul
prit to the agreeable society of his kind.
From the New York Tribcne. May Is.
Gen. Jackson was doubtless man OF
more than average sagacity. yet wa d" not
think he showed it in writing, after taking
ample time for cool ref .ction, that. had he
been mil;tsry eommaudant in Connecticut in
December, 1914, he would have hung the
leading members Of the Hartford Cnnven.
ton under the second section of the Ar.i
cles Of War. We will not here discuss
the legality OF such execution; but We in
sist that IL would hive been most imp,liin
and unwise. The Hatford Convention did
very much to save timid aud feeble al
ministrstion from falling into general con-
tempt and odium. Ii gave the country
its fret look over tho precipice Of disunlon,
and impellel it to shrink back shudderlng
resolved to bear any temporary ills rather
than plunge into the yawniDg vortex be