The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-08-12

b. H q = 7e H ' q
on both sides; the facts were plain, simple and
scarcely controverted, and he was found GULL
TY! Guilty of what? OF aiding the public
enemy in time of war, and of obstructing
our military authorities in suppressing the re-
bellion. He, was guilty of precisely the Of
fence of John Morgan, jeff Davis, and 9Th
er rebels, except that his manner of render
ing "aid and comfort" to the public enemy
was less dangerous 10 him personally than
theirs. ii - - -
Now what was the duty of Gen. Burnside
under these circumstances There was no
doubt of this mans guilt. He believed these
acts plainly obstructed his measures of de-
fence. e considered them far more injuri-
Gus than the open acts of murder and robbie
ry committed by the rebels-far worse than
the desertion of a solder-meaner than the
act of spy. Should he be turned over to
tine Criminal Courts to be tried sometime in
the future for Treason, and in the meantime
free to sap and ruin the authority of the
Government What do the rebels do
with loyal people under like circumstan-
ces? They hang their enemies at home to
the nearest tree. What would they do to
Gov. johnson if he should speak for the
Union to his neighbors in Fast Tennessee =?
We know by the fate of thousands And yet
this convicted Traitor of ours, by the human
ity of our Government, is simply placed in
safety beyond our lines.
p But it is said his offense was committed in a
region where the courts are open and the or
binary course Of the civil law is undisturbed
There are many offences that may be punish
ed by military authority, even in the midst ol
the most peaceful communities. The breach
of discipline of a camp, the act of a.spy, the
desertion of soldier, an attempted riot OIL
mutiny, and many similar offences are prop,
erly punished by military authority, even il
the presence of civil court. The boundary
between these classes of offenses is not anC
cannot be accurately defined. Nor is there
any danger to our liberties from this military
power The accused may apply to Judg
of competent jurisdiction for the benefit 0
the writ Of habeas- corpus. The Judge mus
| then determine whether the writ has beel
legally suspended, and whether the offence i
military or civil one. This was done in tn
case of Vallandigham Judge Leavitt, 0
the u S. Court, after full hearing, decide
| that the accusation was one under the iuris
diction of the military tribunals, and the wri
was therefore denied
I will not, fellow citizens, pursue the argu
ment as to the legality of the arrest and cor
viction of Mr.. " any further. Suppose hir
illegally convicted of aiding the rebels, wi
you, therefore, make him Governor of Ohio
! Will you trust thief who was Irregular
convicted with the custody of your property
Will you trust a murderer, who, upon a wr
of error, is discharged for defects in the il
dictment, with the defense of your person.
Will you trust Traitor, who can be prove
only by one witness to be guilty, with yot
political power Let not the men who. b
the election of Yallandigham, seek to put Il
Executive power of Ohio on the side of IL
rebels, cheat you by IA false pretence. Z ''
Ohio has won immortal honor in this wa
The principal heroes of the war were born al
nurtured on her soil. She has sent 10000
brave men into the field to defend the N
t;onal Union. Every battle field has bee
made classic with the blood of these bray
men. Scarcely family in the State but VIII
is represented. Aud yetyou propose to NAL
i ~. n LII n, IL, IF
the Chief Executive officer of these men
all the militia of our State-a man who r
fused to vote man or dollar for their SUI
port. You reserve your honors, your highe
honor, to man who is hero with eve
i rebel regiment, and dare not face single re
4 iment from his own State. And why? b
cause you say he has been illegally convict
of aiding these rebels. Well, what of it !?
Can you not find some man in your par
whose fidelity to the Government is unique
toned :? Can you find no brave soldiers
honor with your votes Is the Democra
party so completely under the control of d
loyal men that you must select as your stan
ard bearer one whose heart is with the rebe
and whose arms would aid them if he COZ
not render them more service here g. +
l have, therefore, only alluded to the acts
Mr.. rVallandigham, for which he was arrest
by Gen. Burnside, because this arrest U
Il doubtedly induced his nomination. The l.
ders in this movement never would ha
ventured upon it but they hoped to conc'
his infamous record under clamer about
legal arrests. They know the sensitive je
ousy Of our people to the personal rights
the citizen and under a pretense tt
these rights are in danger they hope
conceal the political opinions of Mr. V.
, 1 served as member of Congress with h
during his entire time. He was the intimi
friend and associate, personal and political,
the leaders of this rebellion. You will 10
in vain for any word from him of repro
|, encouragement or dissent, to any act of the
) in the progress of the rebellion. He defer
: ed all the outrages in Kansas. The repeat
invasions of armed Missouri mobs, the fral
a violence, murder and crime, with which tn
| same rebels sought to overcome freemen
3 Kansas-the Infamous laws of bogus leg
lature-the attempt to establish pro-slav'
: constitution by election frauds, all these W
$ defended and excused by him. He appla'
e ed and Joined in. the noisy threats of disun
y uttered in both houses of Congress when
: Lincoln was elected. During the memora
e election session following Mr.. Lincoln's ell
l. y L.,
$ imbecility of Mr.. Buchanan. were seiz