The dollar weekly bulletin. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1862-1864, 1863-06-25
The Washington Administration and
Mr.. Vallandisham.

From the London Times, May 30.
An Administration thus torn into tactic rs.
and Keeling under the shock OF great mill
tary disasters would not seem to be In con-
dition to govern with the strong hand
Yet the Federal Cabinet, while evidently
itself divided in opinion on the manner in
which the war has been conducted, will not
tolerate discussion or criticism of its policy
out Of doors. While it needs all the sup
port Of friends and the forbearance of oppo-
nents, it is again Tousing the Democrat
party to open action, and making it difficult
for many in its own ranks to continue their
advocacy. The arbitrary arrest and trial of
Mr.. Vallandigham by military Commits
sion, for a speech that might have been left
unuoticed with perfect safety, has raised a
spirit of political hostility which goes much
further than criticism of General and camp
aigns From inquiry how the Federal Gov
ernment was fighting the South, the 4ues-
ton is turned into denuncations of the man.
ner in which it is governing the North
The Democrat party has accepted the war as
q necessity, but it is not prepared to sacrifice
to it every personal and political right; and
we find body of American citizens COM
PEELED to assert and defend the very first
principles of their Constitution. precisely as
If they were Poles or Prussians claiming
something that their Government is strong
enough to grant or withhold at pleasure.
1t must be q surprising sensation for
freeborn native of the Western continent to
find himself speaking in a bondsman's key
and claiming a right to freedom of person
and speech, aud trial by the ordinary Courts
for legally defined offsnses. The protests of
the great public meeting held at albany and in
the city of Ne,0 York ,0ould read like natural
expressions of feeling had they reached US from
Berlin or Warsa,0. From these centers of
despotism and military rule, claims based on
such elementary principles might be hailed
as a progress IN political life, as an awaken
ing of people to some consciousness of
having rights, and strength enough to de-
mand them. But such remo nstrances, COM
ing from Americans only prove how far ma
ton may retrograde in short time, unless
it is earnest and vigilant. They are now
sxclaiming and protesting against depriva-
ton of liberty as if they had gone to sleep
and allowed despotism to creep on them and
rob them of all their political freedom while
they were unconscious of their loss. They
wake and find it gone, nor is it quite certain
they will get it back for asking. The pro-
Tests are so much paper, and have not saved
Mr.. Vallandigham from being conveyed 'se-
cretly" TO Fort Warren, where he is to be |
imprisoned by the sentence of military
confirmed by General Burnside, till |
The lend of the war"
All this is perfectly Russian. The mill |
AIRY trial for an expression of opinion, the |
sentence confirmed by the G neral COM
handing, and the secret committal to
ortress for term underlined, is the rule of
Poland, transferred to the last country on
be face of the earth where it would have
eem ed possible to enforce such unqualifi ed
espotsm. The best hope of those who
till think their.liberty worth preserving1is in
be fact that the Federal Governm ent is less
ikely TO produce terror by such extraordin-
ry measures than irritation. tits in a min
rity now, and the majority against it is in
reasing like rising tide. In any country
where the political existence of a govern
neut is not guaranteed to it in advance,
whether it proves bad or good, detested or
opular, such a ministry would be swept
way in a week, and another Unstable which
1ould represent the feeling OF the time
he Federal Gov eminent represents the
pinions that prevailed three years ago.
n age, measured by events, has since passed
way. and all is changed. But to dispIace I
lie Government would require a political
perhaps a second war, and the
orth can not fight with itself aHd the South {
the same time. |