Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1863-07-01
Military Necessity.

The doctrine Of . Military necessity"
which has been used by the radical party
to justify whatever the President sees tit
to do, may require and receive some modi-
fication in the view of its most ardent
supporters if matters continue as now.
Suppose, for example, that Mr.. Nallan-
digham should be elected Governor of
Ohio, as he is very likely TO be, and then
imagine a rebel raid into Ohio such as
is reported III Indiana. 1t has already
taken place near the Kanawha, and may
happen again. Now read the Constitu-
ton of the United States, and ii will be
found that when State is actually in
Vaded, or even in imminent danger Of an
invasion, the State may make war All
the war-making powers are at once YES
ted IN the State. For all purposes of
war the State has then every power nee
essary to carrying on the war, and the
only limits imposed on that are by the
Constitution of the United States and of
the State itself-The Governor then be-
comes commander-in-chief of the forces.
and if there were anything in the radical
doctrines of military necessity" Mr..
Vallandigham would at once be in posi-
ton to declare martial law, suspend news
papers, arrest citizens, and do all that he,
from his political point of view, might re-
gard as necessary for the safety of the
State according to his notions, nor could
radica! open his mouth TO object Will
any radical newspaper undertake to dis
putc this proposition No.-Its too
plain to be doubted. Now if the doc
trine were a correct one, what ought he
70. do in such case, us a conscientious,
honest governor? He believes, Of he
does not, we do,) that the radical press is
laboIlng to destroy the power Of the
States, and to affect the disruption of the
Union that they do infinitely more harm
than good by their rawlings about the !
negro, their accusations of dislovaIty and
treason leveled at the loyal majorities of
the country.and that they are aiding
and abetting the enemy by everydav's |
labors. What would the radicalshave |
him do,then? /
1t is well tor them that the opposition
do not believe in this absurd doctrine. |!
The executive power of Governor Curtin |
to-day is in this respect fully equal.
within his State, to that Of the President !
OF the United States. If a Democratic |
Governor is elected in Pennsylvania this
tall, shall he claim and exercise this arbi-
trary power because of the Imminent
danger of invasion which "will not
admit OF delay p Recollcct that the
President told the Governor that Penn
sylvanla must take care of herself In
such case there could not be question
rs to the war power rs ling in the
Governor. He would exercise it with
full authority to do all that the war
power implies Could he, by procla-
enslave all the negroes en-
slave all the negroes in PENNSYLVANIA !
Gould he contiscatc radical property
Is he the absolute ruler, with power OYER
the persons and property OF citizens
Perhaps some of the gentlemen who haze
written replies TO Judge Curtis able
pamphlet on - Executive Power will
discuss this matter and give us some Hnbt
on Mr., Nallandighams executive power
N Ohio in case of invasion. Onere-
y" neither he could suspend the writ of
'a'e''S c0'p"sF Let us hear the opinion
11 our contemporaries on this intercStinu
point
1t may even arise with reference TO Gov
seymour IN New York. Suppose this
confederate privateer reported off Nam
ucket should run into Sag Harbor or
1reenport and land few marines 70
'elze provisions, &c. All invasion of ,
NE part of the country would, accorling Z
o radical re; sOning, extend the Pres;- :
lent ; war power to all paris of the :
'ountry. This is the doctrine maintained ,
n lie recent letter OF the President. ,
lie says there is no difference in that re- :
Pect between persons within the lines of ;
ne army and persons in the remotest .
states Because the enemy was on the q,
asst end of Long Island, would Governor
'eynlour then acquire power to suppress /
he 1T A"'eS, Tribune, 4nt,-,Slc,rery Standard =
Ice''1g Post, &c, forbid the circulation I
the L'beTator, use Fort Iafayette for )
he board and lodging of the editors and .
nelr Abolition brethren If they con- j,
lnued to pour out such radical biIlingsrate =
the Tune and Tribune have been in
uiglng In toward him, shall he try the 9
iltors by court martial for treason. and ;,
ahS or shoot them, or Danish them TO the :,
outhern StateS How about those oen
emen OF the Abolition persuasion who :,
eid meeting a few years ago near Syra- ,
lse, resolved that the Union ought to he ! !
ssoived, and opened a correspondence .
nth Southern Democrats on the subiect y y
mould they be summarily dealt with =,
respectfully submit to the advocates =:
.he war power doctrine overriding Con- n
hutton and law, that pressing events n,
hder necessary new chapter in their :;
cory Who will write it -
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