The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1863-06-02

| ALnASy, May IL, 1903.
The following is The letter OF Gov. Seymour
to The V.lIaudigbam meeting last night:
ExEcurlvE DrrAnrMEsr. May i6. 1868.
cannot attend the meeting at tho Capto
this evening, but wish TO state my opiuicr
in regard 10 the arrest Of Mr.. Vallandisham
II is an act which bss brought disLonor upon
our country. l, is fall Of danger to our per
sons and our homes. 1t bears upon its front
conscious violation Of aw and justice.
Acting upon the evidence Of detailed in
former, shrinking from the light Of day. ia
the darkness Of night, armeJ men violated the
home OF an Amer can ciliz,n and furtivey
bore him away to military trial, conducted
without those safeguards known in The pro-
ceedngs Of our judicial tribunals. The trass.
action involved a series OF offcnses against oui
most sacred rights.
It interferred with the freedom Of speech
il iola,ed ur rights to he secure iu'our homes
against unreasonable searches and seizures; il
pronounced sentence without trial save one
which was a mockery, which insultcd as well
as wropged. The pcrpsti ators now seek to
impose punishment, not for an offense against
law but for The disregard Of an invalid order
put forth in the utter disregard Of the princi.
Piles Of civil liberty.
If this proceeding is approved by the Gov.
crnment, and sanctioned by the people, it is
not merely a step toward revolution; it is rev.
oution; it will not only lead TO military dcs-
polism-it establishes military despoiism. In
this aspect it must be accepted, or in this as
pect rejected. II it is upheld our liberties are
overthrown the safety Of our persons: security
Of our property will hereafter depend upon The
arbitrary will Of such military rulers as may
he placed over US, while our Constitutional
guarantees will b, broken down.
Even now tho Governors and Cjurts OF
some Of the great Wese ern States have sunk
into insi IN ficance before the despotic powers
claimed and exercised by military men who
have been sent into their borders 1t is a
fearfnl thing to increase tho DANCE, which now
overhsng- US by treating tn law, the judiciary,
and the State authorities with conternpt
The peopl' Of this country now wait with
the deep"st anxiety the decisions o. the Ad
ministration upon these acts. Having given
il generous support in the conduct of the
war, wo pause to see what kind Of Govern
ment it is for which We are asked to pour out
our blood and our treasures.
The action Of the Administration will de-
ter,nins in the minds Of more than Que half cf
the people OF he loyal States whether the
war is waged to put down Rebellion at the
South, or destroy free institutions at the North
We look for it's decision with most solemn
solicitude. HoRATro SEYMOUR.
The resolutions adopted claim that the
Democrats have devoted during the two years
of civil war, and express determination to
devote their energies to the cause OF the Uaion
dsuounce the assumption Of military power in
the arres; of Mr.. vallaDdigham, and asser!
the right Of free discussion.
IT ay aay that in The election OF Mr.. Scy.
mour the people condemned the system Of
arbitrary arrests, and call upon the President
to restore Mr.. vallandigham to liberty. They
direct copy Of the resolutions 10 be sent to
the President, with the assurance Of the desire
of the meeting to support the Government in
every constitutional and lawful measure to sup
press the rebellion.