Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1864-01-21
The uabsa. eerpu,.

Il viii no. q. littls surprise snd stsYtis the
! people Of lAs CanfedsTato States TO ais0ever in
the lRto proceedings Of Congress skat hill has
been reported from .hs judiciary committee az
the House by its shaizmIs, M Garsrell. of
Georgia, and tha. it bss passed its fIss end
second roadiRg, aad is placed upon the calendar,
authorizing the President, m certain CAGES, to
! suspend the writ OF ha5ess corpus. A natural
inquiTy will arise as TO the way and ghersfo1e
of such proceeding. Although tho Conssitu-
ton provides ieT suel ACTION as that prspoeed,
where, in cases Of invasion, the public nseas.
sity may require il" YET there will be the meet
earnest sslieituae felt at the proposal sf such an
-sKtrserdinAry mezsuTo Al this trao ia Congress-
'fTbe President shall ksvs psw8r 30 suspend
the privilege Of the writ ofha5sas corpus ia any
sity, town. or military district, wherever, in his
judgment, ths pukiic SAFETY may rssareit IT."
8, reads the maiR clause OF the bill. WHY spe-
sify any city or tewR," Uhsn tie phrEse
military district" embraces net emily svsTy sitv
and town, but the whols t-eaSf tie gaafsds-
rsey What part Of tho SorfedsrEcy is there
that is rot within sono military district. Ilis
more sweeping than the exlISTsgsnt bill Of the
Military e9Railtse. Il does rot sxeapt even
the slliesrs Of the Confederate and Safe Sow
erRmests. The YIsePresjdent, the governors
Of States, noGsbers OF Congress, j1dgss, fener-
als in the field, as well zs all other psrsens in
public service, or il the various pgTsui.s Of The
domestic econemy o. tbe eeuntry, viii at once
be subjected to he absolute and iTrssponsibls
viii OF the Executive.
History points to no Instance where such
enormous power has not been enoraousiy
abused. Who knows how g0o1 q mill, rvAiing
in its operations the iIIepressible "promise 10
psy' machine Of the Treasury Department.
may be SCI to Issuing istirfs De eaehst7 BasliIes
may e. once spring up all over eur land, and
become recognized Instruments Of State, within
whese coils may fanguish the unfortunate vic
tins Of sUspieisn or caprice.
Tbs PfssldsR. shall cssss proper ofSeers TO |
Investigate the eases ef all psTsons 80 arrested.
IL order thai they may be discharged II i'm !
properly detsinsd," eie. 1. will be .sked . |
Have The ordinary and eonsttated tribunals o. |
justice throughout our land failed in the last I
discharge OF duty, or perverted the lsWs7 Why /
superseds them b proper of6sars," Wbo nzy |
be bat part of the very pOlies which will be |
authorised and commanded 10 mako ths ar |
resist
We feel ESsuTed that no such arbitrary ness
uTes will pass the present Congress. Il has re-
Fesied4y been proposed in former sessions. La 4
a moment OF gFcsI general exei.ement, after 1
rapid successor ef hesvy reverses, Congress,
AZ ioEmer session, passed p:ocipi;siely, several
important ma Sures, the impolity OF which soon
becgEe apparent. Among lhsul vas he meas
ure now proposed, which, at The elogs of The
perioe Of its operation, it refused to rs enact.
Il was found an unnecessary, insfse!ual and
laess dangerous exPsaisnt. There can be no
reason assigned for it now that viii be ssHsfas.
tory 10 the pabie, 81 sllsy theT reasonable ieal-
eusY Of al aHcrosshnents Of Executive au-
thority. Il is the inwraught Determination Of
our people to bs personally free. Personal lib
erty Is part Of the vary liis-hlsed OF a pasple
70 whom It's blessings have been irsasmitteS fer
many soReIat.ens. ''Fke extension Of Rxseu-
1--we authority fnas nc sdyssste in the List Of
champions OF human freedom. Their uaifsFn
and steady purpose hsB been to limit it. Popu-
lar and representative right have ever been at
var with preFogaiiye. It's contest has been for /
sgss 20 rescus li5eTty ffom tEs grasp Of Execu- 4
i've powe1."-- Riekmond TFhiT.