Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-06-09
FRIENDLY ADMONITIONS.

FRIENDLY ADMONITIONS
1t will be remembered by our readers that Major
Gen. FREMONT, in his letter accepting the nomi-
nation of the Cleveland Convention, takes especial
exception, among other things, to "the disregard
of constitutional rights and the violations of per-
sonal liberty" which have marked the conduct Of
the Administration during the war. After citing
the paragraph in which he sums up series of such
accusations against President Lincoln this score
the New York Commercial Advertiser says:
Confessedly these truths the best Republican
Journals have and again admitted That these
Journals SO assert and that there fraction Of the Re-
publican party bold and bipartisan enough to proclaim the
same thii a. is most heahful symptom, aud seems to
presage that political millennium when faction and party
shall be forgotten in the single purpose of promoting the
honor and dignity of the country and when patriotism
shall have its perfect work, and not be most pronounced
when most In ONCE"
And that leading organ of the Republican party,
the Evening Post of the same city, refers to the
same topic in the following terms, while stating
that it does not share Gen. Fremont's apprehen-
sions as to the extent or permanence of the evils
it deplores in common with him:
"We agree with Gen. Fremont that the Administration
has wal dered into good many devious and doubtful
paths and Mr. Lincoln though he not have been
rerponsbe for it personally yet to be held to an cia
responsibility We agree with him. also, that any honest
body of who minded have perfect right to
unite in rebukDg these We have certainly our
seYes assumed many opportunities OF warning the Gov
ement aghinst its improper acts on the ground both OF
their departure from correct principles and OF Their ten
dency to alienate tho popular support"
And in the course of debate that occurred in
the Senate few days ago on the internal reve-
II Df 4
whom that body comprise, no member more gen.
orally respected for his oandor and ability, took
occasion to utter word of patriotic warning to the
same effect The bill, as it stood, authorized any
assistant assessor of the internal tax to issue
rant for the arrest of any person failing or refusing
to comply with the injunctions of the law under
this head. Mr.. Harris very properly moved to
amend the bill SO as to provide for the usual pro-
cess Of law in efectipg the arrest Of delinquent
His amendment was as follows:
Such summons may be served by any assistant
OF the district In any person so summoned shall
neglect refuse OBJ summons according to Its
exgency Or to give testimony interrogatores
as Tequi shall be lawful for the assessor upon am "a
Wit proving the facts to apply TO the Judge OF the district
court or authorized to perform the duties
OF such Judge at chambers for attachment against such
person as for contempt 1t shall be the duty OF such
Judge or commissioner TO hear such application and, II
satisfactory proof be made to issue al directed
To some proper officer for the arrest of such person and
upon his being brought before HIM, to proceed to hear
ing Of the case and upon such hearing the judge or com
missioner shall have Ia make such order as ne shall
deem proper enforce obedience to The requirement OF
the and punish such fer his default or dis
obedience"
And the propriety Of this amendment was en-
forced by Mr. Harris with the following judicious
reflections:
"I confess Mr. President little disappointed in
finding this resisted by the chairman Of the
Committee Finance. bad thought that having con-
trved way for Furnishing deiinqueDts under the prov
sons of this bill without any violation Of the ordinary rules
of in respect to the arrest and punishment OF ndv
duas he would have been quite willing to accept it Now,
er confess that very much opposed to allowing ar
rests by executive officers; think famliarzing
ourselves quite too much to that sort Of thing dislike
very much provision in this section that executive
officer, when he thinks individual has been guilty OF
pit Of his authority may without process OF law,
take that individual and carry him through the country to
find court desire to such thug as tn It 10
this country 1t is rfng will The liberties Of the citizen
unnecessarily, 10 my judgment But il the Senator from
Maine thinks at 10 retain this provision and to authorize
an assistant assessor, when he thinks party has been
guilty OF contempt to arrest him hInse without judicial
process without applying to any judicial tribunal, shall
not further but it to it is far better to
do in this just what is done in ten thousand other
where person has been guilty of default or any den
quency to apply to udica officer for process OF arrest
Il can be done without difficulty 1t is done every day in
other cases Why not do it in this Z"
The Senate concurred with Mr.. Harris in his
view of the matter and adopted his amendment
We have cited these several expressions of opin-
ion, all emanatiDg from Republican sources, for
the purpose of showing that the objections brought
against the Administration for its cxceptionable
conduct in this matter are not inspired BY mere
partisan rancor, but are shared by all thoughtful
and candid men without regard to political discri,
limitations. If there are those who make mere
partisan use of such objections from desire to
embarrass the Administration rather than from o
desire to correct its abuses 10 the interest of the
country, it is evident that such sinister purposes
would be best counteracted by avoiding all occasion
of offence on this score to either political friends
political opponents
GOVERNOR CORWIN.
rior~