The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1864-06-02
THE DESPOTFSN AT WASH
ESGTON.
The Suppression OF the New York
World and Journal of Con-
mcrCc.

On the subject of the gricvous wrong
pcrpetrated upon these papers, the Editor
Of the World addresses himself to "Eiis
Excellency Abraham Lincoln, President
of the United States" as follows:
"To charactrizc these proceedings as
unprecedented, would be to forget the past
history Of your administration; and to char
actcrizc them a. shocking to every mind.
would be to disregard that principle of hu-
man nature from which it arises that man
submitting once and again to lawless en-
croachmcnts of power, with every inter
mission OF Il vigilance which should be
continual, lose something Of the old, free.
keen sense Of their true nature and real
danger.
Charles was doubtless. advised to, and
app.auded for. the crimes by which he lost
his crown and life. Nor can you DO any
such outrageous, oppressive, and unjust
thing that it viii not bo .pplaudcd by
those whose prosperity and power you
haze created and nay destroy. TO char
acterlze these proceedings as arbitrary, IL
lcal and unconstitutional, would seem, if
:uch wcighty words have not been crop-
ted Of all significance, to bcft better an
tour at which you have not arrived, and Z
place where not public opinion but the au-
thority OF law speaks, after impeachment,
trial, conviction, and judgment.
But, sir, the suppression of two daily
journals, in this mctropolis-onc the organ
Of It's great commercial public the ether
recognized exponent ot' the democratic
principles which are shared by half your
fellow ctizens-did shock the public mind.
did amaze every honest and patriotic citi-
zen, did fill with Indignation and alarm
every pure and loyal breast There were
no indignation meetings. there were no
riots, there was no official protest But
do not imagine; sir, that the Governor of
this State has forgotten to do his duty; do
not imagine that the people of this city or
State. or country have ceased to love their
liberties, or do not know how toprotect their
Il rights. 1t would be fatal to tyrent to
commit that error here and now A free
people can at need devise means 10 teach
their Chief Magistrate the same lesson.
"To you, sir, who have by heart the con-
sttution which you sworc to preserve,
protect, and defend, it may be an imper-
rights therein enumerated, among which
are these That the people shall be secure
IN their persons, houses, papers, and effects
against unreasonable seizures, and that no
warrant even shall issue. except upon
probable cause, superted by oath, and
particularly describing the place to be
searched and the persons or things to be
seized; that no person shall be deprived of
life, liberty, or property without due pro-
cess Of law; yet these are the most price
Tess possessions Ol lTcclnen, anu tHcSc you
took away from ME.
"Even a captured and guilty criminal
who knew that his crime would be proved,
and that the law would assurcdly visit up
on him condign punishment, might with
propricty plead these rights and demand Of
the Chief Magistrate to throw over him
these shields. Assaulted by the bayonets
of military commander, he might protest
and assert his inalcnatle right to the or
; derly processes, the proofs, and the pun
ishment of the law But has the Saxon
tongue any terms left for him to use who,
being the victim Of crime, has been made