North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1864-12-21

proclamations of martial law, and next re
straining them-but all the while Pointing
| to the cirI courts as the proper tribunals to
to try the class Of offenses newly announced
shall say, created, by both President and
Congress-Lord and Masters of a submissive
people
| submit, fellow citizens, whether it is not
the duty Of The two hundred and seventy six
thousand Democrats of Pennsylvania, to in
quIre into this alarming violation of those
great principles of hnman rights, which even
no monarch on the throne of our English an
cestors since 'he date of Magma Ctartd, ever
yet invaded with impunty ; aud no admins
tration of our Government ever before dared
to infringe, even in the slightest degree q
The late, to day, Of these men of Columbia
County, If innocent, may be ours to morrow
besides, ifit really has come to pass. that
the old laws of the land require enforcement
oy oayonets, and the new ones introduced.
and about TO be introduced, need the same
illustration and support, it must at least be
interesting to the people to know it, and be
prepared to yield up gracefully all our cher.
lshed principles Of civil freedom baptized in
blood of the fathers Of The revolution. and be-
queathed 10 us as their nestimable legacy
True. we had the boastful announcement
Of the Secretary of State at Washington, that
the suspension of the writ of hQbeas corpus
placed every independent heart in the land un,
der his gaolership and we had also the prac
tice OF Secretary Stanton's satraps in various
places IN oiher States, showing the same
grand estimate cfhiS secret trials WITHOUT
JURiES, were to be substituted for uroeesd
.iss in the civil courts of the country in cases
clearly defined by statute law as belonging
exclusively to their jurisdiction, is a state OF
things which could not have been fully con
emplated by the people of Pennsylvania at
the late election. We really seem to be fast
reaching the condition of the German Baron
OF olden time, who, in order 70 provide the
the means for mainta ming his castle against
assailants, mo:tgaged it 10 some neighboring
ShyIocks, who seiz.d and appropriated it
themselves, before the Baron's dafeGSeSwere
completed. Or. IN palmer words, in coaduct
ing what appeared at the outset to be prop,
er struggle to sustain the powers Of the Con
stItution, and the supremacy Of the laws over
the Southern States, We are now sinking the
same vital principles here at home
Who is responsible for this position of al
fairs so Tar as our State Is concerned The
rev Military Commander of this division. with
his own fair record TO preserve, and a bright
ancestral fame in memory, cannot be acting a
Voluntary pat in them. The Governor Of
Pennsylvania disav0ws all prior knowledge OF
the original proceedings against the Columbia
county prisoners, and all responsibility in the
premises. The Judiciary, il applied to,wouId
probably be oiisinclIned to enter into a conflict
with the military authorities, in which would
simply be illustrated, that the Presiden, and
his Cabinet ministers are the Lords para
mount of our destinies, both civil aud mill
tary
The people can perInit-can perpetuate
this position of our liberties if they desre,-
Ihey nave the poWer-the dT(ul power TO
prove recreant to themselves ta become the
executioners of their own rights, their own
happiness, and their own glory Illustrated in
the past. Yes, if they SO elect as people,
they may, IN cowardly supneness allow them
selves to be covered with the pail of despot-
ism as dark and dismal as ever shrouded anv
of its victims in the old world and finally
fill the latest of those ignobIe graves of ma
tional freedom, that lie in dreadful warning
along down the great pathway of recorded
time
In behalf Of the Democratic State Central
Committee of Pennsylvania.
G. L. WARD, Chairman.
Towanda, Pa, Dec. 9Th, 1864.