The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1864-06-03
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
ALBANY Nav % 1891

l.
ALBANY, May %, 1864.
10 d. Oakley HuH, District Attorneg of tn
County Of Ne1o Yorh-Sir: | am advised tha
on the 9th instant the office of the Journal O
Commerce and that of the New York WorI,
were entered by armed men, the property of III,
owners seized, and the premises held by force
Tor several days. 1t is charged that these act
OF violence were done without due LEGAL proces,
and without the sanction of State or National
laws If this be true the offenders must be
punished.
In the month Of July last. when New YorL
was scene OF violence, | gave warning thai
''the laws Of the State must be enforced 4.
peace and order maintained, and the pronertv
/ OF lis citizens protected at every hazard >, The
laws were enforc ed at fearful cost of blood
and life.
/ The declaration then made was not intend
ed merely Tor that occasion, or against anv class
/ of men. 1t is OF an enduring character. to be
asserted at all times and against all conditions
OF citizens, without favor or distinction. I'm
less ali are made 10 bow to the law, it will be
respected by none Unless all are made secure
IN Their rights Of person and property. none
I can be protected. II the owners of the abeve-
named journals have violated State or national
''NsN~NA~'A
lshed by those laws. Any action against them
outside OF legal procedures is criminal. At this
time OF civil war and disorder the majesty of
the law must be upheld, or society will sink in
10 anarchy. Our soldiers in the field will bat
Tie IN yam tor constitutional liberty if persons
or property, or opinions are tramped upon at
nome, we must not give up home-freedom,
ana thus dIs@race the American character whie
tI
Oiood TO maintain the national honor. They
must not find when they come back that their
personal and lreslde-rlghts have been despoiled
In addition tothe general obligation 10 enforce
tAe laws OF the land, there are local reasons
NY, NY 'hJy must De upheld IN the city Of New
- ''is5 are not It's commerce and great
ne - "1 oioNen DOWN II tins great centre
''7'',''' ana enterprise Is thrown IN
l't 1T Vt 'jitaftl' " naL MAKES New
ork the heart OF our country! Why are its
pHIsatlonS felt AZ the eXtremllIes OF our land.
Not through It's positions alone, bat because OF
the worldwide belief that property is safe with
in It's limits from waste by mobs and from spo-
hation by government. The labogers in the
workshop, the mlne, and in the field, on this
continent and in every other part of the globe,
send to its merchants, for sale or exchange, the
products Of their toll. These merchants are
made the trustees Of the wealth Of millions liv-
ing in every land, because it Is believed that in
their hands property is safe, under the shield Of
laws administered upon principle and according
to known usages. This great confidence has
grown up in ;he course Of many years by vir-
tue OF painstaking, honest performance Of
duty by tha business men Of your city. In this
they have been aided BY the enforcement OF laws
based upon the so.emny- pledge that
''the right O, the people 10 he secure III their
persons, houses, papers and effects against nn-
resonaOle search and seizures shad not be
violated, and that no one shall be deprived OF
hoefiy or property without due process OF law.
For more than eighty years have we as
people, been building mp this universal faith in
the sanctity Of our Jurisprudence. 1t is this
winch carries car commerce upoa every ocean,
and brings back to our merchants the wealth
Of every cline 1t IS now charged that, in III
ter disregard OF the 7ensitireneaa OF thai iai.l,
at moment when the national credit Is Under
going fearful trial, the organs OF commerce
are seized ant held. IN violation ot constitution
al pledges; titt Tins act vas done IN PuOhe
mart OF your great city, and was thus forced
upon the notice OF the commarcl''' agents oi Lhe
Noi'd' ana ,Aey were sIio"h IN al" offensive way
b;trarv orlars ,rhosa tJ,i,rs ora moro h,rtf,I
81 ,l.s national fonor and sfreratI tb,,n the loss
fnIlv and crimes Of officials win be looked anon