Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1864-06-04
RG COLUMBIA COUNTY, PENNA, SATURDAY, JUNE A, 1864.

principles which are shared by half, or
nearly half, your fcllow.citzens--did
shock the public mind, did amaze every |
honest and patriotic citizen, did Gil with
indignation and alarm every pure and 10y
al breast. There was no indignation meet
ncs, there were no riots, there was no
official protest. But do not imagine, sir
that the Governor Of this State has forgot
ten to do his duty do not imagine that
the people of this city or State, or coun-
try have ceased 10 love their liberties, or
do not know how to protect their rights.
it would be fatal to tyrant 10 commit
that error here Row. 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-
stitution which you swore to "preserve,
protect and defend, . it may be an imper-
tinence to cite those natural and chartered
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, supported by oath, and
particularly describing the place to be
searched and the persons to be seized that
no person shall be deprived of life, liberty
or property without due process of law
yet those are the most priceless possessions
Of freemen, and these you took away from
me.
Even a captured and guilty criminal
who knew that his crime would be proved,
and that the law would assurodly visit
upon him condign punishment, might with
propriety plead these rights and demand
Of the Chief Magistrate to throw over
him these shields. Assaulted by the bay.
onets Of military commander, he might
protest and assert his iDalienabl7 right to
the orderly processes, the proofs, and the
punishment Of the law. But has the Sax
on tongue any terms left for him to use
who, being the victim of crime, has been
also the victim Of lawloss power
1t is the theory Of the law that after
the commission Of any crime, all proceed
ings taken before trial shall be merely
preventative but the proceedings taken
a. ainst the UorM were OF the nature OF
a summary execution Of judgment. Would
trial by law have been denied, would the
law itself have been set aside for the bay
opet, would process as summary as q
drumhead court martial have been resort
cd to by you in peaceful city, far from
the boundaries of military occupation had
the presses which consistently applaud
your course been, as we were, the victims
Of this forgor Had the Tribune and
Times published the forgery, Cand the
Tribune candidly admits that it might
have published it and was prevented only
by mere chance ,)would you, sir have sup
pressed the Tribune and Times as you
suppressed the World and Joluna! Of Com
mefcc? You know you would not Ii
rot, why not !
Is there different law for your oppo'
nents and for your supporters
Can you, whose eyes discern equality
under every complexion, be s6lindcd bJ
the hue of parti2onship
The JVor5l has sustained tho Govern.
ment in It's struggle to preserve our imper
lied nationality. 1t had helped inspire
the martial spirit of the people, and en-
courage them TO the sacrifices they havl
so nobly made 1t had advocated thost
measures of financial policy which coult
best preserve the tone and vigor Of thu
Government in the contest, 1t had de
served well Of the republic, and those whc
love it.
But it also exposed aud denounced the
corruptions attendant on your Administra
tion 1t had opposed dclusve and en-
ervating system Of paper money. 1t hat
vindicated the fame Of patriot genera
whom you had removed from command OF
the eve of victory. It had deprecated
your reelection, Did yea-pot find il
these facts the provocations TO your wronl
and your persistence in wrong Had yol
not made up your mind against us beor
the underling, your partisan, had concoct
ed his plot3 Whom you answer these in
terrogatories will produce the proof O
threats made against US by those ncarcs
you and assuming to exert your preroga
tive, before this trick of forgery furnishe,
you with the specious pretenso of an ac
cusation.
Can it be possible, sir, that for mo
ment you supposed that journals like our
could afford to be guilty Of this forgery