Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1864-06-23

ImPOrtsnt Letter Of Go5srsOr ~SsymOsy.
From the Metropolitan Record
STATE OF NEW YORK, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, Z
Albany May %, 1864. 5
To A. Oaksy Hall, Esq, District Attorney Of the
SIR Il am advised that on the 18Th inst the
Offices Of the Journal Of Commerce and thss Of
the New York WOJd were entered by armed
men, the property OF the owners seized and the
premises held by force for several days.
1t is charged that these acts of violence were
done withou! the sanction Of the State or IA
tionsl laws.
If this be true, the offenders must be pun
isbsd.
In the month Of July last, when Now York
was a scene of violence, / gave wsrniug that
"tha lsWs Of the State must be enforced, its
peace and order maintained, aud the property
Of its citizens protected at every hazard" The
laws were enforced sta fe&rful cost of blood and
life.
The deelsraton then inside was not intended
merely for that occasion, or against any class
of men. Il is one OF an enduring character, TO
be asserted at al tiInesand against all condition
of citizens, without favor or distinction. Un-
lsss sll are made to bow to the law, it win be
respected by none. Unless all sre made secure
in their rights of person and property, none esD
be protected. If the owners of the shove named
journals hsve violated State or national laws,
they must be proceeded against aud punished
by these laws. Any action against them, out
side of legal procedures, is criminal. At this
time of civil war and disorder TIA majesty Of
the law must be upheld or society will SINK into
anarchy. Oar soldiers in the field viii battle in
vain for constitutional liberty, if persons or
property or opinions are frsmpIed upou at home.
We must not give up home freedom, and thus
disgrace the American character, while our eili-
gems in the army are pouring out their blood TO
maintain the national honor. They must not
find, when they come back, that theiT personal
and fTeside rights have been despoiled.
In addition TO the gsnersl obligation TO en-
force the laws Of the land, thtre are local Tea-
sons why they must be upheld in the city of
New York. If they are not, its nmer and
greatness will be broken down. If ihi@
santar-af---~l+ and enterprise is
thrown into disorder and bankruptcy, the na-
tionsl Government viii be psralyzsd. What
makes New York the hesgt Of cur country
Why are its pulsstiens felt ct the ex:romfties of
our lsndf Not through iss position alone, but
because Of the worldwide belief that property
is safe within its limits from waste by mabs and
from spclistion by government. The IsboTers
in the workshop, the mine, and iE the field, on
this continent and in every 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 liy-
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 tbs
course of many years By virtue of a paiustsk-
ing, honest performance of duty by ths bust
ness men at your city. In this they have been
aided by the enforcement of laws based upon
the solcmnly recorded pledges that 'ths right
Of the people to Re sseHTe in their persons,
houses, papers, and e9sets against unressons-
searches and seizures shall not be violated,
and that no one shall be deprived of liberty or /
property without due process Of law For
than eighty years have we as q people
been building mp this universal faith in the
of our jurisprudence. It Is this which
,arries our commerce. upon every ocean, and !
DriBgs back 10 eur merchants tho wealth of l
very cline. 1t Is now charged that. in utter l
of the constituencies of that faith, at 9 {
when the national credit is undergoing
fearful trial, the organs Of commerce are seized !
nd held, in violation of constitutional pledges; :
hat this act was done in = public mart of your t
'reat city, and SAs thus forced upon the notice L
4 the commercial agents Of the world, and thew g
seTe shown IN an offensive way, that property 8
3 seized by military toTea and arbitrary orders. \
'hsse things are more hurtful to the ~nAsioEal d
onor and strength than the loss of battles u
ms world viii confouRd such acts with the d
flncipioS VI Vul O4eoIIhens, huo tn9 Jolly and !,
rimea OF officials will be looked upon as the 0
atural results Of the spirit Of our institutions. e
|ur State and local authorities must repsl this =
Iinous inference. If the merchants Of New q
,oTk sye not willing to have their harbor sealed
? and their psrslyzsd they must
in this demand for the security of persons Il
I'd property. It this is net done, the world c.
i'll withdraw from their keeping its treasures n,
ITS commerce. History has taughts l that 50
6eial violation of law in times of civil war sf
I'd disorder goes before acts Of spolisson- and &c
her measures which destroy the safeguards Of ne
ne
/ call upon You to look into the facts con- iu
etsd with the seizure of the J0nraat of Com of
yes and Of the New York World. 1t these br
Is were illegal, the offenders must be punish wi
In making yesr inquiries and in prescott bu
J the parties implicated, you will call upcu era
} sheriff Of the county aRd the heads Of the u