The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1864-12-23
THE CALIFORNIAN.
Rcyeose of tie st. Albdns R0iders.

The very sudden and most eNtraordln-
orv conclusion arrived at by Judge Cour-
.ol who conducted the examination, and
finally ordered tie discharge OF the st.
Adams raiders nj Montreal. on Tuesday
lat. ha-. according to the Canadian pa
prr,. been received by the people with .
surprise and dissatisfaction. After max
mo such statement the Montreal Witness
OF last "Wednesday says:
We do not know which to regret the
conclusion in this case or the
way that ii has been arrived at. Which,
ever way it Is viewed it seems alike hui
initiating. The state OF legal darkness OF
Il public tlmctionary. or tunctionarie>, on
points Of official conduct, which were al
most sure to he called into exercise at
some time before the present unhappy
struggle in the States should be ended,
must, in these States. inspire little respect
tur. and confidence in. our Provincial In
i,r1lationaI action. although that action
may be begun and pursued in the tairest
and most friendly spirit. In our hitherto
proved good intentions toward our Amer
ican nciglbor-, do we now place our chlet
confidence that the amity existing between
the two Governments may yet remain I'M
interrupted. in spite OF a result so calcu
lated to inspire mi>trllSt, if not resent
mrnt? We ourselves feel something like
resentment when we contemplate this pre-
cipilating and nervous shrinking from Il
momentary trenching on the liberty OF the
subject, as expressed by the Judge. Are
these raidcr~-cven ii, by supposition OF
their military character, we ALLOW their
conduct at ST. Adams to be purged OF
crime-arc they, We ask, men who at
least stand charged with robbery, arson,
and murder, and who are not British sub
j,cts ut ali. are they to be treated with
such over-punctillious delicacy that no OPP
porunitv is to be allowed to the side OF
the aggrieved to plead even for a short
delay, or that the Judges OF the Superior
Court, exercising concurrent jurisdiction
with the .jud ge on the bench, might with
their presence and superior wisdom. assist
III the arriving OF a proper and legal
course, by shedding the beams of their
learning Oh the twilight Of the presiding
official What guaranty have we that
the Judge has no; been as much mistaken
in his last Interpretation of the law in the
premises as he. according to his own hold
INC. was in the first 1t can scarcely be
believed that this decision will be allowed
10 pass without question in higher quar-
tiers, who we think will be as much TO
blame rs Mr.. Coursol Is, if they leave
him where he Is but meantime the ac-
cu>ed are liberated. the birds. of whatev-
er feather. are flown. and Interior proceed
mos would seem only the means of our
own further qualification. Sill we can
not but hope that such will be taken bv
Government. If The present stale of The
law, intended to give effect to the Ashbur-
tom Treaty. by such Is the .Jud re yeSter-
day held it, then it is simply absurd
What foreign ielon may not escape if the
officer is to wait for the Govcrnor-Gener-
ais Signature to the warrant before it can
be executed The first thing to be secuI'-
ed is a certain and spec y capture, the
next. calm and emil giltcncl legal pro-
cess, which goes strai ght to its mark. not
bImdlv cropping about, like another Samp
son. and in the end. like him pulling the
whole fabric of procedure down about the
ears of those who, with infinite toll and
care, have been building ii up. Moreoy-
er. the Judge, who has so suddenly discov-
cred his own incompetcncy to act in the
case, was specially charged and authorized
by the prime minister to apprehend with
all speed the men accused of attacking,
from our own soil. q friendly State: while
the Governor General ordered the military
authorities to aid the civil, if need were.
II these lnlunctlOnS were not III themselves
law. they must 30 so far to shield the
agent that carried them out. that he need
cd to entertain no approximations of bein"
impeached-they must have 80 far hlSti-
fled him that he needed not, with the
breath of alarm, have oyerihrown, like a
house OF cards, the pile Of testimony that
he had been so patiently Gathering Nor
can we dismiss the topic without asking
whether Canada has not complaint
against these men for a breach of neutral
lily AMI, il so, why We're they not, before
they left the Couri. re-ar.eStcjl. to answer
to the accusation. The fact is, the pros
ecution seem TO have been completely out
generated and taken by surprise, and tai
enl and audacitv, in the shape of coun-
sci, to have been successfully enlisted on
the side of wrong