Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1864-06-24
vallAndighalm.

In open defiance of the authority of
the Government, the traitorous Vallan-
digham has ceased his waiting and
watching over the border" and return
ed to Ohio. His return was of course
greeted with uproarious applause from
the Democratic Conventions in session
at Hamilton, Ohio, and Springfield, Ill
inois. To the first named Convention
addressed himself, say
ing: that he did not mean any longer
to be the only man of the party who is
to be the victim of arbitrary power. If
Abraham Lincoln seeks my life. let him
so declare, but he shall not again re-
strain me of my personal liberty, except
upon due process of law" He denOunc-
ed Order No. 3S, under which he was
arrested, and said it was against the Con-
stitution and Laws, and without validi-
ty, and all proceedings under it were
null and void. "The time has arrived
when it becomes me as Il citizen of Ohio
and the United States, to demand and
by my own act, vindicate the rights, lib
critics and privileges which l never
forfeited, but of which for so many
months l have been deprived" Hscau-
toned his friends from any acts of viO-
lence on his account, but advised none
to shrink from any responsibility
however urgent, if forced upon them. F"
c. l.. Vallandigham is tried, convict
ed and sentenced villain. The ground
upon which he seeks to justify his re-
turn might be just as appropriately
used by any criminal in our penitentia-
ries. The negro in our county Jail
might with as much prOpriety justify
an attempt to escape, by saying "other
men Of my stripe have not only COM
mitted my crime, but have done even
worse and they are still abroad in COM
munity, and I do not mean any longer
to be singled out as the victim of your
arbitrary power There would be as
much good logic in the argument of the
negro as in that of Vallandigham. Mr..
V. cannot expect to escape the penalty
due his crime, because other villains are
not detected and brought to justice.
When he undertakes to pronounce his
arrest and trial as illegal, unconstitu-
tional and without validity" he should
reflect that he is not sustained by the
highest tribunal in our land. Vallan-
digham's counsel endeavored to estab-
lish those very positions in the Su-
preme Court of the United States and
signally failed. The venerable Judge
Wayne, of Georgia, sustained the gov
ernment and its agents in very able
opinion, that we advise Vallandigham's 9
friends to read. We repeat again, that
this traitor, black with infamy, stands
before the world a tried, convicted and
sentenced villain. He has had the
benefit of our highest court and finds
no relief. He was exiled for his coun-
try's good. He now defiantly returns
and decleres his intentions to demand,
and by his own act, vindicate his rights,
liberties and privileges.
We want them all vindicated accord
ing to the decisions of the Courts
through which he has passed. These
have decided that his rights are what
ever aSy foreign government may grant.
His liberties are the same enjoyed by
rebels and deserters who have sought
an asylum on other shores. His privil-
eyes are equal to those enjoyed by any
subject of foreign government. We
want to see them all guaranteed to Val
landigham, and to this end we hope the
proper authorities will see that the
traitor be Immediately sent beyond ou1
lines. He has no liberties, rights OIL
privileges which this nation is bound to
respect, until his full sentence has been
executed. Let him go back and wait
and watch over the border. Let not
this vile fellow be permitted to set at
defiance lawful authority, least it should
be regarded as a precedent for all other
criminals.