The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1864-06-01
Gov. scy nionr's Instructions
to District Attorney HALL.
STATE OF NEw-YoKK;
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT
ALBANY, May %, 1864.
To a. ookey Hall, Esq, District Attor-


tTa'A. oahey Hall, Esq, District Anor-
my of The County Of Neu- York.
SIR: Lam advised that Oh the 10th in,
slant the vifice Of the .Jorraai Of Com
mcrce and that of the New York WORLD
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.a acts of vic. .ence were
done without due legal process and with
out the sanction OF Stale or national
laws. -si - lu
If th,s he true the offenders must be
punished. l{.jsr 81, :,
In .the menth of July last, when New
ork Was u. stens of Violence, gave war;
ming that ,.the, laws Oh the st,to, must b.
enforced, It's peace and order maintained !,
iandsthe property OF its citizens protected
/ at every llazdrd. The laws were enforc-
ed at a fearful cost of blood and life.
The declaration | then made was not
Intended merely for that occasion or
against amy GLASS of men,. 1t is one OF an
enduring character. to be ass ertcd ut all
times md against al condition of citizens.
withpnt fay6r or distinction. Unless Ill
are made. ta> how to the law, it will be res
peeted by none. Unless, all are, made Sc
vuresn stheirrights ofsperson and proper
| ty4snons4 can lie protected bnew rnf ~.
l. Ifthe agnorss of the aboye-named jour-
nails have viulated State, or national laws,
thay must be proceeded against and pun
iished by those laws ANY action against
them outside of legal procedures is crimi-
Il Al. r AL i
der,. the majesty of the law must be up
hold or soeiety will sink into anarchy.
Our soldiers in the field will battle in vain
| for constitutional liberty if persons or
property, or opinions, are trampled upon
att home. Wer.must mot give up home
freedom, and thus disgrace the American
character while our citizens. in the army
are pouring out their blood to MAINTAIN
the national honor. They must not find
when they come back that their personal
and fireside rights have been despoiled.
/ In addition to the general obligation to
enforce the laws of the land, there are
local reasons why they must be upheidsin
the city OF .NewtYork. If they are not
its commerce and greatness will be bro
ken down. If this great center of wealth,
business, and enterprise lis thrswn into
disorder, and bankruptcy, the national
government will be paralyzed. What
makes New York the heart of our coun-
try? IWhy are it's pulsations felt at the
extremities Of cur land? Not through
its position alone, but because of the
world wide belief that property is safe
within lis limits from waste by mobs and
Transportation by government. The la
borers in the workshop. the mine, and in
the field ! onsthis1 continent andrin every
fother part of the globe, send to It's mer.
chants, for sale OIL exchange. the products
of their TOLL These merchants are, made
the tru, tees of the wealth of millions
living inevery land, because it is believed
that in their hands property is sale under
theIshield of laws administered upon prin-
ciple and according to known usages
This great confidence has grown up in the
course of many ears by virtue of pains
taking, honest performance of duty by
the bu .iness men OF your. city. In this
they have been aided by the enforcement
Of laws based upon the solemly recorded
pledges that s'the right of the people to
be securedi their persons, houses, pa
pers and effects against unreasonable
searchesand seizures shall not be violated
and that no one shall be deprived of lib
erty or property without due process of
law" For more than eighty years have.
we as people bcenabuilding up this uni
versal faith in the sanctity of our juris-
prudence. tits this which carries our
commerce upon every ocean and brings
back to our merchants the wealth Of every
cline. It is now charged that, in utter
disregard of the sensitiveness of that faith, /,
atsa moment when the national credit is