The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1864-10-12
Free Speech and a Free Press.

The doctrines on this subject advanced
bv Judge Johnson in his Friday night
speech. which We have stated else
where. cover a very large ground, ant
if universally acted ont, would end in the
destruction of this or any other nation in
short time.
To show their full scope and tendency, we
will suppose a practical example. A friend
of JEFF. Davis, direct from his Office. gets
though our lines at Richmond, comes to
Lansing, hires a printing Office, and ISSUES
5000 handbiIls, which are distributed
through the country. In these he sets
forth that the draft ought to be resisted by
arms: that movements are on foot for a
simultaneous rising in a hundred localities
on the same day in all the loyal States for
forcible resistance; that great demon
stration is all that is needed 10 brighten the
Government. who will recall the order and
there will be no draft; and the whole can
be done without much fighting The same
man talks the same thing in public meet
ings in every school district in this county.
On the appointed day, 200 armed men
march through Lansing into the yard Of the
State Offices, where they are addressed
again by the orator in this way: For Ger
tain reasons | cannot fight with you. But
| can express my opinions on all political
subjects; and my opinion is now, first, that
il is needful for your interest TO seize this
building as headquarters, and hold it, with
the money in the treasury: second, that if
any Government officer or Lincolnite dare
oppose you, that his hearts blood ought 10
be let OUT The cOnspirat0rs rush for the
building taking it, and killing several op-
posing persons.
The L. s. Marshal attempts TO arrest this
orator; but Judge Johnson instantly ap-
pears at his side, and addresses the Mar
shall thus:
HANDS of, sir You must not touch this
man. He is a friend of jeff Davis, and
came from Richmond on purpose to resist
this draft, and he has done it. But he has
done no act for which no can be arrested.
These men with guns you may hang for
treason as soon as you please; they have
done an overt act; but this man has not
touched a gun or cartridge: lie has done
nothing but print and talk, and that he has a
right to do. As an American citizen he
has a right to express his opinions on all
political subjects; ana no matter how
| 4 L.. T. a 10
can't touch him till he DOES some overt
act. YOu cannot arrest him under military
law, for he IS a civilian; nor under martial
law, for there is no army in the state whose
commander can proclaim martial law noI
under any law Of Congress, for Con
ss-aaa shall MAKO no lon, sssid 5ins tho froo
dom of speech or Of the press So, sir
you will please step one side. "a my friend
is in haste to take the stage to Jackson,
where he will stop the draft in the same
way he has done here This IS his business.
and tell You on my reputation az a lawyer
and a Judge, that he has "A legal right to
follow it everywhere, and the Government
Of the United States has no power to ar
rest him"
The bare statement OF these principles,
when thus reduced to practice, spersedes
the necessity Of any argument on then
folly or criminality. No government Oh
earth could sustain itself six months in d
time Of great excitement and public ca
lamity, if all its subjects were allowed IL
talk and print treason without restriction.
And a government so imbecile and foolish
as to permit this would deserve to perish
The publication Of such political princi-
pies is not creditable to Judge Johnson. L
he really and honestly believes them, he is
unfit to represent this District in Congress
If be yoes not believe them. but puts them
out merely for effect and 10 deceive the Is
nOrant, he should be scorned by every
honest man as an unprincipled demagogue.