East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1864-06-01


Albany, May 70, 1864
TO A. oakly Hall, Esq, District
Attorney Of New York:
SIH--I am advised that on tho 19tA
inst. the office Of Journal Of Commerce.
and that Of the New York WorA were
entsred by armed men, the property
Of the owners seized, and the premis-
es held by forco several days, 1t is
charged that these acts of violence
were done without due legal process,
and without the sanction OF State or
national laws.
If this be tue, the offender must be
punished. y
In the month Of July last, when
New York was scene Of violence,
gave warning that ''ths laws Of the
State must be enforced, its peace and
order maintained, and the property Of
its citizens protected at every hazard"
The laws were enforced at fearful
cost of blood and life.
The declaration then made was not
intended merely for that occasion or
against any class Of men. 1t is one Of
an enduring character, TO DO asserted
ut oil times and against oil condition
Of citizens, without favor or distinc-
ton. Unless all are made to bow to
the law it viii be respected by none.
Unless all are made secure in their
rights of person and property, none
can be protected. If the owners of
the above named journals have vio-
lated State or national laws they must
be proceeded against and punished by
those laws. Any action against them
outside of legal procedures is crimi-
nal. AT this time of civil war and
disorder the majesty Of the law must
be upheld, or society will sink into
anarchy. Our soldiers in the field
will battle in vain for constitut onal
liberty if persons or property or opin-
ions are trampled on at home. We
must not give mp home freedom, and
thus disgrace the national honor
They must not find when they come
back that their personal aud freside
rights have been spoiled.
In addition to the general obliga
ton to enforce the laws of the land,
there are local reasons why they must
be uphold in the city of New York.
Ii they are not, its commerce and
greatness will be broken down. IF
this great centre of wealth, business
and enterprise is thrown into disorder
and bankruptcy, the national govern
ment will be paralized. What makes
New York the heart of our country
Not though its position alone, but be-
cause OF the worldwide belief that
property is safe within its limits from
waste by mobs aud spoilation by gov
ernment. The laborers in the work
shop, the mine, and in the field, on
this continent and in every other part
the globe, send to its merchants,
OF exchange, the products of
Tor sale O, merchants are made
their toll. Thes, 'th of millions
tho trustees of tho wo, It is be-
living in every land, because IS
Ieved that in their hands property
'aie under the shield of laws admin
stored upon prinoip.e ID according
% known usages. This great conn.
lenco has grown up in the course OF
many years by virtue of pains-tak-
ng, honest Performance Of duty by
.he business men of your city. In.
his they have been aided by the en-
Iorcement OF laws based upon the sol
emily recordpd pledges that tine
right Of the people to be secure IN
t cir persons, houses, papers ana ei-
fects, against unreasonable searches
aud seizures, shall not be violated, and
that no one shall be deprived OF hber-
ty or property, without due process OF
law" Tor more than eighty years
have we, as people. been building
up this universal faith in the sanctity
OF our jurisprudence. 1t is this which ,
carries our commerce upon every |
ocean, and brings back to our mer-
chants the wealth OF every cline. 1t
is now charged that, in utter disregard
of the sensitiveness Of that faith, ut a
moment when the national credit is
undergoing a fearful trial, tho organs
of commerce are seized, and held In
violation Of constitutional pledges; that
this act was done in public mart of
your great city, and was thus forced
upon the notice OF the commercial
agents Of the world, and they were
shown, in an offensive way, that prop
erty is seized by military force and ar
bitrary orders. These things are more
hurtiul to the national honor and
strength than the loss OF battles
The world will confound such acts
with the principles Of our government
and the folly and crimes of officials
will be looked upon as the natural re-
cults Of the spirit of our institutions.
Our State ana local authorities must
repel this ruinous interference. If
the merchants of New York are not
willing to have their harbor sealed up
and their commerce paralized, they
must unite in this demand for the
security of persons and property
If this is not done, the world will
withdraw from their keeping its treas
ures and its commerce. History has
taught all that official violation Ut law
in times of civil war and disorder goes
before acts Of spoilation and other
measures which destroy tho safeguard
OF commerce.
/ call upon you to look into tho
facts connected with the seizure of the
journal Of Commerce and NV York
World. If these acts wero illegal,
the offenders must be punished. In
making your inquiries and in prose-
cutting the parties implicated, you will
call upon the Sheriff OF tho county
and the heads Of the police depart.
ment for INV needed force or assist.