Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1864-05-31


this force he can suppress nsurrection or insubor
nation should it be attempted. Who does the Ex-
ecutive fear then? Is it the army already under
command subject to the rules and articles OF war,
and far removed from the reach of hGbeds corpus or
any other civil process Is it the young IN their
homage, the old in their dotage, the women and
children ? Is it the small class OF the community
who are exempt by reason of positions in the SER
vice of the State government?
If neither of these who then can be the object OF
so much anxious socitude. Why is the admins.
tratioa with sword of the nation in one hand and
and the power in the other still "hungering and
thirsting " for power2 Let States Rights men an
swer. '--.
When was there ever before a revolution upons so
gigantic scale without internal disturbance? Not
single conspiracy rebellion, worth the name
has been attempted Scarcely show of opposi
ton to the administration, in its Udr Potlcy has
been exhibited from any quarter. The entire re-
sources of the country both as to men and money
have been freely laid at the feet of the Executive
What more can h, ask? OF whom can he COM
plain? But it may be sqid that this suspension OF
the privileges of the writ Of ha6eas corpus affects
only the diSloya and guilty. EVENT. 1t were.soithe
principle is the same Even bad men should be
tried and punished. Let it be remembered that at
tacks upon the liberties of the people are always
made upon the vile and worthless. When prece-
dent is once established, in the case of bad men,
VINO like pioneers go before to smooth the way,
good men may trehiole, for their safety. Under
this suspension are to be punished not because
they are guilty, but because there is no means OF
proving them so. 1t regards the entire population
OF The country as fit to be placed under restraint
Bot who are the disoyal and the guilty?
If rumor be true in the opinion of no inconidera-
Bile number of our delegation in the late Congress,
that class includes majority of not less than thirty
thousand voters in the State. 1.-THE. same thirty
Thousand that elected Gov. Vance" If these gen.
.1o in fha prac
of the President, impeach such majority of their
constituents of disloyaty and their tongue not
ceave to the roofOf their months "-if they could
thus with a marcidsl stroke, stab the reputation of
good old mother and their fright hand not forget
ITS cunning who could promise himself safety from
the espionage of" detectives who have no sympa-
thy With our interests and no knowledge of our
people2 Let US initiate the courage and practice
the virtue of our ancestors to whom are indebt-
ed for so many blessings maXims and principles IN
political economy. They were not ready to lay
their liberties at the foot of the crown upon every
vain imaginary alarm. They knew full well
that liberty was not like garment that could be
thrown Oft to-day and put morrow. They
knew full we'll in the language of Gov. Brown that
important rights yielded to those in power with
out rebuke or protest were never recovered blythe
people without revolution"
This act of Congress urged by Executive recon-
mendaton if intended for this State more especially
necessary. 1t was in the very face as have shown
OF the unwavering support of the administration
the part of our people Of all measures that have
even the Semblance of patriotism, with the mantle
of charity thrown over Executive Ounders and con-
trary to the urgent and earnest appeals of Gov.
Vance in uli hIs official correspondence upon this
subject with the Executive and Legislative officers
of the. gOvernFent.
How much wiser it would have been in tho Pres
idcnt and in Congress to have been influenced by
the patriotic suggestions Of his advice than the de-
claraOns ofirreSponsbe letter writers who are al
ways cxlravagant and seldom truthful.
The gentleman from Davidson, NJ. Beall, who
has spoken with so much familiarity with English
authorities alludes to the suspension of this writ
in that country various times and quotes the books
to sustain his position. This he holds as prece-
dent ror our Congress in their late extraordinary
and unconstitutional action. twill doubtless strike
this House with great surprise that gentleman dp-
parently 30 familiar with English law and English
Jurisprudence, should not have remembered that
there was marked difference between the preroga.
tives Of the English parliament and the Confeder-
ate Congress. The power Of the one Is onlnipoGenE
and limited by no 9oritten Constitution They
could repeal hG6sls corpus itself if they chose but
they dare not do it. Such IS the spirit of liberty
in that country. Their peoer to do so, however ia
unqueStionable. Or the other, however the case is
quite different Our Congress is limited in its DOW
ELS by written Constitution, by which all the
rights not expressly delegated are reserved to the
States Can the gentleman from Davidson trace
parallel between the two? The gentleman says the
resolutions reported by the committee are at fault
because they declare there have been infections Of
the Constitution on the part Of Congress and that
the suspension act cOnierS judicial authority on the
President Were to attempt to follow the gentle
man in his learned legal arguments, doubtless the
House OF Commons would recognize the eighth
wonder OF the world in an attempt on the part of
two taymsR Iwho perhaps know something of med
ic'nes but little of law to discuss constitutional
questions in the presence of constitutional lawyers
IL would be an act of supererogation the part Of
any member Of this House to add to the weight of
argument against the constitutonalty of this meas.
ure with which the country is already as familiar
as the schoolboy with his hornbook. Upon this
subject will turn the gentleman over to the ten
der mercies of Gov. Brown, Vice President Steph-
ems, and Gov Vance in their recent able and con-
VIncing State papers,