Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1864-12-23
The Raiders Released.

| Coursol, and that they were again a
large TO rob, pillaGe, plumber and muir
der our citizens at leisure. People were
generally surprised, alarmed and excited
over the intelligence, for they had hoped
for different result. Gov. Smith, Hon
Geo. f. Edmunds, and counsellor Devlir
Of Montreal, all seemed willing to rest
their case in the hands of the Judge anG
to feel at ease, believing that man Of
his high standing would not allow himself
to be used for the base purposes OF the
Richmond agents resident in Canada
They were therefore all but dumb found
ed when the decision was announced from
the bench that the prisoners were dis
charged for want of jurisdiction in the
case. Judges have been bought with
gold" in past times, and we suspect that
if the truth could be known Judge Cour-
sol would prove the ancient practice OF
bribery revived in bis own person. Be
that as it may, the decision in our opinion
is most scoundrelly one, and we are
happy to see that it is so regarded by the
press and by the people both in the Uni
ted States and in Canada.
The prisoners were charged with SIX
different complaints. and they were oil
course on trial for bat one at time, bot
the Judge took the responsibility Of dis
charging them upon allan assumption
OF power never before heard of in the
annals of criminal Jurisprudence.
Upon beng released they Immediately
left the city, sleig5s being in readiness at
the doors Of the court house, when they
were spirited away by their secesh sym.
pathisers 10 parts unknown-taking their
plumber (over S80,00O) with them
Probably fearing they might be arrested
and brought before some one who thought
he had Jurisdiction, they found it conve-
nieDt to get out OF harms way as soon
as possible.
Though majority of people are sur
prised at these proceedings and their ter
minatioD, we are not. 1t is in perfect
keeping all the way through with British
neutrality, and when Judge Coursol few
weeks ago gave them thirty days in which
to send to Richmond for testimony, we
saw 10 it the " shadow" of "coming
event" which has resulted in their liber
alton. The aristocratic element in Can
ada has bot followed in the footsteps OF
IFS great prototype over the water, and
bowed lis obsequiorS bead to the south
ern coniederacy because the titled nabobs
of England have done the same--whose
feebl. echo Canada is. We would not
however confound her rulers with her
people, for we believe the people of Can
ada as well as the people of England are
with US in the struggle and wish to see
the downfall of the rebellion aud thai;
justice may triumph--at least we think
this is the desire OF the great majority OF
them. But the peoples and the parlia-
ments of England and Canada are as I'M
like as possibe-a- different as democ-
racy is from ari,tocracy, though the guilt
which separates them is much wider in
the home government than in the provin-
ciaI. When therefore English neutrality
exhibits itself in building swift ships and
endowing them with her Armstrong guns
ard sends them forth to prey upon our
commerce when she sends supplies OF
clothing and ammunition to confederate
soldiers who are battling US with almost
superhuman power; when she, as is late
ly shown in the person of Lord Wharn-
cliff, asks of US the privilege of coniribu-
ting from her plethoric purse few thou
sands Of pounds to supply confederate
prisoners in our hands with the necessa'
res-which they teign to believe they
are deprived of; we say when she acts
thus openly and calls herself a neutral
nation the while, is il TO be wondered at
that We find the provinces in some degree
aping the manners of her aristocratc and
corrupt mother? Not at all.
1t is surprising however, in view Of
the close proximity OF Canada 10 Us, and
that our interests are so closely allied to-
each other, in nature, soil and products,
and the hatred that she processes to bear
TO slavery-that a Judge of her courts
should give a decision like the one we
have been considering. If Judge Cour>
sol deemed it to be his duty in view OF
all the facts TO order the release Of the
prisoners we should respect him F; bot
when one decides in a manner so palpa-I
bly, outrageous and so plainly against law,
fact. reason and usage, and that outrsgrs
the moral sentiments of his own eonstit-
u u