Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1865-05-17
Progress Against Justice--MiItary Commits
sions.

II is startling to think that the fact that a
Military Commission has been appointed to
try persons charged with completely in the
assassination Of the late President. has called
forth no comment. There is no need, at this
day, Of Military Commissions to try any body.
There is not the shadow Of an obstruction,
moral or physical, to the action of the regu-
larly-constituted Courts of Justice of the
land, at any point north of the Potomac and
the Ohio. There is not particle of inhu-
ence that can be brought to bear upon the
judges of any court, to sway them in favor
Of the accused. Why the work is taken ont
Of the hands of those whose professional hab-
It's have made them expert in sitting out the
truth, and to withhold them while doing JUS
tiee to one, from doing injustice to another,
and putting it into the hands of those who
have no such skill, is a question that can on
ly be answered by the presumption that it is
the design Of the party in power, by this no
torious example, to show to the people that
it has implements its own, independent Of
the law, to be used for its own purposes, and
whose existence it intends to perpetuate,-
We ask the question, and we ewish that some
Of our contemporaries would answer it,
Why is an illegal court chosen in the place
Of legal one-a court without principles Of
action and rules Of evidence, in the place ola
court with them2 Why does the President
usurp the power to create a tribunal, when
law and Constitution have, long since, Great
ed one to his hand?
We deny, before God and man, any desire
to be captious in this matter, or to attach to
it more Importance than it richly deserves
Let mischievous kna7es and shallow fools ac-
cure US of sympathy with the accused, whose
names we do not even know, until they are
tired Of the base employment. If we hated
the personeI1e OF the Administration if we
desired to have their lives extinglrished in
blood. or their names go down in infamy, we
should make no protest against their extrav-
gances. They are nothing. Right is every
thing. When justice is at an end, there is
nothing for which to contend nothing for
which to live. We know that there is a par
ty cry for blood which rises far above the cry
for Justice But for the sake of their own
fair fame. for the sake OF their safety, even,
men in power should take care how far they
follow the wrong path to Afford such nppe-
tites indulgence.
We say that the social state Of this coun-
try is critical There is an unhappy fool at
one Of the street corners above, who-if he
does as he usually does-wiT discover this to
be threat Let him do so. Still we say
that the social state of this country is critical
There are the elements Of that which is worse
than those financial collapses and mercantile
failures, in which shallow persons post all
the catastrophes of our future. The minds Of
the people are disturbed, their hearts are in
commotion, their moral sense uDsa'isfed.-
They feel that the bottom of the social conf
dence has given way and that worst of all
COANAtAOlLo 10 LlSlll ui
each other There is an universal want Of
something to rest something that is
stable and fixed. What is wanted is return
to law: we will not say to institutions as
they were, least some body shall say that we
are advocating the right of secession; but to
principles-to a recognition of the fact that
there is such a thing as truth, and that it
ought to constitute an imperative rule Of ac-
ton. Admiration at the boldness with
which men in power take liberties with law
and right is but ;ransitory sentiment, and
always leaves behind it sense Of insecurity.
One-half Of a people can not help to take
away the rights of the other hall. without be-
coming apprehensive for their own. There
is Nemesis at the heels of every wrong-do-
er; and in the present state ofmoral anarchy,
we may see, if we will, the consequences. at
once, and the punishment of crimes commit
ted against justice.-Cn Enquirer.