The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-07-21
The End not Vet.

The usurpations upon the rights OF the
people are generally So adroitly man
aged, so insidious in their approach, that
the liberty is lost before those most III
terested are aware that it is attacked
For once we have an exception. Presi-
dent Johnson seizes openly upon rights
that an European deSpOt would not only
hesitate, but tremble to approach
. We have, in theory at least, three arln,
of government known as the Legislative,
Judiciary, and Executive. Each is sup
posed to be equal to, and act as a check
upon the other. Within the last three
months we have had the President as
Stunning to himself the functions of all
three. He has made laws creating gov
ernments, executed the laws of Congress
as far as he saw fit, and called Into eX-
istence courts unknown to the comstitu-
ton; and when the legal tribunals have
sought to interfere he has interposrd the
strong arm of military power, aud de
feated through it the ends OF Justice.
Our readers will remember our protest
to the Military Commission called to try
the conSpirators against the life of the
Administration. We speak advis,'dly
when we say that the shocking teruina-
tion of the mockery will he II stain npon,
and Il shame to our government through
all future generations.
The President approved the finhing of
the sO-called court, and ordered the exc
cution of the sentence within twenty
four hours after his approval. Why This
unparalled haste! The answer il only
too evident He feared the interference
of the higher courts under the consttu-
ton, and hence the indecent haste that
gives to the transaction the unSeemly
look of vengence instead ofjusticc. The
fact is the more palpahle when we find u
writ of hdbeas corpus served out from
court authorized To issue il, successfully
resisted, as the Judge with much dignity
remarked, by the military power OF the
President.
#If acknowledgements Speed advised this
course, as he evidently sustained it, the
President should be informed by the
calm voice Of the people that it is line
for him to call to his side, as legal adj
wiser, o man of some learning and patri-
Otisnl.
The wording OF the order is rcmnrka-
BILE. The President begins Ivy asserting
that his course has precedent. II this
is true, how undigniticd the assertion :
What miserable begging of public ap
prevail! But we opiue thar il will worry
Acknowledgement Speed To find his prccc-
dent. This Urit, so dear to the free citi-
zen, his great safeguard from oppression
can only be suspended by action OF Con-
press, and this in moments of manifest
peril to the government. What danger
could have accrued had this execution
been suspended few days, until the
higher courts, under the constitution,
could have considered the legality of this
military commission ?
We are informed that Chief Ju>ii Q
Chase has asserted that if he were ar.
piled to for a writ Of hdbeGS corpus. III
this or any other case. he would issu" il,
and order under arrest all persons resist
ing it. Certainly he would. His large
understanding and great courage, will
make him at all times do his duty, let the
consequences be what they may.
What contrast all this is to the con
duct of General Jackson at New Orleans,
when he was reprimanded and fined by
Judge of local court. Ordering back
the bayonets, and waving aside the pop
ular impulse that would have torn the
Justice from. his seat, the great defender
of his country submitted to her laws
1t was the great act of his grand life, and
places him next to Washington in the
hearts of his cOuntrymen.
The guilt or innocence of tue unhappy
creatures, thus hurriediuto eternity, has
nothing whatever to do with the .ques-
ton. Were they legally convicted, and
has the President created the precedent
he claims to have had? are grave mat
tiers rising far above the life of the Re
public that is being considered.
1t requires no prophet to see that Pres
ident johnson is hurrying on to destruc-
ton. He is leading back into power the
deadliest enemies of the Republic, and
their first act in all probability will be
his Impeachment for thus violating the
law and the constitution. 1t will be the
practical retribution which follows swift
ly the heels of wrong.