Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-06-27

MISSIONS are constituted for that purpose u
me autnoIity of the comman ding officer or the
CoInmanoer.ia.C Chief, as the case may be, who
are similarly constituted and their proceedings
conducted according to the came general rules
nnat is part OF the law martial which the
has legalized.
Ihe proclamation has declared that all such
Offenders shall BE tried by military commits
SONS. Inc Congress has legalized the same
Dy me act which he had cited: and by every
in.eh Moment it must be taken that, as martial
IaT Is by the proclamation declared to be the
aa as oy which they shall be tried, the Con-
gless, In Affirming the &C. OF the President.
SIMPLY declared that they should be tried ac,
cordlng 10 the customs of martial law thar m.
CONFUSION should be constituted by the Com
manoer.ln chief according to the rule 81 nro
ccdure known a. martial law: and thar IN
penalties inflicted should be in accordsncs
with the laws OF war and the usages OF ma
lions. Legislation no more definite than this
has been upon the statute. book since the be.
ginning OF the century, and has been held by
the Supreme Court OF the United States valid
for the punishment Of offenders.
In conclusion, referring to Mr.. Johnson's
appeal to public opinion, MIR. Bingham said -
81 trust that II set as high value upon enlight-
ened public opinion as any man. 1 recognize
il as the reserved power Of the people which
creates and dissoIves armies, which creates
and dissolyes legislative assemblies which
enacts and repeats fundamental laws, the
better TO provide FOR personal security by the
opinion upon this very question OF the usurpa-
ton of authority, of unlawful arrests, and
unlawful imprsonments,a and unlawful trials
cor formations, and executions by the late
President of the United States, an appeal mas
already been taken to public opinion. On TINS
very Issue the President was tried before
the tribunal OF the people, tnat erea'
nation of freemen, who cover this CONT
nent, looking ont upon Europe from their
eastern and upon Asia from their western
homes. The people came TO the considerston
of this issue not uEIniudful CT the TACT mat tne
first struggle for the establishment OF our ma =.
tionality could not have been, ana was not
successfully prosecuted without the prociama.
ton and enforcement OF martial law, declaring
as we have seen that any tnhabitant who
during that war, should Kill any loyal citizen,
or enter into any combination for that purpose,
should, upon trial and conviction before a
military tribunal, he senteD ced as an assassin,
traitor, or spy, and should suffer death, and
that in this last struggle for the maintenance
of nationality the President but followed tfe
example of the illustrious Father Of his coun
try. Upen that issue the people passed Juds-
clared that the charge of usurpation was false.
From this decision OF the people there lies no
appeal on this earth. Who can righttully cha.-
lenge the authority Of the American people 10
decide such questions for themselves The
voice OF the people, thus solemnly proclaimed.
by the omnipotence of the ballot in favor OF
the righteous order of their murdered Presi-
dent, issued by him for the common defence,
for the preservation of the Constitution, and
for the enforcement of the laws OF the Union
ought to be accepted, and will be accepted,
trust, by all Just men as the voice OF God"
MI. Bingham closed his argument al about
$50 p. m, when the Court adjourned to p.
m TO. morrow, at which time Mr.. Bingham
announced that he would be in readiness to
proceed with his argument on the evidence.