Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1865-04-05


Samuel Lansberry fined $1,000, and two years
imprisonment in Fort Mflin.
"Jacob wilhelm fined $500, and two years
imprisonment at Fort Mffin.
Patrick Curley, $500 fine, and one year i'm
prisonment This has been commuted to one
month Experimentation tho 2lst March to
the 2lst April"
We have since heard it rumored that
Gairor ?. Bloom, Esq, received sentence
similar TO that inflicted upon Major Will
helm, but cannot vouch for the fact,
The charges against these men, as Goa
tanned in the several specifications" are
for entering into, coniederating and as
5isting in forming combinations to resist
the execution of certain provisions of an
Act Of Congress, approved The Sd day of
March, 1863" &c.
In our paper of the 22d uit., we publish
ed the. oqly section of the Act above refer
red to relating to penalties for violating
its provisions. By reference 20 the said
section The reader will see that such per-
sons are required to be haHd,i orcr to hc
ciuR courts. 1t is not left TO the option, or
discretion, Of the military making such
arrests but it is MANDATORY. "IHy SHALL
Be tortly.h," is the language Of the law
Yet the law is spurncd disregarded, and
uulifed; and citizens, in no woy Gonnec-
ted with the military service, tried and
condemned
w n hove ,rLorc eoe,, that ihava pro-
ceedings are sanctioned by any one not in
authority, or disconn ected with their ex-
ecution. 1t is even whispered-perhaps
only with The hope of screening their
guill-that those highest in authority at
Washington profess entire ignoranc; OF the
fact that such outrages are being commit
ted, and that all suoh wrongs are loudly
condemned by them. Yet tho desecra-
tion progresses; and citizen after citizen
is dragged before these Siar Chambers TO
receive their death scntencc--lor it is moth
ing less in the case OF such a man as Ma
jor Wilhelm,
We repeat, these proceedings are not
sanctioned except by their silent acqui-
escence- even by the public press of the
Abolition party. Yet so slayishly subser-
Went TO their masters are the editors Of
that party; SO faithless to their duty as
'sentinels upon the watch-tower Of lber-
ty;" and so utterly lost to every patriotic
virtue, that they have not the manliness
to denounce, ,chat they mast kno,o and feel,
to be wrongs of the blackest character.
II is true, our neighhor, some few weeks
since, admitted that these Military Com
sions ''have no jurisdiction over citizens"
The article was from tho pen of Mr..
Swoope; and was the most creiitable act
of his life. But it fell still-born upon his
party. 1t has not called forth even the
faintest echo from any quarter. That was
before these trials wero concluded ; and
when 1t was presumed that the accused
would all be handel over to the civl
courts, az the law requires. But now
when this was not done, but on the con
trary, the trials proceeded with, and the
victims convicted and sentenced, why i:
he silent? Has he no voice OF manly pro
test? lie declares that these military
courts have no rigM 'Jursdction"--
TO try these men. Ifso, then q most crue
wrong-a fatal stab to American liberty
is committed. and Military DespotiSm ful
" inaugurated Will he sanction so grea
wrong by his silence? Or will he no
unite with us, and with all men who re
gard Constitutional Liberty as our mos
valuable Inheritance, in denouncing thes,
encroachments aud usurpotions as crime
of the highest mngnitude2
Mr. Lincoln should lose no time-no
in pardonbg these men and restoring then
to liberty, for that would 10 sanctioaiag tht
violation Of the law-buL in setting The pro
ceedirgs aside, as unwarranted in law anC
dangerous TO public liberty and Congress
should lose no time, at its next session, il
indemnlying each one oG those victims
of party spite, and personal malevolence
to the uttermost farlhing, for whateve
sacrifices they have been made 10 suffer
Then, if any man o! character thinks the,
have violated any law, let them be pro
ceaded against according to law, and
guilty, punished as the law directs.
But why this wide distinction betweel
the penalties inflicted upon these men
Why is Curley let of with single nor tn
and the others compelled to pay beav
fines and TO undergo long years Of imprii
onment? Take the cases of Bloom an
Curley: From what has ooen publishe
in relation 10 them their cases seem 10
precisely parallel up TO the time they al
pear before the Commission for trial.
They were both Justices Of the Peace
they were both Presidents Of the Castle
and as such Initiated members and bot
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