Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1865-05-20

and nationality; but, now that Tho war is
practically endodsi, seems high time that
the old parcbments were exhumed and
treated with some show Of respect. There
being, apparently, no copy extant in the
Federal city, we quote from one in our
posse ssion, for the instruction. and admon.
ition of our magnates, certain Amend
rrents proposed by the States when ra.i.
tying the instrument, which, being duly
approved and adopted, became an integral
part Of our fundamental law---as follows:
ART. v. No person shall be held to an.
swer for capital or otherwise Infamous
crime, anlcss on a ayesentment or tndict-
neni ofa Grand Jury, eIcept ta cases ar.
sstng IN The ttnd or naval forces .or in the
militia ehen an actual service in time Of
war or public danger; nor shall any per.
son be subject for the same offence to be
twice put in jeopardy of life or limb nor
shall ne be compelled in any criminal
case to be witness against himself nor be
deprived of life, liberty or property wi,h.
oH due process of iat0 nor shall priyate
property be taken for public use without
just compensation.
ART. VI In all criminal prosecutions.
the accused shall enjoy the righ, to spec.
dy and public trial, by an i'm pa, ,ial Jury
OF the state and district wherein the crime
shall have been committed which district
shall have been previously ascertained BY
law to be confronted with the witnesses
against him; to have compulsory process
for obtaining witnesses in his lavor, and to
have the assistance Of counsel for his de-
} fence:
ART. VII In suits at common law where.
, in the value in controversy shall exceed
twenty dollars, the right Of trial by Jury
shall be preserved and no fact tried by a
Jury shall be otherwise re-examined in
in any court of the United States than 40.
cording TO the rules Of the common law.
ART. VIII Excessive bail shall not be
required, nor excessive faes imposed, nor
cruelusnd unusual punishment inflicted.
We have made our citations full, not
merely in Difference to the apparent inac.
feasibility Of the document at Washing
ton, but because we wished every reader
to see that the passages we have placed
in Italics are not garbled nor picked, but
they are Of the essence and vitality of the
Constitution ITSELF Being so, how can we
justify, or excuse, OF even keep silence
with regard to the military trials just
> ..
initiated at Washington A miscreaut,
acting IN concert with other assassins, has
attempted the life of the Secretary of
State, and, though his purpose was de-
feated,he eeversh cless severely wounded
, Gov. Seward, his oldest son, and two or
three others who nobly resisted him. Of
course, this villain and his coufederates
should be sternly dealt with but why
not according TO law What reason.
what excuse, can be urged, to justify the
) sending of this case before court martial
and having it tried in secret! How can
such trial be recopciled with the plain
provisions Of the Constitution above QUO
ted
AS to the military trial Of those who
conspired with Booth to assassinate the
President, and aided to achieve that fell
purpose, the outrage is not quite so fla.
grant ; but such trial is at best a bunder.
while enshrouding it in secrecy is utterly
indefensibe. To try doctor for his life
because he set strangers broken bone,
and gave, or sold, or lent him pair Of
crutehes, may just do; but to try him 10
secret, allowing no report Of the testimony
butsuch as the prosecution sees st to make,
is nothing less than abominable. Two
months ago, it would have been endured
Tor the country's sake now, there is no
reason that it should be. We warn all
who take any voluntary part in these
strange proceedings, that the rebellion is
suppressed, the war at an end, aud the
right to suspend the privilege of habeas
corpus and make the will of a Secretary
OF War the supreme law of the land, has
expired. If our present Secretary cannot
be made 10 realize these grave truths, it
is high time he had a successor; and if
our Attorney General believes the assail.
ant of Secretary Seward now, "legally tri.
able before military commission" he
badly needs his own time for the completion
Of his legal studies, while the government
needs different law officer. There may
be politer ways of setting forth these con
victions, but none Of these would do them
justice.
Gentleman of the Cabinet! the war
eastward of the Mississippi is ended the
rebellion is suppressed the Union is re.
established, and peace virtually restored
wherefore the people demand of you o
speedy and thorough return to the safe and
orderly ways of law and liberty. Do no,