Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1865-02-04
Calmer Moments.

The prevalence Of high excitement is al
ways succeeded by a reaction, This is
true in reference both to individuals and |
A few months ago, when !
political excitement ran high, men were
often ready 10 approve of almost any de-
gree Of excess which might be directed
against their opponents. Even the argu.
ment that changes,in our political arrange
wents were frequent, and that some day
the mischief encouraged might return to
plague the inventor, bad no force Since
that time several months have elapsed,
aud it is aow pleasant to observe that rea-
son orce more succeeds to passion, in q
large degree. The liberty Of the press is
contended for now all sides, and the lib
erty of the person is becoming sacred
again. Take as an example the Cincinnati
Gasetie, than which probably no other
journal would have gone further, till with
in recent period in justifyiDg recourse
to the most arbitrary acts, so long as the
object professed was to "sustain the gov
ernment" How different is the spirit of
the following, from recent number Of
the same journal;
AN ACT OF JUSTICE.
The House of Representatives did itself
credit by ordeiiag a through investigation
into the cases of persons held in prison at
Washington, under military authority,
against whom charges have never been
preferred, and to whom trial has been de-
MED. Mr.. Garfield stated that partial
investig alton by the Military Committee
had developed outrages Of the most start
ling character. This investigation should
not stop with the Old Capital Prison, as
similar outragcs are practiced throughout
the country. Subordinate officers, cloth
with authority very oftenmake arrests mere
ly to show their power,or to crafty mali
cous feeling, and persons thus arrested,
unless they have Influential friends at hand,
are often kept confined and their cases fire.
Guenty forgotten by the person ordering
them into custody. This practice is dis
grace to the government, and Congress
should promptly adopt measures that will
protect citizens against such outrages -
The scoundres who abuse their Office and
disgrace their uniform by violating the
rights Of individuals, should ba disgraced,
and severely punished beside, by impris-
onment.
No arrest should be permitted, in any
case, except upon charges regularly made
and then the accused should be promptly
tried. In the early stages of the war,hlgh
officers of the government set the bad ex.
ample which Ietty officials are now im;ta
ting. We hope this movement in Congress
will put an end to such practices, and put
an end also to the officers who may be
found guilty but in order to reach the
bottom commissioners should be appoip-
ted to visit all the military prisons
throughout the North, and inquire into the
cases of persons confined. This would in
volve labor End expense, but these are as
nothing compared with the Importance of
personal rights.
In view of such articles as this, we may
hope that such subj 'cts are no longer to
be viewed from partisan stand-points, and
that healthy unamimity in mer and
presses Of all parties may result in say ing
our Institutions.