Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1865-07-13
gaily Gmpire.
The siTanguIatiOn Of MTs. Sur
RAFT "a Shame TO the Country.
fFrom the Hartford (Conn.) Tn ea JulysI

from the Hartford (Conn.) 7 n es, Julys
-Four of the persons charged with conspir-
acy in the murder OF President Lincoln, we,e
sentenced to be hanged They were informed
of the senteRce on Thursday, and told that
they would be hanged on the next day, FRI.
day. This was certainly short time IA which
to prepare for eternity. One of the doomed
was woman, and she asked for four days
time to prepare for the death that awaited
her--not an unreasonable request The evil
dence against her was that she carried a rope
TO SurrstLsville, and arranged tor whisky ior
the murderers on the day Of the murder, anu
this was c5ntradcted by other witnesses lhe
evidence would have convicted noDoay before
a jury; aud mure credltable would It have
been to our Government and better ior the
welfare OF our institutions, had these prison
ers been handed over TO the civil adthorities
The slrangulAtlon OF q woman on such evl-
dence as that brought against Mrs Surratt by
a military court, is a shame TO the country.
| We look upon the order OF President john
son, suspendlng the writ of personal liberty,
as usurpation Of power, and precedent OF
alarming import to our free institutions. A
murder is shocking to society, crime that
public safety requires shall be- lawfully pun
ished But public safety requires something
more aud the Constitution provides that
"the trial Of all crimes, except 10 cases OF I'm.
peacLment, shall be by jury" Agaiu In
all criminal prosecutions the accused shall
enjoy the right to a speedy aud pubic trial
by an impartial jury" &c.
| Mrs Surralt was charged with conspiring
with Booth and others, to murder President
Lincoln. The evidence did not prove her
guilty of that crime, but did show that she
was party to the plot for abducting the
President; and for this object she carried a
rope to designated place. But circum-
stances demanded that she should be arrest.
ed and tried, and for murder, II grand Jury
could have found true bill against her rhe
murder was q civil not military otfense,
committed in a theater. in city where the
courts were unobsIructed and where Justice
could be dispensed. 1t was not TOR "Gene era"
Hunter and General" Hancock, and other
military officers, who do not officially belong
to the Judicial department Of the Government,
10 arrest and hang that woman, however
guilty she might have heen.
Nor was il lawful for tue Directors Of the
Pennsylvania avenue horse cars TO try the
woman and strangle her to death nor 10.
the Horse Association Of Washington city.
But less dangerous to the public welfare
would 1t have been for the Directors OF the
Association TO have taken the life of the wo-
man, criminal though she might be, than Tor
set of military officers, under the direction
OF the Commander-in Chief, to have deprived
her Of life by choking her, or any other pro-
cess. 9r
One of the objects of our free institutions
was TO curb unlimited power on the part Of
the mllitary--to place it subordinate TO the
civil authority. In reversing the principle Of
despoiic governments, where the military
hand dictates everything permitting no writ
from the judiciary TO protect personal liberty
against the benefits of bayonets, it was neces
subordinate to the civil authority The prin
ciple is engrafted upon the Constitution in
words that no man can misunderstand 1t has
been violated by the President and this act,
in our estimation, is worse for our country
tn IN many murders.