The mountain Democrat., 1865-05-27
A Legal penn1tlon Of Loyalty.

Judge DrummOnd, Of Chicago, was 70.
Gently examined before . military commits
siOu in Cincinnati, OhiG, lbssose KNHSn TSe
Gileged conspirators to release the Con-
federate prisoners in Camp Douglas are
being tried. Judge DrummOnd is Judge
Of the United States District Court Cor
tie Northern District of Illinois, is war
man Of sound common sense and liberal
views, and his testimony upon the subject
of loyalty possesses such peculiar signifl.
canoe that We print il:
Question, by Robert Harvey, Esq, the
counsel for Judge Morris. Please state
your name, residence and official position.
Answer. Thomas Drummon6 residence
Chicago; am Judge of the United States
District Court for the Northern District
Of Illinois, which position I have occupied
for fifteen years. %y&. .u.-.
O., State il you Gho = Sddge Morris: Mri
and il SO, how long you have known him!
A. met Judge Morris, believe, in the
spring Of 1885; am certain have known
him for twenty. five years; have known
him as citizen, an acquaintance,a friend,
as practcing attorney, and Judge Of a
State Court.
Q. Have you any knowledge Of his
character among his neighbors, in the
community in which he resides, as n man
of humane and kind disposition If SO,
please state what it is.
A. think he is a remarkably humane
and kind hearted man; a man easily
touched in his feelings by the sufferings
of other people.
Q. Havc you frequently heard Judge
Morris speak If SO, state what are his
peculiarites?
A. have, frequently. His style of
speaking is what might be called an ex-
travagant or exaggerated style. He is not
very choice in the use Of his words, and
not always grammatical. He is somcw hat
addicted to cant terms, and familiar and
slang phrases in his speech. Sometime es
his style Of speaking is very much excit
ed; he talks rapidly and occasionally with
much vehemence.
Q. Have you any knowledge Of the
opinion of the people of Chicago as to the
reputation of Judge Morris for loyalty as
a citizen?
A. My position, pursuits and labors
have necessarily withdrawn me consider
ably from political society still think |
know what his character is, as general
thing. Defining loyalty-and think this
is necessary, as different men define il
differently-to be faithful to our govern.
ment and to the Constitution, think the
reputation of Judge Morris, so far as !
know it, to be that of loyal man. lie
was n very strict advocate of what was
called the Crittenden Compromise, and
desired exceedingly that the difficulties
between the two sections Of the country
should be settled amicably. My impress
sions from conversations have had with
Judge Morris is, that when the conhc
commenced he was entirely opposed t.
; the course of the South in taking up arm!
against the government; but during thu
progress of the contest he seems to bt
convinced that many of the measures anG
acts of the Administration were illegal,
unconstitutional, and, perhaps, that they
were usurpations. know he has spoken
very strongly upon that subject; but ]
never heard anything from Judge Morris,
and have never heard from any man who
was intimate with him, that would Justify
the conclusion that he was disloya man,
or wanting in obedience to the Constitu
tion and laws OF the country. do not
know what developments this trial may
have produced, not having followed the
evidence; but up to the time of his arrest
| certainly should as soon have distrusted
my own loyalty as that of Judge Morris.
CROSS EXAMINATION.
Q. By Judge Advocate-Please state
whether the opinion you have given as to
Judge Morris loyalty is not matter Of
your own conviction, rather than that of
his public reputation2
A. 1t is necessary to discriminate in re.
lation to that term. There are a great
many men in our community, as there
are here, who charge every one who hap
pens to differ with any measure or policy
of the Administration, with disloyalty.-
There are many men in Chicago, for in
stance, who might call Judge Morris dis
loyal, because he denounces the President
for various proclamations that he has
made; but when you come to the true
definition Of loyalty, l do not know that
by any intelligent man he would be ac-
cused Of disloyalty.
Q. Do you define diSloyalty as svnony.
nous with treason?
A. No, sir, | do not so define it; | do
not think disloyalty can go so far.
Z. Do you think this opinion Of the
loyalty Of Judge Morris is from your own
convictions, or from his reputaticnS
A. Perhaps l ought to say that it is
chiefly from my own convictions, and con-
versations frequently. He has been charg.
ed with sympathizing with the South !;
that was the charge made against him !;
and whenever it was made in my pres.
ence, have always examined the ground
of the opinion, or charge, to ascertain
what was meant.
Q. Then, is not this the fact, that il
you had answered the question as to what
his reputation in the community was
would you not have had to answer that
his reputation was that of a sympathizer
with the Southern States that have Sc.
cedcd?
A. My answer would have been that he
never sympathized with the Southern re.
bellion. Judge Morris was a Southern
man by birth, as ] understand, and he
sympathized with the Southern mind,
have no doubt.
Q. Was not his reputation that of a
man sympaihizing with the Southern re.
bellion?
A. 1t was with certain class.
Q. Was this class a majority or mi
norityP
A. 1t was decided minority; it was
only with what might be called the ex.
treme or radical Republicans. have been
charged, myself, with being a sympathi.
zer with the South.
Q. Have you not been Democrat?
A. No, sir, | was Whip before vou