Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1865-03-24
4aiIg Gmpire,
An Eloquent Rebuke-MIIiIary
Com m isslOns,

=
In the late debate in the United Stetel
Senate upon the proposition to prohibit mil
itary commissions upon civilians ia Staiei
where the civil law was undisturbed, NJ
Trumbull, the distinguished Republican Uni
ted States Senator from Illinois, who favored
the proposition, administered the following
excellent rebuke TO Mr. Conness the "War
Democratic" Senator from California. Ht
said: .f ... -s f..5 5...s
Nov, sir, word or two, and only word
or two, as to the Senator from California, (Mr
Connees,) who modestly assumes so much
patriotism and if patriotism consists in noise
and bluster, he certainly is possessed Of a great
deal. He made himself heard most certainly,
and he talks of 'croakng,' and talks Of COW
ards, and says that he cares nothing for the
Constitution, so that be has a country. He
had better migrate to Dahomey, or somewhere
else, where there is country | care, sir,
for the Constitution and for liberty, and |
think a country or life itself scarcely worth
having, without Hlbetty--wiihont liberty
regulated by law. But he is hold and brave2
Yes, sir, bold and brave, and would sink the
Government, would vote against all appropri.
atiops, sooner than not have the power to try
a man by court-martial or military commis.
sion That great patriot would stand here
and vote-vote against appropriations for the
army or any thing else, IL ne c"n'd rot arre st
somebody and try him in loyal Stnte, where
the oourts are open, by military commission
or courtmartal He says, substantially, |
will not appropriate to sustain our soldiers /;
the rebels may come here and tear down the
Capitol and destroy the Government, because
|, the Senator from California, can not he
permitted TO have somebody arrested-no, not
arrested, but can not have somebody tried by
court-msrtial !" and that is his patriotism /;
that is his love Of country And be says no
Provost Marshal arrested him Why, sir,
those who crook the pregnant hinges Of the
knee where thrift may follow fawning are
never arrested I,
"Mr. Conness rose.
"The Presiding Offiter-Does the Senator
from Illinois give way2 HD 5dl i''
'Mr Trumbull--When | am through, the
Senator can talk if he wishes. .o-..-
"The Presiding Oficer-The Senator from
Illinois has the floor. hh"
"Mr Trumbull--He need not expect to be
arrested; oh no, sir. But the liberty he
talks of is the liberty of the highwaYman
AIOW 10 uC UohlcE iuhu
the brigand who meets you at night aud calls
upon you to stand and deliver2 No regard
for law; he cares nothing for the Constitu.
ton, so that he has a country, and talks of
towards and croskers Sir, am not brave
enough, thank God am not bold enough
to walk up to that stand and lay my hands
upon the Words Of Eternal Life and promise,
calling God TO witness, 10 maintain the Con-
stitution, and then say care nothing for 1t I
am not bold enough to make such dec.
laration, hope never may be- Sir If
nothing else should restrain US from treating
with contempt the Constitution Of the coun.
try, the oath we have taken should restrain
us; the appeal we have made to the Supreme
Being should withhold us from such dec
aration. say that | do care for the Con-
stitution, and for law and for liberty and that
am for preserving them all, and the coun.
try and the Union also, for Il is the Constitu.
tion and liberty that make the Union worth
preserving. Without them Union forced by
arbitrary power-a Union such as is brought
about by the heel Of despotism, is not the Un-
ion that am struggling fol"