American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1866-11-28

Court, and they, even, do net arrive at
the same conclusions by exactly the same
rcasoniugs. These considerations induc-
ed US to believe that as authority it was
entitled to little weight. We hoped there
fore, that cur Court would feel at liber-
ty to take the holdings in that case not
to be law, and would instruct the Jury
that the law of Congress was valid and
operative for political purposes without
a Court>martial and conviction under it;
and that, therefore, the act of Assem-
bly, should be strictly observed by both
deserters and election officers or they
should, if fdisregarding it, suffer the pens
alties. This, however, it has declined
to do, preferng to be governed by the
action of the higher Court without int
mating an opinion Of its own at all, on
the subject.
As most of the cases are to be held
over, it is yet to be seen whether Judge
NJ Guffin will take the same view of the
case or not. If he should, then the
whole thing willresolye ilself4 into ques-
ton of cast. Our readers will natural
ly inquire, is this the end Of the whole
matter BY no means. BY the ruling
of the Supreme Court, far as it falls be-
low our judgment in the premises, we
have carried one important point. This
is, that the act of Congress is constiu-
tional. And all that is wanting is to
have a proper Court instituted to give
the alleged deserters fair trial, and if
found guilty, a conviction This is all
that now remains, and this can be done
in few months. And once convicted.
all adm &.their citizenship falls as mats
ter of course. Not only thea. will they
los; their right to vote, but all other
rights of citizenship lis likewise. If,
therefore, this class of persons who
have given us so much trouble for some
time past, shall find themselves arraigned
before a proper Court, tried, convicted
and sentenced to be shot, imprisoned, or
fined, as the case MAJ bo, according to
the aggrevation, or otherwise, of their
conduct, they can thank Mstf friends for
it, Others would have been willing to
simply lot them stay a: home, undestur-
bed by process. by,,court- martial, &C.
We can, therefore, at any rate, change
the ruling OF the Supreme Court IN one
OF two ways, either by the election Of a
sound national man next fall in place Of
Woodward, whose term of off &C then ex-
pires, (and this we mean to do at any
rate) or by passing the necessary law Or
ganizing Court for the trial of ahese
cases as already suggested by the Court
In the CITIZEN of Vol. 2, No. %, and
before the subject took shape at all, VIC
took the liberty to suggest that a Court
of inquiry be thus inst tuted when the
facts, as to deserters, non regorters and
absconders, could be collected and per-
petuated. We wrote the article referred
to before there had been any cousulta-
ton as to what had best be done, and
without having made any legal examina-
ticn of the subject. Had any of our
Legislators seen ftI to take the SUCCESS
tions there made, crude as they were, and
perfected the course of acton advised
Our majority in Butler county this Fall
would have approximat ated closer to six
than 6ve- hundred. For the purpose of
showing how time has demonstrated the
correctness of our view as then express
ed, we reproduce the article referred to,
which is as follows;
" 1t is well known fact that, during
the progress of the war, many of those
who had been draftci as also those who.
in some sections, apprehending danger
from future draft, bad from time to
time made their way to Canada or some
other neutral" ground. Leaving their
homes they had sccreted themselves
where, as they supposed, they could elude
the search of the Provost Marshals. AL
ready we hear of many Of this class be.
coming unearthed and returning to their
proper districts. 1t is said that at least
ten Of them have made their appearance
in Oakland, and few in Butler town
ship. OF course Marion, Donegal, Clear
field, Venango, Winfield and some 9TH
ers will be equally favored. We hope
the loyal people Of those districts will
take notice to this matter and collect all
the facts in each case.
The rebel armies are now wiped out of
existence, but the work of restoring law
and order to the insurrectionary states is
still but partially accomplished. Till
these states have been restored to their
former status in the Union, the Govern
ment will, Of course have little time or
inclination to give much attention to
northern de!inquents. But the time will
soon come, when things will ass ume
different appearance. That any one who
would endeavor to avoid the operations of
the Law will be allowed, now that our
l. g. $50, A. IL