The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-04-21

innocence Ct the accused was a question
that deeply concerned the accused and his
friends and of the latter, Mr.. Dexter has
msny in Mobile, who viii rejoice in his ac-
quit'al. But in the manner Of his trial,
great community was vitality interested. In
the question, whether after the clangor Of
arms had given place 10 the mild sway Of
peace, military commissions for the trial Of
civil offences, were not 10 yield to the civil
courts Of judiealure, the whole nation was
concerned The-csPacity Of Government,
Of the Democrats form, for war, graveiy
doubted by Statesmen Of the old world, has
been fully proved by the severest ordesls
Of the American Republic. The greater
problem remained 10 be solved, whether
Democracy, after war had shaken the fabric
Of its civil institution and the plea ofmilitary
necessity had enlarged its powers to an ex-
tent, deemed in time Of peace frsught with
danger 10 the Liberties Of the people, when
extraordinary emergencies call forth large
assumption Of authority, extra eonstftation-
al powers are exeried, civil law Is suspended
by military authority, and the rights Of the
citizens are dealt with summarly by the
tinkling Of a Cabinet Ministers bell, or the
"order" Of q General in the feld-whelher
we say, after strain IKE this, Democratic
Government could retnrn quietly and peace
ably 10 its former constitutional grooves,
aud law and liberty at opee recover from
the force to which they hsd teen Temporal
rily subordinated. u is the solution Of this
problem that has invested the administra-
ton Of President johnson with 50 supreme
an interest; because we find him nobly
contending 10 refute the predictions Of for
eign critics, that civil war void forever
shatter the Government Of the Union, and
| that Democratic standardization that had
once tasted Of the fruits Of power and inter.
/ polated the policy Of fogce, could never
more forego the luxury Of the one nor the
necessity Of the ether. This problem is yet
TO be solved, and while We write, it is in the
throes aud agony Of labor. The conflict be
tween the civil courts ordained by the Con-
stitution and the military commissions
which were the offspring Of war, is ore Of
the marked symptoms Of the struggle Of the
Nation 10 get back from the dominion Of
force to the benignant sway Of liberty and
law. Hence the interest in the Dexter
case. The accused had never been in the
army, and therefore not subject TO the
law marital he was never concerned in
the rebellion :" ard was even a cit
izeu Of the State Of Massachusetts,,
always entirely "loyaP' except when
che had a little disruption grievance
Of her own. The question of jurisdiction,
therefore, came up on the naked merits Of
power and right, stripped Of every eKtraDe-
Gus element Of complication and embGr-
rassment. It was, therefore, a square,
stand up fight between a civil court Of the
United States and the war power Of the Gov
ernment. Fortunately for the whole cCun
try, the fgh. on the law and liberty side
fell into the hands Of man, born Of a blood
additionally devoted to liberty, hnd eduea-
ted in the school Of the constitutional party
Of the United States. Right nobly did he
breast himself for the conflict, aud learnedly
and eloquently did he sustain in the various
decisions called foith during the proceed.
ings on the writ Of haJcas corpus, the rights
Of the citizen and the dignity Of his high
office. Major General Woods, the respond
ent in this case, has been the involuntary
representative of the military claim. As
soldier he has but obeyed the orders Of his
superior. He has be II only the agent Of
the Secretary Of War. At last the PEST
dent, as head Of the Army as well as Chief
Civil Magistrate, was appealed 10, and he
has thrown the influence Of his Office into
the civil scale, in consistency with his poll
| cy Of restoration. It is q most gratifying
issue 10 an important struggle. It is one
more step to the Reinforcement Of the
American Constitution, 70 the precious, law,
liberty aud peace, status ia quo ante JellHH'.