The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1866-03-08
2olhtal.
LAW OF TREASON.
SIP e BCH
OF
HON. WILLIAM LAWRENCE,
OF OHIO,
IN THE uoUsE or REPRESENTATIVES,,
rEBRUARY 5, 1865.


IN THE uousE or REPRESENTATIVES,
FEBRUARY 5, 1865.
Tic House being in a Commit.
tee of Whole on the state OF the
Union t.l.m
Mr.. LAWRENCE, of Ohio, said:
MIR. CHAIRMAN: would not con
sumo the time OF the House upon
subject to which our attention has
been invited by the President In
bis message but Tor the fact that as
yet, it has received no considera-
ton at our hands. Whatever of
law may be necessary TO enable the
courts to perform their appropriate
functions in civil and criminal ca
ses, and whatever of congressional
action may hc requisite to bring
military offenders to justice, it is
the duty of Congress in the consti
tutional forms to provide.
| propose now, as briefly rs !
can, to vindicate the policy OF tho
Government in relation to the tri.
al and punishment of traitors, so
that "with malice toward none
with charity for all, with firmness
in the right, as God gives us to see
the ri.ht." the nation, in the exer.
else OF clemcncy, may yet demon
strate its power and its purpose to
do justice. That policy was in.
dorsed by resolutions had the
honor to introduce on the Goth OF
December, and is in brief this !:
that some of the great conspirators
who inaugurated the rebellion, and
of those most conspicuous in con-
ducting hostilities, should be tried
in the civil courts for treason and
be punished but that military Of
tenders, as those who assassinated
military officers or duty, and those
guilty of the murder and starva.
ton of Union prisoners of war,
should be tried and punished by a
military tribunal. (Attorney Gen.
erals Letter, January A. ! had
not proposed to discuss this policy
until ! found it assaulted in digni-
fed law book, and by traitors and
their sympathisers everywhere.
THE NATION DEMANDS JUSTICE.
Governor Fairchild, of Wiscon.
sin, uttered the loyal sentiment OF
the nation, when, in his inaugural
of January l, he said:
"The verdict of tho American
people is, that any attempt to right
fancied or real grievances by force
of arms is treason. They ask, as
they have right to ask, that the
highest judicial tribunal in the
land shall give expression to that
verdict, by trial upon the charge
of that high crime, in accordance
with law, of the chief representa-
tive of the rebellion-the man who
stood before the world as the ac'
lknowledged leader OF traitors.
4" Not until Jefferson Davis shall
have been tried, convicted, anC
hanged for treason, and the fac
1
that treason is crime which can
not be committed with impunitl
shall have thus been fully do
monstrated, will the American peo
pie he content.
"The American people hav'
demonstrated thar the .U"io" 10 one
ana indivisible that it's people, Of
whatever race or color, shall be
forever tree" 1m.t .
FOUR OBJECTIONS TO TRYING TRAITORS
CONSIDERED.
The right to try, condemn anC
execute the great conspirators haI
been denied on the alleged auihori
ty of international and constitu
tional law, on these grounds:
1. That State secession is con
stitutiona', and therefore the slew
ying Of war" in its support is 70
treason. ..r
2. That the rebellion was sup
ported at least by q de facto Gov
ernment, to which we conceded
belligerent rights, and therefor,
traitors are exempt fiom punish
ment. .Ysas' 100 .'9el.b .s.r
8 That the Constitution declare
that treason shall be tried $" tn,
State where the crime shall hav,
|been committed, !" and there is no
: now any estate legally existin,
in any of tho country lately in re
bellion, and therefore no civil cour
can be held.
And finally, il is said J. ,fr
4. That it is impracticable to pro
cure a competent jury, for a civi
trial, but that Davis at least sboul'
4 be tried and sentenced by a mill
tary tribunal. ,. - Hs 'dj
The allotted time will not per
NIT a full discussion Of all thes
topics, nor is it necessary. Lrf
SECESSION UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
/ will not argueth constitution
Iapright Of secession, foroit is de-
Inied by all loyal men. If sue
ia right exist, the war on, our par
has been o stupeqdous Grim
against I the Constitution an
, lagainst humanity. Our whole his
JsI. .o..t. c.Il nc tha evidanna and a,