St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1867-07-05
The Lac of Treason in the United
States.

Owing to the diversity of political
opinions in a country like ours, and their
PRONUNCIATION i'll Congress and elsewhere
by partizans in politics, there is a wide
spread confusion in the public mind up
on the law for the punishment Of treason.
In those countries where the one man
power prevails this difficulty is not en-
countered as it Is in a country where the
people rule and where different political
parties exist. Treason against our
government has been from its early histo-
~ 50 rare. that it has seldom been So
clearly defined as TO become SATISFACTORY
" established in the public mind. There
have been two convictions for treason
against the government: and the effort
to convict Aaron Burr tended TO confuse
the public mind upon the subject rather
than to fully settle principles involved III
the question. Chief Justice Marshall
presided at his trial at Richmond, and
undoubtedly fully defined the law OF
treason as then understood: but the jury.
under the influence of the persuasive elo-
quence OF eminent counsel acquitted tho
respondent Since that time the subject
has hardly been brought 10 public notice,
or been acted upon by Judicial tribunals
But since the rebellion arose the matter
has been revived and recently. at Raleigh,
y. C.. chief justice Chase had occasion
to announce his opinion and define
the law of treason. This OF course is OF
great public interest, and below We copy
the principal and all the important por-
tons OF it. The question involved Is Of
some local interest even III Calcdom.
county. People OF our county hac
PROPERTY in the south at the breaking out
- tina r,helI;on Nor. or les, of il WA,
=, 49,,
'''''''' '''>''
The amount within our KNOWLEDGE wa,
not insignificant. ndcr the ruling
OF Justice Chase. if tie dcbtcr> are still
.oIvent-lhi~ can hardly he comted upor
a., ,,l;co,;,u. will ho .,I,o.,olJ.
Nv ''''''''"' ''' '''' '''''' r'ot''' -
>outherner~' at the beginning OF Tie war
amounted to hundreds OF millions OF dol
lars Much of this wa. ,eoustcred b,
i .,..,+, .,,,..,.,,,.,,,,. o,I a.,
o'"'''' ! II >''''''' ~ '''' '''N''' "''
/ fuc>tl"ntihY anticipated that, 10y pay IN
over the SANE To the rebels. they woul,
l., felix. ;-,.L,r.r,l firm, oII I,..L ,,I,Ii.o
-, ~
S'!!S
1T l. riaInic! ihIt' Willie II rAl>ted
the confederate government wa- at t,dt
government that tile citizens "i th'
state winch did not rrc"-nizr IL aU!horI
y were aliens, and. IN time 81 war, aII'i
enemies tt:at. consequently. the acts "
>vIuc-traiI"n Were valid acts and.thrrc
tore. that payment /" confederate a9eII
oi dc"i- ''H' 10 such citizens. II com
l"'!td ~ proceedings HiidF th">' ''''-
renewed i"e debtors from All "oh@tlioh
10 tile "Il-iI'al creditors. /" MAINTAIN
;hr>e propositions the counsel Tor tile de
lendant rely upon The decisions "i tn
supreme court oi Inc nii'I >'''tc-. Il
Inc ELECT ih;I Tie it'c r'oeLIioh was
c'll war; III lie prosecution "i Wi1!cl
n'i''S'I'i'' I'm "'i' NiN'>''' ~ LII
>'''o'''' ''' u 'i'','''' anu az vi ,'',' l
'"' al ''''' 'o''e, u INV '''>' to''I''''' -
. ana upon me "y'''ioh' ol Inc >'a''
courts ""f'''- ana "iI'r 'i'' rlo'' oil IN
Ah'I'ca" war '"F "'''i''''''"'t' WHICH
affirmed Inc warmly 81 'o"''~t"''o''s "''
>tiIv>iIittlnh> "ccIttl aS''lii>I tiie proper