The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-08-03
PRINCIPALS and Accessor ies,

we called attention the other day to tho re.
markable declaration of Mr.. Pierrepon,, one
Of the counsel for the prosecution in the Sur.
| raft case, that in the cases of persons indicted
| for numbering President there were no ,c-
cessories-all the parties were PRINCIPALS, Tn
his speech the next day Mr.. Merrick alluded
to this degrading doctrine as follows:
| must confess that listened to that nro.
| position yesterday with infinite amazement
not TO say some amusement and n n;noioJ
pleasure. with amazement, that a LAWYER nc
the reputation OF the gentleman should nd.
vance q doctrine such as that: and Win ~, GU
sure, when felt that he would NOT ba , a VI
rilied his reputation by such n doctrine az pv-
cept rs the las; resort for desperate caneo oN
AND he tells your Honor that 1t is your az
,raoIainary privilege to enunciate from the
| oea'h, LOT the nrst time in America this doc.
trine. We'll, sir, he may regard II as = nriyi.
lege; PM, rs the representative of this vonnc
man before your Honor and this INV viii
say that do not want you to be eSercIsing
p,Mlltses, or decorating your name with the
ennnciation Of new principles. / want Won
TO exercise the duty Of Determining The In ~ ,s
IL u.s. NOT 10 announce law that has never
heretofore oeen announced in the country
rae says II Is the law of France and 1t is the
law OF England. AS 1 said the other day.
taere is n class Of gentlemen in the United
SEateS VINO, since the commencement of our
la.e war, seem TO have entirely lost sight of
~, .ne early and glorious traditions of our
country, and abandoned all love for constitu
tionai liberty and become dazzled with the
prospective glory of stars and garters, titles
OF nobility and rank, crowns and diadems,
aahcing in may twistings before their eyes
There is class of men like that, your Honor:
and 1t may be that in the days of repnblcan
liberty we will have TO meet that class
OF men IN order to preserve our Consti-
tution. Ideas of monarchy and rank
are growing among the people. Why, the
mi ne 3ho,
With Britain, and of the late war for freedom
and constitutional Independence rise to con-
denim the gentleman and to repudiate his doc
trinc. Give me the Constitution of nv conn
try and her ancient liberty undimmed by the
darkness of single declaration Of title or of
honor. The President is a simple American
citiZen. the representative of the free people
Of America. The monarchy of this country
grand and sacred beyond the touch, the reach
OF an assault. is the embodied will of the PEG.
pie in the Constitution Of the United States
our only emperor, our only king, is the Con-
stitution of the United States. 1t is the only
sovereign OF republic; the supreme law of
the land and when that ceases to be the SUI
preme law of the land, and we attach to iudi.
viduals IN office special privileges, special pow
ers, and special grace, we take away part
or the sanctity that belongs to that Constitu-
ton to give ii to men, Sir, will never do it,
II might venture 10 use the language of the
gentleman, and did not feel that it was tran
scending the propriety of forensic discussion
and discourse, would say your Honor dare
not do it.
Can he find 4 parallel case in England? Was
anybody ever tried there for killing the Presi-
dent of the United States? No, sir. What
will he do? He may find case for compass
ing the Kings death. Has the President of
the United States ever had his temples pressed
with 4 crown? Is he the State? He says he
can find an authority in France. grant it.
To imagine the death of Louis Napoleon by
the laws Of France is treason Was it trea-
n IN 9pi hn don't nf ANDY
Johnson? Is Il treason TO wish his death? If
ii be, then when your grand jury meets,
charge them TO indict ThaddeuS Stevens and
all his corps. Sensation. No, sir: il is not
treason We can wish what we please in this
free land, and public men are open to the freest
and severest criticism. If in the Corps Legs-
latif an individual passes censllre on the En-
peror, what is the consequence? The PreSi-
dent stops him., for the Sanctity of the Impe-
rial person will not bear ceusure of a private
individual. How is it here? Here, thanks be
10 God, we have freedom of speech, with Il
restored Constitution, temporarily suspended
by uSurping power, but once again the birth
right Of Americans He may find you a case in
France, and he may find you case in England,
where imagining or conspiring the death Of
the sovereign is treason but that is not a pa
rallel case. The pride of our country is that
neither the anointed of men nor the anointed
of the Lord claim political power by rirtne of
the anointment.
There is no sanctity about the person of our
President. The pride of our free institutions
is that the President of the United States is
| like a private man. He is a servant, crowned
| by the hearts Of the people, and sustained by
them. He claims no fictitious authorlty-no
fictitious sanctity. The line Of his duty is
marked by the Constitution. The extent of
his power is defined by law and his relation
to the people is well ascertained. If he can
not find in England any authority to contro-
vert the principles l have laid before your
Honor, can he find any in America? ! will
show your Honor that in the United States we
have repeated again and again. ratified and
confirmed the principles which have been
reading from the English law.