Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1867-01-01
Supreme Court on the Knights of the
Golden Circle.

The following is the article in the
Washington Chronicle rejecting on
the decision of the majority Of the
Supreme Court in relation to the
Indiana conspirators, who were tried
convicted, and sentenced by a Mil
itary Commission for traitorous
practices The decision has created
great eXultation among the rebels
in Washington. Their organ the
Intelttgencer, claims, almost n terms,
that under the decision the earnest
men of the Republic are TO be pun
ished for their efforts against the
traitors. Unless Congress inter
vones, suits will be everywhere
brought against those who took part
in military trials, &c. There is,
however very little doubt that Con-
gress will take prompt action
The five Judges in the majority
were Grier, Nelson, Clifford, Davis,
and Field The dissenting Judges
were Chief Justice Chase, Miller,
" hy Ht, anu DWdy he.
The comments Of the Chronicle
are as follows.
"THE SUPREME COURT AND TnE AMER
loan KNIGHTS, ALIAS KNIGHTS OF
THE GOLDEN CIRCLE"
con Monday. by a majority of one,
the Supreme Court, in the case of er-
parte Milligan, declared the prison
ers trial illegal and his conviction
imperative, and ordered his release.
cit may be proper to state that
Milligan was prominent leader
among the american Knights, or
knights Of the Golden Circle and
1t was for traitorous practices in aid
Of the public enemy in tho State of
l. diana, when tie State was the
theatre Of the war, that he was ar
raigued and condemned BY mill
tary commission, Ell the fullest proof
of his guilt. His death sentence was
approved By General llovey, who
convened the court, and by General
Hooker, commander of the depart
ment, and, in April, 1865 was ORDER
ed to be carried into execution by
President Johnson, who, however,
subsequently committed it to i'm
prisonment for life The Supreme
Court now holds all the proceedings
against him to have been null and
void, on tho ground tnat military
commissions, wherever or however
constituted, are unconstitutional and
without color of law to support
them.
eve refrain from any detailed
criticism OH this momcntous decision
until it shall have been published in
full, We cannot, however, avoid
saying now that in It's scope, as la--
ported, it can scarcely fail to shock
the sensibilities and provoke the Sc
we're rebuke Of loyal men every
where. The exultation of the n
teligencer over it will awaken q iubil-
ant echo throughout rebeldom, and
the hearts of traitors will be made
glad by the announcement that
treason, vanquished upon the battle
field, and hunted from every other
retreat, has at last tonnd a secure
shelter IN the bosom Of the Supreme
Couft
"The military commission thus
denounced as a usurpation, has ex-
listed as legitimate fundamentally
in the hands of tho war-malling
power from the foundation Of the
Government it has again and again
been recognised by Congress, com,
posed Of the greatest statesmen, Jus
rists and patriots of the nation, and
has been constantly employed by all
our most illustrious Generals as a pO-
tent agency for the suppression of the
rebellion. President Lincoln him-
self, an able lawyer, and, as Chief
Magistrate, NEST careful of human
life, confirmed and executed the
death sentence Of this tribunal in
numberless cases. Yet we are now
told that all this array of learning
and patriotism, and experience and
loyalty, which has given unhesitating
support to the military commission,
IS to be he'd for naught in the pres
ence Of single voice Of the Supreme
Court. The bravest truest and wis
est men of the land, who have used
this tribunal in defence of the nation
al life, are thus branded as felons,
and we are now told that the real
criminals of the war were not the
traitors, spies, gucrillas and assassns
tried, but the patriot who tried them.
This extraordinary discision will
doubtless receive the attention of
Congress at an carly day.
----zGzss,- .. szszsuz------
TIE PRESIDENTS IMPEACHMENT
A Washington dispatch to the Chica-
20 Tribune Of the 18th says:
"Tho feeling in favor of an i'm
parchment grows stronger every
day. In the running debateupon re-
movals from Office today Mr. Bing-
ham, of Ohio, said very pointedly,
.Lo+ q ,,no, ipvnefi c,otsc, - IL o,,I 4