The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1867-12-13

general raaIsgocslkiid slkiid o. rfiaIa
ny Jury and Free speech.
"Tbe, General. commanding is
grati6ed TO 1esrn that peace and
Nj J: II! s ssPt: tss:ss;s II: "A.
condition IF thiaR3o Az means
to this end, be rs1erds the mainten-
ance of the cfvH fRthorities in the
faithfal eiecuties6ft be, laws q fths
most efficient cireum stance. In
war 1t is s'iud,spenAble TO repei force
by force and oyeft1tow and destroy
opposisioSato lawful 'suthority, sbut
when IN ipsur1ssiionary force has
been oyerthrpwns and peace estab-
lished, and the ASil authorities are
ready ana willing TO perform their
duties: che military power should
cease to lead, and the oitil admins
trstionI resume its natural ,snd
rightful dominion. Solemnly i'm
pressed with these views, tho Gen,
eral announces that the great prin-
ciples of AmericanF liberty still are
tbeslavf4 inheritapce pf tbis people
and ever should be. TIC fight iof
trial by jury, the habeas corpus, the
libesty oftbe prsss, the fFeadom Of
spec eScbf lpd thess snatusAl Elighss Of
property must be preserved. Free
institutions, vhiss they are essen
tial 80 tkcfSospf fity aud happiaess
of4he people, Always furnish the
strongest inducements TO peace and
order. Crimes and offences commit
ted in this district must be referred
to the consideration and judgment
Of tho regular civil authorities, and
those tribunals win be supported in
their lawful jurisdic tion. s' o. i,
This is the expressive feature Of
the special order of General
Hancock on assuming comm and of
the a..Fifth' Military District. /" 1t
is not = little refreshing to read this
product of . military governor,l
made 80 by IN act If Congress, which
gives ;,,i Jim power 20 suppress trial
BY jury and free speech and press
We read in it that the General. docs
not concur in the policy Of military
government. aud be takes the earli-
est occasion to say SO in the most
explicit manner. He even declares
Tat 'thc great principles Of Amor
ican Liberty are still the lawful in !,
heritanee Of this people," He ven
lures to discuss constitutional law,
and even something above constitu-
tional law: '.The right oftriai by
jury, the babcas corpus. the liberty
Of the press, the freedom Of speech,
and the natural rights Of persons and
the rights ofproperty MUST BE PRE-
SERVED" AL these are constitu-
tional rights. and they are natural
rights. They are natural rights,
protected by constitutional guaran-
ties lin all criminal prosecutions
the accused shall enjoy the right to
speedy and public trial BY an im-
partial jury. :, = and Congress, shall
make no law abridging the freedom
ofspeec4 oy pf the pfcss.p' The
first is the positive guaranty Of trial
BY Jury. which makes it ! const::tn-
tional form Of of,alministaat tion in mat
tiers of crime; the second is = posi-
tive limitation put upon Congress
touching the freedom Of speech and
the press. The former is not . nat
ural right, but is q legitimate sub
ject of compact in ordaining civil
polity; the latter is q natural right,
which no polity. whatever its form,
can justly infringe Speech il the
gift Of God. snd free speech 10 the
greatest detective force ever organ
lied against fraud, wrong or opprss-
sion. 7Spea6h and free speech ersa-
ted the British system and our sys-
tenn" The Great Charter. The Pc
tition 81 Right. The Bill of Rights.
The ACT Of Settlement, and the
Federal Constitution Ill como oi
free speech and the press. @Ths
Press il hut IN extension Of speech.
It is , lopaer voice, 2 multiplication
Of tongues !. The electric telegraph
isa part Of It's organism. The news
journsls, magazines. and books are
but intonations Of its grand utter.
ances. = II is ~ AANlral right te
speak. at least wss say 30 in thi.
couHfry. Gen. Hancock says 80,
and he adds. with pregnaut meaning:
'tFrs> institutions. while they are
essential to- the prosperity and hap.
pincss Iof the people. always furnish
the strongest Inducements 10; peace
and ordcr.'' C,ngressaid not tAinl
20, snd 90 ordained that military
government should supersede th.
civil esta blishmsnt. I How strange.
| " the wheol Of fortune moves rouSd.
Who for ,onoe thought that there
would come out ofthe military des.
| potisps ofthe Radicals ! .sortiof 81
licial conde emnation Of thu xhols
Esohems2 How.is, .its,that the very
law itself is thus declared to 10 ii
infringu.ent Of both natural and con
stitutional rights?. We inaiat thu,
early that tho General ssAall notuhs
condemned for exercising the right,
Of itee-speech. Napoleon said t.
[Eqnehe, his Minister II viii ppt
|ahow I mere clerkto syranbise orel
mind andSnutilate geni.s." Con