The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1867-07-05
UNION REPUBLICAN NOMINATION.
IAN OPINION AS Is AN OPINION"
OF BRUNswIC'

IAN OPINION AS Is AN OPINION
"My names jack Bun.hy. And what saw.
stands tn. whereby. Why not. Or 20, what odds
s.ils9. Wa" ,s ss.s 81. and is,r r.Ss d aS.%
,s NY ,sa', Msysap 10 .ss s. sa,ss ,
log cr tho IS.nS what's right sSe~i Of him, Tn,
GoOdwios. lie isn't forccd In run upon the Coed
WINS. but he may. The bearings o. this ohservs-
ton lays In the application on 10. That ant ma
par, d nv duty. Await then, keep a brish, look
cut iorard, and good luck To you."
In whatever light the administration I'll
Mr.. johnson may 10 regarded by the future
historian. whether an honest or dishonest
one, there will DO bu, one or inion in regard
to its craftsmanship. IL has been dis,in-
cuished ly meilhtiou, weakness, and total
failure to comprehend the situation. 10 has
been q series OF blupders. Commencing
with hold upon the public heart, and u
strength which NO other administration ever
possessed, and an opportunity OF perpetual
glory to the like Of which No monarch could
ever lay claim, Mr.. Johpspn has, conscien.
tiously or otherwise, seized upon every coca
siou, and irittcred away no opportunity, to
disregard the public sentiment, weaken the
affections OF tho people, be,ny the emf
dcnces Of his friends and reward his enemiss,
succeeding only in making his administration
eontemPtibls and irregular, until that admin.
istration can count no combined supporters
from tho eastern boundary Of Maine to the
Gulf. -....... ..r.. =.
Like Mr.. Johnson's bluudcriug theory oi
the condition Of the late recussnt States
ingins II 'hs dslusion that they were States
unimp,irel for ons purPosc and territories
for another. promulg'tins ono opinion fer
theory and working by another for pra 'tice.
We have another opinion "as is an opinion"
which tillies with every other consistency"
Of his administration. When the Military
liill pissed by Consrcss was returned with u
veto, Mr.. johnson, obi,cted to il ON account
Of the " enormous powers confsrrcd upon
the military. and wo extract four Of the
salient points in that objection, to compre
them with four other like points an,ipo,ial
in character mad, by him or by his auihori-
" lew weeks later:
MOL. The biz p'aos all he pope OF The
Saies iieTeiR nda,ei mntcr he absolute d,mi
nation Of miiiiary rulers, and the preamble
undertakes Ia give the reason upon whirl |
is justified. IL declares that there exists in
those States M legal governments and no al |
e,luate protection foe Ito or property, anil
asssris the NEE sSity of cniorciii. peace and
good order within their limits.
No.. . The EXCUSE given for the hill in
the preamble ~ admitted by the bill itselfl
not 10 b. rs,l. The military rule which Il
establishes is plainly u be use,l not ior any
purpoa Of order or fur tho prevention at
crime, but so'ely ~ u means Of cocrcing the
p>orlc in thu sd1ption OF principles anil
measures tn which u 10 known they are OPP
posed, and upon which they have an undo.
niablo right to exc'cis' th"ir own judgment.
No. 3. Tho ppwrr thus given to the cum
handing officer over all the people Of each
district is hoi Of IN absolute monarrh his
M v wH Is o. hare he place Of all lac. The
law at the States " nov ths only rule anpli
cable tn tho subject pl,c.d under his conlr,,i.
and that is conpiehig dispiacsd by III rianss
ihat declares al intsrtsrcnes Of he Sate ou.
,horiiy 10 b. null and rod, tie aioi,e Is per-
mitted tn determine what are the nights &c
persons and priprrty. and he may protect
them in such way As in his discretion may
seem proper.
No. I. M master ever had u control sn
4. =. al -. A. A..
tho military officers over both white and col.
orcd pcrsoiis. ltwipes away every ves,ic"
Of republican. government in ten Stats, and
puts thu life, liberty. and honor Of all the
people In each 81 them un'ler the domin,-
tim Of single person, clothed with unlim'
tied authority. ..
The ink with which this opinion was writ
ten becomes scarcely dry whom Mr.. john
sons Attorney General rromulgates another
opinion, by order Of his master, which 10
adopted by the same administration which
adopted the iorncr. Here il is.
No. I. This, then, Is VIA, is granted tn
the military commander: The poser and
duty "to protect ai persons in their rights
Of person md pror.vty, In ssppro-s ir-ar
rcct,ou. disorder, and violence. and to pun-
ish, or Gauss Ia be punished, all disturbers al
the public peace and criminals" and he may
,lo this nv the agency OF the criminal courts
of the State. or, u necessary, he may have
resort To military tribunals Ihw co mprisss
al hs p0rsrs girsn to The 1a6ia1y commander.
No. . 10 is power to protect all per-
rons in their rights Of person aud property.
Ii 70 not power tn create new rights, but
only 70 protect those which exist and are
established b. Tho laws under which theee
people live. II il power to preserve, mol
10 abrogaie; TO snstain the existing frame OF
-acial order and civil ruls. anil not powcr
10 introduce mii;imy rae N VI Place. Ia ei-
fed, u 70 . poiies poser.
No. g isc M authority, nor any sha :
ow Of authority, ior interference with any
other courts, or any other jurisdiction. The
existing civil authority in all its other dc
pavtmen's, Legislative, executive and jodic'si
is kit s.teufAed. find M authority any
where " thismcs for the removal by the mil
itsry esa,,sanda of the proper otirrv OF a
State. ssshGr executive OF Judicial. or the mp
pointm 'ntof other persons to their PLACES
No l. Its F<oper function Is "a pr'serv'
the p,ace, to acs promptly when the .peac'
in broken, and Sv~tJfe order. When that J.
done. aud ihe.cud authority may again s,te
ly resume its functions, the military pows'
becomes a,aia psssiSe, but on guard anC
~a,ch(ni. This. " my Judgment, Is th'
,cho,e .,se Of fl'e military POWER con'erre'
by this act.
With that vigIr and ter.sness Of expire.