Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-03-19

House of Commons, was darlnS eui
civil war, an ardent %sympathizer with
the northern states, in their Hereulean
efforts to crush the rebellion de
wishes to see rebellion put down in Ire
hand; but he Il not willing 70 see the ex-
pediency Of despotism resorted to, even
to effect that desirable purpose. DE
seems to believe that such precedents,
to serve temporary purposes, are dan
gerous and criminal, and like chickens
and curses, will come home to roost, He
has lately expressed himself, in his
place in the House, in these words, as
refreshing to a Provincial unders Satrap
with shoulder-straps, SIS a righteous de-
cision Of q Court, in these days
such things are becoming uncommon,
Is to 3 lawyer who loves the Law for its
OWL sabe
/HI rise for the purpose Of expressing
INV astouishment that there should lie
ANY member in this house who defends
HE course which hss been condemned
bv nv honorable friend, the mi ior
GlonmeL, who defends the practice of az
restfpr men under the aet now in force,
merely on suspicion, and merely as a
precautionary measure, at q time when
suspicion is very common, and when
evidence Is very little TO be depended on
hnd that men so arrested should De
treated with, if not the harshness, may
say the severity, which Is often, ana, IN
deed. commonly shown to criminals who
are convicted. It appears to me that
parliament could never have Intended
That such treatment should be shown to
persons arrested under this act. They
srs not punished, and the act does not
intend that they should be punished.
They have not been tried. 1t is not the
custom in England, and it is not to be
defended under the English constitution,
that men who have never been tried
aud therefore cannot have been con-
vjcted or sentenced, should suffer the
Severity which seems to recommend
itself TO the feelings and sense Of justice
OF the honorable gentleman who has
lust spoken. 7 am not surprised that q
member who could say that, should COM
plain of the noble lord that he only
recommended the house to pass this bill
for three months. Why, if there be
enc thing more than another which
has given satisfaction tonight on this
SD occasion, it is that the noble lord
was able to say he thought it was better
that the act should remain in force for
three months only, and that he hoped at
the end OF thai time he should be able
10 assure the house that the act was no
longer necessary. The honorable gen
uemsn opposite comes from the country
which has suffered all these misfortunes,
and which during the lifetime, IsuppOse,
Of the oldest member Of this house has
been periodically before the house in the
position in which we find it tonight, 4
complaining always-rightly or wrongly, I
but complaining always-Of the iDjus-
tice Of this house, and objscting always
to the eOercive force of this house. ]
hoped that there had not been on that
island, or from that island, any man
who could have stood up before the i'm
perial parliament Of this country, and
expressedI was about to say, and, Il /
were out Of the house I would say-such
atrociOus sentiments.
Every American whose representative
in Congress voted to establish a Military
Despotism in the United States, ought to
feel his cheeks burn with shame, ought
10 be bowed down to the ground under
an intolerable weight Of humiliation, at
reading these words, uttered in the
British House Of Commons, uader an
Imperial Government.
We subjoin the Act of Op~probriums,
which is in law the act Of every man in
the Northern States, as it is in fact the
expression Of the feelings of three-fourths
OF them itslicising such sentences as
are especially atrocious. It reads like a
reseript Of CALIGULA or DosnTIAN:
q
10 providc for the more efficient gOpera-
moat Of the rebel STATES.
WHEREAS, No legal State governments
or adequate protection for lUsOr property
erist in the rebel states Of Virginia,
Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia,
Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, FlOri-
da, Texas and Arkansas; and, whereas,
II j. necessary that peace and good order !
should be enforced in said states until s
loyal and republican state governments {
be legally established; therefore, Z
BE Il enacted. etc That said rebel :
states shall be divided into military dis ;
fricts, and made subject 10 the military I
authority Of the United States, as herein :
after prescribed and for that purpose
Virginia shall constitute the first dis Z
trict, North Carolina and South Carolina !
the second district, Georgia, Alabama 1
and Florida the third district, Missis- I
sippi and Arkansas the fourth district, ,
and Louisiana and Texas the fifth dis y
trict. ?
Sec. .. That it shall be the duty Of the
president 70 assign to the command Of y
Of said districts an officer of the
army not below the rank Of brigadier- =
general, and 10 detail a sufficient mill
-srv force 10 enable such officer to per- q
.orm his duties and enforce his authority +
the districts 10 which he is as :.
:
,fieer assigned as aforesaid 10 protect all II
persons ia their rights Of person and o.
PROPERTY, to suppress Instruction, dis
,rder and violence, and to punish or ?
.ause to be punished all d~isturberS Of the p
lU5Ee peace and criminals, and to this q
nd he may QIiOty LEGAL civil tribunals 20 !,
axe Jurisdiction OF and try offenders, u
r. wHenn his judgment 4 MAY be neces- a.
arv for the trial Of offenders, he shall Ii
aye p0Uer % organize military commits L.
Or tribunals for that purpose and
interference under color Of state du-
Borfg with the exercise Of military au- ei
hority under this act q be mil and fe
I'D. Ii
Sec. 4. That all persons PIT under mil !,
arm arrest, BY Virtue Of this act shall be q
lied without unnecessary delay, and no OF
Or unusual punishment shall be in N
icted and no sentence OF any military
commission OF tribunal hereby author
ed. affecting the dfc OF liberty Of any er
erson, shall be executed until II is dp- I'll
raced Jg The officer IN command Of the Of
isirict- and tie laws and regulations
r the government Of the army shall not .
e affected By this act, except in 50 far ~
they may conflict with It's provisions de
cOuided, That no sentence Of death
nder the provisions Of this act shall be
,rried into effect without the approval
the president. Ho
Sec 8. That when the people Of any {
ne Of the said rebel states shall have ye
Tmed a constitution OF government in
iuf0rmity with the constitution Of the gu
nited States ii All respects. framed by as
convention of delegates elected hv the in
aie citizens Of said state twenfv.ope :,
sars old and upward, Of tuhatercr race 'H'
5or or preti0its cOllditiOn, who NAV an.
I'VE been resident in said state for one off
ar previous 70 the day Of such election, Co
.ceDt such as mag De d~itranchised for \
rrHciDaffOn IL the rebellion or for fell
~ Al commo law and When such cor
institution shall provide that the cleo fra
We franchise shall be enjoyed by all the
eli persons as have the qualihca- GRE
lus herein stated for the election
delegates; and uhen such con- aU
shall be ratified by a gre
Of the persons voting on the tbs
q ratification who are qualified Co
electors for delegates, and tDhen such
nsttation shall have been submitted
congress for exaninafion and apBro- I
4, Oad congress shall hsve approved BR
e came, aud lohel said state, by s vote ooo
IFS legislature elected under said con-
trion, shall hav adopted the amend Wn
10 the constitution Of the United pos
ses proposed by the thirty-ninth con- stit
+nd known as article fourteen, and -,
- said article shall have become ulr'
- The c0nstifgtion Of the United of {
sses. aid state shall be declared emil. con