Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-07-13
~ = ] y ~ -|T"..TTII -lT7|T |--T-||| \
Second Days Proceedings Of the Prisonsrs
- ofsiste Msesirg. ~

journment, Mr.. 0lds in the chair. The
proceedings Of Yesterday were approved.
The Committee on Organization reported
progress, and asked further time, which
was granted. Mr.. Dean offered q paper,
WHICH was read and referred TO q COM
mittee consisting Of Messrs Mahoney,
Wall and Dean, with recommendationst 70
print, as follows: 3 n ~ ~ - |
TO THE PEOPLE OF AMERICA.
The men who, without nnthority Of
law, have been robbed Of their liberty,
subjected to cruelty aud torture, as .
means looking TO the redress Of their
grievances, and the preservation OF the
doctrines OF liberty as taught by our fa-
Tiers, respectfully present 70 the people
OF the United States the following state-
lnent Of facts, in which we have. without
charges preferred, without indictment
presented, trial had, or judgment rem.
dered, or even the poor privilege OF
knowing our accusers, been subjected TO
oil the indignities usually inflicted upon
the victims of arbitrary power, despot
ically exercised. This we have not over
looked, that we have but suffered the fate
common to the defenders Of liberty 10
every country, who either advance against
the superstition, ignorance, and tyranny
of bigoted, stupid and arbitrary usurpers
or resist their aggressions upon estab-
lshed freedom. Our liberties and our
religion have alike come down To us
through the yoluntarysufferipgs ofhonest,
earnest men, who chose to perish rather
than betray the truth aud ,erty. The
history of liberty is the history OF imr
prisoDments, executions, protests and
resistance against arbitrary power--
Hampden, Sidney and Lafayette are bnt
representative men who have struggled
against oppression. This is our crime,
that we were faithful to the land of our
birth and the institutions Of our nativity.
This was the misfortune of our country,
that our advice was unheeded by those
who fell victims of common suffering
These are our birthright-never SUR
rendered by our ancestors at any period
of our history-the freedom, fairness and
purity of elections; the integrity, inde-
pendence and freedom of our Legislature; ;
the right Of personal liberty, with all its
securities and guarantees which had been
from time to time engrafted upon the
organic laws of our free ancestors in
Europe, Iand doubly secured by our
State and Federal Constitutions in
sas sae .amoo omaeu hosn .l,veo and y;nd;.
, nau ness; ., @ Ie as ,;ks ~" bv tho;,
ca.eu sne.; II, ~ ,re,,,n.s Z '.So a.,ann,ai 80
suutseo III H. s"o ;aa,a,s wora ,hav Of
=, 70 oppiess 'ne sai. ~ Jsa'uo, ''I pao:rsa "
.,o1Ly a.t I H., s : aiwavs IN AZ aaer
VIC Ano" ssa saas ". no S,,on, - dast ~ h
WE We opposeu .te, ;,;i p' w 'i IA eioy a,a ~
me oeno,ou ;,:. 'na. ~ ~ . n,hor;,r H.
cue n..ay y.hoc,r" I've W." S;d ail IN c,r nowar
o'a'es .'' o~t me ,hs noal;ot at aacb stan in.
W p.evon' .r' S Sv;aas.o - s,sr ,ha d..o.
,eIpos'ns Jul Son,s uo ~ 10 @ rorohsd he & for,b
,a'ne many ~ i. ue aonano hr
20 ueSi1oy ~ ,no s"o,u, auu oasa5 von ~ ~
nre. 5ut c.sl war, as ys eAP.eseH,; ss;,;.",s @r
warneu Tue PeoP'o, u,u p'aos uS sA ,.onIaJ @
ABOVE tne c.'l po"ol,, p,,; a"u uap
.uuoi .no ~ 80 nnh.
,ns.''us.oa, \; snS des,.onad o 'anarr p;v;l
:c aSseG &C .;r. ,;hau, anu uVo oud nranar,y bsId
r'ens y, ny, IT, moe "a ~ e.o p'yP; H. nond;.
sacreu y .uon @ ~, o .aoouarad
.ion VI 'ninss We naso nosysr, son;n
nor can we nope ~ ieoDne' u".,', u.s
mmns WIN f's: p,,no,pibG'h b;nh w orr fa,hors
In,. tns 'ose VI na"n;or. nuesy ,San ~ nronerty
ne'd hore III preJ,ou .f ~ P uar.
OF me- my ona'aoter =, ou, P;u
secu'9rs sAp.ans 81 no Snnd III.
nic'eu upon no. Anooo nop - ~
uovernhen' prospelous, ant @ ndar -
rei1s my cHu'eu "pHn ~ IornoA I
ana iels !. ~ ana.ony ,he tne' GOuannn,out So
tne acnlnis'tsuon .. 'se az, oVte ,hen | hous
wnen u was ifGe i.om ueo, aIss.n
involyeu f" Ta NJ oarA.uP'vy, psio; nop. ~
co.hpie". icy lounu 'aI peop
EMO oyment Vi nIer,y sueS ,o.h;o,, n o. nf
s,aseu 'uom :, o.. an.aan, ,ors
.hcir Anc'ens :si n9'i'a ~. CO.
we.e inen VI WIG pun is.sa ;s a. oonnY
o! tnese inen ~g,e iesueS ~ 'no s'a
ell: oil tne lale rreslaea. pucnanaa, au
visi1g nis eoarse up1 a,'fi I;mI. WI 49,.
Tue caninet oi Ires.uen' En"ovn' ~, Hhn .n .ooa
ing imprisonment upon al who asts:r
with MT. Duenanan' Durlns Wy ~
years OF aharcny our persscu,or7 S'a.meS niIoS
tneir nahds WIN ,unocehs "Jo, | .u":.
their pockets WIN plGuaer, is.u 'nI III
country In asnes, ana oyertnie" 'ns
Government whicn they were swo;n ~
protect, adding perjury 70 tpe,r cflngS III
oil blood piiiage ana rapine. lucy cou,u
endure no contradicuon, woulu ns'sn "
no reason, ana oeneved notning put oes'n
suthclent punishment ior aii VINO oe
nounced these outrages. lnere was none
and there is now no o6scurity IN tne Jaw,
IN their nands. Inc PRESIDENT eAecu,eS
military law after declaring u unconsll'
tutlonal The Chief justice ariveS VIC
tins OF military usurpauon away
from his court, and the Generai OF az
our armies is the greedy uslrper oil a'i
power, and scruples not at the eXeriise
of power utterly unknown TO Tree govern