Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1869-07-07

was seized, taken from his home by
military power, and for months detain-
ed as u prisoner.
He was charged with being scces-
Sionist a traitor, member of the
knights of the Golden Circle, which or
ganizatiOn was said to be inimical to the
welfare of the country. He was also
charged with being the Northern agent
of jefferson Davis, the President of the
Southern COnfedeTacy; with being Op-
posed to the interest of the country; an
tagOnistic to the spirit of liberty, and in
active opposition to the rights Of citizen
ship. His accusers were the parties
above named.
After his release, he brought suit
against his accUscrs and those who ar
rested him for trespass, for false impriS-
Onment. The case has been before the
courts in JO DavieSs County, and in
every instance before Il Republican
Judge, with u Republican bar working
against him, till at last it has terminat-
ed i'm Il manner gratifying to Mr.. John
son, to his friends everywhere, and more
especially TO men who have stood like
him, in defense of rights, indifferent as to
results or personal consequences.
He has, in his prosecution, adhered
closely to the law, followed his accUsers
from point to point, and kept up an in
CeSsant fire in the rear, until at last they
have come before him on their knees
and plead for mercy.
1t will he remembered that Congress
passed an indcmniying act, almost pur-
pOsCly to shield these men, and to pre-
vent justice Overtaling them. It seems
there is life in the Constitution and pow
er i'll the law to protect the innocent and
punish the guilty. And for this vindica-
ton of Democracy, and proving the de-
Tenders thereof to be right, NJ. y. John
son, of Galena, Illinois, deserves, and
will receive the thanks of every Demo-
CTat in the United States for all time to
come.
On the 9th day of May, 1869, while
the Circuit Court for that district was in
session, the case was settled by the ap-
pearance Of the defendants, who, unable
to protect themselves, having exhausted
GUery dcJdy Of the lar, now spread upon
the official records the following admis-
sion, hUmiliating to themselves and
every Republican in the country, as it is
gratifying to every Democrat who has
had the pluck to denOUce acts of viO-
lence and oppression, no matter by what
power or seeming authority instigated.
Mr.. johnson brought suit for damages
and personal vindicatiOn. He did not
care for the money, but wished to know
if he had been guilty of wTOng----and
wishing those who had accused him to
prove him guilty if in their power. Con-
tidCnt as to his innocence, certain as to
his upright intentions and regard for the
laws of the land, he has been earnest in
pressing this suit, till at last the parties
come into Court, and write in Il bold
hand on the records the following dam
ming admission of their own criminal.
ty, dishonesty, corruption, fanaticism
/ tyranny, and disregard for the rights O
citizens. Read the record as there plac
ed:
State of Illinois, 10 Daviess County
| IS. In the Circuit Court of 10. Davies.
! County, May Term, 1863. Madison Y
/ johnson, VS..
| J. Russell Jones, John c. Hawkins
Oliver P. Hopkins, EIihuB. Washburne
and BradnCT Smith.
TTespass for false Imprisonment.
And now came the said defendants
Jones, Hawkins, and Hopkins, &c, and
admit that the said pleas heretofore filed
by them in said case, and the matters
and things therein set forth against said
plaintiff, are untrue iR substance and IN
fClct, and the defendants ask leave Of the
Court to withdraw the same, which is
granted by the Court And the said de
fendant, further confess the JUrOHqfJH
frcSDdSS and Imprisonment set FORTH IN
said declaration, and that the said de
PENDANTS are guilty in manner and form
as therein stated and set forth, and that
said plaintiff has sustained great dam
age thereby as is alleged i'll said deClar-
alton; dHd said defendants further con-
FBx Il
meHt Of said PlUiHIif' 1rnS WRONGFUL,
CAUSE, and the said plaintiff was IN
NOCENT of the UiOldfiOH Of ann tar or
Of doing ANY ACT iHiBlicGL to the q0U-
CrHHReHt Of the UHifCd States, and that
said plaintiff DID NO ACT, USED NO
EXPRESSION, OR EXERCISED NO
INFLUENCE to the EnO7Ulcdgc Of said
dCfeHddHtS that 1UdS not IN support Of the
GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED
STATES, IT'S CONSTITUTION AND
IT'S LAWS.
And inasmUch as said suit was brought
by said plaintiff (MadisOn Y. JOhnson)
for the personal vindicatiOn of his char
acter and conduct, he releases the said
damages, except as to the sum of one
thousand dollars as the costs and eXpen-
ses incurred by the said plaintiff on ac-
count Of said wrongful Imprisonment
1t is thereUpOn considered by the
Court that the said plaintiff have and
recover Of the defendants, Jones, Hawk
inT, and Hopkins, the said sum of one
thousand dollars and costs of suit, and
that execution be issued therefor.
Filed and entered on record May a,
1869.
We call especial attention to this I'M
pOTtant fact; Mr.. Johnson, the plaintiff,
has not sued for money. He has simply
wished a VindiCatiOn of his character, or
a vindicatiOn of Democracy, all the time
stating that money was not what he was
after, but that he should follow these
men with all the energy at his command,
till every drop of blood, every breath Of
his body, and every dollar of his proper
ty were exhausted, until he had brought
these men to acknowledge themselves
in the wrong. The admission they have
at last made. 1t is not the finding of a
jury-it is not the charge of a cOUrt-it
is the admission of men who have been
driven from every governmental prOtec-
ton behind which they have intrench- |
ed themselves, to a fair fight and an Op- |
en- field, where one man armed for the !
right has conquered all before him, and |
who stands to-day before the American |
people one of the most deserving patri- |
OTIS and defenders of liberty America has |
ever produced. This man is NJ. Y. !
Johnson, of Galena, who has, by the |
force Ofan iron will, backed by the right, |
his dCtamers, i'm open court,
to write the admission as above. The
defendants found themselves caught;
they had acted without authority; they
had, for political purpose, charged an
honest and innocent man with treason;
they had made an example of him dur
ing the reign of terror to terrify others
Df less nerve, and without good effect.
7hey NOR admit there JCdS no truth IN the /
tHurgCS; that he did no act detrimental
10 the interests of the country; that in
Ill respects he had been right, and they
lad been wrong!
For Years we have defended Mr.. John
;Ou-wc have defended every man who. l
ike him, had the pluck To speak out
honestly and earnestly ataIl times for the
light. We have denounced these very
men who now admit themselves dishOn-
,red and infamous, and boldly charged
hem with being exactly what thuir own 4
words now prove them To he. For this
lenupCiatiOn we have been branded as o.
/ traitor, have been abused and villiiied, |
Is has every earnest Democrat i'm the
and, and therefore tits with especial sat
slaction that we make this, the first {
of q matter which will rive I
Democrats everywhere moro heart, more
IT determination tO press the fight of
light against wrong, Justice against