Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1872-02-14
CLEARFIELD, PA. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY H. 1872.

'''' 49, 'N"J Nv 'h"btSA NHhb "
crime may bo, must 30 tried by il
dictment and by jury, the Same q
though he were arrested by the she
if Or constable, or any other civ
officer having power and authority t
make snch arrest. Martial law wa
mover held TO 90 beyond this.
In tho well known Shay robollio
IN Massachusetts,, the Legislature G
the State suspended the writ Of ha
he0s corpus, and tho military forces Q
the State were ordered out against th
insurgents. They were arrested wit
arms in their hands, which thoy hat
falolly used against tho government
and in obedience to the law they wer
held by the military power only unit
they could be delivered into the iuris
diclon of the civil courts, to be prop
crly and fairly tried for treason
but they were not tried by a cour
martial. So too, in the famous rebel
lioA in this State, tho insurgents agains
the law Of tho United States were
captured by the military power. But
they were not tried by court martial
Ths authorities knew better. They
hat no law for such trials, nor does
an! such law exist now in this coun,
Try. Martial law may arrest forth
wth, but it must hand the accused
over into the hands of the civil courts
tobe tried. Aaron Burr was arrested
b. military power, but the military
DID not dare to try him. Had they
attempted it, and convicted him and
ciecuted him for treason, as courts
martial are organized to do now,
e'ery man of the court martial order.
ilg such execution could have been
tiod for murder and hanged.
The law books, either ancient or
MODERN, contain no such definition of
tie powers and objects Of martial law
al are claimed by our rulers. 1t is
SIMPLY a substitute for the time being
d the civil law, to restrain tho Of
finder, but not to try and punish
lin. II has no jurisdiction for pun.
ibment over any man who docs not
lelong TO the military or naval ser.
ice, and not even over these, except
Or offences purely military, commit.
ed within the lines of the army and
there civil courts are not in existence.
Does any sane man believe to-day, If
80 e"s read history OF any kind for
one houri tu"v ..'.y 49, ''''.-- -..'
he world would have committed tho
llrocious sin of such a moekery OF
ustco as that which tried, condemn.
ID and hung Mrs Surratt in the capi.
.al of tho United States, under the
shadow OF the United States Supreme
md District Courts, and in the pres.
,ncc Of the great men of the country!
Can any pne Of the thousand hyenas
who thirhcd and howled for that old
woman's blood point us toa single in.
stance in the history Of any govern
ment in earth, whether christian or
heathen, whose law and precedent
was all cast aside for the mere pur-
pose OF hanging helpless old lady,
whose crime, even il proved, as il
never was, could not rise o the grade
)f attempting to murdcrg The same
spirit Of hate which acluatcd the mer
1t Washington then, ranklos in their
hearts now; the same devil that de-
nandcd the life Of Mrs. Surratt Is
rowling for the lives OF the Southern
people to day. Every subterfnge,
every gr.ice, every mean insult, that
can possibly be framed into the sem
Dlance of law by Congress, is re-
sorted to to goad the Southern pco.
plc TO acts of violence, in order that
Grant may have an excuse TO declare
martial law and place that unfortn.
nate section under the dominance Of
bis brutal military.
1t would seem, from the debates in
Congress, that justice and humanity
arc entirely lost sight Of In Wash
ngton "rapino roigns-luxury is set
1t liberty"-scoundrels "are in autho.
riiy, the virtuous are oppressed, limo.
lence is destroyed, virgins and ma.
IRONS are violated, all manner Of
,rimes are committed with impunity.
Murders, parricides, rapcs, inccsts,
'acrilegc, are looked upon as common
occurrences. All law, both human
md divine, are trampled on and our
'ulcr seems to be governed by no 9TH
n law than his voracicus and un-
will"
If the brigands of the administra.
ion would study the heathcn charao.
er--wc know thero is no propriety in
'alling their attention to christian
'xamples--it might mantle their rude
.heoks with shame, for the blood
hirsty part they are playing towards
bo people of tho Southern States.
phocian, the greatest of the Athen.
an generals, oxerted all his power to
prevent his people from making war
,goinst the Macedonians, and when
hey demanded to know when he
would make war, answered "When
he young men shall become grave
md deliberate, when the rich shall
contribute to relieve tho
necessities of the poor, and whcn the
,rators shall refrain from speaking in