Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-07-16

usulpaton of their rights. They
look on the emancipation of theil
late slaves and the disffanchisemen, n,
OF portion OF their own class, al
an act of insult and oppression.
And this is all YOU have to presen,
for proof that war and not peace
prevails 10 Taxas; and hence it be.
COMES my duty-so you suppcse-tc
set aside the local civil tribunals
and enforce the penal code against
citizens by means OF military com
missions.
My dear sir, am not a lawyer
nor has it been my business, as il
may have been yours, to study the
philosophy of statecraft anl poll
tics, but I may claim, after an ex-
perience of more than half life.
time, to some poor knowledge OF
men, and some appreciation of what
is necessary to social order and hap
piness. And for the future of our
common country, l could devoutly
wish that no great number of our
people have yet fallen in with the
views you appear to entertain. Woe
be to us whenever it shall come to
pass that the power OF the magis-
trate-civil or military--is permit
ted to deal with the mere opinions
or feelings of the people.
l have been accustomed to believe
that sentiments of respect or disre.
spect, and feelings of affection, love
or hatred, so long as not developed
into acts in violation of law, were
matters wholly beyond the punitory
power of human tribunals.
1 will maintain that the entire
freedom of thought and speech, how
ever accrimoniously indulged, is
consistent with the noblest aspira-
tions of man and the happiest con-
dition of his race.
When boy, l remember to have
read a speech of Lord Chatham, de-
livered4in Parliament. It was dur
ing our Revolutionary war, and re.
lated to the policy of employing the
savages on the side of Britain. You
may be more familiar with the speech
than I am. If I am not greatly
mistaken, his lordship denounced the
British Government-his govern
ment-in terms of unmeasured bit
terness. He characterized its policy
MS revolving to every sentiment of
humanitrand religion; proclaimed
it covered with disgrace, and vented
his eternal adherence of it and its
measures. 1t may, l think, lie safe
ly asserted, that u majority of the
British nation concurred in the
views Of Lord Chatham. But who
ever supposed that profound peace
was not existing in that kingdom, or
that the government had aAy author
ity to question the absolute right OF
the opposition to express their objec-
tions to the prop,iety of the king s
measures in any words. or to any
extent they pleased? 1t would be
difficult to show that the opponents
of the Government in the days of
the elder Adams, or Jefferson, or
Jackson, exhibited for it either" af-
fection" or respect" You are
coneersant with the history of our
past parties and political struggles
touching legislation on alienage, Sc
dition, the embargo, national banks,
our wars with England and Mexico,
and cannot be ignorant OF the fact,
that for one party to assert that n
law or system of legislation is pncon-
stitutional, oppressive, and usurp N
tive, is not new thing in the United
States. That the people of Texas
consider acts of Congress unconsti-
tutional, oppressive, or insulting to
them, is of no consequence to the
matter in hand. Tho President of
the United States has announced his
opinion that these acts are uncon-
stitutional. The Supreme Court,
as you are aware, not long ago, de-
cided unanimously that certain
military commission was unconstitu-
tional. Our people everywhere, in
every State, without reference to the
side they took during the rebellion,
differ as to the constitutionality OF
these acts of Congress. How the
matter really is, neither you nor ]
may dogmatically affirm.
| II you deem them constitutional
laws, and beneficial to the country.
you not only have the right to pub
lish your opinion, but it may be youl
bounden duty as citizen to do so
Not less is it the privilege and duty
of any and every citizen, wherever
residing, to publish his opinion
. freely and fearlessly on this ano
every question which he thinks con
Germs his interest. This is merely
in accordance with the principles OF
our free government; and neither
you nor I would wish to live under
any other. 1t is time now, at th'
) end of almost three years from tn
5 close of the war, we should bsgin t
l. recollect what manner of people W
: are; to tolerate again free, popu'a