The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-08-17


clarntion OF Independence felt constrained ID
justify their action to tho world.
A remarkable fsnturo Of Twenty Years Of
Congress is the series OF pen pictures OF emil
nent public mon. Mr.. Blaine proves himself
an adept IN terse. incisive characterization. In
page. . paragraph. q sentence-the space al
lotted being proportiored to the importance OF
the person descrlbed.-he sums UP tho quail
ties. the opinions. the services Of every promi-
nent actor on tho political stngs. Wo might
MI columns "! th these miniature biographies.
But we must content ourselves with saying In
general way that the impartiality with which
the portraits arc drawn Ia. for tho most part.
A. striking A. the discernment. II he some-
times falls short Of what seems to US exact
justice. II IA when the fervor OF his sympathy
with tho effort to restore tho integrity OF the
Union dlsposes him to arraign tho strenuous
opponents Of tho ltcpubloan marty for treason
to their country. Wo cannot but regret.
though. when wc recall his Fcderaist prlnci-
pies and his political associations. we can hard
ly feel surprise. to sec him chronicle with I'M
disguised approval tho arrest OF Mr.. Vallan-
dighsm by Gen. burnside for exercising the
sacred right Of free speech. and advocating In
tho spring Of 1863 tho precise methods Of con-
ciliating tho South and dealing with slavery
which. as Mr.. Blaine Inns shown. had boon for.
mally sanctioned only two years before by n
Congress In which tho Republicans possessed
majority Of both Houses. We believe that
the sober judgment OF history will regard this
arrest as an utterly unwarranted act OF Execu-
tive oppression AMI partisan persecution. and
will describe 1t In the words Of uov. Seymour.
which Mr. Blaine. though lie refuses to ac-
ouiesce In them. vet has the candor to quote.
as an act which has brought dishonor upon
our country. and IL full OF danger to our per-
sons and our homes. II this proceeding is APP
proved by the Government and sanctioned by
tho people II 10 not merely step toward revo-
luton; II IL revolution. 1t will not only lead to
military despotism. it establishes military des-
potism. lit Is upheld our liberties arc over
thrown" This impressive warning. although
bitterly denounced. was not UNDECIDED. 1t
compelled the Administration to stop short in
the perilous path upon which 1t had entered.
the assertion of d right to treat the denuncla-
tion OF its policy by n political opponent as an
offence against military law. punishable by
court martial.
1t Ia not to be expected. either. that they who
look upon the munimsnts OF personal liberty as
the most vital and precious parts Of the Con-
stitution should share the eQuanimity, not to
say satisfaction. with which Mr.. Blaine and. for
that matter. tho whole Republican party. sur
vey certain other grave entertainments OF the
Executive during Mr. Lincoln's administration.
One OF the most alarming precedents in our
national history IL tho contempt with which in
tho first year of the war tho solemn Injunction
Of the United States Supreme Court was treated
by the Chief Magistrate. Tho incident is thus
CURLY recountsd by Mr.. Blaine without n
word OF censure or extenuation: When Presi-
dent Lincoln in 1861 authorized tho denial OF
tho writ Of habeas corpus to persons arrested on
q charge OF treason. Chief Justice Taney do
livered An opinion in the case OF John Merry
man. denying the Presidents power to suspend
the writ. and declaring that Congress only was
to do 1t. The Executive Department
paid no attention to the decision. and Congress.
At the ensuing session. added its sanction to
the suspension" The time may como when
the example thus set may plague its inventors
and approvers. for it is hard to see what offence
= President can commit more richly worthy OF
impeachment.
With like appearance OF indifference.
though without any explicit appreciation. Mr..
Blaine refers to q formidable extension by
Congress OF the powers OF the Executive. which
involved unparalleled laxity and license in
tho plain purport OF the Constitu-
ton. We alude to tho bill passed In the last
session OF tho Thirty-seventh Congress.
the President was authorized to sus-
pend the privilege OF the writ of habeds corpus,
in his judgment the public safety
might require 1t. In any case throughout the
United States. or any part thereof. Hero. how
ever 1t should be noted In justice to Mr.
Blaine. that even in these passages. to which
exception may be taken. he Is not unmindtul
Of the fact that he Is writing history and not
\ campaign document. Accordingly tho bano
and antidote are both brought forward in his
pages. Thus after defining tho nature and
purpose OF the act Just mentioned. he proceeds
to record the solemn protest entered on the
Journal OF tho House by Democratic members.
Among the grounds OF this protest the most
decisive and most memorable was the aver
mont that by the Constitution the power to
suspend the writ is limited to tho place
threatened by the dangers OF invasion or in
surrection;' that it never. in other words con-
reducing the citizens OF tho whole
country. no matter how remote from the seat
Of war. to tho helpless condition OF the subjects
OF the Russian autocrat
II we except the avowed or implied condona-
ton OF certain usurpations which Mr.. Blaine.
as zoalous Republican. considers justified by
The imperative necessities Of war. we find very
little In his book at whichths unbiased reader
recognize the singularly considerate and gem
erous spirit In which the author refors to per-
sons who are popularity classed among his per-
sonal enemies. The uustinted credit. for ex-
ample. which no gives to the abilities and
services OF Mr.. Conkling ofTors an honorable
contrast to the waspish and spitcful attempts
OF some protested Republicans to beitt!e and
defame the former Senator from New York
like magnanimous AMI impartial temper is
evineed In the illusions to those military COM
manders who. for one reason or another wore
viewed with disfavor or dis,rust by Mr.. Lin.
coins Administration. and who have hitherto
received but scant justice from historians OF
the civil war;
We have been particularly struck by Mr..
Blanes comments on the grievous wrong Of
ui iah c. rL--i-- A. s-t'.''O Iiuug tho Vie
TIN. \ more earnest and conclusive vindica-
''oh OF that officer and n more severe indlct-
lneht OF MS prosecutors have never appeared
IN print. II will be remembered that after tho
reverse at Balls Bluff for which Gen. Stone
was In no respect responsible. no was sum