The sun., 1899-05-08
VALLlxDrenAm,s sUocrssoRa
Now Abraham Lincoln Dealt with sedition
Thirty-six Years Ago.
From ns Chicago later Ocean.

/
| From ne Chicago later Ocean.
There Is to-day much loose talk about free
dom OF speech and freedom OF the press. 1t
comes uniformly from men Of unbridled
| tongues and evil influences 1t is the plea OF
| the Anarchist. the outlaw. and the traitor. and
| the excuse and shelter OF thousands who in
| dulge in incendiary speech and In the same
breath protest against being regarded as out
laws or traitors. As with one voice. all men OF
| these classes are arguing Just now that free
| speech means lawless speech yet they know
| full well that there is no such thing as free
speech except within the limits OF constitu-
| tional and statute laws: that there is no free
| dom OF the press except within the limits OF
| the law OF libe!. No man. no newspaper. 10 at
| liberty to destroy character or undermine the
Government in violation Of the laws protecting
all citizens. or OF the constitutional provisions
and statutes defining treason.
Thirty-six years ago yesterday Clement L.
VallandiRham. prominent politician OF Ohio
was arrested upon the charge Of publicly ex-
pressing sympathy for those In arms against
the Government Of the United States. and de-
claring disloyal sentiments and opinions with
the object and purpose OF weakening the
powers Of the Government in it's efforts to
| suppress an unlawful rebellion He was
found guilty and sentenced to close confine-
ment in fortress during the continuance OF
the war. President Lincoln modified the SEN
tence by directing that Mr.. Vallandigham be
sent South into the enemy's limos. with an
order that In case OF his return he should
servo out the sentence.
A few residents OF Ohio sent formal remon-
STRANGE to President Lincoln. In reply. the
President said: "Mr. yallandigham's views
are hostile to the war on the part of the Union.
and his arrest was made because he was labor
ing with Soma nffect n fha raiain0 NJ
troops, to encourage desertions from the army.
and to leave the rebellion without any adequate
military force to suppress it,"
No man disputes to-day the 6agrancy OF VAL
landigham 8 treason or the justice OF his pun
ishment. Let the reader then apply the charge
against him and Mr.. Lincolns explanation OF
1t to the men who addressed the Central Music
Hall meeting last Sunday. and draw the newt
able inference OF their guilt. Vallandigham
did not 60 so far as Edward Atkinson and
others OF the eAnti-Imperialistic League Of Bos-
ton and their imitators In Chicago. He even
denied that it was his purpose to prevent the
raising OF troops or to encourage desertion
from the army. but Mr.. Atkinson and his fol-
lowers. in whose interest the Central Music
Hall meeting was held. openly declare their
purpose to prevent the suppression OF the re-
bellion in the Philippines. They avow and
boast OF sentiments and opinions declared
with the object and purpose Of weakening the
powers Of the Government in its efforts TO sup
press an unlawful rebellion" They 20 further
than Vallandigham and the copperheads Of
1883. and threaten to appeal to the people,
MIR. Vallandigham after his banishment be-
yond the Union lines ran the blockade made
his way to Canada. and from that point appealed
to the people OF Ohio to elect him Governor
He invited the people OF the State to sit in
judgment on the case between him and Presi-
dent Lincoln. There happened then what is
happening now. Loyal Democrats left Aeir
party to Join with Republicans to rebuke this
copperhead and traitor. There were only two
parties. those who sustained the Government
and those who did not. and Mr.. yallandgham
was defeated at the polls by a majority OF
100000.
The answer was conclusive. Mr.. vallandie-
ham retired from politics. and was ever after
that regarded with suspicion by his own party
and detestation by the great majority OF the
American people. II It were possible for Mr..
Edward Atkinson and his abettors and allies in
Chicago to appeal to the people to-day for a
vote OF confidence. there would be measured
out to them more stinRing rebuke than was
given to the most distinguished copperhead Of
1853. for they are more openly. more boast
fully and moro shamelessly guilty than was
their prototype to whom punishment was
meted ont inst thirty vaers