The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1905-06-16

failed to do. Mr.. Beaks declared that
there had not been in 200 years, a
suspension of the habeas corpus. y
Mr.. Howell said: THE gentleman
need refer no farther back than the
passage of the fugitive slave law,
when ruthless hands were laid upon
that sacred right and for the first time
suspended the habeas corpus-not for
the suppression of hostile rebellion,
but 20 enable southern masters TO en-
force that ungodly act. The APP
plause was loud and long. THE
gentleman from Calhoun he said,
complained of the appointment of
provost marshals, and their existence
in every town. If that was the case,
he declared, that Mr.. Pratt would
never have gotten through half his
speech without having been arrested. :"
Judge Pratt rctorted: mot if my re-
ton was received with loud cheers,
which were promptly drowned with
Kisses. The excited state of the house
was evident; but Judge Howell stand
ing erect, turned his piercing eye up
on the grey head and excited counte-
nance of Judge Pratt, and in a mod
crate and defiant tone he said: "The
gentleman talks of using revolvers;"
and facing his antagonist with his
eyes glaring with rage, he tore his
waist open and exclaimed at the top
of his voice, heres his mark, none
but towards shoot" No cheers or
Kisses followed; but it was said that
there was noticeable excitement
among a rowdy element who were
seated among the spectators. After a
short pause, Judge Howell, somewhat
Gained down from his excitement.
continued his speech. administering
scathing rebukes to Judge Pratt. and
especially TO his insinuation that the
time was near at hand for the upris-
ing and execution of the FIRE in the
rear threat a short time after that
occurrence, a prominent member of
the opposition coutidentially advised
the writer not TO be in haste about re-
porting a bill pending before his COM
mittee, For" said he, mark what
be closed, and the administration will
be out of power" Subsequent rumors,
strengthened by occurring events,
seemed to strengthen the fact that
time for the uprising of the secret con-
spiracy known as knights of the
Golden Circle had been fixed, and
that its headquarters were in Canada.
The seizure of secreted arms, and
mysterious arrests, indicated that the
government, through its secret SER
vice, had obtained full knowledge of
the conspiracy and intention of the
conspirators. 1t was generally be-
lieved that these circumstances, to-
gether with the fact that troops were
quartered in the states preparing to
replenish the armies in the field, and
that it being made known to the con-
spirators that not only the govern
ment, but the Union League, great
~ outnumbering their organization,
were prepared TO act at a moment ;
warning in quelling any disturbance
of the public peace which might take
place. prevented the uprising. The
successes of the union armies and the
triumphant reelection OF Abraham
Lincoln in November, 1904, eliminated
the most radical of the disloyal ele-
ment from the legislature; and the
session Of 1865 was very harmonious,
and its acts, in the main, were char
acterized by wisdom and prudence.
Now, it may be asked, what has
all of this TO do with the legislative
work of 1861. '63 and '65. NJ answer
is. almost everything of historic inter
est at the present time. The ordinary
work of legislation, framing, amend
ing and repeating laws for the public
welfare, important as it may be, has
very little of interest for the historian.
But in time of war, with the brave
union army in the field fighting to
put down the most unnatural and
cruel rebellion that ever cursed any
hation, and the national administra-
ton calling for aid and encourage
ment, which could only be obtained
through the acts of state legislatures,
with a bold and determined foe of the
administration, encouraged by an
oath-bouud secret organization, Eight
ing every measure to replenish the