Year: 1861

or aud set him at liberty, stand oti-unlesS
your tongue is considerably longer than my
bayoli ct you don't get this man.


Wha, about the liberty of the press 1t
is like good many other liberties we en-
joy, but has M right to commit treason
One has no more right to commit treason
and destroy the government by press than
he has by any other mode. The rights and
liberty of the press is one OF our greatest
and most sacred blessings, 10 be guarded
with watclful vigilance. But what does
that mean In time of peace, TO discuss
all measures of government freely and fear
lessly. But the one who has a press has
no more right to overthrow a government
by reasonable means in war. tlan one has
by writing treason without press. There
is no charm about printed treason which
gives it impuniiy. 1t will do well enough
to hang ug parrot in cage, 10 say, "Lib-
e,ty OF the press !" Liberty Of the press J"
and we have parrot crying it now who
needs caging, and some others who ought to
be Gagged. Suppose was to write to Mr..
A. or b, and say--these rebels are. after all,
right hope they will succeed am glad
they are fighting our armies; and | hope
they will be successful; hope the admin
istration will be overthrown, and devise
means and plans to aid rebellion. That
would be treason 10 private letter. !
would be liable to be imprisoned, because it
would be affording aid and comfort. And
if in private letter, how much more in an
internal secession press, which sows its drag
on teeth broadcast to poison the mind of the
country and urge ON the rebellion. How
much more should they be arrested? lap
prove Of every strong act Of the president.
/ would approve of more if he would do
them. Individual right is great and a
great blessing and we have right to come
and and 60 where we please, and enjoy our
liberty as we please; but instead of going
about our lawful business, our social and do
nestle enjoyments, we go strolling from
house TO house, from camp TO camp, as spies
for the enemy, we are liable to be imprison-
ed and deserve to be. The right TO enjoy
fire as an element of domestic comfort, to
discharge the thousand offices, is sacred
right too, and an administration that would
interfere with that right would be tyranni-
cal indeed. But suppose one takes his
torch in the dark hour of midnight and plies
it TO every dwelling he can ignite, how long
will he be allowed to enjoy that sacred right
of fire? He will be arraigned and i'm
prisoned and deprived Of his liberty, which
a lawful citizen might enjoy. And when
you come to examine, you will find that the
president has done no more than his duty
in laying his hand upon these papers indi-
vdually. The Day Book is one of them.
1t has had its day, like every dog and gone
TO its account. The Journal Of Commerce,
which undertook to skim along under cover
with disguised treason, has been obliged by
public opinion to change editors and tack
ship, and the reasonable Daily Ne,cs exists
yet as daily nuisance, but its day is not
far off.


The war power is a dangerous power,
bit it exists from necessity, and its exercise
shows the terrible dangers of war, and that
it cannot be abolished with safety to the ma
tional existence. These questions are COM
ing 10 be understood. Let US see what this
says about this matter, for their
views are important, as have shown -


Resolred That while admit the necessity summary
processes and martial law among nsurgen populations





operations protest against the doctrine that any power
except the presenttve of the people suspend the writ
habeas corpus for civil oenses How If these oenes
committed when Congress is In session We protest
against assumption Of the Executive to establish
eminent to organize Of Police against the
sumption Federal Executive repress the discussions
except by decisions of the civil tribunals and that


nay protest against the doctrine of President Lncoln
message that the States derive their authority from he Fed
eral Government Lincoln has never claimed
thing XII I'd subversive to the fundamental doc
trine of American liberty.


Now l propose to compromise (laughter)


that president Lincoln has the right to
suspend the writ of habeas corpus as long as
it takes to read that foggy resolution and
understand 1t. (Great laughter.) As the
school-boy said, "It is pretty considerably
difficult TO under.tand IDEAS which one is
not possessed of. Notwithstanding, perad-
venture, undoubtedly NAV be so, guess it
is" Most certainly (Laughter.) Now


I have read president Lincoln's messages
carefully-and he does not say, so far as
have seen, that the states derive their pow
ers from the federal government. If he
does. he is in error. That resolution is re-
markable, at any rate, for its fogginess and
obfuscation. 1t is as clear as mud There
can be no doubt that the rights of the exec
utive, and of the people, will be understood
hereafter--no matter whether they were be-
fore. Ii is very well that the resolution
came into the convention as it did. The
members were dry and parched for the lack
of some stream of living doctrine, when
this modern Moses smoie the rock, and out
gushed this refreshing. constitutional we'll
spring to gladden. as did the waters of old
the wandering tribes of Israel. But all this
death-bed repentance is too late.


You will remember few years since,
when Louis Philippe, with his stealthy
usurpations, finally ranged his guns so that
they would bear on the city of Paris, and
relied upon his military arm to sustain him
self and his family as the house of Orleans
through all time-of sudden commenced
one of those revolutionary surges and ground
swelIs of the French people. 1t swayed
here and it swayed there; and at last it
appeared that the people we're going to
rise against their Government by revolution
in earnest. He first flew to his army of
defence, and his guns and guards. They
failed him. He then began TO make con-
cessions and apologies to the French peo-
pie. but they cry ouf.-'' Too latel Too
laier' and he was ignominiously driven
from his kingdom. These men now come
with these break down resolutions; they
are half aud halt. They are mermaid pro-
portions, half woman aud half fish, cheers
and laughter and all scales. Laughter.


But the voice of the people of New York
is like that of the rench,-" Too late