Year: 1862

The recent arrests in Baltimore of Union citi-
zens were made by the order of General Wool
for having petitioned for his removal. This was
their only offense. For daring to exercise the
right Of petition for the redress of grievances, in
offending IOyal citizens were arrested and de-
prved of their liberty. Thus another con
stitutioral right stricken down by Federal Off
Ger. But such the popular indignation that
the President was forced to order the release Of
those thus arbitrarily and unjustly arrested. Pc
tition is the most humble form of seeking redress
for grievances. 1t is the prayer of the inferior
to the superior power asking relief 1t is the only
mode of opening the portals of heaven and reach
ing the ear of the Ruler all He does not
refuse to hear the petition of the humblest and
most insignificant of his creatures and shall
earthly and finite rulers? General Wool was
offended because his removal was asked from the
President. The loyalty of those who thus peti
toned is not questioned. Neither is it claimed
that the petition was without cause or that any
harm to the Government could come from it,
But this right guaranteed by the Constitution
was invaded and citizens we're arbitrarily arrested
and imprisoned. So glaring the injustice
that the President overruled the acts of his officers


But has General Wool in this act committed
any greater infraction upon the rights and liberty
of the citizen than have his superiors. the Presi
dent and the Secretary of War? All over the
country, since the commencement of the war,
arbitrary arrests have been made for politieal
ofenses, even where the jurisdiction and author
ity of the courts were unrestricted To those
persons the right OF trial by jury and the writ of
habeas corpus have been denied. II appears the
President respects the right of petition, but the
other more consequential rights, more essential
for the protection of the citizen from injustice, are
disregarded with impunity by the Chief Magis
trate. The freedom of speech and the freedom
of the press. everywhere regarded essential to
public liberty have been trodden under foot by
high officials in disregard of the Constitution.
Are not these rights equally worthy of respect as
the right of petitionl Their preservation is of
far higher Importance practically to the citizen
than the latter. yet those rights which give life
and vigor to the tree Of liberty are invaded as
though the Constitution which guarantees them
was not law to the ruler.


The onl, hope for the preservation of consti-
tutional liberty and constitutional Government
is an unequvocal and overwhelming condenna-
ton of those outrages upon the rights of the
people. Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania have
uttered their rebuke. Let the States which are
vet TO hold their elections add their remonsTance
to the invasions of popular rights by those whose
highest duty it is to project them. II is not for
the maintenance OF government that the people
pouring out their life's blood aud treasure
liz inter. That is not the object Of the strug
gle. But il is TO preserve the government be-
queathed to US by patriotic ancestry. with the
rights it guarantees-freedom Of speech and the
press, exemption from arbitrary arrest. trial by
jury, the writ Of habeas corpus. and the right OF
petition. Unless these rights are preserved and
secured TO the citizen, the glory OF our Govern.
ment will have departed.