Year: 1863

n English Burlesque Sensibilities-the Valland


ham Case.


The London Times affects to be shocked
Z the political tyranny in America as it has shov
h by the arrest of Mr.. Vallandigham, and is !
boring to agitate the sympathies OF the En-
lish public. The following is a specimen of i


way Of stating the case:


We do not think that in the days Of EN-


lands fercest struggle with the French r
public, the Government of Pitt would hay
Ventured on such an act as trial by court ma


tial of private person, for making a speec


against the war, and Recommending his heal


ers to agitate constitutionallty for the ovel


throw OF the ministry


The points by this are without sense. I


the first place, this is war of rebellion, a


home. In the next place, Mr.. Vallandighan


was agitating to excite armed resistance to tn
/ Government in the war against rebellion.


Has England in her civil wars ever tolerat
ed agitation by speech or press, denying tn,
right of the Government to put down rebel
lion by force, declaring it violation of thc
constitutional rights of Englishmen, and that
unconstitutional acts on the part of the Gov
ernment justified armed resistance on the part
/ of the people? n Englishman will pretend
that his Government has ever done this, or ev-
er would. In case Of a rebellion in Great Brit
ain, such speeches as Vallandigham's would be
high treason, and their history shows how they
would treat it. There would be no thought
of defining the limits of the civil war by coun-
ties or by divisions Of the kingdom. 1t would
be recognized as existing everywhere, and all
who aided il it in any way would be summari.
ly treated by military authority.


AS to the way the English deal with rebels,
we have recent specimen in India, in the uu
relenting slaughter of the defeated in battle,
the cold blooded murder of prisoners, the de-
population almost of great provinces by
slaughter after resistance had ceased, the sack
ing Of great cities, and general rapine of the
provinces by the soldiers. Did the English
discriminate between those who had taken up
arms in this rebellion and those who melted it
by speech in this wholesale butchery? DID
they make any distinction between armed op-
position to the Government and opposition by
the constitutional right of speech, or even be-
tween the innocent and the guilty, when for
this rebellion the military commander pro-
claimed that all the lands in the kingdom of





The case of ValIandigham is unfortunately
presented by the record, but the people of this
country know the actual case, and need not be
driven upon any false issues by the pretense
that the right of freedom of speech is in ques-
tion. Vallaudigham declared Secession a right,
and any attempt to put down the rebellion by
force violation of the Constitution, and Of
the rights of the people. He justified the war
Of rebellion and having declared every mea-
sure Of the Government to put it down, vio-
lation Of the Constitution, and an usurpatiOn
of despotic power, he argued the right of the
people to resist all such violations and usurpa-
tions by force of arms. Then he proclaimed
the constitutional right of the people to bear
arms, and urged his party to exercise this right
and if the military demanded their guns to
give them the contents.


It is true be was using the Democratic par
~ name and organization in all this; and while
dra gging if into rebellion, was carrying on
canvass at the same time to gain peIit1caI con-
troll. But his election harFangues were not
intended to mitigate or affect his rebel
lion harrangues In court he pleads his talk a
bout the ballot box to cover all but it was
not SO talked to the people, nor did he intend
it to have that effect. He meant to stir up
the bolder and reckless elements of the party
to outbreak while providing sly dodge for
his own personal safety. This proviso is care
fully contrved in ali his performances, and it is
a marked contrast to the character of bold
ness which his allies give him.


The meaning of the Vallandigham opera
tions is seen in the organization of armed men
throughout portion of the State, and in their
outbreaks against the officers of the Govern.
ment. The bands that shoot down the pub
lie officers that are making the enrolment, are
carrying out the doctrines of his harrangues
The logic is short. Secession is right; the at
tempt of the Government to put down the re-
bellion a violation of the Constitution; there |
fore every measure to carry on the war is an
of unconstitutional power the
people have the right to resist by force OF
arms all usurpations of unconstitutional pow
er therefore they have the right to shoot an
officer who comes to enroll them for an uncon-
stitutional draft to carry on an unconstitution-
al war; and the constitutional right TO bear
arms was reserved to them for this purpose.


Every feature OF this doctrine of rebellion |
and assassination is taught by Vallandigham in
his harrangues. This going about instigating
and organizing conspiracy and armed rebellion,
be has the effrontery to call the right of free
dom of speech, and TO claim for it the pro
lection OF peace and The Constitution. 1t is |
the same right, and no other, that the leading |
are exercising in a more manly |
way. This treacherous pretense Of the right |
to incite organize and precipitate civil war in
the North to make us helpless before the re-
beion and military despotism of the South,
is the right on which the Vallandigham Con-
vention planted itself, and which it is sattempt-
ed to disguise by the clamor about freedom of
speech.-Cin. Gazette.


SEIZURE OF A Revenue CUTTER.-One Of