| Show Tk THE dispatch iro from in robert toombs the irrepressible southern rebel 11 to the chicago editor who tele graphed to prominent southern men for congratulations to general grant on his return to america AmeriC Bj is character characteristic latto of the man expresses the feelings of more people in the south than is generally supposed and will by some people be denounced aa as treasonable 1 here hero is the message atlanta Geo georgia igla M H S E stone editor your telegram is received I 1 decline to answer except to td say present my personal congratulations to gen grant on his safe arrival to his country ho he fought for his country honorably and won 1 fought for mine and lost I 1 am ready to try it over nver azain again death to the union it toombs 1 the bie vie sentiment contained in the closing sentence will be considered especially by Norther northerners hers hens as simply atrocious but there la Is no treason in it citizens of this republic may entertain what opinions they please and they are at perfect liberty under ghe the law to express them no matter how much they may be opposed to the general view if they can get got any one to bear or print their utterances treason Ift eason eabon against the united states is defined in the constitution it is declared to consist only in levying war against them or in adhering to melr their enemies giving them aid and comfort that something more than ex expressing v a feeling or opinion on Is necea necessary sary saty to constitute co the of flence Is plain from the further provision that no person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony ol 01 two witnesses to the same overt act or on confession in open court an loert overt act must be committed or no crime la Is perpetrated when hasty basty people therefore cry out treason on the utterance of sentiments denunciatory f the G government ov ern ment its principles or its officers they only manifest their ignorance occasionally a public speaker in this territory expresses opinions as to the course of federal officers the ruling Fj of courts or the passage of laws which he be considers inimical to fhe the he good of the publio public or the community with which he is associated the cry of el t treason is at once raised by rash und and rabid people and to hear them talk one oue would imagine that the free dom of speech guaranteed in this land jand of liberty meant only freedom to speak in favor of popular ideas and practices practises congress has hag passed a law against a tenet of the mormon faith and the supreme court coart of the country has supported the law by a judicial decision but this does not net put a gag on the mouth of any one who does not agree with the statute nor endorse the ruling A man has lust as much light right A in aba aa of that which the Congre congress 59 and aud a d the counts courts have condemned i as t to coincide taime bodle and aud A ud he be has an equal right to aspea aga inist as in favor of their proceedings ae the decision alluded to specifies that people may entertain what opinions they choose on the su subject act so long as their belief does nat break out into over aels acts against peace and good arden order 3 we may think therefore as our mind minds may move and we may express our thoughts it if ever BO so much opposed 1 1 to popular opinion or the views and doings of the powers that bo be and until we perform bome some so me act of positive hostility against the states no one but a lunatic or an ignoramus will 3 ell out the too ready cry of treason treason I 1 |
