Can he delegate these godlike qualities to every provost marshal and deputy provost in the land? And if to all these questions we should yield assent, still it is forbidden to arrest a citizen without warrant of law.' And my reading instructs me that it belongs nowhere in all the powers and persons of this Government to do what is forbidden; and that whatever is done which is forbidden, is wrong, and demands your cogniAnd now I dismiss you to your chamber." zance. The utterance of such instructions to the grand juries caused high resentment amongst "loyal" men. Judge Carmichael was denounced in several of the Republican newspapers, and efforts were renewed to bring down upon him the arm of Federal visitation; but the effect of the former outrage was satisfactory. It had disarmed the State jurisdiction of all power to hold a Federal officer or agent amenable to the offended law. The grand juries bowed to the necessity, and forbore presentments in the cases to which their cognizance was invoked. In this condition of things, when he found his position to be one in which he could render no service in the administration of the law, except by the sufferance of a power which transgressed at pleasure, and sustained its wrongs by the authority of brute force, Judge Carmichael resigned his place on the bench, and retired to the ouiet pursuits of his farm. Into this retreat, multiplied testimonials of public favor have followed him. If he suffered wrongs in the service of the State, which the State was powerless to punish, no man was ever more proudly vindicated by his fellow-citizens in the proofs they have tendered him of trust and confidence. LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. "FORT LAFAYETTE, 21st July, 1862. "To His Excellency the PRESIDENT: "Sir: Will you allow the complaint of a citizen who is with. out redress, except in the exercise of Executive authority? For two months past, I have been imprisoned; yet, to this hour, from no person under the Executive authority has an imputation of offence been made to me. "This imprisonment has been in military Forts of the United States, which imposes the conclusion it is under Federal authority I was seized and held. "It has come to my knowledge that representations, by persons friendly to your Administration, who have been conversant with all my life- now far advanced - have been volunteered in my behalf; the purpose of which was to obtain my release. Without knowing what these representations are, I am content to refer to them for vindication. "Since my transfer to this place, my attention has been called to a slip from one of the Baltimore journals-'The Sun'-to the effect that my arrest and imprisonment were for 'treason, committed in the discharge of official duty.' To this, I cannot make issue, as no authority was given for the suggestion. But, by way of answer to all such imputations I forward, herewith, to your Excellency, a copy of a charge delivered to the Grand Jury of Talbot County. In this is contained all my official action in relation to the Federal Government. "Your Excellency will perceive that the whole extent of my offending is the claim for the maintenance of the Constitution of the United States as the supreme law. ... "If in this there be any treason, then, indeed, I cannot claim to be released; but if the law be as declared in that paper, then is it too much to ask, in the name of the law, that I be discharged from these bonds? "With all respect, I am your Excellency's most obedient servant, (Signed) RICHD. BT. CARMICHAEL." SECOND LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT. "To His Excellency the PRESIDENT, Washington, D. C.: "More than six months ago, I was seized and imprisoned by persons who were or pretended to be agents of the Federal Government. Until the 3d instant, I was detained in Forts under command of Federal military officers. On the evening of that day, Lieutenant-Colonel D. D. Perkins, commanding at Fort Delaware, where I was then confined, handed me a telograin, of which the following is a copy. "Dated WAR DEPARTMENT, December 2, 1862. To the Commandart, Fort Delaware: "The Secretary of War directs that you discharge Judge Carmichael from custody. Report receipt of this. (Signed) E. D. TOWNSEND, Ass't Adj. Gen.' "On the morning of the 4th instant, on a pass to proceed thence with my baggage, I took my way home, having no reason for my release signified by the commandant at Fort Delaware, further than the exigency of the foregoing order contained in the copy of the Secretary's telegram. "My seizure on the 27th of May last, and my continued imprisonment, were made without cause, imputed by the agents partaking therein. . . . . "My discharge, in the manner above stated, in connection with these facts, indicates that the authorities with tardy progress have reached this point in my case, viz., that the accusation against me, and the accuser (if there be any,) have been discov ered false. "In similar cases, no report of proceedings has appeared, by which the Government has undertaken to vindicate its own honor or the rights of the citizen. In mine, therefore, I can expect none. Every case has its own griefs. Your time shall not be occupied by a recital of mine. Such as belonged to my civil, political, and official relations were addressed to you long time ago by a venerated Senator from my State, the Hon. James A. Pearce, with no apparent effect but to enhance the vigor of existing outrage. "Those which concern the more delicate—which have visited so many fair homes in Maryland with dismay and sorrowingshall not be traced into mine, to move compliance with my reasonable request. As an American citizen-in the name of the Constitution-I ask to be informed on the following points: "1st. Is there any 'information' lodged against me before the Federal authorities, and if yea, what? "2d. The name or names of the persons giving the same, and the specifications: "3d. By whose order, in fact, (not by intendment,) were the seizure and detention of my person? "My object in addressing your Excellency, is to obtain the information by which I may apply such measure of redress in my own case as may be meet in respect of the wrongs done me and the actual guilt of the wrong-doers. "I am your Excellency's most obedient servant, (Signed) RICHARD BT. CARMICHARI. "Belle-Vue, 10th December, 1862." JAMES JAMES M. WILLIAMS. AMES M. WILLIAMS resides at Spring Garden, Jeffer son County, Illinois. On the 1st of September, 1862, he was arrested in his house, by a squad of thirteen armed men, commanded by a Captain Davis, who gave as authority for the arrest, "orders" from Deputy Marshal Major Board, but did not show them. While remonstrating against the illegality of his arrest, he permitted himself to be quietly taken, counselling his friends, who were congregating, (many of them quite clamorous in their declarations to rescue him from the hands of the officer,) to keep quiet, and not disturb the public peace; deeming it better that one should suffer "even unto death," than that the community should be thrown into a tumult, and the blood of many should be shed. An hour was granted him, by the Captain, in which to adjust his affairs, and comfort his family. He was then taken to Tamaroa, twenty miles distant, by rail, handcuffed for forty-eight hours, and placed, with other prisoners from Southern Illinois, on a special car in waiting, and guarded by a detachment of soldiers with fixed bayonets. Orders were given to shoot him, if he attempted to elude the vigi lance of his custodians. Thus guarded, he was transported to Washington, D. C., and incarcerated, with fifteen others, in room No. 16, in the Old Capitol Prison. Here his fare "was such as captive's tears Since man first pent his fellow-men |