January 14, 1861 (Monday)

Treason....

"Vermont-born Judge David Allen Smalley, presiding over the U. S. District Court charged his Grand Jury to investigate all possible acts of treason under their jurisdiction.  His charge was studied and direct.  While certain states probably had grievances against other states in the crisis, this did not excuse the overt acts of treason against the United States of the past weeks.  Treason, he reminded them, included, 'giving aid and comfort', and provided a clear definition.  This action caused excitement since many New York businesses were trading with the South at the time. (By John Osborne, From his bench in New York City, U.S. District Court Judge David Smalley defines high treason, House Divided--A Civil War Research Engine at Dickinson College)

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"The following paragraph from the Charleston Mercury shows that Disunionists in South Carolina neither halt nor hesitate in carrying their doctrines to their legitimate results:

'Arrest for Treason:  J. N. Merriman.
Collector of the port of Georgetown, S. C. was on Monday last arrested by the people of Georgetown on a charge of treason against the State.  A letter was found written by him and addressed to Mr. Buchanan, stating that he (Merriman) had just cleared vessels in the name of the United States, and that he would continue to do so.  The letter calls upon the President to send a boat and men to collect the Federal revenue, and informs him of the progress made in the construction of the works near Georgetown, and promises to keep him posted from time to time in relation to the same....'

Officers of the Government of the United States have thus been arrested and committed to prison for obeying the laws of that Government.  They are to be tried for treason against South Carolina.  If convicted, they will either be executed or owe their lives to the clemency of the sham Government of that State.  It strikes us that the Administration at Washington cannot well avoid meeting the issue thus raised.  No Government which has any self-respect, or any desire to preserve the respect of the world, can fail to protect its own officers in such a case."  (Disunion Leading the Way, New York Times editorial, January 14, 1861.)