Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-12-22
THE ENQUIRER
RICHMOND, VA.
Saturday Morning, December 10, 1916



Saturday Morning, December 10, 1916.
THE PRESIDENTS ILLUSTRATIONS"
We extract the following passage from an
article in the Union in regard to the call
upon the President for information. We omit
the Two pruclamations Of General William
Fl. Harrison and Brigadier General Geo. Nc
! Cure in what The Federalisls Of that day called
"Mr. Madison's war"-but they are very analo-
gous 10 the Joint proclamation oil Gen. Harrison
and Com. Perry, published b. US on Thursday;
"But. says the lntellieencer, the charge is, not
tha,lhe President has authorized military occu-
patton OF foreign territory, but that ne has es-
! iabished within such territory civil governments
! The sole proof brought 10 sustain this charge IS
in The proclamaiions of Gen. Kearney and Com
modore Stockton. On the face of these docu-
men,s, we deny that they prove anything but
temporary and provisional organization 10 pre-
serve order in the conquered territory during our
military occupation Of It. Be this as II may,
however, the call of the House OF Representatives
upon the President, as made this day. will proba-
bly, bring oli in due season, such of the Pres-
dents instructions u those officers as touch this
question: and as the interests OF the public SER
vice will permit 10 be published. We entertain
| no doubt whatever that these Instructions will
| show thai none other IMAM provisional and lem
porary government Of The conquered territory,
during our military occupation OF il, has been au-
horizsd by The President. Meantime, since the
President is authorized by law 10 employ all the
usual and customary means acknowledged in war
10 carry j, into effect lei US see what forms Of
proclamation in respect 10 The government Of con-
quered territory have heretofore been usual and
customary with our military officers Here are
Two such proc!ama,inus issued under Mr.. Madi-
sons Administration"
While on this subject we have but one word 10
say TO the Times Of yesterday. That paper re.
fers 10 the joint proclamation Of Gen. VIM. II.
Harrison and Com. Perry as "precedent badly
cited" by US, and as the most opposite illustration
of the position taken against the President by
the Wings. Our readers, OF course, will Judge
for themselves but the Times will scarcely de-
ny that there is striking analogy between GER
tain portions OF this proclamation and those OF
Gen. kearney and Com. Stockton, which have
caused such commo;iun in The Wing ranks
The Wings denounced kearney and Stockton
because they required the magistrates and civil
officers of New Mexico aud California 10 lake
is an extract from Gen. Harii>on'> and Commo-
dore Perfy's Proclamation, exercising The same
power:
AL magistrates and other civil officers are TO
resume the exercise ol their functions, yrcri0uS-
IN taking an oah IL be taiihfuL In lie Gorernmcnt
Of he United STATE, as long as they shall be in
possession OF The country"
The Wings again assail, as monslrous
"usurpalion,' The fact, that these military COM
mandsrs (Kearney and Slock;on) had lhemselve,
appointed The officers 10 administer the Govern
ment. Here again. we find precedent in the
following passage Of General Harrisons and
Commodore Perry's Proclamation:
"rhe authority of all militia commissions is
suspended in said districts; and the officers re-.
CURED 10 give their parole in such way rs fhc
oDicers 1rho man bcnppo,nied ny THE COMMA NDIAG
GENERAL 10 admtatacr the Gore,nment shall d.
red"
In these :wo important particulars, then, there
is rsmaraai't analogy Ieiwern III rfoc!ama-
lion> al he pr sem day and nose .. 'Mr. Mad-
sons war" a. the Feicralisl' Of lhat day sneer-
inglv styled The last wal with Great Briiaiu.
But, says he Times, he Proclamation cfIlar.i-
son and Perry "con.innei in force the laws and
cuson>" 81 the couruy captured, Upper Cana
in, y n,,i .,...-s..~ :~..~L.--i
covcin.nrn, iu'u lh- Mexican rrcvinccs which
hey ha...;ahcn. Nav i,n,i 4, hal The similarity
/ OF The laws aLu customs OF III. Canadians and
their neishbors OF The United States, have
obviaicd the necessity of changing ire form OF
government, as was The case with The Mexican
! PM &c nF
ment We have never justified all the regula-
lions established by Kearney and Stock on-bul
re approve Of the spiru Of their conduct in aim
| ing 10 give 10 the inhabitants Of The Mexican pro-
vinces more lenient government than The IL
gorous rule Of martial law, which they had The
right, under the laws Of war, 10 enforce. II is
not only consonant with the spirit Of humanity
and civilization, but is calculated TO attain
the great object OF securing the captured coun-
Try, by conciaIing lis inhabitants. Nothing
can shake our con victon of the justice, le-
galiry and wise policy Of The provisional and
temporary governments thrown over The con-
quered territory during our military occupation,
and also authorized by the President, which The
famous proclamalons substantially and in spirit
provided for, whatever tie language employed by
our Commanders; who, though brave and intel
ligent officers, are not expected to be learned CT.
villains or dex'crous diplomaliss.
But we only took up our pen 10 show that
there was an analogy between the proclamations
OF Harrison and Perry, and those of Kearney
and Stockton. Have we not succeeded in two
important essenlasl
The Last Union says:
"lt there BE- anything Objectionable in the Ian
guaec or The ac's of our officers acting al
a distance OF Two or three thousand mi es lronl
the seat of government and sedulous 10 preserve
there, in due regulation, during the war, the fruits
Of their victories The opposition has no! yai,ed 10
ascertain how far such language may have been
warranted by Executive instructions II is adj
miued on all hands that our officers have prose-
cuted the war with the most scrupulous regard 10
the laws and usages Of nations, as tempered by
the mild dictates Of a Christian humanity. II
there has been any error In The acts Of our mill.
lary agents, (and though we have not all The off.
cial documents before lis, We cannot doubt, from
the unguarded language OF their proclamalions,
they have fallen into such Mistakes that error has
arisen principally in desire 10 shield the con-
auered from the evils OF Inc anarchy and disor-
der, or OF mere martial law, during Inc war
And most Of all, there is not yet one particle Of
proof that 10 that error, if it exist, the Admins
tration has in any may lent the slightest counlc-
nance or sanction"
THE OHIO CASE.
A few days since we gave the judgment OF
the General Court, discharging the Ohio kidnap-