The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1846-12-26
Of Gen Kearny,

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4 Our readers, no doubt, are well aware that when
Gen. Kearny, with a part Of the army Of the Uni-
ted States, entered Mexico, he established 4 tenn
porary civil government For this act of Gem
Kearny the whig members Of Congress, ss wellas
the whg party generally, are idenouncing tho
President--ssyng thatii was an act Of usdrpstion,
and without precedent among nations. AN will
admit, that to bring the war with Mexico to .
speedy and honorable close. IT was necessary that
our army should enter Mexican territory, else IL
might be protracted toa great length. Gen. Kear-
ny entered Santa Fe and took possession without Z
firing gun; and, as matter Of course, 70 protect
It's citizens, it necessary TO establish tempo-
rary civil government This Gen. Kearny did;
and for this, President Polk 10 denounced BY the 4
whole federal party, from Senator Webster and
the Governor and Ex. Governor OF Ohio. down 10
the lowest federal 8. bar.room poIitician But to'
show that the proceedings Of Gen. Keayney. A. !
well as the establishmentIof civil government :
in California are not without precedent, we pub
Iish the following Proclamation: - ,sg.,.f.
"By UIiiiam Henry Harrison, major general
in the service Of the United States, Commander
in.chief of the Northwestern army, and Oliver
! Hazvd Perry, captain in the navy. and com
manding the feet of the United States on Lake
Erie:
ga PRocL AVIATION ~ za eSsle I
Whereas, by the combined operations of tho
land and naval forces under our command, those
Of the enemy within the upper district of Upper
Canada have been captured or destroyed, and the
SAID district is in the quiet possession of our
troops it becomes necessary to provide for its gov
eminent: Therefore, we do hereby proclaim and
make known that the rights and privileges Of the
inha btants, and the laws and customs OF the coun-
try as-they existed or in force at the period
of our arrival, shall continue to prevail .a1mag-
istrates and other ciOit officers are to resume tie
erevcisr Of their tioaet,ons, previously failing ms
oath to be- faithful to the government of the Uni
ted STATES as Tong as they shall bein possession c
the country The authority of alimilita commis-is
sons is suspended said district, and the officers
required to give their parole in such way as the
general to administer the government shall direct.
"The inhabitants Of said district are promised 4
protection to their persons and property, with tho
exception Of those cases embraced BY the procIa-
nation Of General Proctor, 0i ult which. - j
declared to be p force. and the powers therein as
sumed transferred to the officer appointed to adj
minister the government. "N ~ ~
'"Given unler our hands and seals, at Sand-g
wieh, this l7th October, 1913 ,, 4a Al s5ss-
(Signed) "WM. H. HARRISON.
"OLIVER II. PERRY."- -
Upon publishing this Proclamation, the editor
Of the Union says: at will be hard, perhaps. to
plead to the Federalists the precedsnts OF war
which they opposed and viIiied; yet we take oc-s
casion to lay before them one more example ofthss
exercise oimilitary authority in hostile territory,
occupied by an American army in the war of 1872
This proclamation is authenticated by signatures,
one Of which, at least, should by the opposition
party, be regarded as an authority. II is hardly,
necessary to add, that the President, under whose
instructions this proclamation was put forth, was
James Madison. statesman almost without SUI
perior in his knowledge ofboth Constitutional and
Public Law, and whose peculiar glory 1t is 10 have
conducted our Federal Government through tho
first great war since its organization, with the NOSE
serupuloos observance Of al the restrictions inn.
posed by the constitution upon his high executive
powers" fFl a@bfa gffigftas