Arkansas true Democrat., 1857-11-10
Martial Law.

Thursday last martial law was proclaimed in that city by Gov. LIGoN, who has obtained from Gov. WISE, of Virginia, the use of three thou sand muskets for the troops sent to Baltimore. The editor of the Cincinnati Enquirer remarks upon this subject:
 "That is about the first instance in which city of any State has been placed under mar tlal law, during time of peace, by its Governor. That Governor Ligon weighed well all the necessities for such a step, we have no doubt. He Is very cool and deliberate gentleman, and Is not inclined from temperament to do any | thing rashly. The history of Baltimore for the past two years shows that the present Mayor of Baltimore cannot, will not pro- tect the cltlzens from the violence of rowdies and cut-throats; the latter seems to be the diff hcultv. The step taken by the Governor will, III all probability, determine the future of Bal | tmore. Ii the organized bands of despera- does, who have had the control of the city for sometime past, are not kept in check on next l Wednesday, the day of the State election, Bal tmore may be regarded as a doomed city, to be stunned if it were the seat of pestlence it. | self" 1 The dispatches say:
 Gov. Aigou hasNiSsued proclamation plac- ing this city under martial law, and ordering 1 out two divisions, consisting of seven thousand men. The commanding officers are ordered to | enroll at once, and report for service by Satur. day next, and to hold themselves ill readiness to preserve the peace on "Wednesday next, the | day for the general election. The Governor takes this step against the desires of the Mayor but at the request and upon representations made by respectable citizens. The proclamation I hos ,lt oal. ment An extra has just been published, giving | the correspondence between the Governor and Mayor. The latter objects to any interference by the Governorin the government of the city and says, in conclusion, that as Mayor of Bal timore, I hold my commission directly from the people, and am accountable to them for the manner in which 1 discharge the trust of the office which have been called upon to assume It was conferred upon me without solicitation and 1t will be laid down whenever it shall be made to appear that have lost the confidence ot those whom 1t has been my highest endeav- or. serve, and l can recognize subordnation to no other power within the sphere of my duty deemed It due to courtesy to afford your ex- cellency the amplest information in regard to the matters to which you refer in your letter, and now invite from you any reliable evidence (upon which I can legally ac) of a combina- tlon of part or any of our citizens to obstruct the laws of the coming election; but while am thus frank in foreshadowing plans for the pre- servation of the public peace and che protection of every voter by every means at my command, l must be equally so in declining to recognize any joint administration of the affairs of this city.
 "The powers of the Mayor are believed to be ample He has his resort in case of emer- gency to the civil posse as well as to the mill tary arm, which, like the former, is placed by law under his control.
 It will be his duty to use his best endeav- ors to see that every citizen is protected in his constitutional rights, and that the peace of the city Is preserved by the means at his disposal. If, however, it should be attempted to intro duce power into the city of Baltimore above that of its regular constituted authorities, or if power should be assumed iu anticipation of a state of things which may not occur, to bring the military iii contact with the people on the day of election, without any official recognition on the part of the local authorities, can only express my since belief that such policy might seriously endanger the peace of the city, and lead to consequences which it should be the duty of all good citizens to endeavor, if possible, to avert.
 [Signed] THOMAS SWAIN, Mayor."