The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-12-05
Proclamation of Gen. Dix.

BALTIMORE, Nov. II.
About four thousand troops, includ-
ing Minis Boston battery, will march
from Snow Hill, Maryland, into Aceo-
mac and Northampton counties, Virgin
la, to-day. Accomac is prepared to
array itself for the Union, but North
ampton shows fight.
The following proclamation from
Gen. Dix has been sent in advance of
the expedition:
To the people Of Acconsac and North
onsptOn Counties, Vuyiaia.
The military forces of the United
States are about to enter your counties
rs part of the Union. They will go
among You as friends, and with the
earnest hope that they may not, by
your own acts, be forced to become
your enemies. They will invade no
rights of person or property; on the
contrary, your laws, your institutions,
your usages will be scrupulously respee-
ted. There need be no fear that the
guietude of any freside will be dis
turbed, unless the disturbance isoaused
by yourselves. Special directions have
been given not to interfere with the
condition of any persons held to do
nestle service, and in order that there
may be no ground for mistake or pre-
text for misrepresentation, commanders
of regiments and corps have been in
structed not to permit any snch persons
to come within their lines.
- The command of the expedition is
entrusted to Brigadier General Henry
III. Lockwood, of Delaware, a state
identical, in some of the distinctive fea-
lures of its social organization, with
Your own. Portions of his force come
from counties in Maryland, bordering
on one of yours. From him and from
them You may be assured of sympathy
of near neighbors as well as friends, if
you do not repel it by hostile resistance
or attack.
Their mission is to assert the author
ity of the United States to reopen your
intercourse with the loyal states, and
especially with Maryland, which has
just proclaimed her devotion to the
Union by the most triumphant vote in
her political annals; to restore to COM
merce its accustomed guides, by re-es-
tablishing lights on your coast to afford
you free export for the products of
your labor, and n free ingress for the
necessaries and comforts of life which
you require in exchange, and, in word,
to put an end to the embarrassments
and restrictions brought upon you by
a causeless and unjustiiable rebellion.
If the calamities of intestine war
which are desolating other districts of
Virginia, and have already crimsoned
her fields with fraternal blood, fall upon
you, it will not be the fault of the Gov
eminent. 1t asks only that its author
ity may be recognized. 1t sends
among you force too strong to be
successfully opposed, force which
cannot be resisted in any other spirit
than that of wantonness and malignity
If there are any among you who, rejec-
ting all overtures OF friendship, thus
provoke retaliation, and draw down
upon themselves the consequences
which may be brought upon peaceful
homes. On all who are thus reckless
OF the obligations of humanity and
duty, and on all who are found in arms,
the severest punishment warranted by
the laws of war will be visited.
To those who remain in the quiet
pursuit of their domestic occupations
the public authorities assure all they
can give peace, freedom from annoy
ance, protection from foreign and inter-
nal enemies. guarantee of all consti-
tutional and legal rights, and ~de bles-
sings of just and parental govern
ment. (Signed)
JOHN A. DIX,
Major General Cornn,and;nort