The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-05-16

United States troops without further loss OF
time.
CRITICAL Position OF MISSOURI. find
considerable discussion in those journals which
sympathize with the secessionists as to the le-
gality of the act of Captain Lyon in capturing
Camp Jackson, at st. Louis, and making prison
ers of the State troops who were being drilled
there under the direction of the Governor.
The arms and ammunition were seized as being
part of what were stolen from the United States
government. But all the prisoners have been
discharged on taking an oath not to serve
against the federal government, with the excep-
ton of Captain Mcdonald, who has refused to
take the oath, and applied to Judge Treat, OF
the United States Circuit Court, for habeas
corpus, which, if the Judge grants and orders
the prisoner to be discharged the commander
of the federal troops at st. Louis will probably
disregard, if we may Judge from his proclama-
ton, which we published yesterday.
That document, indeed, has been as much
censured as the act of Captain Lyon, which it
endorses. But it must be borne in mind that if
these proceedings are not strictly legal and
constitutional, hut are somewhat stretches of
legitimate power, the State Of Missouri is in
revolutionary condition and her Legislature
and Governor are acting contrary to the general
sentiment of the people, which is strongly
in favor of the Union. The State authorities of
Missouri are in league with the Southern con-
federacy, which furnished the arms and ammu-
milton captured in Camp Jackson. 1t is evil
dent, from the action of the Governor and Le-
gislature, that they mean if they can, to follow
the example of the State authorities of Vir-
ginia, North Carolina and Tennessee, and to
take Missouri out of the Union by force or
fraud. A revolutionary military bill was
adopted by both houses of the Legislature i'm
mediately after the bold step of Captain Lyon.
This bill forces all, under a heavy fine, to
serve, no matter whether they are Union men
or not; and it authorizes loan and the appro-
priation of taxes to the raising Of fund to arm
the State and to establish an armory in the
penitentiary at Jefferson City, the capital, for
the manufacture of arms and ammunition.
Accounts from that city, published yester-
day, inform us of the arrival of the militia
here from the surrounding towns and coun-
ties, many of them mounted. We further learn
that ex Governor Price has been appointed
major general Of these forces, and is now in
command of them, and that he threatens hang
ing, under martial law, against all, whether
United States soldiers or not. who NEEDLE with
property or fire upon the citizens-a menace
for General Harvey, which the veteran
warrior answers by his proclamation
that, within the scope and field of his com
mand, the supreme law of the land must and
hall be maintained; that no subterfuge in the
form of legislative acts or otherwise can be
permitted" and that he ''shall deem it his duty
10 suppress all unlawful combinations of men,
whether formed under military organization
or otherwise" Though Jefferson City is some
hundred and twenty miles from St Louis, it is
not beyond the reach of the iron Harvey, who
is more TO be dreaded than even General
Butler, of Massachusetts,. Hanging is game
at which he can play as well as General
Price or Governor Jackson; and collision
may soon be expected, unless the State autho-
rites succumb to "the supreme law" like
those of Maryland.
Missouri Is now In the COnulLlOn m winch
the Massachusetts troops found Maryland when
they were murderously assailed in passing
through Baltimore. The proximity of the
large body of federal troops at Washington,
and the number which were preparing to
march from New York and Pennsylvania, to-
gether with the activity and energy Of
General Butler in occupying Annapolis, the
State capital, saved the Union men of
Maryland from revolution, and her CO.
vernon now issues his proclamation giving
her quota of four regiments to defend
Maryland or Washington from invasion. Mis-
souri, has had no assistance from the federal
government. Her defence against revolution
has been inaugurated by her own citizens,
who have enrolled themselves as volunteers
for the Union, in despite of Governor Jackson.
Now, that force may not be sufficient to keep in
check all the sccessionists who will, without
doubt, be armed with the State arms, If not
with these supplied from Montgomery. Hence
it is necessary TO assist Missouri In order to
keep her in the Union. The Union Defence
Committee, therefore, Of this city ought TO send
| heS arms AT once; and II they have rot sniff
cient funds to purchase them, let them appeal
10 the citizens of New York, By calling public
meeting to raise subscriptions for 80 patriotic
] and so impottsu. purpose,