Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1861-09-03
GEN. Fremont.s proclamation
HEADQUARTERS WESTERN DEPARTMENT,
ST L. WIS Annrat 90 1861

HEADQUARTERS WESTERN DEPARTMENT,
ST. l. us, August 80, 1861.
Circumstances in my Judgment Of sufi-
cient urgency, render it necessary that the
Commanding General of this Department
should assume the administrative powers
of the State. It's diforganized condition
and helplessness Of the civil authority, the
total insecurity Of life, and the devastation
Of property by bands Of murderers and
marauders, who infest nearly every county
IN the State, and avail themselves of the
public misforiunes and The vicinity OF
hostile force to crafty private and neigh
borhood vengeance, and who find an enemy
wherever they find plumber, finally demand
the severest measures to suppress the daily
increasing cfimes and outrages which are
driving off the inhabitants and running
the State. In this condition the public
safety and success of our arms require uni~
ty Of purpose without let or hindrance to
the prompt administration Of affairs.
ln order, therefore, to suppress disorders
to maintain as far as is now pract clble the
public peace. and to give security aud pro-
lection to the persons and crJrerty of loyal
citizens, do hereby extend and declare
established MARITAL Law throughout tho
State Of Missouri. TIE lines of the Army
of Occupation in the State are, for the
present, declared to extend from Lcaven-
worth by way Of the posts Of jefferson
City, Rglla, and Ironton, to Cape Girar>
deau on the Mississippi River. All per-
CONS who shah be taken with arms in their
hands within these lines, shall be tiled by
Court Martial, and if found guilty, will be
shot. The property, real and personal Of
all persons in the State Of Missouri who
shall take up arms against the United
States, or who shall be directly proven tn
have taken part with their enemies in the
field, is declared TO be coufscated to the
public use, and their slaves, If any they
have, are hereby declared free men. All
persons who shall be proven to have de-
stroyed after the pub icatinn of this order
railroad tracks, bridges or telecraphs, shall
suffer the extreme penalty Of this law. All
persons engaged in reasonable crrrespon-
dence, in giving or procuring aid to the
enemies of the United States, in fomenting
tumults, in disturbing the public tranquil
ity, Iy creating and circulating false re-
ports or iuceudiary documents, or are in
their interest, arc warned that they are
exposing themselves to sudden and severe
punishment. All persons who have been
led away from their q egiance are reai irad
g. return forthwith to their homes. Any
such absence withaut sufficient cause, will
Ne held to be presumptive evidence against
them. The object of this declaration IS to
place in the hands f the military au:hori-
ties the power to give instantaneous effect
to existing laws, and to supply such def.
ciencies as the conduct Of the war demand
but it is not intended to suspend the ordi-
nary tribunals of the cruntry, which will
be administered by the civil officers, in the
usual manner and with their customary au-
shortly, while the same can lie peacefully
exercised
The Commanding General will labor
vigorously for the public welfare, and in
bis efforts for their safety, hopes to obtain
not only the acquiescence but the active
support Of the people Of the country.
Signed, j @ Fremont,
Major General Commanding.