Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-09-02
CLEVELAND, MONDAY MORNTNGa SEPTEMBER 2 1861
FROM MIs=OURI.

tf ~ l-. hE LOUIS, aug ol.
Tho following proclamation was issued
this morning,
HEADouARrEas, WESTERN DEPARTMEsE
ST.. LOUIS, August 30.
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 disorganized condition,
the helplessness of the civil authority, the
total Insecurity Of life, the devastation Of
property by bands of murderers and mar
auders, who infest nearly every county in
the State, and aveIl themselves of the pub
lie misfortunes aud the vicinity Of hos
tile force to crafty private and neighbor-
hood vengeance, and who find On enemy
wherever they find plunder, finally demand
the seyerest measures 10 repress the daily
Increasing crimes and outrages which are
driving of the inhabitsnts and running the
State.
In this condition the public safety snd the
success of our arms require unity OF purpose
without let or hindrance to the prompt ad d.
ministration of affairs In order, therefore,
TO suppress disorder, 10 maintain ss far as
is nov practicable the public peace and 70
give security to the persons and property Of
loyal citizens, | DO hereby extend and declare
established martial law throughout the State
of Missouri. The lines Of occupation In this
State are for tho present declared to extend
from Leavenworth oy way of the posts Of
Jefferson City, Rola, and Trenton, to Cape
GiraIdeau, on the Mississippi river. All per-
sons who shall be- taken with arms IN their
hands within these lines shall be tried by
court. martial, and if found guilty, will be
shot The property, real and personal, OF all
persons in the Stale of Missouri, VINO shall
take up arms against theaUnited States
or who shall be directly known to
have taken m active part with their
enemies in the field, is declared to be conts-
Gated 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 publ cation of this order,
any railroed tracks, bridges or telegraphs,
shall suffer the extreme penalty OF this
law. All persons engaged in reasonable
correspondence IN giving or procuring aid TO
the enemies OF the United States in foment-
ing tumult, in disturbing the public tranquil
Ity by creating and circulating false reports or
incendiary documents, are in their own IN
terest warned that they are exposing them
selves to sudden and severe punishment. All
persons who have been led away from their
allegiance are required to return forthwith
20 their homes. ANY such absence without
sufficient cause, will be held to be presump'iye
evidence against them. The object Of this
declaration is, to place in the hands oftfemili.
tsry authorities the powerto give instantaneous
effect to existing laws and to supply such
deficiencies as the conditions Of war de-
uaaud, but it is not intended to suspend the
ordinary tribunals Of the country, where
the Law will be administered BY the civil
officers in the usual manner and with their
customary authority; while the same can be
peaceably exercised The Commanding
General viii labor vigilantly for the pub
lie welfare, and in his efforts for their
safety hopes to obtain not only the aequi-
esoenoe but the active support Of the PeO
pie of the country. [Signedl
]. G. FREMONT,
u Major General Commanding.