The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-09-02
Gen. Fremont's Proclamation.

ST. LOUIS, Aug. 81.
The 6allowing proclamation was issued this
no1sIg
KApouARTERs WESTERN DEPARTMENT, }
S St. Louis, Aug. 80, 1861.
Circumsta nccs in my judgment are Of sufficient
urgencyBto render it necessary that the Comman
ding GDheral of this department should assume
administrative power Of the State. | is dsor
ganized condition, belplessness of civil authority
and thetctal insecurity Of life and devastation
Of pr0perty by bands of murderers and maraud-
erss who intest nearly every county in the State
and avail themselves OF public misforunes. and
instllo Vicinity Of hostile force, to crafty pri-
waite and neighborhood vengeance, and who fine
an enemy herover they find plumber, finally de.
mand the sevcresJ measures to repress the daily
increasii,g crimes and outrages, which are driving
OF The NINA bitants and running the State
IN this condition, the public safety and sue
cess Of our arr,s require unity of purpose, with
cut letor hindrance to the prompt admlnstra-
tion ofsnffairs In order, therefore, to suppress
disorders. maintain the public peace, and give
security TO the persons and property Of loyal
citizens, DO hereby extend and declare estab-
lished martial law throughout the State of Mis-.
souri,. The lines ofth army ofoccupation in this
State are for the present declared toextend from
Leavenworth, by way of posts of Jefferson City
RoIla and Ironton, to Cape Girardeau on the
Mississippi river. All persons who shall be Ia
ken with arms in their hands within these lines
shall DO tired by court martial, and if found
guilty,will be shot. Real and personal proper
United States, or who shall be directly proven
to have taken an active part with their enemies
in The felu is declared confscated to public use,
and their slaves, ifany they have, are Hereby de
olared free men.
Allpersons who shall be proven to have destroy
ed, after the publication Of this order, railroad
tracks, bridges or telegraph lines, shall suffer
the extreme penalty of the law. All persons
engaged in reasonable correspondence, in Civ
ing 81 procuring aid to the enemy, in ferment-
ing fntmoil and disturbing public tranquility,
~ creating or circulating false reports, or in
cendfary documents, are warned that they are
exposing themselves.
AlIpersons who have been led away from al
legiance, are required to return to their homes
forthwith. ANY such absence without sufficient
cause, will be held to be presumptive evidence
against them. The object of this declaration is
to place in the hands of military authorities
power to give instantaneous effect to the existing
laws, and supply such Deficiencies as the condi-
tionssof the war demand but it is not intended
10 suspend the ordinary tribunals Of the coun-
try, where law will be administered by the civil
officers in the usual manner, and with their GUS
tomary authority, while the same can be peacea-
blYadlninstered.
The Commanding General will labor vigilant-
" for the public welfare, and, by his efforts for
their safety, hopes to obtain not only acquies-
cence, but the active support of the people of
the country. [Signed) J. G. FREMONT,
Z Major General, Commanding