, 1861-11-12
ARE WE AT WARP
Attent t1on the Whole Reople-~A Great
BlM2dar,

From the N. T. independent, Noy.7.]
1t has been announced at Alexaudria, Va,
BY Sd order Of Gen. Montgomery, issued in |
partment, THAI the FroyostJudge Of that
command shall take no further cognHance Of |
civil cases, and shall dismisB all now under
consideration" The reason given by the As.
slstaRt Secretary ssa q WsI Thomas T. Scott,
made to the President that the Pro7ostMar-
ehal has undertaken to establish court for
civil purposes, has assumed authority over
matters Of civil justice, such as the collection
OF debts and the seizure and transfer Of pro.
perty, having reference to the debts and con-
tracts Of private PERSONA" By whom the
complaints are made, and whether they are
loyal citizens, ia not stated
Alexandra Is in the State Of Virginia. aad
is claimed as within the jurisdiction Of the
Confederate Government In consequence Of
this locality, and this claim, and the character
Of the Inhabitants, the city vas We presume.
ii, In the present aspect OF a1*iTs, We may
under martial law by the appointment Of .
latter part Of August. The Sheriff, Judge
and Clerk Of the county had long before fed
to join their felloW.traitors \ little further
South. The establishment of martisl Law
had superseded: for the time being, the civil
ard muricipsl Laws AID the courta where they
eity, the court established by the military
Goyeruor was empowered to administer jus
tlce 60 lorg rs martial lar continued. OF
this court Col Freeze Vas appointed Provost.
Judge So far seems clear, and ia matter Of
history civil law no longer existed in Alex
sndria; the character Of the place made it i'm
peratlGe that it should be held BY military
power; aud the only measure that could he
1aken to secure Justice between man and man
II merely civil cases, Wa8 resorted to by the
establishment Of court under martial law,
But Mf. Assist ant Secretary Scott decides
that aacA power assumed By such court
is .tfault that ought at once to be corrected"
and he thereupon corrects it by H.aiting the
Provost Marshal to the exercise Of power
"belougtng to his military character and nec-
eesary to the enforcement of safe police"
As there can be no civil power where martial
Law Is pre- eminent, 1t follows as IN Inevitable
conc1uhion that there can be no Justice, as be.
tween man and man, in their civil reiations,
in AlexaneTia-a state Of things, We doubt
Dot, pre'eminent]Y satisfactory to Mr, jeff
Davis and the fugitive Sheriff, Judge and
Clerk OF Fairfax county, Va, who, as It is not
II their poEerto administer Confederate law
in that portion Of Jef.'s dominlons, are much
obliged to Mr. Lincoln and the War Depart
ment fer not allowing the administration Of
any other. If they cannot themselVes poGsess
Alexandria, they viii be gratl1ed to know that
at least it Is still without the Jurisdiction Of
the United States.
That ne are not here making merely ab-
st1act, constructive argument, without any
practical bearing, We shall proceed to show
By case having an Immediate interest for ev-
ely Northern merchant who has Southern
debtor from whom he hopes to collect some
thing when his place Of residence shall fall
ment. How well founded that hope IS he can
'o1gs qRsTRs Rsiint s n alexandria firm known st one
time as Wilmer s. Co., at another as Geo. z,
Wilmer Bres., composed Of three men,
namely; George z. Wilmer, E, F. Wilmer,
Holmes d Co. OF this city, and Morris L. Hal
lowell g. Co. Of Philadelphia, had sold goods,
| the first to the amount ot about IS 500. the
eecond Of about 81 100, for which they TOOK
the notes Of the purchasers, which notes at
maturity we're not paid After the battle Of
Bull Run both the Witmers fed from Alexan-
dria to the rebel army, sending before them .
| large portion Of the goods which they had
bought and not paid tor, but leaving baAind
| them stock in the charge Of slaymaker,
| slaymaker continued to sell off that portion
rot sent OF IN aid Of the rebellion, ant. he also
| continued not to Pay, mindful Of and obedlent
to that act Of the Confederate Congress which
forbids the liquidation Of Northern debts,
TheTenpon Bowen, Holmes s; Co, md Norris
L. RafloWen d Co., appeared before Hon. j.
4: a:iE iEIeeze t1eyost Judge of Alexand1is, the
|
peal, and setting forth q statement Of the facts
OF the case, eeked for authority to take so
many Of the goods left in possession of Slay-
maker by the rebel winners IS would satisfy
their clalms, On notes now overdue, against
the firms Of Wilmer d Co. aud Geo. E. VIE.
| mer d Bros: The case Ras perfectly clear
one- The Indebtedness the dfahouoTiue Of
| the notes; the fight Of the two rebels the
sending sway ofthe goods to be sold to seces-
sionists; the refusal Of the remaining partner
l tn Y~n $f1A HLhf nf fin f3s-7, Is
sale Of goods for their benefit, we're all shown,
and the ProvostJudge decided, a. In law aud
! equity he could not otherwise do, that
the claims Of the Northern merchants, who
were thus defrauded, we're perfectly valid,
that the rebels should be made to pay all
torCbly Il necessary; and that the military
power is ,imperatyely called upon to aid all
loyal citizens In thus obtaining Justice" And
An order thGreupon Was accordingly Issued.
The order was Issued, but 1t had proyiso-
that 1.-THE papers and Judgment Of the court
be submitted to the Preaident Of the United
States for his approval or disappro7al" II
was 60 submitted, and the issue is before ua
IN the order Of tho Assistant Secretary o1
War, forbiddfng the administration Of Justice
IN ciyil cases il the only court that has anJ
jurisdiction whatever in Alexandria. MI
slaymaker, therefore, may continue to sell
the goods which he and his rebel partner:
have taken without paying for, and for which
they have he intention Of paying, from tat
New York and Phlladelphia merchants o.
he may send them, when an opportunity Of
fa1s, after those that have gone already, to hi
partners to help clothe the rebels in arm
against the Federal Government And Bowen
Holmes Co., and Morris L. Hallowen d Co
and other Northern merchants who have sim
liar claims in Ae1andria, or who may hav'
Ike claims in other Southern cities, whtcl
may hereafter come into possession of North
e1n troept, may console themselves for thei
1csses with rehectdors upon the just and pater
nal character of the Federal Government, AMI
1ts earnestnsss and energy in the suppression
| Of the rebellion,
point, on the other side, By way Of illustration
A Northern gentleman Of great Health, vel
| EEown to Us, went to Mr. JEFF Dayis, the Pres
1cent ct the Southern Corfedefacy, and said
"Mr: Davis, you and are old friends. I am
quiet man; do not wish to be involved il
these national troubles, and shall 90 to En-
rope. Iou Know have good deal Of prop
CITY at the South, and appeal to Jou to per
nit It to remain untouched" Sir" replie,
MI. DaV1s, ut Ia true We are old friends, an'
1value !our iEiendship bu: assure Jon tha
Itve1g ta S oo1ar q so9r E-operty On which We ca
Northern man, be conascated 70 tie Uses q
the State! There are about EI1HT HusDRF,
MILLIONS belonging to Northern men withi
our reach and We ehal treat 1t all In the ean
/ nay W. w AV& tlEtHuA Elf8 .k0G 4XAG
words Of the conversation, but this Was It
i purpo1t.
Il is the purport Of all the dealings of tn
, South with the North relating to property
, The South has, BY Law, repudiated Nofther
debts, amounting to hundreds Of million.
and forbidden their payment. There are res
estate, mortgages on real estate. bank stock
railroad stock; insurance stock, mines, ship,
steamboats,, property Of every conceiYabi
soTt, amounting to hundreds Of millions I
. the south,. owned by Northern men; an
= where tie f4ct of such Ownership can be msd
to appear, it Is confiscated to the last dollar.
Fer Cohtra: when two Northern house
: lay their. hands On B. few thousand doIlan
i wcrth Of goods, which were bought, but neYs
, paid for, BY aetlye rebels, aud attempt to ee
? their money back, President Lincoln steps
= With an oruer, which takes aWay the only ZEN
e edy these Northern merchants haye against bt
< ing cheated ont of their money, and preyen
! ing their goods going upon rebel backs.
: May re respectfully, and under favor, ask
var?
> Signs Of Barbarian.
Ihe other day we published letter fo1
= cne a the highest officers of our army, not
: serving IN Western Virginia, IN which be en-
closed = piece Of the akin: of one Of JON
: b1oH1b soma, stating where he bad ohtaine