Daily national Democrat., 1861-06-18
Affairs i'll souri--PrOclamation OF
General Price.

Affairs i'll ssouri--Proclamation of
General Price.
Sr. LOUIS, June 4th.
Major General Price, commanding the
State forces, has to-day issued the following
proclamation:
Headquarters Missouri STATE GUARD,
.JrrFERsoN CITY, June 4th, 1861.
70 the Brigader Generals commnnding the
several Military Distaicts in Missouri:
To correct Misrepresentation and prevent
all misunderstanding of opinions and lnten-
ton in reference to the military trust conh-
ded to me by the Government OF Missouri, L
desire to state to you and the people general
w my past and present position. AS private
citizen and member of our State Conven-
ton. and as military commander my intiu-
ence has been eXerted to prevent the trans
fer of the seat of war from the Atlantic States
to our own State. Having taken no steps
towards d-solving our connection with the
Federal Government, there was no pretext
for disturbing the peace and tranquility of
Missouri. | have, therefore, desired, and
such am authorized to say has been and
still is the desire of the Chief Executive, un-
der whose orders have acted, that the peo-
ple Of Missouri should exercise the right to
choose their own position in any contest
which might be forced upon them, unaided
by any military force whatever. Their right
to bear arms in defense of themselves and of
the State cannot be questioned, secured as it
is bv both the Constitution of the United
States and of this State. For the purpose,
therefore, of securing to the people of Mis-
souri, the free exercise of their undoubted
rights, and with view to preserve peace
| and order through the State, an agreement
was entered into between Gen. llarney and
myself which considered alike honorable to
! both parties and the Governments which We
represented The Federal Government, how
ever, has thought proper to remove Harney
from the command of the Department of the
West: ut as the successor of Gen. Harney
will certainly consider himself and his Gov
ernment in honor bound to carry out this
agreement in good faith, feel assured that
his removal should give no cause of uneasi.
ness TO our citizens for the security of their
liberties and property. | intend on my part
TO adhere to it both in its spirit and to the
letter. The rumor in circulation that it is
the intention of the officer now in command
of this Department to disarm those OF our
citizens who do not agree in opinion with
the Administration at Washington, and to
nut arms in the hands of those who, in some
localities in this State are supposed to SYM
patize with the views of the Federal overn-
ment are, | trust, unfounded. The purpose
of such a movement could not be misunder-
stood. 1t would not only be a papable vio-
iation of the agreement referred to, and an
equally plain violation of our constitutional
rights, but gross indignity to the citizens
of this State, which would be resisted to the
last extremity. My wish and hope is that
the people of the State of Missouri be per-
mitted in peace and security to decide upon
their future course and so far as my abili-
ties can effect it, this object shall be accom-
plished. The people of Missouri cannot be
forced. under the terrors of a military inva-
sion, into position not Of their free choice.