The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1861-09-11
The following proclamation has been issued by Gen
Fremont.
HEADQUARTERS WESTERN DEPARTMENT
ST. LOUIS. Mo. AuU 20 1851

HEADQUARTERS WESTERN DEPARTMENT
ST. Louis Mo-, Aug. 80 1861
Circumstances, in my judgment of sufficient urgency
render it necessary that the commanding general of this
department should assume the administrative powers 81
the State
lis dsorganised condition, the heplessness of the
civil authority and the total insecurity of life and the
devastation of property by bands of rurderer and
RAIDERS who lnest very nearly every county in the State
and avail themselves of the public misorunes and the
vicinity OF hostile force to CRAFTY private and neigh
borhood vengeance, and who find an enemy Uberever
they find plumber, finally demanded the severest meas
ures TO repress the daily increasing crimes and
which are driving off the inhabitants and running the
State
In this condition the public safety and the success of
our arms require unity of purpose without let or hin
dranee to the prompt administration Of affairs
IN ORDER therefore, to suppress disorders to maintain
as lar as practicable, the public peace and to give
security and protection to the persons and property of
loyal citizens do hereby extend and declare estah
shed martial law throughout the entire State of Mis-
souri,, and the lines of the army of occupation in tbis
Staeare for the present declared to extend from
worth, by way OF the posts of Jefferson CITY Roa and
lronton, to cape Grardeau the Mississippi river All
persons who shall be taken with arms in their hands
within these lines shall be tried BY CONTAMINATED and
If found guilty, will be shot '
The property real and personal of all persons in the
state OF Missouri who shall be directly proven to have
taken active part with their enemies in the faId 10 d
nave are hereby declared freemen All persons who
snal be proven to have destroyed after the publication
o. TINS order, railroad tracks, bridges or telerranb
Shall suffer the extreme penalties of the law.
All persons engaged IN reasonable correspondence
IN giving or procuring aid to the enemies of the Tnitd
States, in fermentng tumuts in disturbing the LI;
tranquility by creating and circulating false repors or
ncendary documents, in their own interest warned
mat they are exposing themselves to sudden and
punishment All persons who have been led away from
their allegiance are required to return to their homes
ANY such absent without sufficient cause viii 10 bed
TO be presumptive evidence against them The obsct
q tins declaration is TO place in the hands of the military
authorities the power TO give effect to existing laws
ana to supply such deficiencies as the conditions Of ~
demand but is not intended suspend the ornary
tribunals OF the country, where the law viii be admin
lsered by the civil officers in the usual manner ana -
Their customary authority while the same can be peace
ably exercised. 90 = peace
The commanding general will labor vgilantl for tho
public welfare, and in his efforts for their safety homes
to obtain not only the acquescence, but the active SIM
port OF the people of the country.
JOHN c. FREMONT
Major-Gen. commanding.