Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1861-08-16
Proclamation of Gov. jackson.

pie Of Missouri oy the trehty under which the Uni
ted States acquired the temporary doniioion of the
country west Of the Mississippi river 10 trust for the
several sovereign States afterwards TO be formed out
of it. that people did, on the twelfth day of June,
one thousand eight hundred aud twenty, mutually
agree to form and establish n free and independent
republic by the name OF the State of Missouri
On the tenth day of August, eighteen hundred and
twenty-one the State was duly admitted into the
Union of the United States of America under the
compact called the Constitution of the United States
and ION equal footing with the original States in
all respects whatever The freedom, Independence
and sovereignty of Missouri and her equality with
the other States of the Union, were thus guaran-
teed, not only by that Constitution but by the law
Of nations requiring the sacred observance of trea-
ties.
In repeated instances, the government and people
of the States now remaining in that Union, have
grossly violated, in their conduct toward the people
aud State Of Missouri, both the constitution of the
United States and that of Missouri, as we'll as the
general great and essential principles of liberty and
free government. Their President Abraham Lin
coin, in avowed defiance Of law and the constitu-
ton of the United States and under the tyrants
plea Of necessity, has assumed regulate commerce
with foreign nations and among the several States
stopping by violence our trade with our Southern
neghbors and depriying our citizens of the right,
secured 10 them by a special solemn compact with
the United States, to the free navigation Of the Mis-
sssipp river. He has usurped powers granted ex-
cusively to Congress- in declaring war against the
Confederate States; to carry on this unhoy attempt
to reduce free people into slavsh subsection to him.
he has in like violation of the constitution, raised
and supported armies, and provided and maintained
navy. Regardless of the right reserved to the
States respectively, of training the militia and APP
pointing its officers, he has enlisted and armed con-
trary to law, under the of Home Guards
whole regiments of men, foreigners and others in
State defy tho uthOritiaa and
plumber and murder our citizens
ny armed force and actual bloodshed, he
has even attempted to deprive the people of
their right to keep and bear arms in conformi-
ty to State laws, and to form well regulated
militia necessary to the security Of free State
With his sanction his soldiers have been quar-
tered in houses without the consent of the own
ers thereof, and without any authority of law
The right of the people to be secure in their
persons, houses, papers and effects, against I'M
reasonable searches aud seizures, has been habit
ally and grossly violated by his officers acting
under his orders. He has utterly ignored the
binding force of our constitutional State laws,
and carried his insoleuce TO such an extent as
to introduce, from other States, free negroes,
into our midst, and place them in positions of
authority over our white citizens. He has en-
cournged the stealing of our slave PROPERTY. In
these and other proceedings the government and
people of the Northern States have unmistaka-
bly, shown their intention to overturn the social
institutions of Missouri, and reduce her white
citizens to an equality with the blacks. In the
execution of his despotc wishes, his agents
without even rebuke from him, have exhibited a
brutality scarcely credible of q nation pretend
ing TO civilization. Even women, and children
of tender age, have fallen victims to the unbri
died license of his unfeeling soldiery He has
avowedly undertaken to make the civil power
subordinate to the military and with the des
picable and cowardly design of thus protecting
himself and his accomplices, by binding the
consciences of the unhappy victims of his ty-
ranny, he has exacted from peaceful citizens,
guilty Of no crime, an oath to support his de.
testable government. To crush ont even peace
ful and lawful opposition to it, he has forcbly
and unconstitutionally suspended the priv iege
of the writ of "habeas corpus" and abridged the
freedom of speech and of the press, by subject
ing innocent citizens to punishment for mer
opinions sake, and by preventing the puhlica.
ton of newspapers independent enough to ex =
pose his treason TO liberty.
! These manifold and inhuman wrongs were
long submitted to in patience, and almost in HUI
mility, by the people of Missouri, and their eu-
thorties. Even when the conduct of the Lin
coin government had eliminated in an open war
upon us, those authorities offered to its mill.
tary commander in Missouri to refer to the PEG
pie of the State for decision the question of our
separation from government and nation thus
on the principles consecrated in the Declaration
of Independence of the United States, that to
secure the rights of the citizen, governments
are instituted among men, deriving their just
powers from the consent of the governed that,
whenever any form of government becomes de-
strucive of these ends it is the right of the PEG
pie to alter or abolish it, and to institute a new
government, laying its foundation such prin-
ciples, and organizing its powers in such form
as to them shall seem most likely to effect their
safety and happiness" Missouri having an ad
mitted equality with the original States which
had made this declaration, it was hoped that the
rights therein asserted would not be denied
to her people. Her authorities also relied on the
clause in the very constitution with which she
was admitted into the Union, asserting as one oil
the general, great and essential principles Of
liberty and free government" that the people Of
this State have the inherent, sole and exclusive
right of regulating the internal government and
police thereof and of altering and abolishine
their constitution and form of government when
ever it may be necessary to their safety anG
happiness" But this military commander
haughtily refused the consent of his government
to the exet else by us of these rights which ouI
anceesors in the last century endured an egh
years war to vindcate. He but expressed, how
ever the deliberate purpose of his masters a
/, Washington and the people over which they rule
for his predecessor at st, Louis had, few weeks
before, formally proclaimed to our people tina
} our equality with other States would be ignored
that we should be held in subsection to thu
North, even though the independence of on
Southern sister States might be acknowledged
that to use his own words, "whatever may b,
the termination Of the unfortunate condition O
things in respect to the so-called Cotton States
Missouri mus share the destiny of the Union
that the free will of her people should not decid
; her future, but that the whole power of thu
Government of tho United States, if necessary
will be exerted TO maintain Missouri in her pre-
Cnt position in the Union" in subsection to tn
, tyranny of the North.
The acts of President Lincoln have been in
dorsed by the Congress and people of the North
ern States, and the war thus commenced by hin
has been made the act of the government ant
nation over which he rules. They have no
only adopted this war, but they have gone t
the extreme of melting portions of our people l.