The Van Buren press., 1861-06-26
Jackson's Proclamation
To The people of Missouri.

UDou the rights ani liberties Oh It's people,
bv wicked and unprinciplel men, profess
ing to act under the authority of the Unit
ed States Government the solemn enact
ments OF your Legislature have been nul!i-
fed vour volunteer soldiers have been ta-
ken prisoners your commerce with your
sister States has been suspended your
trade with your own felowcitizens has been
aud is subjected to the harraosing control OF
aa armed soldiery peaceful citizens have
been imprisoned without warrant OF law
onofending and deienceless men, women
and children have been ruthlessly shot
down and murdered and other unbearablc
indirnities have been heaped upon your
State and-yoursclves.
To all those outrages and indignitics you
have submitted with patriotic torbcaranee,
which has only encouraged the perpetrators
Of these grievous wrongs to attempt Stili
bolier ana more daring usurpa:ions.
1t has been my earnest endeavor, under
all these embarrassing circumstances to
maintain the peace OF the State, and to
avert, II possible, from our borders the des-
oating effects oi a civil war. With that
object in v;su, l arishoEizoi Maj nr Gnnnral
Price several weeks ago, to arrange with
General Harncy, command;ng the Federal
forces in this State, the terms OF an agree
ment by which the peace oi the State might
be preserved. They came, on the 2ist of
May, to an derstanding which was made
public. The State authorities have faith
fully laborcd to carry out the terms OF that
agreement The Federal Government on
the other hand, not only manifested its
strong disapprobation of it, by the instant
dismissal OF the distinguished officer, who,
on its part, entered into II but it at once
began, and has unintermittingly carried out
a. system OF hostile operations, i'll utter con-
tempt of that agreement, and in reckless
disregard of its own pighted faith. These
acts have Iatterly porteudci revolutions and
civil wars SO unmistakably, that | resolved
to make one further effort to avert these
dangers from you. therefore solicited an
interview with Brig Gen. Lyon, command
ing the Federal army in Missouri. 1t was
granted, ami on the 10Th inst, waivins all
questions OF personal and official dignity, |
went to St Louis, accompanied by Major
Gen. Price.
We had an Interview on the llth inst,
with Gen Lyon, and Col. Frank L. Blair,
Jr, at which | submitted to them this prop
osition That would disbani the State
haard, and break up its organization that
wonli dlSUand all the companies which
had been armed by the State that | would
pledge myself not to attempt to organize
the militia under the Military Bill that no
arms or munitions Of war would be brought
into the State; that | would protect all
citizens equally in all their rights. regard
less OF their political opinions; that [
would repre,s all insurrectiouary move
mcnts within the State that | would repel
all attempts to invade it, from whatever
quarter, and by whomsocver made ana
that | would thus maintain a strict neu-
traIlty III the present unhappy contest, and
preserve the peace Ot the State. And
further propose. that | would, If necessary,
invoke the assistance al tAc United States
troops to carry ont these pledges. All this
proposed to do upon condition that the
Federal Government would undertake to
sdisarm the Home Gpafds, which it has Il.
legally organized ana a..4Ael throughout th2
State, and pledge itself not to occupy with
its troops any localities in the State not oc-
cupIed by th1m al this time.
Nothing but the most earnest desire to
avert the horrors of civil war from our be.
loved State, could have tempted me to pro
pose these humiliating terms. They we're
rejected by the Federal officers.
They demanded not only the di,orzani-
cation and disarming of the State militia.
and tie nulliication Of the Military Bill,
but they refused to disarm their own Home
Guards, and insisted chat the Federal Gov
eminent should enjoy an unrestricted right
to move and station It's troops throughout
the State, " henever and wherever that
might, i'll the opinion Of the officers, be
necessary, either for the protection of the
" loyal sui iects - OF the Federal Govern
ment, or for the repeIling of invasion and
they plainly announced that it was the in
tentlon of the Administration. to take mill
itary occupation, under these prctexts, of
the whole State, and to reduce it. As avow-
ell by Gen. Lyon, himself, to the =" exact
condition Of Mary land
The acceptance, by me of these degrading
terms, would not only have sullied the hon
or ot Missouri, but would have aroused the
indignation of every brave citizen, and pre-
clpItated the very conflict which it has been
nay aim to prevent. We refused to accede
to them, and the conference was broken up.
Fellow citizens All our efforts towards
concIiiatlon have failed. We can hone
nothing from the justice or moderation OF
the agents of the Federal Government in
TINS State. They are energetically hasten
luS the execution of their bloody and revo-
iuuonary schemes for the Inauguration of
civil war in your midst for the military
occupation OF your State by armed bands of
lawlesS in vaders for the overthrow of your
State Government ; and for the subversion
oil those liberties which that Government
has always sought to protect ana they in
tend to exert their whole power to subiu
gate you, If possible. to military despotism.
which has usurped the powers of the Fede-
raj Government
Now, therefore, ], G. T. Jackson, Gov,
ernor OF the State of Missouri, do, in view
OF the foregoing facts, and by virtue of the
powers vested in me, by the Constitution
and laws OF this Commonwealth, issue This
my proclamation, calling the Militia of III,
otate, to the number of fifty thousand, into
the service of the State, Cor the purpose of
repeiling said invasion, and for the nrotoc-
tion of the lives, liberty ai.,. ad iropurty of me
citizens OF the State And / earnestly ov-
hort all citizens of Missouri, to rally nn1a,
the lag of their State for the protection Of
their endangered homes and iiresiIes. ami
for the defense Of their most sacred riphts
and liberties
In issuing this proclamation, | hold ito