The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1862-09-02
THE Law OF RETALIATION.

THE LAW OF RETALIATION.
Highiy Interesting Cor7cpon1'nce 1e''s''n G""-
erals Tree and Uuheck.
The President communicated to Congress on
the 18th uIt, the following correspondence be-
tween Cen Lee and Gen HalIeck:
Headquarters Department of Va,
July 2lst, 1862.
70 .Najor General &. y. JIG C2clian,
Commanding i1ray Of the P0tom0c:
GENERAL.---It has come to my knowledge that
many Of our citizens, engaged in peaceful aVOca-
lions, have been arrested and imprisoned because
they refused to take the oath Of allegiance to the
United States, while others, by hard ana harsh
treatment, have been compelled to take an cath
not to bear arms against that Government
l have learned that about one hundred of the
latter class have recently been released from For
tress Monroe. This Government refuses TO admit
She right of the authorities of the United States
to arrest our citizens and extort from them their
parole not to render military service to their
try, under the penalty OF mourning punishment in
case they fall into the hands of your forces.
directed by the Secretary Of War to inform you
that such oaths will not be regarded obligatory
and persons who take them will be required to
render military service Should your Govern
mcnt treat the rendition Of such service by these
persons as a breach Of parole and punish it &C
cordingly; this Government will resort to rctalia-
tory measures as the only means Of compelling the
observance Of the rules Of civilized warfare.
have the honor to be, very respectfully, your
obedicnt servant, r. +. LEE,
General Commanding.
Headquarters, Army of the United States,
Washington, Aug. Is, 1862.
10 Mnjor General Geo. b. 4Hc CHcllun,
Commandiny Army If tic Potomac:
GENERAL-I have just received from the Ad-
jutant Generals office your letter of July 3Oth,
enclosing letter from Gen. II. f. Lee, of July
2Ist.
The letters Of General Dix and Major Moore
will furnish you with the proper information for
a reply to Gen. Lees complaints in regard to the
treatment of prisoners at Fortress Monroe. The
Government Of the United States has never
thorizcd any extortion of oaths Of allegiance or
military paroles, aud has forbidden any measures
TO be rcsortcd to tending to that end
Instead Of cxtorting oaths of allegiance and pa
role, it has refused The applications Of several
thousand prisoners to be permitted to take them
and return to their homes in the rebel States
At the same time this Government claims and
will exercise the right to arrest, imprson place
beyond its military lines any persons suspected Of
giving aid and information to its enemies or Of any
other reasonable act, and if persons SO arrested
voluntarily take the Oatn OF allegiance, or give
their military parole and afterwards violate their
pIghted faith they will be punished according to
the laws and usages Of war You will assure Gen
Lee that unscemly threats Of retaliation his
part will deter this Government from exercising
its lawful rights over both persons and property,
Of whatever name or character
Very respectfully, your obt servant,
III. w. HALLECk,
Gencral-in-Ch iCf L. S. Army.
10 Gen. Il. f. Ire" Commdndiny, d.:
GENERAL.-Your letter of July 9th Icceiv-
ed at the Adjutant Generals office on the l4th,
but surprising from its endorsement that it re-
1uired no further reply it filed without being
shown to the President or Secretary of War. L
learn today for the first time that said letter had
been received, and hasten to reply.
No authentic information has been received in
relation to the execution of either John Owen or
Mumford, but measures will be Immediately taken
TO ascertain the facts of those ALLEGED executions
Of which you will be duly Informed
| need hardly assure you, General, that so far
US the United States authorities arc concerned this
contest will be carried on in strict accordance with
the laws and usagcs of modern warfare aud that
all excuses will be duly punished
In re gard to the burning OF bridges within our
lines by persons in disguise as peaceful citizens,
refer you to my letter of the 22d of January last,
to Gen: Price. l think you will find the views
there expressed not materially differing from
those stated in your letter. In regard to rctala-
ton by taking the lives Of innocent persons,
know of no modern authority which justiticS it ex-
ccpt in the extreme case of a war with any unciv-
ilizcd foe, which has himself first established such
u barbarous rule. The United States will never
countcnance such proceeding unless forced to DO
so by the barbarouS conduct Of an enemy who first
applies such rule to our citizens.
Very respectfully, your ob't servant,
H. w. HALLECK,
Gcncral-in- Chief L. S. Army
Headquarters Army of the G. s.
Near Richmond, Aug ID, 1862.
To he General CommanGing the -irny Of tic
United States, Hoshinyton
GENERAL:- On the 10Th of June last | was
instructed by the Secretary of War to inquire of
Major General Mcclellan as to the truth of alleged
murders committed on our citizens 10y officers of
the United States Army. The case of VIM L
Numiord, reported to have been murdered at New
Orleans by order of Maj. General b. +. Butler
and Colonel John Owen, reported to have been
murdered in Missouri, by order of Major General
Pope were those referred to | had the honor to
be informed by Major General Mcclellan that he
had referred those inquiries to his Government
for reply. No answer has as yet been received
The President of the Confederate States has
since been credibly informed that numerous other
officers of the army of the United States within
ths b,vn benD ,,,ilty &c ,,,I