The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-02-21
Commitment of Gen. Stone to
Fort Lafayette.
The Punishment Avarded to his Alieg-
ed Offences.


General Stone arrived in New York early
on Monday morning, in charge OF Captain
Snyder, of the Third Regular Infantry. The
Captain and bis prisoner Immediately prJ-
cseded to Fort Lafayette. In order to avoid
suspicion in travelling between Washing on
and New York, General Stone and bis es-
cort were directed to appear in citizens
clothes. The Herald says General Stone
expressed surprise at his arrest. He de
clares that he is entirely innocent of having
ever committed any disloyalty, and asserts
with seeming confidence, that he has no fears
of the consequences, and will soon be at
liberty again if justice is done him."
General German, of the Minnesota First,
has been put in temporary command of
Stones column at Pooesville. He at once
proceeded to shell the rebels away from an
earthwork they we're throwing up on the
opposite side of the Potomac, at Edwards
Ferry; he arrested known rebel spy,
whom General Stone had befriended, and
took other active measures against the
rebels in the vicinity of his command. Some
of the parties formerly near to General
Stone have also been placed under surveil.
lance.
Washington Cor. of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
1t has been whispered around some time
that the Joint Committee on the Conduct of
the War had found evidence against Gen.
eral Stone that proved him traitor.
The charges were First, his ineficiency
and lack of arrangement at Balls Bluff
were the sole causes of our losses there.
Second, his frequent use of flags OF truce
and communications with the rebels were
not those of loyal man, as he permitted
known traitors from the Virginia shore to
cross and recross at pleasure. That he al.
lowed officers of the rebel army to come
over to the Maryland side, he leaving our
troops on the Virginia side as hostages
That he gave them packages of sealed pa
pers.
Third, that he had acted unbecoming an
officer and soldier in writing an insulting
and threatening letter to Senator Sumner,
for words spoken in the Senate Chamber.
Fourth, that all his sympathies were with
the rebel army, where "his friends were. :"
On Saturday, Secretary Stanton ordered
his arrest, on charges of treason, ard he was
arrested and sent to the private house of
Gen. Sykes lin command of the regulars
here,) where he was kept in confinement all
day Sunday, and every effort made to keep
it quiet by the officers. On Sunday night
be was sent to Fort Lafayette for safekeep.
ing, until be can be tried by Court Mar
tiaL.
Judge Advocate, Colonel j. A. McCool,
on hearing of his arrest, went around to see
him, and on making some pretty severe re-
marks on Senator Wilson and Congress, be
was also arrested by Colonel Sykes, but to-
day we hear be was released.
We learn that it is the secession feelings
of General Stones wife which have made
the trouble.
From The N. Y. World.
If the specifications against General
Stone are made good, he is guilty both of
military treachery and of civil treason. A
court-martial may convict for the former as
civil jury for the latter; and, in either case,
the punishment is alike death. General
Stone is charged with 'misbehavior' in bait
tie. The 6fty-second article of war says
that "Any officer or soldier who shall mis-
behave him self before the enemy, run away,
or shamefulIy abandon any fort, \
shall suffer death, or such other punishment
as shall be ordered by the sentence of gen.
eral court martial" He is charged with
harboripg an enemy The fifty sixth article
of war says: "Whosoever shall knowingly
harbor or protect an enemy shall suffer
death, or such other punishment as shall
be ordered by the sentence OF court mar
tial." He is charged with holding cores
pondence with the enemy. The fity.seventh
article of war says: Whoever shall be
convicted of holding correspondence with
or giving intelligence to the enemy, either
directly or indirectly, shall suffer death, or
such other punishment as shall be ordered
by the sentence of court martial" We
see, then, that the allegations, if proved, in
officer in arrest. We trust that public
opinion will not PREJUDICE him in advance.
Let his military peers try him fairly; and,
until that is done, the popular judgment
should be suspended. This is surely due to
a man in his dreadful position. But while
he is entitled to this forbearance until bis
guilt shall be proved, when it is proved he
will have no further claim upon lenity. Nc
military court that was not treacherous it.
self would dare to pronounce upon him an!
sentence short of death. The severest pun
isbment man can inflict would be but
slioht expiation FIR Quilt like his.