The Portland daily press., 1862-12-03


WASHINGTON, Dec. 9.
The Secretary of War details the military
operations during the past year. and points to
the fact that the department ofthe Pacific has
been free from any of the calamities occasioned
by the rebellion, and an earnest and deep SYM
pathy has been manifested by the loyal citizens
of the Pacific States in support of the Union.
From a survey of the whole field of opera
tions, it is apparent that whatever disasters
our arms may have suffered at particular
points, great advance has been made since
the commencement of the war. Union forces
are now in the field under able commanders,
stronger than ever, resolute and eager to be
led against the enemy and crush the rebellion
by vigorous winter campaign. The armies
of the Potomac and the West stand ready TO
vie with each other in dealing the quickest
and heaviest blows against the enemy. Taught
by experience of the ruin of inaction and
delay, a spirit of earnest activity seems to
pervade the forces of the United States be-
yond what has hitherto been exhibited in the
numerous battles and engagements that have
occurred. Our armies in general have dis
played the courage and determination that
should officers and soldiers fighting in defence
of their Government.
Under the calls Of July aud August there
are already in the field over 100000 new
troops of which $4,000 are volunteers, 332000
the war. 1t will be remembered the call was
made ut one of those periods of dependency
which occur in every national struggle.
A chief hope of those who set the rebellion
on foot was for aid and comfort from disloyal
sympathizers in the Northern States, whose
efforts were relied upon to divide and distract
the people of the North, and prevent them
from putting forth their whole strength to pre-
serve the national existence.
rI,.,a a,,l l..ft e 4I,.
militia, offered an occasion for dsloyal persons
to accomplish their evil purposes by discour-
aging enlstments and encouraging opposition
to the war and the draft of soldiers TO carry it
on. Anxiety was felt in some States at the
probable success of these disloyal practices,
and the government was urged TO adopt meas
ures of protection by temporary restraint of
those engaged in these hostile acts. To that
end provost marshals were appointed in some
States, upon nomination of their Governors, to
act under direction of the State Executive,
and the writ of habeas corpus was suspended
by our order BY order of the War Depart
ment arrests were forbidden unless authorized
by the State Executive or Judge Advocate
Some instances of unauthorized arrests have
occurred, and when brought to the notice of
the Department, the parties have been imme-
dately discharged. BY a recent order all per-
sons arrested for discouraging enlstments or
tas of volunteers and militia are filed up have
been released. Other persans arrested by
military commanders and sent from depart
ments where their presence was deemed dan
gerous to the public safety, have been dis
charged upon parole, to be of good behavior
and do no act of hostility against the Govern
ment OF the United States, while military
arrests of disoyal persons from the subject of
complaint in the same States. the discharge of
is .,f ;,,
1t has been the aim of the department to avoid
any encroachment upon individual rights as
far as might be consistent with the public
safety, but rejecting minds will perceive that
no greater encouragement can be given to the
enemy. No more dangerous act of hostility
can be perpetrated in this war than the efforts
to prevent recruiting and enlsting for the
armies upon whose strength depends the ma
tonal existence.
The expectations of the rebel leaders and
their sympathizers in the loyal States that
the call of volunteers would not be answered,
and that the draft could not be enforced, have
failed, and nothing is left but to clamor at the
means by which their hopes were frustrated,
and to strive to dsarm the Government i'm the
future, if in the chances of war another occa-
sion for increasing the military force should
arise. Besides aiding the State authorities
respecting the draft and enlistment, another
shas. The army returns and the report of the
General-in-Chief shows that a large number of
officers and enlisted men are absent from their
posts. The pursuit of such persons and their
compulsory return to duty is necessary
function of provost marshal and such a
number of them only as may be required for
that purpose will in future be retained in the
service.
The pay and bounty allowed by the act
OF Congress to recruits have offered strong
temptations to practice fraud upon the Gov
ernment, by false returns upon the muster
rolls, and false charges for sustenance. Dill
gent efforts are being made for the detection
OF all such practices and to bring the guilty
parties, some of whom have held responsible
stations in society, before a proper civil or mil
| ltary tribunal, as soon as the necessary pre-
liminary investigations by the Judge Advocate
can be completed. The same course is being
pursued in respect to fraudulent contractors
and dsbursing officers.
The expenditures for enlistments, recruiting,
drilling and subsistence of volunteers, regulars
and militia amounts to S20692, ,2S2.91.