Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1862-02-21
Important Document.
Executive Orders Concerning State Pris-
onerS.
Nan DEPARTMENT }

WAR DEPARTMENT. !
Washington, Feb. II.
E1ecutire Orders IN Relation TO STATE
Prisoners, No. ].
The breaking out of formidable in.
surrcction, based ON conflict of political
ideas, being an event without precedent
in the United States, was necessarily at
tcndcded with great confusion and per-
plcxity of the public mind. Disloyalty,
before unsupported, suddenly became bold,
and treason astonishcd the whole world
by bringing at once into the field military
forces superior in numbers to the standing
army of the United States.
Every department of the Government
was paralyzed by treason. Detection APP
peared in the Senate, in the House of
Representatives, in the Cabinet and in
the Federal Courts meantime, and Cor
suls returned from foreign countries to
enter the insurrectonary coansels, or
land or naval force.
Commanding and other officers in the
army and in the navy betrayed the coun-
ellis or deserted their posts for commands
in the insurgent force. Treason was ha-
grant in the venue and post Office SER
vice, as well as in the Territorial govern
ments and the Indian reserves. Not on
y Governors. Judges, Legislative and
Ministerial officers in the States, but even
whole States, rushed one after another
with apparent unanimty, into rebellion
The Capital was beseigcd, and its connec-
tion with all the States cut off. Even i'll
the portion Of the country which were
most loyal political combinations and Sc
crct societies we're found furthcriHs the
work OF disunion, and whlea from motives
of disloyalty or eupidity, or from excited
passions or perverted sympathies, individ-
uals were found furnishing means, money
and materials of war and supplies to the
insurgents Military and naval forces,
armed ships, Notifications and navy yards,
arscnals, military posts and garrisons, one
after another, were betrayed or abandon
ed to the insurgents Congress had not
anticipated AMI so had not provided for
the emergency Thc municipal authori-
ties were powerleSs and Inactive The
JuHl;laI nachihery scou'eo ds II IL h'u
been designed hot to sustain the govern
n,1ht. -po! 10 e!h2aFraSs ana pt'faN It,
forel9n intervention was openly l!Ni'ed
and IInustriously lnStlSated oy the aoet-
tors Of tbs insurrcction, and it became
imminent, ana mas oh'y oeeA PreFehiei oy
the practice Of strict and impartial ius-
tlce, with the most perfect moderation III
our intercourse with the nations lAe
pnoie NINA was alarmed ana aPPfeheh-
slve' though iortutl1te'y hot distracted or
diSheartenca. IL seemed TO be aoe9ual
whether the feleFai "oYernnen'' Wh'ch,
one year ago had been thought model
worthy oil universal acceptance haa' M
deed, the aMIlty to defend ana maintain
itself. Some reFerseS winch perhaps
were unaYoIdabie, suffered ny newly leV-
led aud insufficient torces' discouraged the
loyal, and gave ne" hopes to Tue inSur-
gents. voluntary enllStments seemed to
cease and dcsertlors commences. tar-
ties Speculated upon the question wne'her
the conserlptlon had not become neee'Sa, :,
ry to I'LL up the armies OF the United
States. In this emergency the President
telt IT lns duty to employ with energy
the extraordinary powers which were con
tided to him IN eases OF lnSu:rectlon, lie
called INTO the ht!d such military and ma
val forces authorized by existing laws as
seemed necessary.
lie directed measures to prefen' the
use of the Post ONCE Tor trea'onaole cor
respondence. lie subjected to ana from
foreign countries new passport feS''a-
ton, and he instituted 6locNade' sns-
pended the new haocas corpus III various
Places ana caused persons VINO were rep
resented to h'm as oein2 enSlge or ABOUT
to engage III dlsloyal ANA tFe"s2Haole i,
Practlees TO De arrested ey Sp-cial CIVIL
as weli rs ny military agencies anu uc-
ta"i'd IN military Gu t9dy' when nocesSa-
ry to prevent them ana deter others IRON
such practices examinations OF Sucn
eases were lnSt'tuted' ana some OF 'n3