Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-02-19
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aO1G0E6A6S.f. I
PoliticaIsPrisonsF to be Etele ass j ON
SaeIE 5Es9F04e-pAe General Amnesty
Their Parole. =
~ War DEPARTNEST,
WASHINGTON. Feb. IA, 1862.
The breaking out of formidable insur.
rectton, based on conflict of political
ideas, being an event without precedent in
the United States, was necessarily attend
cd with great confusion and perplexity of
tue public mind. Disloyalty, before I'M
suspected, suddenly became bold, and treR.
son astonished the whole world by bring.
/ ing at once into tie field military forces
superior in numbers to the standing army
of the United States. Every department
OF the Government was paraIyzed by trea-
son. Detection appeared in the Senate, in
the Honse of Representatives, Ia the Cabi.
net and In the Federal courts. Ministers
and Consuls returned from foreign COUP
tries to enter the insurrectionary councils.
OF land or naval force. Commanding and
other officers in the army and in the navy
betrayed the councils or deserted their
posts Tor commands in the insurgent force.
Treason was fragrant In tho Revenue and
Post Office services, as well as the Terri
tortal Governments, and in the Indian re-
| serves. Not only Governors Judges.
Legislators and Ministerial officers in the
states, but even whole States rushed, one
after another, with apparent unanimtty,
into rebellion. The capital was beieaguF-
ed, and its connection with all the States
cut Cd. Even in the portions of the counL
Try which were most loyal, political eem-
oinattons and secret societies were found
turthertng the work of iisunion, while.
trom motives of disloyalty or cupidity, or
from excited passtOns or perverted sympa-
tnleS, individuals were found furnishing
men, money, materials of war and SUM-
plies to the insurgents. Military. and ma.
| val forces, armies, ships, military posts and
| gaFrisons, one after another, were BETRAYED
or abandoned to the insurgents.
i NqngreA9. had not anticipated, and so
,had not provided for The emergency. The
municipal authorities were n6werless and
inactive. The judieiAl machinery seemed
as II 1t had been designed not 10 sustain.
the government, but TO embarfass and be-
tray II. Foreign intervention was openly
invited aud indastriouEly instigated by the
abettors of the insurrection, a nd IL became
imminent, and has only been prevented by
tue practice of strict aud Impartial Justice.
with the most perfect moderation in our
intercourse with other nations.
The public mind Was alarmed and aUpre
hensiye, though, fortunately, not distracted
or disheartene3. Il seemed 70 be doubt
tql whether the federal government, which
one year ago had heen thought a model
worthy OF universal acceptance, had indeed
the ability to defend and maintain itself.
some reyeIses, which perhaps were una
Xoldaole, suffered by the newly levied and
insufficient forces, discouraged the loyal
and gave new hopes 10 tbs insurgents.-
i Voluntary enlistment seemed to cess. ma
desertions commanded. Parties specniated
upon the question whether cohscrfption
hAd not become necessary to fill mn the
Il armies of the uutted States
In this emergency the President felt IL
ms, duty to employ with energy the extra
i Ordinary powers which the constitution
conhdes TO him in cases of insurrection.
,tie called into the Geld snch military and.
naval forces authorized by existing laws
4 as seemed necessary. he directed meas.
ares 70 prevent the use OF the Post Office
ior REASONABLE correspondence. lie anb-
leeted 70 and from foreign countries new
passport regulations, and be Instituted a
blockade, suspended the habeas corpus in
various places, and caused persons who
4 were represented. 10 him a being On gagged.
or about to engage, in disloyal and treaSon.
able Practices, to be arrested by special
etFl as well as military agencies, and de-
tanned In custody, when necessary. 10 nre.
Yene them aud deter others from suchprac-
aceS. Examinations of such cases vera
instituted, andBome of the persons 40 ar
Eesteu nave been discharged from time to
time, under citcpmstauees or upon condi.
ions conpatlole, as was thought, Witht the
Meantime favorable cbaupeiof nnhlic
opinion has occurred. The line between
loyalty and disloyaltytis plafnly defiued.-
i me whole structure of government is firm
ana stable. approximations of public dan.
ger and ilities for reasonable practices
nave diminlshed with the passions hich
prompted the needless persons to iado6t
them. 91te hlstrrsetion q belisps3 To- IoIt,s
ett!stttated and to 6s;6eeEinf81. !
The President. in VieWof the faets.fani
an &ioussto favor return to the normal
/ course OF the administration, as far AZ IA.
/ saFus tatth and the public welfaroiVilIi all.
low, directs that all political prisoners, or
S 2tsle prisoners, now held In military ems,
1 toay, De released on their subScri6fnv /.
parole engaging them to render al or !.
comfort e % enemies. in hostility to the
H., Tug 1! secretary OF will, however,. in
MS discretion, except from the eject Of
t 9 order any persons detained as snies5 4,
me service of the insurgents or ofbeEai
whose releases at the presen t;tnorn ant
De deemed tneompa tibIe with the. nbhlis
safely. Eo-aH peFsons who shall he "A
released aad shall keep their parole IN /
resident grants an amnesty for. 10 -
offences Of treason OF, IiisloySity bicI itEs,.
nay nave committed. E1traordtnaFyz ar
rests viii ihereafterb be made undeI. ~. al
teetion OF the military authorities alone.
By order Of thePRESIDRNT.
EDWIN ls's =. STANTON, Secretary. war.
s TN Auburn, \. z. q Rssrtisty annonn.
csS that every sehiids IN tt,st :; =,