The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1863-05-22

II
pus, General Burnside, on notification OF the
facts, sent to the court the following docu-
ment:
HEADQUARTERS, DEPART. OF THE OHIO.
CIScISSATIA, o., May II, 1863.
To The Honorable the Circuit Court Of the
United States rithin andtor the Southern
District of Ohio.
The undersigned. commanding the Depart
ment OF the OHIO, having received notice from
the clerk of said court that On application for
the allowance of writ of ha6sas corpus will be
! made this morning before your honors on be-
half of G. L. Vallandigham, now prisoner In
/ my custody, asks leave to submit to the court
the following statement:
II were TO indulge in wholesale criticisms OF
the policy Of the government, 1t would demora-
lie the army under my command, and every
friend of his country would call me q traitor
IL the officers or soldiers were to indulge in such
criticism, il would weaken the army to the ex.
tent of their influence sand II this criticism were
universal in the army, 1t would cause 1t to be
broken to pieces, the government to be divided,
our homes TO be invaded and anarchy to reign.
Ny duty to my government forbids meto indulge
in such criticisms officers and soldiers are not
allowed to so indulge, and this course will be
sustained by all honest men.
Now, | will go further. We are in state OF
civil war. One of the states OF this department
is at this moment invaded, and three others have
been threatened. I command the department,
and il is my duty to my country and to this
army to keep II in the best possible condition {;
to see that il is fed, clad, armed, and, rs far Us
possible, to see that II Is encouraged. II 1t is
my duty and the duty OF the troops to avoid
saying anything that would weaken the army,
by preventing single recruit from joining the
ranks, by bringing the laws Of Congress into
disrepute, or by causing dissatisfaction in the
ranks, il il equally the duty of every citizen in
the department to avoid the same evil lit is
my duty to prevent the propagation ofthis evil
in the army, or in portion OF my department,
II is equally my duty in all portions of 1t; and
it is my duty to use all the force in my power
to stop it.
II were to find n man from the enemy's
country distributing in my camps speeches of
their public men, that tended to demoralize the
troops, or to destroy their confidence in the
constituted authorities of the government,
would have him tried, and hung il found gull.
ty, and all the rules of modern warfare would
sustain me Why should such speeches from
our own public men be allowed.
The press and public men, in great emer-
gency like the present, should avoid the use Of
party epithets and bitter invectiyes, and dis
courage the organization Of secret political So
cieties, which are always undignifed and dis
graceful to free people, but now are absolute
~ wrong and injurious; they create discussions
and discord, which just now amount to treason.
The simple names "patriot" and traitor"
are comprehensive enough.
As before said, we are in n state of civil
war, and an emergency is upon us which re-
quires the operation of some power that moves
more quickly than the civil
There never was war carried on success
fully without the exercise of that power.
II is said that the speeches which are con-
demned have been made in the presence OF
large bodies of citizens, who, If they thought
them wrong, would have then and there con-
demned them. That is no argument. These
citizens do not realize the effect upon the army
of our country, who are its defenders. They
have never been in the field never faced the enc
mics of their country; never underwent the pri-
yations of our soldiers in the field; and besides,
they have been in the habit of hearing their pub
lie men speak, and, as general thing of approx
ing of what they say; therefore, the greater re-
sponsibilty rests upon the public men and upon
the public press, and il behooyes them to be care
full MS to what they say. They must not use Ii
cense, and plead that they are exercising liberty.
In this department il cannot be DONE shall use
all the power have to break down such license,
and am sure will be sustained in this course by
all honest men. At oil events, will have the
consciousness, before God, of having done my
duty TO my country; and when am swcryed
from the performance Of that duty by any
pressure, public or private, or by any preju-
dice, will no longer be n man or patriot.
again assert, that every power possess on
earth, or that is given me from above, will be
used In defense ofmy government, on all oc-
casions, at all times, and in NIL places within
this department. There is no party--no COM
munity-no state government-no state legis-
latiye body-no corporation, or body OF men
that have the power to inauguratc war policy
that has the validity Of law and power, but the
constituted authorities Of the government of
the United States; and I am determined to sup
port their policy. If the pcopledo not approve
that policy, they can change the constitutional
authorities of that government, ut the proper
time and by the proper method. Let them
freely discuss the policy in n proper tone; but
my duty requires me to stop license and inteni-
perate discussion, which tends to weaken the
authority of the government and army; while
the latter Is In the presence of the enemy, 1t Is
cowardly SO to weaken 1t. This license could
not be used in our camps-thc man would be
torn in pieces who would use it.
There is no fear Of the people losing their
liberties we oil know that to DO the cry of
demagogues, and none but the ignorant will
listen to it; all intelligent men know that our
people are too far advanced in the scale of re.
ligion, civilization, education and freedom, to
allow any power on earth to Interfere with
their liberties; but this same advancement in
these great characteristics of our people teach
es them ~ make all the necessary sacrifices for
their country when an emergency requires
They will support the constituted authorities of
the government, whether they agree with them
or not. Indeed, the army itselfis part of the
people, and is so thoroughly educated in the
love of civil liberty-whch is the best guaranty
for the permanence of our republican institu-
tions-that il would itself be the first to oppose
any attempt to continue the exercise of military
authority after the establishment of peace by
the overthrow of the rebellion. No man on
earth can lead our citizen soldiery to the es.
Enlistment Of military depotism, and no man
living would have the folly to attempt 1t. To
do so would be to seal his own doom. On this
point there can be no ground for apprehension
on the part OF the people.
Ii Is said that we can have peace II VIC lay
down our arms. All sensible men know this to
be untrue. We're II so, ought We to be so cow
ardly as to lay them down until the authority oil
the government is acknowledged
call upon the fathers, mothers, brothers,
sisters, sons, daughters, relatives, friends and
neighbors Of the soldiers in the field to aid me
IN stopping this license and incorporate dis |
cussion which Is discouraging our armies.
weakening the hands of the government, and
thereby strcngthing the enemy. five use our
honest efforts. God will bless US with n glor- |
Gus peace and an united country. Men Of every |
shade Of opinion have the same vital intercsVin |
the suppression Of this rebellion; for, should |
we fail in the task, the dread horrors of ruined
and distracted nation will fall alike on oil, |
whether patriots or traitors.
These are substantially my reasons for issu-
ing General Order No. SO, my reasons for the
determination TO enforce it, and also my rea-
sons for the arrest of the Hon. G. L. Vallandg- |
ham for q sunnosed violation of that order for |