Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1863-05-22

IeEN. BURNSIDE ON nEn1 OWN MDTH
ARDTtsE DUTY OF CnTH4KNs An TnnEs
CnslsTe.
We commend the following patriotic sn5 ds.
termined words Of the CommAndant Of ne D.
paftment Of the Ohio. % the attention u ~ The
People:
HKADQuAnf's DEfAnrMENrog rBk Ono
CINcfSNArf o., May IL. 1868.
To tie Honorable eas Circuit Conss u ds United
s1ass ,sitaiu and for Gs soutksyr Dissris cf
Ohio:
The undersigned, commanding the Depart
tncnt Of the Ohio. having received Dotice from
the Clerk ofHaid Court that an application fbr
the allowance Of o writ Of habcas corpus viii be
made this morning before your Honors on be-
half Of Clement L. VallandighHm, now prison.
er in may custody, asks leave 70 submit 10 the
Court the following
STATEMENT.
If / were TO indulge in wholesale criticisms Of
the policy OF the Government, Il would dcmor-
alize the army under my command, and every
friend Of his country would call me traitor
II the officers or soldiers were to indulge in
such criticisms, It would weaken ihe army tothe
extent of their influence; and IL this criticism
were universal in the army, u would cause it 10
be broken to pieces, the Government to be di.
vided, our homes TO be invaded, and anarchy to
reign. My duty to my Government fOrbids me
to indulge in such criticisms; officers and sold
icrs 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, aud three others have
been threatened. command the department,
and it is my duty to my country and to this ar.
my to keep it in the best possible condition; to
see that is fed clad, armed and, far possible,
to see that it is encouraged. lift is my duty
aud the duty Of the troops TO avoid saying any
thing that would weaken the army, by prevent
ing single recruit from joining the ranks, by
bringing the laws Of Congress into disrepute, or
by causing dissatisfaction in the ranks, it is
equally the duty of every citizen in the depart
ment to avoid the same evil II it is my duty
to prevent the propagation Of this evil in the ar
my, or in a portion of my department. it is
equally my duty in all portions OF il; aud It Is
my duty TO use all the force in my power to
stop it. tn.-
II were to find 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 con-
siitutonal authorities of the Government, j
would have them tried, and hung If found gull
| ty, and all the rules of modern warfare would
sustain me. Why should such speeches from
our own public men be allowedf
The press, and public men, in a great emer-
gency like the present. should avoid the use Of
party epithets and bitter invectives, and dis
courage the organization Of secret political socie-
ties, which are always undignfied and disgrace
ful TO a free people, but now they are absolutely
wrong and injurious; they create dissensions
and discord, which, just now amount to treason.
The simple names "Patriot" and Traitor" are
comprehensive enough.
| As before said, we are in a state OF civil war,
and an emergency is upon US which requires the
operations of fsome power that moves more quick
1 ly than the civil. lts7eE ~
| There never was a war carried on successfully
without the exercise of that power.
| 1t is said that the speeches which are condemn
ed have been made in the presence of large bod
les of citizens, who ifthey thought them wrong,
would have then and there condemned 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 tho enemies of their
country; never underwent the privations Of our
soldiers in the field; and, besides, they have
been in the habit of hearing their public men
speak and as general thing, Of approving Of
what they say; therefore, the greater RESPONSE
biliy rests upon the public men and upon the
public press, and it behooves them to be careful
as to what they say. They must not use license
and plead that they are exercising liberty. In
this Department it can not be done. shall use
all the power have TO break down such license
and am sure will be sustained in this coursh
by all honest men. At all events, will have
the consciousness, before God, of having done
my duty TO my country; and when am swerved
from the performance of that duty, by any pres
sure, public or private, or by any prejudice. !
will no Logger be man or patriot. a.
] again assert, that every power possess
earth, or that is given mo from above, will be
used in defense of my Government, on all occa-
sions at all times and in all places within this
Department. There is no party-no communi.
90, Gta4a IVA, Stoko xsala An.1~,L
corporation, or body of men that have the power
to inaugurate war policy that has the validity
Of law and power, but the constituted authori-
ties of the Government of the United States; and
am determined to support their policy. II tho
people do not approve that policy, they can
change the constitutional authorities of that
Government at the proper time and by the prop
er method. Let them freely discuss the policy
in a proper tone; but my duty requires me to
stop license, and incorporate discussion, which
tends to weaken the authority of the Govern
ment and army; while the latter is in the pres-
ence of the enemy-iti is cowardly SO to weaken
il. This license could not be used in our camps
the man would be torn in pieces who would
attempt it. .l,+s $50 .ift
There is no fear of the people losing their lib
critics; we all know that to be the cry of dena-
gogues and none but the ignorant will listen to
It; all intelligent men know that our people are
too far advanced in the scale of religion, cviza-
ton, education and freedom, 10 allow any pow,
er on earth to interfere with their liberties; but
this same advancement in these great character
istics Of our people, teaches them to make all
the necessary sacrifices for their country, when
an emergeniy 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,
which is the best guarantee for the permanence
Of our republican institutions that il would it.
self be the first to oppose any attempt to con-
tinue the exercise of military authority ai.er the
establishment of peace by the overthrow Of the
rebellion. No man ON earth can lead our citizen
soldery TO the establishment of military des-
potism, and no man living would have the folly
to attempt it. To doso would be TO seal his own
doom. On this point there can be no ground
for apprehension on the part of the people. -
1t is said that we can have peace IL we lay
down our arms. All sensible men know this to
be untrue. Were it So ought we to be COVE
ardly as to lay them down until the authority Of
the Government is acknowledged 81
beg TO call upon the fathers. mothers broth.
ers, sisters sons. daughters, relatives, friends
and neighbors of the soldiers in the field to aid
me in stopping this license and incorporate dia-
cussion, which Is diseouraging our armies, weak
ening the hands Of the Government and thereby
Strengthening the enemy. II we use our honest
efforts, God will bless US with glorious peace
and a united country. Men Of every shade of
opinion have the same vital interest in the sup
piession Of this rebellion; for should We fail in
the task, the dread horrors Of ruined and dis
tracted natiOn will fall alike on all whether nat.