Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-07-09
THE CIVIL AND MILITARY POWERS.

From the NeU York Ereaing Post of JUN 3D.
Gen. POPE has addressed letter to the Governor OF
Wisconsin, IN which ne defines br fly and ucdy the place
and duty of the military authorities in the enforcement
the laws. Governor SALoMoN wrote in relation TO ths
execution Of the CONSUMPTION act in that State and the re-
al lance which 1t feared would be made in certain
parts Of the State that in my Judgment the mitar,
power should not be employed the enforcement of an,
law in the first instance but it should be left the ord
nary civil officers and tribunals 10 to its execution un
less it should clearly appear that the latsr unwilling
or unable to do 60" In this view Gen. Pore, who com
mands the Department of the Northwest heartily concurs
He writes:
~ fully sgree with you that military force should not be
employed within the Loyal States in the execution OF this
or any other law until all the for ito enforcement
usual in times past have been exhausted.
The habit of resortDg tn military every trng
of opposition resistance the laws is becoming
common to excite in the minds of udciOus very
rious aarL Such practice entirely suppants the civil
author y, ees aside tme-honored for tie enforce
ment Of tho laws in this country destroys in the citizen
that feeling OF personal interest in their execution through
which alone have maintained popular government and
prepares the public mind for complete a5dication OF civil
rule 1t impossible to believe that citizens OF this coun
try, except under the immediate influence Of excitement
be willing to trust the enforcement Of civil law to
military force and thus to surrender the very highest pr
vege and duty of American citizens Such course would
inevitably lead if persisted to the complete dominion of
the military, and the final overthrow of free institutions
Ths practice tends also naturally to weaken in the sol
der that for the civil law, and that respect
the civil authorities, with which he entered the military
service, which he still earnestly chershes and upon which
alone must rely for the quiet dsbandiDg of great
armies and the return of the soldier to his home order
ly aw-abidng citizen. Every dictate of wisdom and of
patriotism should teach to discourage both by act and
word any thing that might possibly tend to impair in the
mind of the soldier his feelings citizen.
therefore hope that all welldsposed citizens of this
State will after short reflection understand the mpera
live necessity OF exercising their right through the civil
tribunals to enforce every law Of the United States how
ever much they have been opposed to its enactment
Whilst, therefore, my duty 10 the Government
quires to furnish whatever military aid is necessary
enforce the consumption law throughout this department
in strict accordance with it's terms, shall only employ
military force for that purpose after every of the
civil authority has been used without success"
Gen POPE soundy and like an intelligent and
bert! loving American De Tocquevie noticed, as one
of the st remarkable phenomena which attracted his
attention during his travels in this country the universal
respect f Americans for law The laws are observed he
wrote because every citizen els his interests to lie in
their Observance Soldiers unnecessary to enforce
them because the citizens ready to assist the civil
hortes chosen by themselves Let retain this honor
able distinction 1t is the feature of American society
which makes the superiors of European nations this
single result justfes liberty and popular government
The American people do right to be jealous Of the inter-
ference of the military power Their sentiments this
point arise from conviction, honorable to them that ex
cept where open rebellion or nsurecton obtains and tenn
porary overthrows civil government, the people are
always willing enough aud strong enough to aid the civil
authorities to enforce the laws and Gen. Pope rays pro-
pery that if should accustom ourselves 10 call
the military power for help at every turn in affairs
serious blow would be struck at that selfdependence and
respect for law which is The foundation of liberties and
which alone make them endure. We should presently
glide into that attitude of chronic opposition to law and to
the civil government which is the fault Of many Euro
pean nations.