Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-04-13

The order issued from the War Department
dismissing certain officers of the 4th New Hamp
shire volunteers for supporting the Democratic
ticket at the recent New Hampshire election can
not fail to open the eyes of the neople 10 the full
enormity of the measures being adopted to inter-
fere with the ballot box The order is in these
words:
WAR DEPT, ADJUTANT GENERALS OFFIcE,g
WAsHiSeroS. March IL, 1863.
Especial Order No. 49,
T"ExTRAoT.l
"33 By direction of The President, the follow
ing officers are hereby dismissed the service of
the United States: Lieutenant A. j. Edgerlv, 4th
New Hampshire volunteers, for circulating Cop
perhead Tickets and doing all in his power to
promote the Rebel Cause in his State.
by order of the Secretary of War.
IL. THOMAS,
sAdjutant General.
ITO the Governor of New Hampshire"
This order signifies that no officer Of the Fed
eral army can hereafter vote or other wise support
Democratic candidates without being dIsgraced
by dismissal from the service. If the War De-
partment had addressed a circular to all army Off
GERS declaring this punishment explicitly, 10 Off
GERS voting for Democrats or for uttering Demo-
cratic sentiments, the penalty and danger OF an
Independent expression could not have been more
distinctly understood. II is, in short, a most
| Eldffn2 anu DIhmOu cAefflcc OF aTDltfdrN power
on the part of the Administration to suppress and
corrupt the ballot box. To steal ballots would
be no greater crime.
Tell Us who can, by virtue of what reasoning,
Democrats are expected to willingly p1y taxes
and surrender lives in a war thus conducted tor
partisan and personal ends2 Tell us who can,
what ~iustiica ion is there for placing a ballot in
the hands of a soldier while a sword is drawn over
his head to smite him down, should he fairly ex-
- A - - a. E--1G It'll
us who can. of what value are political resolu-
tons adopted by officers Of an army who dare ex-
press but one opinion either by vote, tongue or
penl
1t is under such circumstances rs these that our
Legislature passes laws for army voting, and that
resolutions of army Officers are Haunted in our
faces rs expressions OF the poiitical opinions of our
soldiers The whole business is a gross b~urlesque
upon free institutions. Think of it-our Judges.
our Governors and our Legislatures to be chosen
by men scattered from New Orleans TO Murfrees-
boro. and from Ship Island TO Washington. not
one OF whom can vote tie Democratic ticket
without the certainty that he will be dismissed
from the service. or Ill opportunity for promotion
denied,-[ Milwaukee News.
- The Abolitionists are greatly delighted
with General MilrOv's letter I'm relation to the ac-
ton of the Democratic members of The late Legs
lature of Indiana. Here is the closing paragraph
of the letter:
q join with nv fellow soldiers of the Union
everywhere in warming these traitors at home that
when we have crushed out armed treason in the
South and restored the sovereignty of our Gov
eminent over these misguided States, (which,
under God. we will surely do we will. upon our
return, while our hands are in, also externinate
treason at the North. by arms. if need be. and
seal, by the blood of traitors, wherever found,
the permanent peace of our country and the per-
petuity of free government to all future genera
tions. r. II. MIRoY."
Mark this language. Gen. Milroy warns
these traitors at home" referring expressly to
such traitors" as the Democrats of the Indiana
Legislature.) that, as soon as the Southern rebel
lion is put down, he and his troops will, upon
their return, and, Ehile their hands are in. ex-
terminate by force of arms treason at the North.
(such treason as that of the Indiana Legislature,)
and seal a peace by the blood of the traitors. Be
it observed that Milroy and his troops, according
to his statement. are to do all this butchery. not
after awaiting the action Of civil or judicial au-
tborities, but at once on their return from the
South, before they are disbanded. "while their
hands are in" The threat of notification or
whatever il may be is Infamous and shocking.
The idea of an army's returning from a sue
cessful war, and, with their grasp upon their
c%ountry's weapons unrelaxed, proceeding to de-
eide for themselves what is treason and what
classes of politicians and civilians are traitors
and exterminate the treason and the traitors BY a
general massacre is atrocious and revolving be-
yond expression. We had not supposed that
the most black-hearted Abolition fanatic or luna
tic in all this land or in all the world could put
forth or indorse any threat or suggestion of a
thing so unutterably horrible.
We have no apprehension that any of our
Federal troops, even any of those under Gen.
Milroy's immediate command, could ever be per
suaded to undertake such a devilish work as he
threatens.-[Evansville Journal.