Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-07-04
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT or THE
NORTHWEST.
MILWAUKEE,, Wis. June 25th. ls63N


GOVERNOR: | have tie honor TO acknowe,iee
the receipt Of your letter of the 23d inst in lpla
tion To the execution of the consctiption law in
this State. and to the question of the use of mill
tarv force for that purpose.
| fully aeree with YOU that military force
should not toe employed within the loyal States.
in the execution OF this or any other law unit, all
the means for its enforcement usual in times ,st
have been e3h,usted Conflicts of authority he
tween the military and civil departments. or be.
tween the military forces and the people.
titely TO be deprecated.
am SIRE that Won will bear willing testimony
TO the 'spcct which has been exhibited toward
the constituted authorities of this State, and to
the care with which in the discharge OF duty IN
this military department. combinations or nisun
derAtnndngs which might arise from such n cause
have been avoided
have been satisfied from the beginning that
IN yearly every case the eonsctip,on law can be-
executed by the civil authorities alone. through
the people acting Under their direction IN the lc
rsl and usual forms. IL the discretion intfustei
~ me by the Government, IA 10 the employ ment
of military fnruc for the execution Of this law
within this military depart ment. have steadily
declined to permit the use of any troops under
my command. unless | could be convince thu,
al other legitimate means had been tried without
success Already. IN ohe or two cases, have
made without necessit, tho enrolment under
The Law having been completed thoroughly by the
willing Md oi tho civil authorities.
The habit oi resorting To military force w eve
" itilling case ol opposition or resistance ~ the
laws. i. becoming 50 common rs ~ excite n the
minds ct iudienus me1 very serious alarm Such
practice entirely supplnntr the civil auihorlticr
sets asilo time honnfed means for the enforce
mcut Of the laws la THE country. derifoys IN tho
III - A.
execution, through which alone We have mliif.
iitued popular government. and prepares he pub
tie mind Tor complete nhdlcRinn ot civil rule
II IL impossible To believe HAT citizens of this
country, except under the immediate Influence of
excitement. eau ho willing u uu.l the enforce.
ment Of civil law a. military force and thus 10
surrender the very highest privilege and duty OF
American citizens.
Such course would inevitably lead II persist
eel IN the complete dominion of The military, and
the hnal overthrow ol tree Institutions The
practice also ieLd- naturally 10 weaken In the
soldier thst reverence Tor the civil law and that
respect for the civil authorlie- with which he en-
tered the military service. which he sill earnest,
chrtshcs. aud upon which alone We must RELY for
the quiet dshandng of our great armies. and the
return of the soldier To his home. an orderly. Law
abiding citizen
Every dictate Of wisdom and Of patriotism
-htulu tettN Us 10 discourage, boNn p' net hhu
word pnylhing that might possibly tend 10 i'm
pair in the MUD oi the soldier hts feelings ms =
citizen | therefore hope that all well disposed
citizens of the Shle will. after short reflection.
undcfsttn the imperative necessity 90 exer, ising
G.er right. through the civil tribunals. TO enforce
every Inv OF the United States, however much
they nav have been opposed 20 it, enactment
Whilst therefore my duty to the Government
requires me 70 furnish whatever military aid !.
uccc-stt, to enforce the conscription law through
out this department IN strict accordance with it,
ierms, shall only EMPLOY military force Tor that
purpose after every resource of the civil authority
has been used without success II !. NV earnest
hope that the people ~ the several Ststes cpm
prisei within thi, milit'ry department have vi
ready adopted some such views are here pre-
senie AMI will 80 act upon them as To relieve
me from the necessity oi using measures in the
performance si my duty which sre ~ unpleasant
to me ~ hey can possibly Ice 20 any lev.l citizen
an 1o'ernor. respectfully. your ohedient
servant, JonS PORK
Msjer General Commanding