The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1863-06-10
DIsBAHDING THE LEGION.

DISBANDING THE LEGION.
= Screnth-The thirty-niuth section of
the Military Bill reads as follows:
"Section SO. Any and all laws and
parts of laws coming in conflict with this
act. and all laws heretofore enacted, re-
lating in any way to the militia, shall be,
and the same are hereby repealed.
This repeals the militia law organic
ing the Indiana Legion, dissolves all COM
panies and brigades formed under it, and
renders null and void all commissions
issued to its officers The twenty-second
section of the bin (aboye set forth) pro-
vides that all companies of the Legion
existing up to this time shall be disarm-
ed by the Assistant Quartermaster Gen
eral on the staff of the Major General,
which officer is to hold the arms. subject
rections of the Audftor gHtat4b the d.
urer, and Attorney General of the State;
are f TO &c seeaaiaat t99HdiDg these 9Rs
a S4a9sfry ON the warrant of the Auditor.
We look at this as one of the most in
famous aud criminal features of the bill.
Ifthe friends of this measure desired to
protect the loyal interests of the State.
why do they propose to disarm and
disband the Legion OF the border?
The Legion, in many portions of the
State, and especially in the south
ern portion, have become thorough
ly organized and well disciplined, at
much expense and labor to the mem
bers. The deficiency, loyalty and
patriotism of the Legion have been the
boast of every true patriot of the State;
and had it not been for the activity and
energy of the organization, our southern
border would have been overrun and de-
vsstated by maurauding bands of rebels;
and these men not only deserve praise
for the noble defense of our own State,
but for the gallant service rendered to
our sister State of Kentucky But there
is another Significant circumstance con-
nected with the attempted disarming of
the Legion A few days before the in
PRODUCTION of the Military Bill, there was
resolution passed by the House, by a
party vote, requesting Governor Morton
to use his influence to have the Fifth
Cavalry removed from the border coun-
ties, stating that, in the opinion of the
friends of the resolution, that the Legion
was sufficient to project the river coun-
ties. At that time the Militia Bill had
been concocted and drafted for the pur-
pose of disarming and disbanding the
Legion, and leaving the whole southern
part of the State open to the inroads of
lu3rrilla bands. a-. .-----sr-
The Governor declined to act in the
removal of the Fifth Cavalry, as that
regiment had been raised at time of
imminent public danger, for the purpose
Of protection 20 our border counties.
bic reason, the friends of this measure
were determined to have this force re-
moved, and the following letter was al
dressed to the Governor, urging the
matter:
IEDlANAPoLIs, February Is, 1868.
1.-THE undersigned, Senators and Rep
resentatives from the First and Second
Congressional Districts of Indiana, re.
specially request his excelency, Cover
nor o. p Morton, to use bis influence to
have the Fifth Indiana Cavalry removed
from the border counties of said dis
triets.
~. W. Lemon, G. W. Finch
VIM. E. Niblack, John Lemon,
Thos. E. Garvin, George H. How,
o. A. Reitz, J. 6. Howk,
Elijah w. Spencer, Thomas Ryan,
n. s. Given, c. B. Furgerson,
S. NJ. Holcomb, A. j. Hardin,
B. B. Kemp, Jamerson Lee,
w. Fl. DeBruler, Daniel Blocker,
J. D. Williams, James Hardin,
b. s. Fuller, j. G. Howard"