Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-06-28
From the Cincinnati Rnquirer.l
Martial Law in Montgomery County
Military nsolence-violation of the
Rights of Citizens.

Ashehte Va OhnAO4oe
DAYTON, June "a, 1863.
We learned the welcome news, through youl
| paper, OF our relief from martial law. No one
living out OF our county has any idea of whaI
We have gore through. A knowledge of Major
Keith, and his capacity for mean, petty tyranny
is prerequisite TO an appreciation of our past
and possibly our future, condition. What you
copied from the Crisis In regard 10 the arrest OF
| respectable farmers In Greene county 90 hostaoes
for the discovery of some pretended highway.
man, who shot at some sergeant and came
"close to his head" is, In the essential part OF
the story, true. They were seized for no crime,
but simply as hostages. One young man, Who
came to see his father the next day after his ar
rest, was iyOnsd and hsndcsfsd for nearly tveu-
ty-four hours, and threatened With more terrible
punishment If he did not reveal all he knew
which was-nothing. These men have now
been discharged, having taken the " "volubtiry
OATH"
Another instance of utter lawlessness has oc.
Cured recently, far exceeding anythipp Won
published. About week ago Eve oreix young
"bloods" went into the country, and soon picked
quarrel with an inoffensiVe, quiet Germ An.
keeping public house. The result was an
outrageous, violent riot, In which stones, cIubs
and pistols were used BY the rioters; much prom.
erty destroyed, the German arrested BY them
under color Of military power, and bis Nifo
grossly and basely insulted when she plead for
his release. An infamous proposition was made
to her as the price OF compliance. The Ger
man, being finally released, came to town. and
arrested the rioters by civil process. Two of
them we're recruits in heavy artillery for Gin.
cinnati's defense. The others Immediately an.
listed. Then Major Keith steps in; arrests the
Magistrate, demands and gets the rioters, set,
them free, seizes the prosecuting and other viii.
nesses for the State, and incarcefates them for
twenty-four hours in the county jail, until thew
take his little voluntary OATH" None of he
witnesses we're heard or examined. All This
occurred prior to the lifting Of the blockade
Il is ell true. You may rely upon II &c such.
and 1t will some day be proven 30.
Whether We are now TO be free from the vs ~.
atious tyranny Of this malignant and peptilep,
usurper remains to be seen. He has been sfcsr.
rying on" ever sinee the famous Order 24O,
He still invades The cottage Of the farmer A,
the dead hour Of night; robs him of the rife
which has been standing behind his door GUAR.
ter of Q century, and casts his person into prIa.
on, to extract voluntary OATH" We ere
informed atDaytonis to be o "military post. u
| OF WHICH upJUr heltn ID 10 tetAln the command
II we are to be subjected during this summe,
and fall to the intermeddling Of this "post com.
mander," and to continual arrests and searohea
under frivolous pretexts, OF the iDstigation of 4
few corrupt bangera-on and spies who have DOS
session of his regal highness' ear and con-
science, our lot will be uncomfortable.
IL Gen. Burnside could only travel through
this county. and antar every home In town and
the country, and learn thc state Of feeling vbieh
his precious subaltern has created, and which hs
Is intensifying every day, and hear what tbe
plain, honest farmer, Of both parties, has 10 say
about Major Keith, he would not hesitate one
hour, IL he has the good Of the cause at heart,
to remove the nuisance, or qualify Il in some
degree. ss
In the mean time We shall live in hope and In
patience. We shall exhaust legal and peacesble
remedies. Adherence TO the law shall be our
motto. Let us endure much rather than risk
worse. And 90 we will. But when We become
convinced that for us there is 10 be neither law,
nor peace, nor liberty; and that when the ballot
box 10 to be violated 70 insure our enslavement:
and we have no other hope to retain our free
institutions but our right srms--let our right
arms do the work. DAYTON.