Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-07-07


1t is on this base that the present imperiai
dynasty Of France rests for its popular ranca'ion
These presidents Of the French Emperor nave
Just been domesticated in our own country auu
applied on small scale to the people OF NofioiA'
where. as our readers are aware, the military COM
mander has invited all the citizens to vote on the
question whether they prefer to be governed IN
some things by their own municipal authoriues'
or would rather be governed in all things by the
will of the military commander. The terms OF
this interesting problem are thus stated by Gen.
SHEPLEY
HEADQUARTERS DIST OF EASTERN VIRGINIA.,
Norfolk IVA } june 3D. 1864.
uSprCIAI ORpERs No bO-Mauy 10y al cit of Nor
folk having scented the military authorities IN this
department they do not desire continuance OIL the
municipal that has heretofore been receghsed
by the Commanding General has been before
any final action taken upon these petitions to take an
of preference of the citizens Inc
polls : -. ot
of Norfolk poll will be opened at the several places OF
voting and separate ballot boxes will be kept open durRg
the hours Of voting IN which voters may aapi Those
in favor of continuing the present firm of muncpa gov
eminent during the existsnc- OF military occuPsuoD' WIN
vote yes Those opposed to 1t Will vote no.
The great respect shown by Gen. Shepley for the
"preferenoe Of the citizens themselves" in mat
ter purely concerning their municipal government,
and his willingness to dispense with the latter II
the people DESIRE revives the best traditions OF
what Dr. Leber calls "imperatorial democracy
In new edition of his work on " Civil Liberty
and SelI-government" he will have excellent
opportunity of showing that military commanders
in the United States can "loyally" adopt the
same institutes of authority which he finds wor-
thy of condemnation in the present Emperor OF
the French The question, as far as 1t relates to
the city of Norfolk, is thus considered by one of
our Administration contemporaries, the St. Louis
Union 1t says:
"As most Of the voters will be amongst the Soldiers suit
ers and hangers Of the army large portion OF the ct
xeps having dsranchised by rebeious acts or mill
tary orders should not be matter of much consequeuee
whether they to be governed by Mayors or Majors
Consabes Corpoas but the principle itself il rather
spoqelty which doubtless originated IN the prohtc BRAIN
of the department commander 1t simply amounts TO this;
that when municipal state government becomes often
awe 10 department commander accounted its codness
or lukewarmness he can get up an election amongst his
soders and those who be influenced by the sharp ar
aument of steel bsyonets to squelch the whole concern
and thus reduce the city district or State TO system OF
pure military government
1.-THE evident object is to popuarifs martial lsw-to
bring into action, by popular votes system that has
hitherto been nauguated not 30 much by the expressed
will of the people, by force and ams' 1t
admirable purpose shifting responsibility from civil aud
military officers, and fixing 1t upon the people themselves
Ii reconcies the dispute TO preogauye IN this matter
between the President and Congress- aud brings directly
back TO princpethe undoubted sovereignty OF the
people 1t gives opportunity to choose whether
his moral diseases shall be cured by hemp administered IN
the old tye by jury Of his peers after long diagnosis of
the case by leaden pills at the hands OF regmental
nroyost in obedience TO short drumhead investigation.
II leaves him no ground for complaint either for when be
wake. up some morning, after nights debauch in which
he gabbed drunken and finds himself kneeling in
A .Lafaa ntzAa hfa aat ha
knows that by his vote he has moulded the bullet that will
pierce his Drain
"so the struck eagle stretched upon the plain,
No more through rolling clouds TO roar again.
Viewed his own leather on the fatal dart,
which winged the shaft that quivercd in his heart
In fact there are points oh matter that have
onite q favorable look Although we are opposed to
7st,te suicide we know OF no human law TO punsh
man for KILN himself Still, as we are opposed to hsri'
kari general principle, We think We should vote for
civil government unless We should be prcked INTO vol
untary ballot on the other eide
The election" ordered to be had on the ques-
ton submitted by Gen. Shepley has been held, and
the result is thus officially announced by his mill
tary superior, Gen. Butler. We quote from
General Order dated Headquarters Department
Virginia and North Carolina, in the Field, June
20th, 1864 :"
Tbe ,cya citizens Of Norfolk determined, with
nirny almost une pied, by vote OF THREE HUNDRED
eYperImeut of municipal government which gave as re-
suits 10 them only taxes and saaried Ulcers without any
corresponding benefits
TT will be observed that this vote than three
time, as large as by which the experiment of civil &C.
veument was set on foot Some doubts upon the legal
formay Of this vote attempted to be cast by int
res ed parties and proclamation was made that the adhe
rents aud saaried officers OF the restored government
should upon the question submitted Yet that
was an overwhelming Of the opinion OF the c
gems from fact that three hundred and NIFTY votes
were upon the question: while only one hundred and
cast by all parties for their respective
TO fl the several civil Offices
Now, there at least two sets Of candidates
voted containing list Of fOrtyfye officers who
would have place in the civil government in each set 1t
would that but twenty cast for city Off
GERS except by those who interested in being elect
ssssumiug always that the men running for Office 10
city vote for each other
l. the duty and province Of the Government Of the
Tinted States TO afford protection to all ts citizens 10 the
manner most eectual and beneficial to them and far
. nsi.tent with the Constitution and laws in such man
ey IA thew desire and all experience has shown that
d,soroanized state Of society incident state Of
mar and especially civil military government, pro-
av affords the best protection TO property
liberty and life.
whether that military government mas Decn properly
atsred ip the city Of Norfolk during the two years
that il has been under military rule and especially whe
tbr that military government has been properly admLls
d dnrne the past eight months, and has secured the
ht.nsI benz Of good government 10 the city OF Nor
folk Il il not proper for this order to state
The citizens Of Norfolk have spoken upon that subject
With eient dstnctness to inform The Judgment OF the
Commanding General . .