The Portland daily press., 1864-11-22
A New Military Order Needed.

The thieves who dashed into st Adams
from the Canada border some weeks since
have putin defence in the shape of scommis-
sions, signed by Mr.. Seldom, the rebel Secre-
tary of War. They claim to be soldiers OF
the &C. S. A., and, as such, demand the rights
of prisoners of war allowed by civilized ma
lions. Their leader alleged that the "expedi-
ton" was not organized in Canada. Wheth-
er they will succeed in getting consideration
on these terms from the Montreal courts re-
mains to be SEEM. They were tracked by the
Vermont police, and arrested by the aid OF
the Canadian authorities as thieves; and no
presumption of any other character has enter
ed into the process of their detention, tnat we
are aware of. If the commission handed to
the Montreal court by Young, their leader, %
genuine document, the rebels are giving
very wide construction TO military usage. We
shall look saws the Nep York Eoening Post,
for tho next burglar or bank robber who may
be mt on trial in this city to pull "Confeder-
ote commission out of his boot lining, and
claim to be prisoner of war. OF course he
will be entitled to rations, clothing and ex-
change, according to the usages of civilized
nations We shall have no more Jack Shep-
pards, but it will be Colonel, or Brigadier, or
Major General Sheppard. .YlTn5
The Administration has thought it neces-
sary to send special messenger to Montreal
to ascertain the exact circumstances of this
case. II the intent was to notify the Canadian
authorities thatour government will not GLOW
felons to take refuge under Confederate COM
missions" it is perhaps well enough, though
it would have been better in our judgement to
have given that hint to the British minister at
Washington, and to leave the rest with the
Canada police and our mutual engagements
Tor the delivery of felons. From the fact that
the messenger was a clerk in the State De-
partment, and personal confident Of Mr..
Seward, there appears room for inference that
we shall have some important diplomatic
correspondence" on the subject.
No person of ordinary .undiplomatic sense
can doubt for an instant that Young and his
associates are thieves, and nothing else. As
little likely will he be to doubt that the rebel
government" would, if it could, slip "com-
mission into the pocket of every thief that is
brou ght to the bar of our Court of Sessions
It has attempted to throw Its "commission"
round all the massacres by the Indians in Min
nesota and elsewhere in the West When it
has put out homily on the amenities OF civil
LIKED warfare it has disayowed responsibility
for the atrocities of guerillas and bushwhack-
ers, if those made their escape; but if arrested
II claims them as soldiers, and threatens TO
hang our officers in its hands if They be not
treated as prisoners of war. &
We trust that the farce of beIigerency on
the ocean, of which the British government is
the author, is not to be repeated by the Brit
ish provincial authorities in their treatment of
felons on land. We are too near neighbors
for that; and it is especially to be desired that
the present amicable aspect of affairs between
the two nations shall be iealously guarded
against fresh offence. fs AWE
We are not to act in matters like this as if
we conceded some ground for doubt whether
we are nation, and an equal member with
any other in tho family of nations. Our gov
eminent is now unit in itself as it regards
constitutional right and history. The people
in their majesty, have just made that declara-
ton, and there is no question left unsolved af-
fectipg our nationality, Of which other govern
ments have any right to take cognizance, es-
pecially with an unfriendly purpose.
What is wanted, if anything, is simply new
military order providing summary punishment
for all persons who shall assume to take shell
ter under Commission" from any power that
does not possess an acknowledged nationality.
We suppose our local laws against all sorts Of
felony are sufficient for such cases.