Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1864-02-17
MILITARY INTERFERENCE in the
MARYLAND ELECTION.
Extract from the Message Of Governor
BRA iford Of Maryla

! avail myself Of this occasion 10 advert
10 certain events connected with our re-
cent election which deserve your most
serious consideration. 1t would he much
more agreeable to me to avoid all ailu-
sion to them. | cannot, however, do 50
consistently with my sense Of what IS due
TO the rights and honor of the State, to
the office which 10y the favor of its Clti-
zens J occupy, orr may with sincerity
add-to the cause Of the Union itself, in
my opinion so intimately blended with
the cause OF the law and Constitution that
any outrage inflicted, especially in its
name, upon them. necessarily TO some
extent recolI' upon It, A few days be-
fore that election, military order was
issued from the army headquarters at
Baltimore, which IN elect laced the
polls under the surve!Iiahce ana a. the
command OF the military authorizes. /
was the less prepared Tor aIy snch ofder
from the TACT Ihal though III frequent per-
s0nal communication win the military
authorities Of the department, had re-
Ceived no Information Whatever "i IL: IN
that part ot the slate against "hlch lhe
movement seemed 10 Oe more par'lcuIafiy
directed iihe eastern shofeI lhere "ou' 'u
seem to have cen less necessity' as there
certainly was less sembiance o' authority
than elsewhere Tor whilst martial law
had been proclaimed ulon 'he western
shore OF the STATE IN June last ana ha'
not been repealed up 10 the Gay OF elec-
ton, upon the eastern shore II had never
been proclaimed at all. You VIII De 'ur-
uished with copy OF THIS order, ana II
is not necessary further to reclte II IMAM
10 state n general terms mat II was 10 oe
executed 10y the miiltary' a'u'u oy tne
provost marshals. ihey were 10 arreS'
voters whom they might coiSIueI ulS.oya',
in approaching or hanging 3oouI cDe
polls a prescribed form oi oath was lur-
nished, without taxing "hich no one /,
challenged, coUid NoIe' ana '"e sever "'
commanding officers were cHarseu 10 re-
port to headquarters any Judge oi e'eo',o
who should refuse to administer 'no'
oath or to aid in carrying out tha' oruer,
The President modified the frst part "I
the oder on the Monday preceding the
election but even that modification seem
ed to receive no attention from those IN
trusted with its execution. and was III
some instances openly dlsregarded'-
Prominent among the provost marshals
to whom the execution of this order was
10 part committed we're several who were
themselves candidates Tor important ON.
ces. These morshals appointed Tor the
purpose of the militia 'niH,luneno Gmu ,;rl
draft, we're paced by the law creating
them under the control oi 'he FroNIos'
general, bat to insure the right to employ,
them about this election order, special m
authority was obtained from washington
90 place them for the time Icing ,i unue'
the orders OF the military au,ho1ities,- au,,,
If, with these facts oel're me anu ssJ,"t y.
the judges OF election sworn 20 coS"uo'
u according to the laws oI % tno o.a'e, ave
openly menaced wl'h arrest unless 'nty
recognized the military auth3rl.y anu cG'.
Quoted II 10y the rules "Glcll 'ha, auVlorl'l
prescribed / "'d '.ooo silently oy ahG
ial'eu 70 assure '.'n' o' IAe i''ecI!oh oI
the Staie 10 W.. ,1. IT. {. us "olli'y'
should have ie,' nay D. erly unworthy
OF the place OF j.. ..... magistrate l,