Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-12-22
GEN. DIX's ORDER.

/ GEN. DlAS OhDEh.
| We yesterday reproduced the order in which
Gen. DIX announces that the President of the
United States had disspproved of that portion Of
his recent General Order which instructed all mill
tary commanders on the Canada frontier, in certain
9 ses therein specified, to cross the boundary line
between the two countries in pursuit of insurgent
"raiders' or depredators on our territory To this
announcement Gen. Dix added, that in case Of any
future marauding expedition into our territory
from Canada, military commanders on the frontier
shall report to his headquarters at New York city
for orders "before crossing the boundary line IN
pursuit Of the guilty parties"
The reader who has given an attentive perusal
to what we have written on the subject will be
prepared to understand that we entirely approve
the decision of the President in revoking 30 much
of the original order of Gen. Dix as was published
in moment of irritation at the decision Of Judge
CoURsoL. The military commander at New York,
in the utterance Of that order suffered his zeal to
outrun his discretion; for, though tits clear by the
terms of international law that the military autho-
rites of State invaded from neutral territory
are entitled to pursue the marauding party within
the confines Of that territory the right to do SO is
one that should be exercised with the greatest re-
serve in point of time and the greatest circumspec
tion in point of manner. And there is differ
ence which Gen. Dix seems to have overlooked
between the pursuit of an enemy in hot blood
across the boundary line of neutral territory and
the utterance of an order in hot blood directing
military subordinates to do SO whenever the occa-
sion seems to call for it. The propriety of such a
pursuit depends upon the exigency of the case,
and the consequent ability of the invaded State to
show, in the words of Mr.. Webster, "a necessity
of selfdefence, instant, overwhelming, leaving no
But the propriety of such an order could be JUS
titled only by the foresight of marauding invasions,
with deliberate purpose on the part of the neu-
tral country to evade the performance of its neu-
tral obligations. The failure of single Judge in
Canada to do his duty In the premises was hardly
. sufficient motive for such sweeping order as
Gen. Dix Illuminated on the occasion, and we are
glad that the President has thought proper to re-
duce that order within more guarded limits. As
well observed by the Detroit Free Press, in advance
of the partial revocation of this order by the Pre-
sident, Judge Coursol lis an inferior magistrate,
and, although his acts may be excessively annoy
ing, although they may in effect trample upon
justice, and let loose upon our borders men who
deserve the punishment of death, it is the duty
Of men placed in the high and responsible posi-.
tion of Gen. Dix to defer any action which looks
like threat or retaliation until he knows whe-
ther this inferior magistrate is to be sustained by
the Government Of Canada. 1t is right and pro-
per for the President, but not Gen. Dix, to take
prompt and decided ground upon these ques-
tions, and to demand immediate action to prevent
these raids"
The Toronto Globe, a paper friendly to our Go
vernment and to the present Administration, Of
fered the following comments on the order Of Gen.
Dix before it knew Of the Presidents revocation:
ave think the order extremely inudcious on the part
Of Gen. Dix. IL is possible that he is justified by the rules
OF international law. There be doubt that If
trail fails prevent raids from his territory the assaed
party permitted to enter the territory and capture the
assalants But there many things lawful which are
not expedient He has right presume that Gov
ernment not will not prevent raids in future They
making every effort to prevent them and there s little
chance of failure. The discharge Of the prisoners an
event dgracefu to the administration Of Justice in Mon
trea but cannot be charged upon the Government who
have done all that lies in their power the arrest
Of the prisoners Until they failed TO accomplish this
all events Gen. Dix ,hould certainly have withheld his
der He ought to have recoeced that the object Of the
Southern raiders here is embro the two countries
war and that the object of both bis Government and
is to avoid such result. ANY thing which could create
bad feeling between the two countries exactly that which
the Souherners desire IL Gen. Dxs orders were obeyed
aud Canadian soil invaded there be- doubt that our
Government would be impeded in the work they have
earnestly undertaken Of preventing raids 10 the future
The best for the American Government pursue
ia to insist authorities doing their duty n the
ter, and the time to refrain from any thing which
will needessy embitter public feeling the border"
pAS9pORTs- -OFEICIAI