Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1864-09-08
cetfttt IN Fl II 8 + PROPOSED
4 =, .ARBdTR AIRY ARRESTS. = :

IiiY tAltBd In All ~AhhErs4 ,. Il
Thc priac:iipal thunder which the sup
porters of Mcclellan hurl against the Adj
-nihstratioh,is that arbitrary arrests.have
been u.sde But, verse than the draft,
cysna.ia The zsigkt of. these patriotic
" Democratic are those arbitrary arrests
that have done so. much to, weaken the
Administration How they have thun-
deEsai against them night and day MS
breaches of the Constitution, infringe,
nrents of the sacred liberties of person,
and rcckless overthrow of all the safe
guards against 'tlesfetism.whieh our fore
fathers erected as the right Of the States
NetSrthelrss,, the most high-handed, ar
bitfary ;taad cXorbitant- of all acts u this.
ki,sl.v. the seizure aE imprisonment of
the 'ehtife Legislature of the State +-ofthc
sovereign State of Maryland, was ordered
ard, to certain extent, executed by
Gen. Mcclellan. Banks was at the time
in Command at Baltimore. and, as twas
suspected that the members of the Legis-
lkture might take measures to carry the
State out of the Uni5n into the Confeder-
acy, Mcclellan wrote to him in this
wise '....'.........-a
[Confdcntial.
HEADQUARTERS Army or TIE PoToMAC,l
.,, Ill W AsHiSGroM, Sept. II, 1864.
E. MJor General ~. p. Banks, Z. S. A.:
a q. :,L
the President, Secretaries of State, War, &c,
il has bcen decided to effect the operation pro-
posed for the lTth. Arrangements have been
made tohavca Government steamer at Annap-
oils to receive the prisoners and carry them 10
their destination. -.'.-
'..Sonrc fur or five. of the chief men of the
affair are 10 be arrested to-day. When they
met On the 18th you will please have every
thing prepared TO arrest the Whole party, and
be sure that none escape.
'"'"it rs understood that you arrange with
General Dix and Governor Seward the modus
opetdndi. II has Econ intimatcd to me that
tile meeting might take place on the 18th inst,
please be prepaied. would be glad 10 have
yot, advise INC frequently of your arrangements
in regard TO this very important matter.
III il is succcsgt1tfg earriea oa, wW 90 far
tordrd treakiny tie lie hack bone Of tie rebellion.
# viii probably he web 10 have special train
quietly. prepared to take the the prisoners to
Anhnpolis - - '-' ''f
~ leave iris exceedingly important affair to
your tact aril dirccisot--and have but one
thing. 10 impress upon you-thc absolute -ne-
cessity, Of secrecy and success.
81 With the Ii .hcst regard, ! am, my Gencr-
al, your sincere friend.
"Gfoaaa B. McCLELLAv,s
Major General L. 5. A.
This was, it must be confessed, a pref
ty summary and effective way of dealing
with State rights, and Mcclellan Went
into the THO work with gusto. 1t cannot
be said thai he was merely carrying out
the orders of bis superiors, for he appears
to have suggested the plan. himself.
merely F" CONSULTING" the President about
it, aSl tending It his warm and earnest
approval, His anxiety to get it done
with complete success, and the Importance
he ascrihcs to That success, shows that
his co-tpcratich Was more than willing;
it was Jealous. He seizcs those Inspected
lcgislators--.those representatives ola free,
independent and sovereign State-which
was not at war with the nation, with as
much avidity as a dog catches at bone.
He juggcd them all ut swoop, and there
was an end of the matter. Mr.. Linco!n's
seizure of a poor offending editor here and
there, or Of a spccnlating Contractor now
and then, Is 1t pitiful proceeding beside
this nabbing Of II whole Legislative body.
Cromwelrs dispersion of the Long Par
lament has bee, me historical; it has been
both painted and sung; but it was a lame
affair compared with McClellan's method
of getting rid of the Maryland Parlia-
/ mcnt' Ills Democratic admirers, es-
IGcially those who are champions of State
rights, would do well to put the scene
npon th6ir trausparencics and ban ncrs-
1t would make an extremely picturesque
and effective emblem of political consis-
tcncy.