Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1865-09-26
The Militia Difficulty in Mississippi


A despatch from Jackson, Miss dated August
9Th, published in the Cincinnati Commercial, fur
nishes the following extracts Of letter from Pres
ident johnson on the subject Of organizing, in
each county Of the State, free Of citizen mill
tia:- g#s# i
1t IS believed there can be organized in each
county force of citizen militia to preserve or
der and enforce the civil laws Of the State and of
the United States, which would enable the Fede-
raj Government to reduce the army, and with
draw, to great extent, the forces from the State
thereby reducing the enormous expenses of the
Government.
IF there was any danger from an organization
of the cit;zeus for the purpose indicated, the mil
itary are there to suppress, on the first appear
ance, any move insurrectonary in its character
One great object is to induce the people to come
forward in defence of the State and Federal Gov
ernments' General Washington declared that the
people, or the militia, was the arm of the Con-
stitution or the arm of the United States; and as
soon as it is practicable the original design of
the Government should be resumed, under the
principles of the great charter of freedom handed
down to the people by the founders Of the Repub-
lie. The people must be trusted with their gey-
eminent, and if trusted, my opinion is they will
act in good faith, and restore their former Cons
stitutional relations with all the States compo-
sing the Union
The main object of Major General Carl Shurz's
mission to the South was to aid, as much as prac-
ticable, in carrying out the policy adopted by the
Government to restore the States to their former
relations with the Federal Government. 1t is
hoped such aid has been given. The proclama-
ton authorizing the restoration of State govern
ment requires the military to aid the Provisional
Governor in the performance of his duties, as
prescribed in the proclamation, and in no manner
;,fn n
contamination of the object of his appointments,
at least without advising the government of the
intended interference. ANDREW JOHNSON.
A telegram from Jackson Mississippi, dated
the 9th inst, says;
ssQuite an excitement has arisen at jackson,
CAUSED by General Osterhaus taking forcibe pos
session of Mr.. Potter, who was being tried by
civil court for shooting negro caught in the act
of committing a robbery. The News Of that CITY
has strong article on the subject, in which it
demands who is Governor of MISSISSIPPI, Gov
ernor Sharkey, General Slocum or General Os-
terhaus! It protests in strong language against
the action of the military authorities, and calls
upon Governor Sharkey to resign if he is not sus-
tanned The people also manifest great indignation
on the subject The Neaos, however, is confd ent
that the President will sustain the Governor"
On September I'd the President received a dis
patch from Governor Sharkey, stating that Gen
eral Slocum had issued an order preventing the
execution of his proclamation of August the 10th,
and acknowledging the receipt of the copy of the
dispatch sent to General Schurz on the 30th ult..
which dispatch Governor Sharkey earnestly re-
quested permission to publish.
To this request the resident replied by tele-
graph;
The. following is copy of the telegram recent-
ly sent to General Slocum, commanding in Mis-
sissipi, by President Johnson:
sNly despatch was not intended for publication !,
but you can make such use Of it as you deem
best"
The same day the following despatch was sent
to General Slocum
WAR DEPARTMENT,
WASHINGTON, D. c., Sept. q
Major General Slocuns, &C.:
Upon the 18th of August Governor Sharkey is
sued proclamation calling for the formation of
military companies in each county to detect GRIM
inals, prevent crime and preserve good order in
places where the military forces of the United
States were insufficient to do so. If you have is
sued any order countermanding this proclama-
ton, or interfering with its execution, you will
at once revoke it Acknowledge the receipt of
this order, and telegraph yonr action on it.
BY order Of the President of the United States.
I. T. EcKERT,
Acting Assistant Secretary of War
General Beauregard is said to have
arrived at Vara Gruz IN tho o1ct Milf |