The daily clarion. [volume] (Meridian, Miss.) 1863-1866, 1866-01-25

Troan- are stationed IN q county i'' ~
of the following reasons, VIZ
lat To aid the civil authorities IN the
r,airtainapce of law and order, and conse-
ouently for the suppression of all la|lessne'S
and disorders.
end. To protect such property OF the GOV.
ernment. or such people As areinhabltalifs Oh
the country who are not Adequately pf"'ee'
ed by the laws.
ard Tn maintain the supremacy OF the
military over the civil power and to over
awe those opposed to the establishment OF
ANYTHING contrary to the la,c OF the land
For which one of these purposes are the
troops now here among ms! How, DO the3
aid the civil authoritiesl Ifthey are here 10
aid the civil authorities, IT naturally tcllo"s
that If is because they are too weak to en-
force the law. If power is strong enough
70 execute the laws il needs no AID IRON any
foreign source Is the civil power OF Mlssls-
sippi strong enough to execute the laws =
Ask the people Ask the volunteers VINO
have enrolled themselves to defend the laws
aud UNFOLD the civil authorities. Turn to
the records and note from whom the com
pIaipts come Who fathers these com
plaints Who sits down, aud upon the
statement of a negro, whose word SIS rs moth
ino." sends out expeditions and writes long
reports! Have the civil authorities com
planned that they cannot execute the iaWS
They have The reason usually given has
been because of the opposition, by armed
force, Of some military .satrap. If the ciFlI
authorities are strong enough to GfecH'e the
law if the military were rcm0ced 1t becomes
poteut to every one that we have no use for
the military to protect either the people or
to uphold the laws.
What property is there to protect few
posts of no Importance so far as money value
is concerned few old barracks and an
amount of ''old plunder" which would bene-
fit the Government ifdistributed Stree gifts
What people is it necessary to protect by
military force! Is it the freedmen! Those
who have had the egis of such protection
floating over them have long since cried
save us from our friends" Wherever milf
tary "protection" and influence has been ex-
ercised over them, it has been invariably to
the deirincnt both of the negro and the
white TO protect IA people imports that they
are threatened with DANGER or are unable to
take care of themselves. With what dan
Ger are they threatened Is any one waging
war against them? Does any one propose
to cnslave them! Protection implies a ben
eft impaired. Can any one point us to a
single instance where such protection has
proved benefit to the negro! On the con
trary, wherever the military has extended
h,n, .lon, -
the nerroes-a disposition to become dissat-
isfed ana a habit of vagrancy and idleness
which was the result of military protection.
If they are unable to take care of themselves
who is better able to provide necessary reg
ulatiOns for them than the State within whose
borders they reside? But how does that
work! The Legislature cnacts laws for theiI
government, enioins their execution, and a
military officer steps in and says, that don't
accord with my ideas of what is necessary
and proper, and it shdl't be executed WhC
upholds the law in this instance-does the
military? warrant is issued by a civil Of
ficcr for the arrest of person who has com
mitted breach of the peace. The sherit
executes it and, a military body forcibl,
rescues the prisoner. Do they by this actor
uphold the civil authorities2 A criminal i
condemned by a court of justice to die b,
hanging The sheriff is informed that h
will not be permitted to erect the gallows.-
Do such actions aid the civil authorities il
the maintainance of law and order2 d
they suppress ldrleSsnesS and disorder Doe
it not FATHER maintain the supremacy of til
military over the civil authority! Does
not overawe by its strength, all whose cor
victions of propriety, or whose juIgmen
condemns it! Is this the province of tn
military Law has been represented as "haN
ing its seat in the bosom of Gcd, and II
voice was the harmony of the world Ii
foundation was supposed to be firmly IKE
upon the principles of mmutable justice
and its execution the maintainance OF
peace and order which could produce nothln
less than the harmony of the world.