Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-05-03
Radical Message Of Gov. HaWIey
Return of General Meade and his
Army from EastpOrt.
Associated Press Report.
From Washington.


just been issued from the War Department
in relation to trials by military courts and
commissions, stating that whereas some
military commanders are embarrassed by
doubts as to the operation of the proclama-
ion of the President, dated the second day
of April, 1866, upon trials by courts mar
tial, 10 remove such doubts it is ordered
bv the President that hereafter whenever
offences are committed by civilians they
are to be tried where civil tribunals are in
existence, 5and their cases are not author
lied be and will not be brought before
military courts martial or commissioners,
but will be committed to the civil authori-
ties, This order is not applicable to camp
followers as provided for under the Goth ar
iicle of war, or to contractors and others as
specified in section I6 of the act of July,
1862, and sects. 1 and of act of March 3, 49,
Persons and offenses cogniZable to the rules
and articles of war and by the acts of Con-
gress above cited will be continued to be
tried and punished by tribunals as pre-
scribed by the rules and articles of war and
the acts Of Congress. Both the rules and
articles of war provide that all suffers and
retainers to camps, and all persons whatever
serving with the armies of the United
States in the field, though not enlisted SOL
diers, are to be subject to orders according
10 the rules and discipline of war. The
acts of Congress to which reference is made
provide that whenever any contractor for
subsistence, clothing, arms, ammunition,
munitions Of war, and for every description
Of supplies for the army and navy Of the
United States shall be found guilty, by
court martial, Of fraud or wilful neglect OF
duty he shall be punished by fine, imprison-
nent or such other punishment as the
court martial shall adjUdge. And further
provision is made for the punishment OF
persons defrauding the army, naval or civil
service by procuring false vouchers or en-
tering into q conspiracy with any person
in the employment of the Government with
view TO fraud and other kindred ofenses.
Dispatch Relative 10 the R0mbartl-
meni of Valparaiso.
WASHINGTON, May 2.-The following dis
patch relative to the bombardment OF VAL
paraiso has been received at the Navy
Department
U. S. STEAMSHIP VANDERBILT,
VALPARAISO, March 81, 1866.
Sir-I have the honor to announce that
upon my arrival at this port with the squad
ron under my command, l called upen the
English Admiral, who had informed me
that he intended to prevent any sudden
bombardment, and would only suffer it after
ample notice. To this 1 made no reply, but
having considered the matter, sought an Oc-
| casion the next day to say that I would
join him in preventing any sudden bonn
bardment, and I assured him that the
Monodack could take care of the Numancia;
that from the large experiments l had wit
| messed, was absolutely certain that in less
than thirty seconds, and not more than
thirty, the Monodack herself, entirely un-
assisted, would leave only the masthead Of
/ the Numancia out of water, and our wooden
| vessels, English and American, could look
out for the wooden vessels of the Spaniards.
In thus offering to go beyond the letter of
nv instructions TO observe e strict neutrality,
I acted upon the suppositiUn that neutrality
among nations did not preclude all we'll
directed efforts to keep peace among
them; that as q pesceable citizen is
not obliged to stand by inert while
another is suffering from unlawful
violence third person may justly inter
| fere with force to prevent an iniraction Of
the laws-a murder fer example. So q
nation witnessing the like disturbance
among her sister nations need not rest alb
soluteIy impassiFe but with sincere neu-
| trality might interpose, with force if neces-
sary, to keep the operations Of belligerents
| at least within the law for the protection of
| neutral persons or neutral property. l am
aware that action in the premises on our
part involves great responsibility, but had
reached the conclusion that with England
as an ally it was my duty to aid them.
| told the English Admiral what have
| written, and frankly added that his COM
merce was more extensive than ours and
| more convenient to the coast of Spain, but
| as he had more to suffer in consequence of
a rupture with Spain, he had also more to
| preserve by interference. His interests il
| Chilli rise to thousands while ours were on
| " hundreds. The English Admiral said ct
| first he would go with me, for plainly de-
clsred I would not take step without him.
| I said l had no intention OF becoming g
catspaw to draw European cbestnuts out Of
| the fire and then have the power I served
laughing at my singed paws while they en-
loved the fruits of my temerity.
The English Admiral finally determined
to throw the responsibility upon the Eng
Ish Minister, who did not choose to act IN
the premises. The English cooperation hav-
ing failed, no separate action on my pari
was taken as none was proposed. l have
used such measures as ! could to bring
| about an accommodation, but without sue
cess. This morning at o'clock the Span
ish Admiral fred upon the town with shot
and shell, directing his fire principally
against the public buildings and store
houses. After continuous bombardmer1
| OF two nOur6 anu OO mlIuLeS inc AEAAe
ceased and the Spanish Admiral withdrew
his vessels. Four of the stone building
connected with the Custom House were en-
tirely destroyed with all their contents
and other adjoining buildings used for thu
same purpose were very much injured
: The value of the merchandise destroyed II
! these was vaguely estimated at SOM
s22. .OOO, 900. The Government House, the
: Exchange and the railroad buildings wer
damaged to a considerable extent Nat
, urally and Inevitably some parts of the cit.
! which the Spanish Admiral declared b
did not intend to injur received man,
of his missiles. Several blocks OF pr
: l-yate bniidings were destroyed by IRE, an
J churches, converts and hospitals were nc
. exempt from injury. A few lives wer
: lost, but not more than eight or ten.
J herewith enclose the copies helettel
addressed to me by the foreign residents {
J VALPARAISO, representing the interests {
Il nearly all the nationslities of christendou
4 bearing an official character, with the cop
= of nv answer, also copies Of the manifest
/. and letter of the Spanish Admiral W he
Is | was assured that the English Admir-
= ives determined not TO resist bombar'
meut, called upon him and said, as d
not choose to drift into. eollision, where
had no purpose to collide, 1 should mo-
nv vessels to get Of the Spanish way. tn
intention ] communicated verbally to y