The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-07-14
Important Order from General Grant.

lately in rebellion, are hereby directed to ar
rest all persons who have been, or may here
after be, charged with commission of crimes
and offenses against officers, agents, citizens,
and inhabitants of the United States rrespec-
tive of color, in cases where the civil authori-
ties have failed, neglected, or are unable to
arrest and bring such parties to trial. and to
detain them in military confinement until such
time as a proper judicial tribunal may be
ready and willing to try them. A strict and
prompt enforcement of this order is required.
By command of Lieut. Gen. Grant
E. D. TOWNSEND, Asst. Adjt. Gen.
The above order is one which inspires us
with unaffected regret. General GRANT en-
joys, in larger degree than any officer of the
United States army, the respect of the people
of the South. His bull dog courage in main
tanning his attack, and his expressions Of res
pect for us when vanquished, gave him hold
upon popular regard which he still retains to
great extent and we look on any order
from his Headquarters, calculated to shake
this feeling, with regret. SO far as we are
informed there is no necessity for the present
ukase but granting the necessity to exist
granting that courts are here and there lndls-
posed to do Justice to officers of the Govern
ment or negroes-granting that the Procla-
nation relieving us from martial law and res
toring the functions of civil courts is waste
paper;-still, with all this conceded, General
GRANT -unintentionalIy, We feel salts
fed--left room, by the structure Of his order,
for the preparation of outrageous violations Of
the personal liberty of the people Of the
South.
In the first place, persons who have been,
or may be, charged with commission Of
crimes and offenses against the classes emu
merated in the order, and who have not been
arrested by the civil authorities, are to be
taken in custody by the military. In this
provision of his order, General GRANT has
committed grave oversight, in this: that lie
does not require parties to make and file dec
larations under oath that the civil authorities
have been applied to for redress, and that re-
dress has been refused Non-acton may or
may not, proceed from ignorance on the part
of Magistrates and Grand Juries; aud, there
fore, it should be specifically stated that APP
plication has been made to the civil authors
ties for protection, before action is taken by
military officials. o
L,-th a-4ae.,ed ulaao-- tlle-JAr14r-- nrouides
that such nartias arrested l.Ael-. 10
provisions, shall be detained in military Gus
tody until such time as proper judicial tri-
bunal may be ready and willing to try item. y
This paragraph admits of the most cruel out
RACES at the option of local commanders, in
asmuch as it makes no provision for bail or
parole. In the event that man should be
charged with felony, coenzabIe in the Cir
cult Court, it might be months before that
Court could be ''ready," in the very nature of
its duties, to try the offense. When we re-
member the sentiments EXPRESSED by General
GRANT, in his report of his final campaign,
and those set forth after his flying tour through
the South TO look into the administration Of
the Freedmen's Bureau, we feel satisfied that
the possible and probable i'll cnnstq lences
likely to grow out Of this order never su5-
gested themselves to lis mind when he gave
it his approval. ga 4
Let lis hope that he will, in frank and
manly spirit, amend the order By tits
course he will at oace enhance his own repu-
tation and perform patriotic duty,
SO oh Sfr TO