Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-01-03
The Military and the Episcopal Diocese
Of Alabama.

HEADQRS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE Tenn,
NASHVILLE, Tenn, Dec. I'D, 1865.
GENERAL ORDERS,
No. 40.
Armed resistance to the authority of the United
States having been put down, the President, on
the 18th day of May last, issued his Proclamation
of Amnesty declaring that armed resistance hay-
ing ceased in all quarters he invited those lately
in rebellion TO reconstruct and restore civil au-
thority. thus procaming the magnanimity of our
Government towards all, no matter how criminal
or deserving of punishment. Alarmed at this
imminent and impending peril to the cause in
which he had embarked with all his heart and
mind, and desiring to check, if possible the spread
of popular appreciation and grateful appreciation
of the magnanimous policy of the President in his
efforts to bring the people of the United States
back TO their former friendly and national rela-
tons one with another, an individual, styling him
self Bishop of Alabama, forgetting his mission to
preach peace on earth and good will towards men,
and being animated with the same spirit which
through temptation begaled the mother of men
TO the commission of the first sin-thereby entail
ing eternal toll and trouble earth-issued, from
behind the shield of his office, his manifesto of
the 10Th of June last to the clergy of the Episco
pal Church of Alabama, directing them to omit
the usual and customary prayer for the President
of the United States and all Others in authority,
until the troops of the United States had been
removed from the limits of Alabama cunningly
justifying this reasonable course, by plausibly
presenting to the minds of the people that civil
authority not having yet been restored in Alabama
there was no occasion for the use of said prayer,
such prayer was intended for the authority
nlOne, anu as inc mllltdTy was Iue only authority
in Alabama, it was manifestly improper to pray
for the continuance of military rule. This man,
in his position of teacher of religion, charity,
and good fellowship with his brothers; whose
paramount duty rs such should have been char
acterized by frankness and freedom from all cum
ming, thus took advantage of the sanctty of his
position, to mislead the minds of those who natu-
rally regarded him rs teacher in whom they
could trust, and attempted to lead them back into
the labyrnths of treason. For this covert and cum
ming act he deprived of the privileges of citi
zenship, in far the right to officate as min
iseer of the Gospel because it was evident he could
not be trusted to ofcate and confne his teachings
to matters of religion alone-in fact that religious
matters were but secondary consideration in his
mind, he having taken an early opportunity to
subvert the church to the justification and dissent
inatiOn of his reasonable sentiments. As 1t is.
however manifest that so far from entertaining the
same political views as Bship Wilmer, the people
of Alabama are honestly endeavoring to restore
the civil authority in that State, in conformity
with the requirements of the Constitution of the
United States, and to repudate their aols of hos
tility during the past four years. and have accepted
with loyal and becoming spirit the magnanimous
terms offered them by the President; therefore the
restrictions heretofore imposed upon the Eplsco-
pal clergy of Alabama are hereby removed, and
Bishop Wilmer is left to that remorse of con-
science consequent to the exposure and failure of
the diabolcal schemes Of designing and corrupt
minds.
BY command of Major General THOMAS:
WM. ID. WHIPPLE,
Accis Ad;utant (,anaral