Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1867-03-01
The need of Military Government at the
South.

South.
The proposition to place the Southern
States back under military commanders,
seems at first thought like step backwards
in the work of reconstruction. But if the
existing civil governments there are precti-
cally inadequate to the protection Of the
lives and property of loyal citizens, what
shall be done? What better way can be
suggested than to place a power over the
courts and sherifs and jailors of the South
ern States, which shall execute the laws,
when they refuse, until civil governments
can be organized which shall answer the
ends of government. Congress passed the
military bill, because the republican major
itY believed it was needed. \ portion Of the
evidence which brought them to that con-
clusion is to be found in the report of the
investigating committee, appointed by the
House to look into the case Of the alleged
murder of three Union soldiers IN South
Carolina.
The committee consisted of Messrs. Pike
Of Maine, ParnswOrth Of Illinois, and
Cooper of Tennessee. The two first have
made a majority report, which Is published.
They found, as facts, that corporal and
two privates of Maine Veteran volunteers,
who were on duty guarding some seized
cotton at a place called Browns Ferry in
South Carolina on the Sth of October 1865,
were surrounded by gang of Southerners,
residents of tnat vicinity, shot through the
lead, the pistols being held so close to their
heads that the hair of each was burned,
their bodies thrown into the river, and their
arms and horses stolen. They had commit.
ted no wrong, were men of good conduct,
and the committee say that "their only Of
fense seems to have been wearing the uni
form of the Republic and obeying the orders
OF their superior officers Four men were
arrested for the crime by the military
authorities, and Military Commission,
convened BY ten. Siekles, after long and
careful trial, found them guilty, upon I'M
doubted testimony, and they were sentenced
two to be hanged, and two to be imprisoned
for life President Johnson subsequently
with the advice and consent of Secretary
Stanton, committed the death sentences to
Imprisonment for life, and the prisoners were
confined first at the Dry rOrtugas and after
wards in Fort Delaware. They were taken |
thence on 8 writ of habe0s corpus, issued by |
Judge Hall Of Del, which the commander of |
the Fort was instructed by Secretary Stan
ton to obey; and after hearing the prison
ers were discharged, on the ground, falsi-
fed by notorious facts, that the rebellion
was over and that the civil courts of South
Carolina were open and competent to admin
lister justice, at the time of the military ar
rest and trial. The prisoners went to their
homes, and though, as the committee say,
" no doubt appears to have been entertained
in the minds Of that community of the guilt
of at least two of the persons discharged,
they were all received by the inhabitants of
the town with an ovation and congratula.
tions which terminated in a general drunk"
The murderers are still at large, and ac-
cordIng to the testimony of the general off,
GERS on duty at the South, they are in no
danger from the civil tribunals OF the South
We copy the testimony of Gen. Sickles, as
by the committee, reminding our
readers that Gen. Sickles was a democratic
politician before be became soldier; that
he has never been radical, and can be
charged with no partizan bias in this mat.
ter
TESTIMONY OF GEN. SICKLE ,
Gen. Slckles testified that thus far there have
been no instances Of arrests prosecutions, trials
and CONVICTION. on civil process, Of any citizens
OF South Carolina for such ofenses in my OPT |
Mon. he SAID, the bias of the people is 90 strong
against the presence Of the garrisons in the
State and against United States soldiers that |
you could not find jury in South Csroiins that ,
would convict q man for killing a Union soldier
no matter what the testimony was do No,
think the garrisons can remain in South Caroline "
or North Carolina If We are to rely unon N.
civil courts to protect the troops and the nron- u
srty Of the United States, nor if we are 10 ,nr,
over to the civil courts for trial soldiers and ~.
6oers who may be charged with offenses; | do
not think they could expect justice at the hands q
of Southern Courts and juries there is no n
remedy, unless the authority Of military tribu- ;
nals be sustained. Citizens committing oifenses d
against soldiers are not even indicted by the e
.ivii authorities Thee authorities do not ar. 6,
est anybody. nor prosecute anybody. nor in
lict anybody for such ofsnses. Yer soldiers
nd officers have been in some instances wound