Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1867-01-02
MISSOURI AND HER TROUBLES.

Iney oIlSudleu III ''SoiouS aSteuP' on
the part of gov. Fletcher to rid the State
OF Bushwackers, men going about noun
ted and armed and equally ready to steal
good horse or to shoot Union man.
That there should be such men, long after
the war of the rebellion has been declared
closed, is natural consequence of the
part which Missouri played during
the war. The issues of the war divided
society there, arrayed members of the
same family against each other and en-
geudered the strongest and bittcrest local
and personal feuds feuds that do not die
out readily, but still assert themselves
and seek the same indvlgemces in times
of peace that they had during the war.
Those of the Missourians who went into
the rebel army have been especially bitter
ever since the rebel armies were disbanded
and in those counties of the State where
.f
the rebels greatly outnumbered the Union
men there has been little safely for the
property or lives of the latter, They have
lived SUBJECT to constant fears of violence,
and it was to relieve loyal men from such
reign of terror that Gov. Fletcher. recen-
thy called out the militia and undertook
to convince the bushwhacking rebels that
they must respect tie laws Of the State
and the property and lives of its 4itizens,
The Democratic papers in Misssori and
at the East have denounced Gov. Fletch.
er's course in the strongest terms, and it
has been charged against him that his
sole purpose In calling out the militia was
to depress the Missouri State bouds aud
allow him and his friends to buy them
up at low figures. This charge, however,
is sufficiently rcfuted by the facts that
Gen. Grant has been to Missouri, and
that the President has refused to interfere
between the Governor and the bushwback-
ers by means of United States troops.
The militiamen have unfortunately been
guilty of some lawless acts, disregarding
law while endeavoring to vindicate its
power. Such acts could hardly have
been avoided, for the Union men of y is
souri, have suf1crd terribly from their rebel
neighbors and they have many grudges to
satisfy. Their conduct in attempting to
g r'eettny those grudgcs, while nominally
enforcing the laws of tho State, Is in ON
way Unsuitable, but the bushwhackers
themselves are primarily to blame, for
they have never scrupled to vex and har-
rass the Union men to the fullest extent
CT their power. Whatever Incorporate
acts may have been performed, therefore,
by the militia called out by Governor
Fletcher are not to be charged upon eth
er the loyal leaders or people of Missou-
ri. The ex rebels themselves are respon-
slble for them, and if they do not want
to further exasperate their Union neigh
bors they must cease from their lawless
Expectations and buswhacking exploits.
IT they will do that. the militia will have
no occasion to enforce the laws and no
to exceed the proper limits OF
duty. gul &
Some of the leading citizens of Jack
son county, where there has leen a great
zeal of difficulty with bushwhackers,
have petitioned the Governor not to SEM
troops there, offering to guaranty ample
protection to the lives and property of all
veil disposed persons IN the county,
These petitioners embraced both Union
1en and ex.re1el, and the Governor re.
'ponded to their petition by directing
hat no troops be sent to that county. III
he citizens themselves will see that the
avs are enforced, it will be vastly bet.
ter than to call out the militia, and the
Governor assures his petitioners that he
mas no other purpose than the vindication
If the State laws and the protection Of
he citizens. 1t is time for those Nilsson.
'ians who took part IN the rebellion to re-
llize that the rebellion nrbyed n f,;I,,o