The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-03-25
GENERAL SICKLES' ORDER.

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five.
GENERAL sICKLES' ORDER.
We publish this morning General Orders MOL,
from Headquarters Second Military District oy
which, in virtue of his recent appointment, Major
General SIoKIEs assumes command OF the states
of North and South Carolina.
Local civil tribunals are permitted to take turs-
diction of and try offenders, excepting only such
cases Us may, by the order Of the Commanding
General, be referred to commission or other
military tribunal. Local laws and municipal regu-
ations, not inconsistent with the Constitution and
laws of the United States the procamations OF the
President, or the regulations OF the Commanding
General are still of force. Existing civil officers
are authorized to continue the exercise Of their
proper functions.
Our ordinary courts, our municipal officers, the
subordinate agencies, sherifs, magistrates, &c.
necessary for the conduct Of the usual business OF
society, are thus preserved they are now constl-
tuted, and there need be, and will be, no Interrupt
ton in the regular current Of our daily life Men
can rea and SOW, plant and build, and go about
GQeT Ually DuSuuoSS, HlL14ouI Aoet VI N'eeA AN'AS W.
apprehension of interference.
As regards those offences which proceed IRON
violence and awlessness, if the civil authority now
existing fails to suppress them, the military au-
thority is empowered to arrest and try the ofend-
ers. That, in some Of the country districts, out
RACES have been pepetrated which both the in
terest and character Of the State require to be
suppressed, is true. BIT they have been e1cep-
tional cases, and have very much diminished. Ii
thoy have not yet been entirely e1tngushed it has
been owing to the sparseness Of our population,
the insecurity OF confinement consequent upon the
destruction Of very many Of the district jals, and
the unsettled condition of popular feeling always
accompanying civil war and great political change.
But we hope and believe that public opinion will
enforce upon the civil magistracy tn necessity OF
an active and efficient discharge of their duties,
and that no occasion will arise to deprive civil
justice of the power of administering to criminals
prompt and ample punishment.
How far The Legislature can exercise it's func-
tions, if, as this order clearly indicates, the
paramount authority Ct the United States" with
it's power Of modification and abrogaton is vested
in the commanding General, it is hardly worth
while to inquire, for there is scarcely conceivable
necessity for the assembling Of that body until
after the Convention shall have been held and a
new Legislature elected.
Our plain policy is to pass as quietly as possible
through the intermediate stages Of political life
which are to restore us to our Constitutional con-
dition. Gen. S1cKIEs expresses his desire to pre-
serve tranquility and order by means and agencies
most congenial to the people. In this re believe
him sincere and think that he can with confidence
appeal to his administration Of the military COM
nand for the two last years in proof of that sim
ceT1Jy. T1Jy ---------1-= .---
He solicits the cordial cooperation Of the
people and of the authorities, and this are
he will have.
This order places before our people, not harshly
but very distinctly, the fact that from to-day we
are under Military Government. The Command
ing General possesses over brave, a sensitive and
a suffering people, a more absolute authority than
is welded by any but one of the monarchs Of
Europe. We believe that he feels the solemn re-
sponsibity of his position, and that he wishes to
use his great power wisely and generously-that it
is his honorable ambition to carry peacefully and
safely through such crisis as an old and civilized
society has scarcely ever been forced to pass.
With our aid honestly given as it has been frankly
asked we believe he will achieve his purpose.
And VIII en- better days shall have come, We trust
that he will be able to look back, not only upon
good aad wise Intentions but upon lasting and
happy results. And for ourselves, let us do our
duty like wise and resolute men. It is not an easy
nor pleasant duty, but We ought not to forget
that however pure our purpose and unselfish our
sacrifice, we have brought this misery upon the
land we love- And if God has taught US that we
a1e not to serve the State in the--way we thought
best, letus in spirit of equal sacriic serve it as
he permits.
: Yesterday for the first time after long and sad
silence the old bells of st. Michael rang out their
we'll remembered chimes, and there was not 3
native heart that did not throb in unison. Many
manly lip quiyered, many gentle eye filed for
who could forget how often they had pealed in e1-
ultation with our hopes, or toed in sympathy with
The brave and good who perished in the bitter
struggle. And as those sounds Of peace foated
away from the old spite into the Sabbath air and
vibrated over the blue waters, dallying with the
'olds Of the great banner that shadows our for
iunes, whispering softly over the green mounds of
abandoned batteries where those we loved fought
or us even unto death, and dying away in the far
of woods Of distant islands, where friend and
enemy lie moulderng together, did they not in
Iced
"Ring out slowly dying cause
And ancient forms of parry strife"
md is not the noblest tribute to that cause and the
vsest experience of that strife the manly resolution
a prannle ho1d1v with tho fntnra