The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1868-10-27
Military Order.
HEADo'Rs. DEPART. OF THE SOUTH,
Atlanta Georpia Oct0ber 1888

| AL1aDQ MS DEPAR i. Of THE SOUTH,
| Atlanta, Georgia. October 8, 1863 I
| Whereas, by an act of Congress of the United
States approved March I'd, 1865, it is made the
duty OF the military authority to preserve the
| peace at the pools at any election that may be
held IN any of the States; and Khereas, this duty
| has become the more imperative, from the exist
ing political excitement in the public mind, from
| the recent organization of civil government and
| from the fact that Congress has by statute pro-
hiblted the organization of military forces in the
several States of this Department, it is therefore
ordered . .-..
l. That the several District commanders will
as soon as practicable Oh the receipt of this or.
der, distribute the troops under their commands
as follows:
In the District Of North Carolina,
One company 40th Infantry, to Fayetteville
One company 40th Infantry, to Charlotte
One company 10th Infantry, to Salisbury
One company 40th Infantry, to Greensboro
One company 40th Infantry to Weldon.
One company 10th Infantry, to Plymouth.
Two companies 10th Infantry, to Goldsboro'
Two companies 10th Infantry, to Raleigh.
A detachment Of two commissioned officers
an0 forty men of Company s.B," 9th Artillery,
to Wilmington. r.-.,... ~ II -. g.
Ii. Detachnents, when necessary, may be made
to points In the vicinity Of each post; but in no
case, nor on any pretext whatever, will detach-
ments be sent without commissioned officer
who will be fully instructed by his post COM
mander. .-r.. #
VIII. District commanders will instruct post
commanders in their duties, and the relative po-
sltion OF the civil and military powers. They
will furnish them with copies of the circulars
from these Headquarters, of August 25th, and
tlofohar 1Sfr l,tto :ah C. Il
ed September 10Th, to District Commanders in
which the instructions of the War Department
are set forth in full. They will impress on post
commanders that they are to act in aid and CO.
operation and in subordnation to the civil au-
thorltles; that they are to exercise discretion and
Judgment, unbiased by political or other preju-
dices; that their object should be exclusively to
preserve the peace and uphold law and order,
and they must be satisfied such is the object of
the civil officer calling on them for aid that they
must III all cases where time will permit, apply
for instruction to superior authority, but they
must at all hazards preserve the peace, and not
be restrained by technical points, when, in their
conscientious judgment under the rules above
set forth, it is their duty to act Post Com
manders on being notified of the proposed hold
ing OF political meetings. may send an officer,
and if necessary detachment, to watch the
TX. To the people of the several States COM
posing the Department, the Major General COM
manding appeals that they will cooperate with
him and the civil authorities in sustaining law
and order, in preserving the peace and in avoid
ing those scenes OF riot and bloodshed, and the
wanton destruction of property and life, which
has already, in some instances, been enacted III
the Department. He urges. abstinence from all
infammatory and incendlary appeal to the pas
sions; diseountenancing the keeping open Of
liquor shops on days OF political meetings and of
election; the abstaning from carrying arms, aud
asserting the individual right of constituting laws
by force Of arms. No just cause is ever adyan-
ced by resort to violence. Let their be charity
and forbearanee among political opponents, what
ever may be the result; let each good citizen de-
termine that all who, under the law. have the
right to the ballot shall exercise it undisturbed
If there are disputed points of law, let them be
referred to the courts and let not mobs or polti-
Cal clubs, Or other irresponsible bodies construe
and undertake to execute the law. This appeal
is made in the earnest hope that the Major Gen
eral Commanding can rely on the good sense and
correct Judgment of the mass of the people, and
that he will not be compelled to resort to the
exercise Of the power with which he is intrusted,
and which he VIII most reluctantly employ. But
he thinks it his duty to make known. that SO
far as the power under his command will admit,
he will not permit the peace to be broken, and
that he will not be restrained in the conscien-
t;ous discharge his duty by technicalities of
laws made when the present anomalous condi-
tion of affairs neither anticipated or provi-
ded for. ..-.. ....
By order of Major General Meade.
r. c. DRUM,
Assistant Adjutant General.