The national Republican., 1868-04-15
Bvt. Msj. U. 8. A., A. A A. o,
HxApo'Rs THIRD MILITARY DsrRIcr, !
d GBoReiA, ALABAMA, AVID FLA, \
ATLANTA, Ga, April I, 1858. }

HEApo'Rs TnrRp MrLirARr DBrRrcr,l
GBoRefA, ALABAMA, AVID FLA,
ATLANTA, Ca, April Z, 1858. }
Gsnsrai Orders, No. 81.
I. The recent assassination at Columbus,
0sorRia, of the Hon. 9. W. Ashburn, late Q
member Of the constitutional convention Of
| said State, and other acts Of violence and
| atrocity committed about the same time In
various parts Of this district, and the stimuli
tsnecus publication Of inosndiary articles,
and tho receipt by many persons Of threaten.
| ing letters, indicating q concert Of action, ny
violence and Intimidation, to alarm and over.
awe . large part Of the population. and BY
this means affect the results Of pending cleo
ions In this district, all Of which acts appar-
emily emanate from a secret Organization, for
no good purpose, which seems to be rapidly
spreading through these Slater, makes Il
necessary for the commanding general to warn
all persons against tho commission Of such
acts, the publication Of such articles, the
sending Of such letters. or connecting them.
selves with such evil orsanisstion., and 10 -.
he will use all the powers ho possesses to pro.
tect them In the peaceablo enjoyment Of their
homes and property and in the exercise OF
their personal rights and political privileges
III. lie therefore directs all military and
civil officers In this district to take the most
prompt measures to arrest and bring to trial
all persons who may hereafter print, publish,
or in any manner give circulation and pub
licity to such incendiary papers or threatening
letters, and furthermore to arrest all persons
who may be known to have participated In
any such acts Of violence as above referred to,
resulting In breaches Of the peace nnd injury
to persons or property.
III The commanding general furthermore
forbids tho conductors Of all newspapers, job
printing Offices, or other presses from printing
or publishing any articles or papers tending
to produce intimidation, riot, or bloodshod;
and any newspaper containing any such pub
lications, or press publishing the same, will be
stopped, and its proprietors. editors, and
other parties connected Herewith on being
convicted before a military commission will
be subject to lne and imprisonment or such
other penalties as may be deemed suitable to
tho offence committed
~. All public writers and speakers are on
Joined to refrain from inaammatory appeals
to tho passions and prsjudices Of the people.
and from publishing or saying anything cal.
culated to produce breaches Of the peace, or
TO intimidate any person from tho exercise Of
their political privileges
v. Military commanders of p,sts, rhorins
Of counties, mayors, and other municipal Off.
GERS, are hereby required to organize patrols
and other means for the detection Of such per.
sons as avail themselves Of the secrecy of the
night for executing their criminal purposes
Military commander OF posts are required to
SEQ that this order is duly anl faithfully exc.
outed by tho civil authorities within their
jurisdiction, and to promptly report any fail.
uro or unwillinguess on the part OF said author.
tiles, who will be held subject to the penalties
attached to disobedience Of the orders smanat-
ing from these headquarters. Military COM
manders are authorized and directed, when,
In their judgment, the same may bo necessary,
to organize, from the reliable and law. abiding
citizens, posses to aid In tho preservation Of
law and order 10 their respective districts, tho
expenses attending the pay and maintenance
Of these posses to be charged to the several
90 Inties or municipalities as the case may be.
VI. Tho commanding general calls on all
good citizens to aid Ia the preservation Of the
peace, and TO assist In the arrest and punish
ment Of violators Of this orjor and the crimi.
nal laws Of tho State, and he admoni,hos
thom that unloss acts Of intimidation and vio-
lenco are checked and punished, bloody retail.
alton may be provoked, the peace Of society
endangered or subverted, and much innocent
blood bo shed.
VII. The commanding officers Of all mill.
tary posts In this district will Immediately on
the receipt Of this order cause Its contents to
be generally made known, and deliver copies
thereof to all civil officers, editors Of newspa-
pers and presses, and other parties to be spe-
cialiy affected thereby, within the limits Of
their commands.
BY order of Major General Meade.
s. F. BARsTow,
Acting Assistant Adjutaut General