The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1869-06-18
CIRCULAR.


Your friend aud brother typo,
P.H.H.
CIRCULAR.
HEADQUARTERS FIFTH MILITARY Dish.
STATE OF TEXAS.
AUSTIN, Texas, May 10, 1869.
The following is published for general in-
formation: Sc
CONFIDENTIAL.
tE-I send out this Circular to the Press,
printed hastily, TO avoid the time and labor
Of writing 10 all with whom desire to COM
municate. There ought TO be prompt action.
Let the press speak out.
u 10 THE PRESS or THE COUNTRY.
The Press of the Country has the power 10
crush out the military despotism and
tyranny in Texas, and other Southern
States, if it viii, 1t IS time, after four
years Of peace, that arbitrary arrests and
trials under military commissions should
cease. 1t must be evident even to those
living at a distance, that they are iusti-
gated by malice, and controlled by corrup-
ti0n. ''Det Us have peace restoration
of good government, and the sdministra-
ton of the civil law. With it will come
prosperity, fraterRal feeling, and united
country. ,5
OFFICE OF THE TEXAS REPuBLICAN,
Marshall, Texas. Feb. "a, 1869.
1 have, in series of editorials, directed
the attention of the press of the country to
the deplorable condition Of affairs at Jelfer-
son, Texas, but ] regret to state, without
achieving the results at which aimed. The
silence and seeming indifference Of many Of
the leading newspapers, not only of our own
State, but Of the North, is to me extraordin-
sry and inexplicable.
There are over twenty citizens Of that city
under arrest BY the military authorities,
number of whom have been in confinement
for three months, without being informed of
the crime with which they were charged, the
witnesses that are TO appear against them, or
the nature, of the testimony which they will
be required TO meet, They are denied the
privilege of the writ of habeas corpus; bail
has been refused 10 the amount 100000,
They are treated as convicted criminals, and
regardless Of every principle Of justice and
humanity, as malefscLOrs. If they had
eVinced any desire to escape from Justice or
to evade any Just responsibility for anything
they may have done, there would be a
shadow Of Justice in the course that is being
pursued towards them, But they have done
nothing Of the kind. On the contrary, many
of them either gave themselves up voluntari-
ly, or offered to do so, whenever their pres
ence was required.
And yet they were dragged from their
beds at night, their bed chambers invaded
by an armed sOldiery, who paid no respect
TO the feelings Of their families or the delicaey
which belongs 10 domestic relations.
Under such a state of affairs no man feels
safe. To be arrested, involves pecuniary
ruin, for no man can tell the duration of this
confinement
It seems to me the press of the country
ought to present an earnest protest against
this exercise of desPOtic power, and that from
day 10 day, and week to week, it should de-
uOunce such tyranny, until the authors of
such policy sre forced TO abandon it.
The press, says Junius, is the palladium
of religious and political freedom. But he
meant by this not press such as we have
now, silent in the midst Of usurpations that
render our government like that Of despotic
Austria, but one bold and outspoken in the
defence Of free Institutions The war has
been over for upwards Of four years, and
there is no excuse or apology for these afro
Cious measures.
They have now military Mayor at JEFF
ferson, whose course is without parallel in
the history Of down trodden country. The
place is overrun with detectives and spies,
and every means is resOrted 70, to extort tes-
timony. 1t has been charged, and has not
been denied, that coaxing, intimidation, and
offers Of bribery have been freely employed
by these corrupt officers and agents. Affairs
at jefferson are getting worse and worse
every day. Unless the press takes bold
course, and by its exposure and denunciation
of this strocious tyranny, crushes it out, 1t
will increase not only in the particular local
tiles where it has been introduced, but will
extend over the whole State.
repeat that these arbitrary arrests, and
prospective trials by military commissions.
with the iniquity connected with them, can :
not last if the press will do its duty. Is It
asking too much Of conservative editors 10
devote few weeks labor to this important
subject, and the full exposure Of this Jeffer-
son iniquity.
speak particularly of Jefferson, as l am
more eonversant with all the facts connected
with the Outrsges perPetrated there; but, as
is well known, this tyranny is not confined
to that place. In Van Zandt and other
counties citizens have been arrested without
warrant and report says, placed il irons
There Is no telling to what extent if not
checked, this despotism will be carried. The
press of the country is the guardian of public
liberty. Do those that control it. appreciate
its high mission and their responsibility
Are they willing 10 devote small portion Of
their time and their talents to an important
work, which viii result in SO much good to
the whole country.
Respectfully, r. W. LoUGHERY,
Editor of the jefferson Times and Texas Re-
publican.
This Circular was sent to the Presi-
dent, and by him transmitted through
the War Department and General-in-
Chief to this Headquarters for report,
and was returned with the following
endorsement:
Respectfully returned to the Adiutant
General of the Army. Reports bearing on
the murder Of G. W. Smith, member of the
Texas Constitutional Convention, aud two
freedmen, while they were confined in prison
at Jefferson, have been forwarded to the War
Department, from time to time under dates
of October I6, 1868, Cletter and telegram, J
October %, and November 4; also letter to
the Chief Of staff, December 7, 1865, from
this Headquarters; and to those reports re-
ference is respectively invited. for the COM
plete history Of the CASE ,tc n
The principal points are ss follOEs:-
Smith and his associates we're charged with
breach Of the peace, and committing an as
sault on certain. parties in the immediate
vicinity Of jefferson, Texas. They sought
the protection Of The military for fear, as is
alleged, of being mObbed. i
They were given up by the military on
the request of the Mayor and City
Marshal Of Jefferson, and upon the as
surauce Of these civil officials that they
should receive prompt and impartial trial
before the civil courts. Under these circum-
stances Smith and his companions were put.
in prison, and for greater security guard Of
Uuitsd States soldiers, in chaFge Of 3 con-.