Year: 1863

STATE OF MARYLAND,


ErecutiDs Department, Annapolis, Moo. 2, 1868.
To the Citizens Of the State,


and more especially to the judges Of Election


Military Order issued from the Headquarters of the
middle Department" bearing date the 9th ultimo,
printed and circulated it is said through the State,
though yet published here and designed to operate
on the approaching election has just been brought to my
attention. and s Of such character and issued under such
circumstances to demand notice at my hands


This order recitng that there many vildsposed
persons now large 10 the State of Maryland who have
been engaged in rebellion against the lawful Government
have given aid and comfort encouragement to others
engaged who do not recognise their allegiance to the
United States and who may avail themselves of the ndu
gen,e of the authority which toerates their presence to
embaass the approaching election through to foist
enemies of tho United States into power" proceeds
among other things to direct all provost marshas and
other military officers to arrest all such persons found at
or hanging about approaching any poll place of eec
ton on the 4h of November 1863 and report such arrest
to these headquarters"


This extraordinary order has not only been issued with
out any notice to or consultation with the constituted
tborities of the State but at time and under crcum
stances when the condition of the State and the character
Of the candidates such preclude the idea that the
result Of that election n any way endanger either the
safety of the Government the peace Of the community


Il i well known fact that, with perhaps single
exception tofr is not Congressional candidate in the
state wboseloyatyi OF questionable character and
Mt in couay Of the State outside Of the same Congress
nona district there, believe, candidate for the Le


ature OF auy State Office whose loysty is not equally
undoubed In the face Of this well known condition Of
,brps the several classes Of persons above enumerated
are not only 10 be arrested but "approaeng any poll
o, place of ecion And who to judge whether voters
thus on their way to the place of voting have given aid
comfort or encouragement to persons engaged in the re-
beon or that they do not recognise their allegiance to
the United Saes and may avail themselves oil their pre-
at the polls to ost enemies OF the United States
into power 7" As have already sad IN very large ma
iorty the of the State there not to be found
among the candidates any such enemies Of the United
Slater" but the provost marshalscreated for very diff
fprent purposesnd The other military officials who are
thus ordered to arrest approaching voters necessarily
made by the order the sole and exclusive judges Of who
fall within the prescribed category extent Of arbitrary
discretion under any circumstances the most odous aud
more especially offensive and dangerous in view Of the
known fact that twust easto the Eve provost marshas
o the State are candidates for important Offices
and sunlry Of their deputies for others.


This military order therefore, is not only without just
6catoo when hooking TO the character of the candidates
before the people and rendered still more obnoxious by
th aopond for it's execution, but is equally ofen-
sve to the sensiDilllfb VI V"o P'oP'o '"~ - -" ss
authorities Of the Ste looking to The repeated proofs
they have furnished e unaterable devotion 70 tne aov
enmeu For more than two years past there mas never
been time when if every traitor and every reasonable
sympathze in the State had voted they could have con
troed whoever might have been their Candidate ashRe
department Of the State eoparded the success o the
General Government No State In the Union has been or
is actuated by heartfelt or unwaverne loyalty
than Mayhnd-a loyalty intensified and purified by the
ordeal through which it bas passed and yet looking to
what lately anspred elsewhere and TO the terms and
character Of this military order, would think that in
Maryland and nowhere else the Government endangered
by the "many evil disposed persons that now at
large"