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From, “The Messages and Proclamations of the Governors
of the State of Missouri”,
Volume IV, State Historical Society of Missouri,
1924, pages 288-291
To the People of Missouri
August 16, 1866
From the Register of Civil
Proceedings, 1861-1868, pp. 272-274
Whereas through the
conduct of evil disposed persons, the peace of the State of Missouri is threatened by evidence of purposes to disregard
the Constitution and laws, and defy the rightfully constituted authorities;
and
Whereas the good order and
continued prosperity of the State are dependant upon the co-operation of
law-abiding citizens of all divisions of political opinion;-
Therefore, to the end that
the people may be again reminded of their duties as citizens, and of the
obligations and responsibilities of the Chief Magistrate, in whom is by the
fundamental law, reposed the supreme executive power of the State, I, Thomas
C. Fletcher, Governor of the State of Missouri, do hereby issued this my
solemn proclamation, declaring;
- That the combined power of the National and
State Governments will be used to enforce obedience to the laws of the
nation and the State, until such laws are modified or repealed in the
constitutional and legal manner, or until they are declared inoperative
and void by a court of competent jurisdiction, by judgment or decree
duty and officially promulgated.
- That the Constitution of the State of
Missouri, adopted by the State Convention in 1865, and ratified by the
votes of a majority of persons voting on the sixth day of June, 1865, is
the supreme law of the State.
- The Registration of Voters must be made
according to the act of the General Assembly of the State of Missouri entitled: “An act to provide for the
registration of voters,” approved December 16th,
1865, and the act
supplementary thereto, approved March 12th, 1866. Its
provisions must be adhered to by the officer appointed under it, and the
election must be conducted in conformity to its requirements, and such
election must be free and open, without threat or violence.
- The annual enrollment of the militia will be
made of all able-bodied men of the several counties, in strict
conformity to the provisions of the ordinance of the State Convention,
entitled; “An ordinance for the organization and government of the
Missouri militia,” adopted on the 8th day of April, 1865, and
the organization will be by municipal townships and counties, without
reference to political status or opinions. The volunteer militia organizations
will be merged into the general enrollment so made. The necessary orders to carry out
these objects will be issued by me as Commander-in-Chief of the militia,
through the Adjutant-General.
- No person shall be arrested or molested in
person or property except by the parties and in the manner authorized by
the laws of the United States or this State. All civil officers charged with the
execution of criminal process must, when necessary, summon a sufficient
posse to enable them to make arrest, and the people are reminded of
their duty as citizens to respond promptly to such summons. In the event of resistance or
threatened resistance to the officer, and a failure on his part, after
proper effort to secure the assistance of a sufficient posse, he will
call on the nearest commanding officer of a company or platoon of
militia to aid him, and will immediately notify the Governor of the
facts.
- Armed men must not appear at the polls, or at
any peaceful assemblages, unless by order of the Governor, or of the
Department Commander on request of the Governor when the preservation of
the peace and the safety of the officers of the law require, in the
opinion of the Governor, the presence of an armed force.-
- All good men, of all parties, who love peace
and desire the prosperity and happiness of the people of the State, are
invited and earnestly urged to aid the constituted authorities in
maintaining good order, and in the enforcement of all laws for the
protection of the good and the punishment of evil-doers, and for that
purpose they are entreated to communicate direct to the Governor all
violations of law, all derelictions of duty on the part of officer and
all instances of neglect or refusal on the part of the people of any community
to respond to the call of civil officers. And the people are besought to seek
their own good in a total disregard of the malicious and reckless
utterances of unauthorized and irresponsible persons who are striving to
encourage resistance to the laws of the State and to excite public
apprehension of danger to the constitutional rights of the citizens of
the State by misrepresentations of the intentions, powers and duties of
the national and State Executives.
Thus we may preserve the blessing of peace which we in Missouri are by sad experiences so well prepared to
appreciate and my go on to augment the unexampled prosperity we are now
enjoying as a State.
In Testimony Whereof I
have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the
State of Missouri; Done at the City of Jefferson this sixteenth day of August
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-six; of the
Independence of the United States the Ninety-first, and of the State of
Missouri the Forty-sixth.—
Tho. C. Fletcher
By the Governor:
Francis Rodman, Secretary
of State.
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