September 14, 1863;
From Jefferson City--Highly Important Decision Of Judge R. W. Wells, Of The United States District Court--The Enrolled Missouri Militia And The Provisional Regiments Amenable To The United States Authorities---How The "Leading Loyal Citizens" Of Jefferson Talk.

JEFFERSON CITY, September 14, 1863.

The United States district court has been in session the past week. The grand jury, having probably certain transactions in view, propounded the following question to the court, Hon. R. W. Wells:

"Is the Enrolled Missouri Militia amenable to the United States authorities?"

The court having taken the question under advisement, and consulted the General Orders bearing on the subject, decided substantially as follows:

The Enrolled Missouri Militia and the Provisional Army are in the actual service of the United States to all intents and purposes; they are under the command of the department commander, who is a United States officer, who has been, and still is, issuing his orders to them; the United States clothe, feed, arm, and equip them, though they are paid at present and preliminarily by the, State, on account of no appropriation for them having been made by Congress. They are, individually and collectively, amenable to the United States authorities.

I shall send you a copy of the decision as soon as obtainable. The results of it will be of immense importance. One of them will be that the United States court, being the highest appellate tribunal in the State, will exercise jurisdiction over the Enrolled Missouri Militia, of which until now there existed a doubt, and in our present state of troubles such protection from a power above the Gamble dynasty will be a very great relief for the oppressed people.

visits since 02/04/2004
page revised 05/25/2006