“ [362] the agreement referred to, and an equally plain violation of our constitutional rights, but a gross indignity to the citizens of this State, which would be resisted to the last extremity.” The call of President Lincoln for seventy-five thousand volunteers removed any preexisting doubt as to the intent to coerce the states which should claim to assert their right of sovereignty. Missouri, while avowing her purpose to adhere to the Union, had asserted her right to exercise supreme control over her domestic affairs, and this put her in the category of a state threatened by the proceedings of the United States government. To provide for such contingency as might be anticipated, Governor Jackson on June 13th issued a call for fifty thousand volunteers, and Major General Price took the field in command. In this proclamation Governor Jackson said:
A series of unprovoked and unparalleled outrages has been inflicted on the peace and dignity of this Commonwealth, and upon the rights and liberties of its people, by wicked and unprincipled men professing to act under the authority of the Government of the United States.In his endeavor to maintain the peace of the state, and to avert, if possible, from its borders a civil war, he caused the aforementioned agreement to be made with the commander of the Northern forces in the state, by which its peace might be preserved. That officer was promptly removed by his government. The governor then, upon the increase of hostile actions, proposed, at an interview with the new officer commanding the forces of the United States government, to disband the state guard, and break up its organization; to disarm all companies that had been armed by the state; to pledge himself not to organize the militia under the military bill; that no arms or munitions of war should be brought into the state; that he would protect the citizens equally in all their rights, regardless of their political opinions; that he would repress all insurrectionary movements within the state; would repel all attempts to invade it, from whatever quarter, and by whomsoever made; and would maintain a strict neutrality and preserve the peace of the state. And further, if necessary, he would invoke the assistance of the United States troops to carry out the pledges. The only conditions to this proposition made by the governor were that the United States government should undertake to disarm the Home guard which it had illegally organized and armed throughout the state, and pledge itself not to occupy with its troops any localities in the state not occupied by them at that time. The words of a governor of a state who offered such truly generous
