Purely Military Matters: John A. McClernand and Civil Liberties in Cairo, Illinois, in 1861

Purely Military Matters" John A.McClernand and Ci' oil Liberties in Cairo, Illinois,in 1861 Matthew E. Stanley -conceive that I may in an emergency do things on military grounds which cannot lie clone constitutionally by Congress," Abraham JL I.incoln confessed to Michigan senator Zachariah Chandler iii July 1864. \ Vhat historians know well is thwit Incoln' s decisjonsor nondeci si ns ii) tlils Clty, most of which ; irc c, f tlic lowest order. Can you not issue orders,entirely close them or restrict tlcm?" ' 43*-- 0 1\\4 r. - »Lilli, 31 -] L , '-, 3» iji„S ,> i 1. : 1499*/ 59/3, V: 11 i- PRING 2008 PURE]. 1' Al] LITARY MA-1'' I'ERS" From the arrival of the first Union troops until the flill of 1861, Cairo' s wartime vice economy went nearly unchecked. In nearby Mound City, Mayor Newton R. Casey complained to Col. \ Villiam H. L. Wallace about the conduct of his 11"' Illinois Infantry,a northern Illinois regiment renowned for its discipline. " 1 feel it is my duty to complain to you for the exceeding bad conduct of 17) 1ir men toward our citizens," he Ivrote. " 1[lier come into our-phices,get drullk,insult ladies upon the street, and disturb the peace and quiet of our people generally." Captain Alfred Schwartz of the 2"' Illinois Light Artillery observed the trend as well,scorning the " beastly use of intoxicating liquors"provided by locals. Col. Michael K. Lawler,an Irishborn Mexican War veteran from Equality,Illinois,and notorious disciplinarian who headed McClern·, ind: s military con, inissitin, complained that houses of illfame " contributed to an overalllag in morale. I[ he Calro Dnity Democrat was blunt: " We greatly doubt if there is another city in this country where the crime of prostitution is carried out to such fearful and disgusting lengths as in Cairo." "[ T] he influence of liquor," according to one soldier,led to " disgraceful fights between enlisted men. " One man yesterday had his lip bit off," he observed, " but such is the effect of Cairo Whisk hers£) 11 clearlv believes th, it ], inci1111: s warrim c actions went well hey, ind " purely military matters." Sec McPherson," I.incoln and the 41. ikings ot Northern Strategy,Lincoln and His Era Annual Symposium, Chambersburg, Pa., May 19, 2007. I Iistori· in A l,irk E. Neely claims th. it the mass suspension of civil liberties, like the war itself-, was unprecedented, ia" tiod intern. il securin system... not much illuminated by surveying carlier American history." See Xlark E. Neely,73, / gte 0/ Liber/ v:/ 1/, iwbam Linro/ n rin,/ Civi/ Liberties ( New York: Oxford I Iniversit>· Press, 1991). Neely' s Analytical n. irrative remains the best regarding I.incoln' s expanded constitutional p ons L;Edward IVilkins to 1), nic] lr. irris.Oct. 4,1861; · and W.H.Parish to John A. NicClernand, Oct.19, 1861. both in John A.McCIernand l' apers, litix 6,AI. 1' L;W I). Harland Journal ( herea fter 1 larland Journal), Julv 17, 1861, Cairo Public 1. ibmry,Cairo, Il. herealter Cl).). As \ Villiain \ V.Frecliling und others SPRING 2008 have noted, the safekeeping of strategic: illy vital border areas ·, ind the carly war allegiances of borderites were critical to Union success in 1861;sec 78: Soib vs.tb, South. 10 Cairo Citz / lt' rk/ v ( Rizmi·, June 27, 1861;J.M Pcsser to lohn A. McClemand, Sept. 28, 1861; lohn A. JlcCIernand Letter,Oct. 19,1861; and Alilitan Conimission Report of Provost 1·larshal W.H. Parish and Michael Kelly Lawler,Oct. 9,1861,in John A. ill( Clern.ind 1* apers, boxes 6 and 5, ALPI,11 Accordi: ig to hist· right. : impl)' bee,uise they were disloval, in contrast to rhe lued, min.int view during the American Ren, lution which ass,ci,itcd propertv riL, hts witi, lovalty zo a si, vereigii. He . ilm) c!. ums that confiscaticin was one w· ai' f or field c, immanders ncit only to punish dishi,· alty,but also strengtlien their mvn military positions. 13 Kiper,., 1*(. 77 ) 1, 1, 1, 4 3637 , lamcs NIcltr. ith to 1. inc ilelliath,Sept. 11, 1861, James Alcltrath ]> apers, ALPI.; Mound C. 7/ 1· Gaz...