A small indiscretion may bring on a war. The whole country is now up in arms; and a vast number of the people are ready to take the matter into their own hands Such a state of things might force me to call out the Militia to prevent a civil war. And such is the excitement of the country that I fear that the Militia when assembled would be beyond legal control You are wrong in the first instance and I can call out no portion of the Militia for your defence until you submit to the law. You have made it necessary that a posse should be assembled to execute legal process; and that posse as fast as it assembles is in danger of being imbued with the Mobocratic spirit. If you by refusing to submit, shall make it necessary to call out the Militia I have great fear that your will be destroyed and your people many of them exterminated.