he had made no agreement whatever with Gen.
Harney about the enforcement or carrying out of the Military Bill.

Gen. Lyon answered this by presenting a copy of the following memorandum
which had been sent by Gen. Harney as the only basis on which he would
treat with Jackson and Price:

Memorandum for Gen. Price.--May 21, 1861.

Gen. Harney is here as a citizen of Missouri, with all his
interests at stake in the preservation of the peace of the
State.

He earnestly wishes to do nothing to complicate matters, and
will do everything in his power, consistently with his
Instructions, to preserve peace and order.

He is, however, compelled to recognize the existence of a
rebellion in a portion of the United States, and in view of
it he stands upon the proclamation of the President itself,
based upon the laws and Constitution of the United States.

The proclamation demands the dispersion of all armed bodies
hostile to the supreme law of the land.

Gen. Harney sees in the Missouri Military Bill features
which compel him to look upon such armed bodies as may be
organized under its provisions as antagonistic to the United
States, within the meaning of the proclamation, and
calculated to precipitate a conflict between the State and
the United States.

He laments the tendency of things, and most cordially and
earnestly invites the co-operation of Gen. Price to avert
it.

For this purpose Gen. Harney respectfully asks Gen. Price to
review the features of the bill, in the spirit of law,
warmed and elevated by that of humanity, and seek to
discover some means by which its action may be suspended
until some competent tribunal shall decide upon its
character.

The most material features of the bill calculated to bring
about a conflict are, first, the oath required to be taken
by the Militia and State Guards (an oath of allegiance to
the State of Missouri without recognizing the existence of
the Government of the United States); and, secondly, the
express requirements by which troops within the State not
organized under the provisions of the Military Bill are to
be disarmed by the State Guards.

Gen. Harney cannot be expected to await a summons to
surrender his arms by the State troops.

From this statement of the case the true