Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1861-09-26
Gen. Fremont.

Much excitement has been produced
throughout the country on account Of
the rumor that Gen. Fremont had been
or would be removed from his com
mand Of the Department of the West.
To add to the excitement, il was re-
ported that the Proclamation of Gen.
Fremont, confscating the slaves Of
rebels in Missouri and declaring them
free men, had been countermanded.
It 10 true that mischief makers have
been at work in this matter, but II
will be seen by the following letter.
addressed by the President to Gene.
raj Fremont on the 18th inst, that the
most friendly relations exist between
the President and the General, and
there is yet no evidence that the re-
moval of Gen. Fremont is contemplate
cd, or that thought of it has for a
moment been entertained by the Ad-
ministration:
WASHINGTON, D. c., Sept. IL, 1861.
Major General Fremont:
SIR-Yours of the 9Th, in answer to
mine of the I'd inst, is just received.
Assuming that you upon the ground
could better Judge Of the necessities
of your position than l could at this
distance, on seeing your proclamation
of Aug 80, l perceived no general OBJ
lection to it. The particular clause,
however, in relation to the con6sca-
ton of property and the liberation of
slaves, appeared to me to be objec-
tionable in its non.conformity to the
act Of Congress, passed the 9Th of last
August, upon the same subjects, and
hence / wrote you expressing my wish
that that clause should be modified.
Accordingly, your answer, just re-
ceived, expresses the preference on
your part. that should make an
open order for the modification, which
l very cheerfully do.
1t is therefore ordered, that the said
clause of said proclamation be 80
modified, held and construed az to
conform with and not to transcend the
provisions on the same subject con.
tanned in the act of Congress, entitled
An act to confiscate property used
for insurrectionary purposes" approx
ed Aug. 6, 1861, and that said act be
published ut length with this order
Your obedient servant.
(Signed) A. LINCOLN.
It will be seen that the Presiden
desires to conform strictly to the let
ter of the law Of Congress and no
transcend it, and that the reader may
know what that law is, we here cop,
it entire:
fPUBLIc--No. IS.
AN ACT to confscate property used for insur
rectionary purposes.
BE endcfef By e Senate and HosS IF Representative
the Uncd Safcs Of Ameicd in Cbngrea dsseled Tina
II, during the present or any future insured
ton against the Government of the UniteC
States. after the President of the United State,
euai n1Sc ueCssfcu, " ptOcsninatiou, suHS tns
laws of the United States are opposed, and thu
execution thereof INSTRUCTED, by combination
too powerful to be suppressed by the ordinary
course Of judicial proceedings, or by the pow
er vested In the marshals by Law, any person
or persons, HIS her, or their agent, attorney,
or employee, shall purchase or acquire. sell OF
give, any property of whatsoever kind or de-
scription, with intent to use or employ the
same, or suffer the same to be used or employ
ed, In aiding. abetting, or promoting such in.
surrcction or resistance to the laws, or any
person, or persons engaged therein or if any
person or persons, being the owner or owners
employ, or consent to the use or employment
of the same as aforesaid, all such property Is
hereby declared to be lawful subject Of prize
and capture wherever found and il shall be
the duty of the Presidentof the United States
to cause the same to be siezed, oonfscated, and
condemned.
SEC. Q. And be Il further enacted, That such
prizes and capture shall be condemned in the
district or circuit court of the United States
having jurisdiction Of the amount, or in admit
rally in any district in which the same may be
seized or into which they may be taken and
proceedings first instituted.
Sec 8. And be Il further enacted, That the
Attorney General, or any district attorney Of
the United States in which said property may
at the time be, may institute the proceedings
of condemnation, and in such case they shall
be wholly for the benefit of the United States;
or any person may file an information with
such attorney, in which case the proceedings
shall be for the use of such informer and the
United States in equal parts.
SEC. 4. And be IL further enacted, That when
ever hereafter, during the present insurrection
against the Government of the United States,
any person claimed to be held to labor or SER
vice under the Law of any State, shall be re-
quired or permitted by the person to whom
such labor or service is claimed to be due, or
by the lawful agent of such person to take up
arms against the United States, or shall be re-
quired or permitted by the person to whom
such labor or service is claimed to be due, or
his lawful agent, to work or to be employed
in or upon any fort, navy yard, dock, armory,
ship, entrenchment, or in any military or na-
val service whatsoever, against the Government
and lawful authority Of the United States,
then and in every such case, tbe the person to
whom such labor or service Is claimed to be
due shall forfeit his Claim to such labor, any
law of the State or the United States to tie
contrary Notwithstanding. And whenever
thereafter the person claiming such labor or
service shall seek to enforce his claim, it shall
be full and sufficient answer 10 such claim
claimed had been employed in hostile service
against the Government of the United States,
contrary to the provisions Of this oct.
Approved, August 6, 1851.
The difference between the Law and
the Proclamation of Gen. Fremont APP
pears to be this The law frees the
slaves who have been engaged in dis
loyal pursuits; the proclamation not
only does this, bat frees the slaves of
masters who are in rebellion although
the slaves themselves have not direct
ly been employed in the rebellion. II
is said that the attention Of the Presi-
dent to this distinction was urged by
prominent Union men Of Kentucky,
who felt the importance Of concilist-
ing the slaveholding interest Of that
State. t 81
Incidentally connected with the re-
ported Misunderstanding between the
President and Gen. Fremont (which