The national Republican., 1861-09-23
GENERAL FREMoNrs PROCLAMATION.

We have referred more than once to the
prevalent error, that General Fremont s proc
lamation differed from the confscation oct, in
selling slaUes free 1t was upon that supposed
point Of difference that the Louisville Journal
based Its principal objection to the proclama.
ton, as appears by a paragraph which we
copied from 1t, in our issue Of last Friday. In.
deed we have heard 20 much OF It in private
conversation with Southern men, that we be
lieye 1t to have been with most of them, the
main ground Of their criticisms upon the poll
cy of General Fremont. Thia is confirmed BY
the language of Mr. Holt, Of Kentucky, in two
letters recently published.
In his letter Of the 18th instant 10 tho Presi
dent, Mr.. Holt says:
I" The late act of Congress providing for The
corfsca'ion of the estates Of persons In open
rebellion against the Government was as a
necessary war measure accepted and fully ap.
proved by the loyal men of the country Il
limH the penalty Of coniscation to properk
actually employed in the service cf the rebel.
lion with the knowledge and consent Of it.
owners, aud, instead Of emaucipating slaves
thus employed, left their status TO be deter
r'ned either by the courts of the United
States or by subsequent legislation. The proc
loination, however. of General Fremont, under
dat Of the 3Oth Of August, transcends aud, OF
course, violates the law in both these particu.
lers, and declares that the property Of rebels,
whether Yscd In support Of the rebellion or
not, shall be coniscated, and If consisting in
slaves, that they shall be at once manumitted.
I" The act OF Congress referred to was be
lisved to embody the conservative policy Of
your Administration upon this delicate and
porplexing question: and hence the loyal men
| OF the border slave States have felt relieved Of.
| all feais Of any attempt on the part OF The Gov
| ernment of the United States 10 liberote sud
denly in their midst a population unprepared
Tor freedom, and whose presence couldsnot fai'
to prove a painful apprehension, if rot OF
terror, 10 the homes and families Of ALL"
| In letter of the same date to Mr.. Speed.
Mr.. Holt says:
| THE act Of Congress alluded 10 was u neces-
sity under the circumstances and was fully
justified by the usagcs of civilized warfare
The Government has the same right to confis-
cate slaves engaged in digging trenches or
mounting guns for the rebels that IL has to con
fscatc their arms when captured during the
progress OF the war but, having couiiscated
| them, Congress goes no further"
There is. in truth, so fur as slaves are con.
corned, but enc point of difference between the
PROCLAMATION and the act, viz hat the proclama.
ton frees all the slaves of open rebels, whereas
the act only frees such slaves as are employed in
The service Of the rebellion The ether point
of difference, that the act only conGscates
slaves. while the proclamation liberates them.
which Mr.. Holt states to exist, and to which he
is evidently the most opposed is merely i'm
agihn,y.
The act deprives the owners Ct slaves used
in the rebellion Of all claim TO their services
and ii owners attempt, in any court, to en-
force u claim to the services Of such slaves
it may be resisted and defeated by the slaves
by proving the fact that they have been use i,
in the rebellion. As the enslavcmcnt of q mau
consists in the right of another to his service
without wages, and in nothing else, the act
cmancpates the slaves coming within the
range OF its provisions. Owing service to
nobody but their owners, they are frecrnen to
all in.ents and purposes, when they ore re-
lieved Of that service.
Mr.. Holt supposes that the act lcit the status of
such conlscated slaves " TO be determined c.g,sr
by The courts Of The United S!ates, or by subsequent
legislation. On the contrary, it fixed their status
as freemen, by striking of the only shaclile
which was upon them.
The proclamation liberated uay much
larger class OF Slaves than the act That
paIt OF the case, Mr. Holt approh,nda cor
rcctly.