The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-09-02
Striking Home.


ing the property OF Rebes-incudng their
slaves coniscated, seems not only to be proper,
but necessary step in the process OF suppress
sing rebellion in that State. That Common
wealth has been for several weess in an anoma-
ous condition entirely unlike any her SIS
! tiers either in OF ont Of the Union. Since last
! MAY, Claib Jackson, who was then acting 0oV-
ernor. chosen under the forms Of her Constltu-
! ton and laws, has been fugitive, virtually de-
posed from his Office, and driven by the Union
strength at home, to seek refuge and assistance
among his congenial friends in the reyolted
States, Later, and when JacksOn's rebellion
had openly taken the form of an attempt to
drag Missouri into the madness Of secession,
the Convention assembled in pursuance OF an
act of the legislature which did not, doubtless,
contemplate any such contingency, formally de-
posed jackson, and appointed Gamble to be
acting Governor till the people in the usual
way should elect his successor. This was I'M
questionably revolutionary movement, and
only iustfable in that light, being simil ar IN
that respect to the election of Pierpoint by the
Wheeling Convention as Governor Of Virginia
and tim;d men who are 50 exceedingly anxious
to have rebellion put down in a strictly legal
and constitional way, that they take every step
of their progress toward this desirable result as
gingerly as though they were stepping upon
eggs, would of course, and did, find one of the
largest kind of pegs on which to hang doubts,
| h Ia not Add
to this the fact that Gov. Gamble has not given
any exhibition Of that vigorous and energetic
devotion to the Union which is SO much needed
in confronting the traitors in Missouri, and we
have state of things that evidently required
that there should be for the time being head
in the conduct of the war in that State in entire
harmony with the Federal authority. Gen.
Fremont proclamation gives US this desirable
result, and secures the business of suppressing
treason from interference by or conflict with
anybody but traitors, as in the desperate con-
test now waged on the soil of Missouri all loyal
men looking for protection as they do, to the
military arm, will also be ready at once and
cheerlully to recognize its Authority. This will
bring order out of disorder, and will insure the
prosecution of the war in the most vigorous
and thorough manner, compelling all the in
habitants to choose between the Government
and its enemies, and securing to loyal men the
protection of the strong arm of military power.
Neutrality will soon vanish before this vigor,
and the heresy of State rights will be driven
where it belongs, to the Rebel camps
But martial law is not all of this proclama-
ton. The State is not only taken in charge by
the military power, but those who are openly or
secretly conspiring to carry Missouri over to the
concern Of jeff. Davis & Co. arc Informed that
they thereby forfeit all title to their property
and to prevent the possibility of any mistake a
bout slaves being included in thisgeneral phrase
property, they are by name declared to be free.
In terms this confscation is more comprehensive
than the Presidents recent proclamation, but as
it is impossible to suppose Gen. Fremont would
have issued SO important paper without first
submitting it to the Administration, we are
fully warranted in regarding this manifesto as
but the official commcntary-as applied to par
ticular locality--of the President 8 text 1t be-
comes in this view especially significant and set
ties the question Of slavery in Missouri, if not on
this continent.
However we may attempt to conceal the fact
by other forms Of expression, the rebellion a.
galnst which the Government is now contending
is the shareholders rebellion, and the owners of
slaves are, even in Missouri Kentucky, Delaware
and Maryland, at heart in sympathy with the
rebel cause, and whatever strikes the rebellion "a
Fremont docs by this proclamation, not only
destroys 50 far tho resources Of the traitors. but
at the same time, by substantially making Mis-.
souri, free, nerves the arm Of every free laborer
to redonbled eNcrtion now by the short cut Of
the sword to separate from the power of slavery
the vast and magnificent resources Of that impe
rial State. When the slaves of the rabelo m
Missouri are all made free, what is lott OF that
institution in that State will not be of much ac.
count, but will be so much weakened, and rem
dered so obnoxious by its connection with the
blacklist treason that ever stained the annals of
any nation, as to be very easily and speedily OK
tinguishcd.
This policy of Fremont we can but regard as
the most decisive and vigorous of any vet adont
ed IN the prosecution Of the war. It oyerlooks
and disregards the technical objection which n
lawyer might intcrpose that it lacked prece.
dent 1t brushes aside the harness with which
Journalists and timid men would shackle the free