The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-09-25

The vital requisite Of the present contest il
success. Everything necessary to this accom-
plishment must be laid upon the altar, be it life
property, party, or whatever may be demanded
Every thing on the other hand, that stands IL
the way of this imperative necessity must yield
to it. Temporizing is fatal. An appeal ha'
been made to arms, and the arbitrary law o.
force must settle this appeal.
The rebels understand this full WELL They
appeal to law only when il subserves their pur,
poses. When it fails to do this they ride rough
shod over its authority, whether it has the sane
ton of State, or National sovereignty, and even
spurn the dictates of common humanity. They
permit NO scruples to deter them from strikin.
o blow at the Government, and the more foul
the blow may be, the more prompt they are il
administering it.
The stcklers for legal forms and constitu
tional restrictions seem to forget that we are .
. state Of war, and that brute force must settle
the status OF the country, no matter If all exist
ing forms OF government and law are over
thrown. This being admitted, it must be, il
follows that wherever blow can be struck al
the enemy. which can cripple his strength, OF
exhaust his resources, it is an imperative duty
that the blow should be gwen. He who ha:
violated the constitution by taking up arm'
against the Government, cannot appeal to it fol
protection and is entitled to none of its guar
antees.
Without doubt, the most vulnerable point al
which the rebels can be ASA led is their slave
population. If the edict should be promulga
ted that the slaves Of such As refused to return
TO their allegiance to the government should be
liberated, q most speedy and etiectual means
would thus be employed for crushing out the
rebellion. 1t was their appreciation Of the fit
ness Of things-of the means nee. ssary to the
accomplishment Of the end, that led the people
% generally and So heartily to endorse the re-
cent proclamation Of Gen. Fremont. That pro
clamation was strictly legitimate use of the
war-power, as expoundsd by all standard au-
thorities, and was an act to which no Union
man had the right to take the least exception.
In the outset it met our hearty appreciation,
and we have not one word to recall which We
have said in its favor.
So far Is the Administration are concerned,
there is abundant evidence that they do not in
tend TO advance one step beyond the point
where they are impelled by united public SEN
tment. This course, though sometimes the oc-
cssion of Inconvenience, is on the whole alto
gether the safest Although occasionally tar
\. z, .o~;o. - - a c.,t,;cxv that ,rhou ,,.c.l
to take action. the people will be unanimous in
sustaining them in it. 1t only remains, there
fore, for the people to determine whether the
position taken by Fremont shall be sustained or
abandoned.
The Law Of Congress with regard to the con-
6scation of rebel property was step in the
right direction, but wholly inadequate to the
necessities Of the case. 1t is certain that the
rebels rely as strongly upon the material aid Of
slaves in furnishing the means of their subsist-
enoe, az they d, upon their munitions of war,
and their armies in the field. Indeed, they
claim that on account of these slaves they can
detail for active service their entire white pop
ulatiou capable of bearing arms, while We shall
" SOeDHSAc0 w AScP - ioA &c suoAC VI OuIS ~
home for similar purpose. This, they consid-
e, equalizes the contest, and gives them fair
chance Of success.
Il, then, the intelligence Of the American
people 70 be insulsed with the twaddle that the
right Of traitors in property, held and used 30
e6ectually to strengthen them in rebellion.
must not be disturbed! Is property in man
more sacred than our Government, our Union,
and our Country? Ia it more precious than
the blood Of our brothers poured ont like
water upon hundred battle-felds to preserve
- name and an Inheritance among the nations
u the earth? Must we net strike blow at the
vitals Of the Confederstes, lest We impair their
tenure in this property! These questions are
yet to be answered by the people, and We should
not be surprised if the ensuing Congress would
Be compelled BY their united voice to AXE come
more efheient steps to meet this emergency in
which the country is placed