The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-09-20
Highly Important Letter from Presl.
dent Lincoln to General FremOnt---
FremOnt's Proclamation Modified
and Almost Repudiated.


from the President to General FREMONT,
was transmitted by mail on Thursday last ::
WASHINGTON, D. G., Sept. IL, 1861.
Major General John c. Fremont.
SIR Yours of the Sth, in answer to mine nj
the I'd instant, is just received. Assuming that
you, upon the ground, could better Judge of
the necessity of your position than l could at
this distance, on seeing your proclamation of
August Goth, perceived no general objection
to it. The particular clause, however, in rela-
ton to the confiscation of property and the lib.
Grafton OF slaves, appeared to me to be objec.
tionabe in its non-conformity to the act of
Congress, passed the 9th of last August
upon the same subject, and hence wrote you
expressing my wish that that clause should be
modified accordingly. Your answer, lust re-.
ceived expresses the preference on your part
that should make an order for the modfca.
ton, which cheerfulIy do.
1t is therefore ordered that the said clause
of said proclamation be so modified, held and
construed as to conform to and not transcend
the provisions on the same subject contained
in the act of Congress entitled can act to con.
fiscate property used for discretionary pur.
poses, approved August 9th, 1861 - aud that
said act be published at length with this order.
lSigned1 A. LINCOLN.
10 enable our readers to see how serious.
ly the vitality of the words of Fremont is
impaired by the Presidents order, we COPY
the section of the law of last Congress, in
which the confiscation of the slaves of retel
masters is authorized
SEC. 4. And be 1t further enacted, That when
ever hereafter, during the present Instruction
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-
CURED 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
apon any fort. navy yard, DOCK armory, ship,
entrenchment, or in any military or naval SER
vice whatsoever, against the Government and
lawful authority of the United States, then and
In every such case the person to whom such
labor or service is claimed to be DUE shall for.
felt his claim to such labor, any law of the
State or of the United States to the 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 to such claim that the person
whose service or labor is claimed had been
employed in hostile service against the Govern.
ment of the United States, contrary to the pro.
visions of this act.
Approved, August 6, 1861.
We quote Fremonts language in the
Proclamation, that it may be contrasted
with the law which the President reaf1irms:
The property, real and personal, of all per-
sons In the State of Missouri, who shall take up
arms against the United States, or who shall
be directly proven to have taken part with
their enemies in the field, is declared to be
confiscated to the public use, and their slaves
il any they have, are hereby declared free men,.
The difference is obvious. TIE law frees
the slaves only who are engaged in military
service of the rebels, and liz the army, dock-
yards, sc. The Proclamation trees all the
slaves OF masters who are in rebellion
against the government.
The comments of the Eastern press have
rot come to hand, but we copy para.
graph, as specimen of two columns in
the Chicago Tribune:
The feeling in this city yesterday among all
persons, of all classes and creeds, upon read.
ing the Presidents order countermanding Gem
eral Fremont's proclamation, was one of blank
establishment and dismay. No Sunday in our
recollection has been so broken by general in
| dignation and rage. The expression was COM
mon one. among Democrats and Republicans
| that Bull Run was not circumstance, as com.
| pared with this deplorable mistake. The news
OF the retreat of our army from Stone Bridge
never produced the chagin and dependency
here occasioned by the retreat of the admins
tration from the strong and righteous ground
taken by the fearless Fremont. 1t was felt that
the penalty of rebellion had been removed. and
that the war was now merely scheme for
mutual assassination on a large scale. The
opinion was universal that public meeting
must be held to give force to the convictions of
the people, and to petition the Government in
both legislative and executive branches, to
adopt Gen. Fremont's policy.
The Tribune also calls on the people to
"speak in tones of thunder" against the
modification suggested by the President, of
FremOnts proclamation.
The Chicago Post, independent in politics,
but edited by Mr.. SHEHAN, formerly editor
of the Times, and bographer of Douglas,
speaks in mider strain:
We fear the effect of this action. 1t will do
much to revive secession in Missouri. The men
who are secretly urging on the rebels in Mis-.
souri, were terrified by Fremont's proclamation.
The order of the President W IL relieve them of
their fears, and they will again resume their
covert proceedings. Even if Fremont has
gone little further than the President desired
it would have been better to have sustained
him, Backward steps never lead to good re-
SUITS
We expect to hear the President de-