The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-09-17
Fremont and the President.

There has seemed to be from the outset O
this war fatal compliance on the part Of thos
in authority with tmid counsels end embar
RAISING formulas, that has continually put OBJ
8races in Inc way Of the vigorous moasur c
that the rebellion has called for on the part 0
The Government.
Gen. Butler adopted rigorous treatment o.
The Rebels at Baltimore, and he was soon re
moved to a field Of operations where ne coult
only act upon the defensive. Gen. Banks hae
another command assigned to him as soon as
he began to use severity towards the traitors O.
the same city. Buffers idea of " contraband
Of war, atfording 20 easy a solution to many
of the difficulties supposed to be in the way Of
the treatment Of the negro in the war, was de-
priyed Of half its value, and explained, quail
fed and weakened until there was little left of
it except the humanity that hesitated about re-
turning fugityos but the most Jealous care
was to be taken to keep an accurate account of
the slaves and the names of the owners, for
day Of settlement and reckoning. In short,
almost every act of those who have been charged
with the comnand of departments away from
the Immediate command Of the authorities at
Washington, which has thrilled the popular
heart, ami called out an enthus astic and cheer
ing response from the popular voice, has re-
ceived either cold endorsement, a marked dis
approval, Or sharp rebuke from headquarters.
The last Instance, and the most marked in this
catalogue d conflicting opinions, is the admo-
milton to Gen. Fremont in the order of the
President, which We publish in this paper, for
the modification Of the proclamation confsca-
ting the property Of Rebels in Missouri. The
point OF difference seems to be this Gen. FIRE.
mont declared the property OF all persons in
arms against the Government, or actively aid
ing the Rebels, to be confscated, and slaves were
named as among property to be affected by the
proclamation. The President regards this as
not fully authorized by the recent act of Con-
gress, which only affected "property used for
lnsurrectlonary purposes" and directs that the
proclamation shall be modified accordingly. To
illustrate this difference Gen. Price owns
plantation in Missouri, and has upon it one hun
dred slaves. Ninety of these " chattels - he
keeps at home working upon his land, raising
corn and bacon, while the other ten are engaged
IN making q fertilization or entrenchment about
his premises, to prevent Gen. Fremont from Wis
lting the property. The latter ten are properly
within the act of Congress, and SO liable to con-
VIII In fhp +tor
labor may feed and support Rebel army of
thousand men, are not " used for insurrection-
airy purposes because they are engaged in the
peaceful pursuits Of agriculture. 70 DO sure
simple persons might ask whether Rebels are
not, III tact, using all their property for " in
surrectlonary purposes and whether, if they
were stripped OF their entire possessions to-day,
and especially were deprived of their immense
advantage over the North in having 5000, 900
OF slaves to raise for their army bread and meat,
thus leaving at liberty almost their entire white
population to do their fighting. it would not
very soon go hard" with treason, and rebel
lion be indeed having hard luck? 10 plain peo
ple-Who have not learned e" to sever and divide
d hair 'twixt South and Southwest side" such
a question seems pertinent enough, and the On.
swer plain enough.
The truth is, the distinction between nroner.
ty used for insurrectionary purposes, and any
rebel property, is distinction without differ.
ence; and when applied to slaves of rebel mas
ters isa most dangerous one if it is to be insisted
upon and an arbitrary rule applied to it.
The slave is now the main support and stay of
the rebellion. If that relation is not to bo in
tartered with except in the most gingerlv and
deprecatory way, and reluctantly 90 though the
Governments regarded it as too sacred an ins,jtu-
tlon to be nedded with except under the ex-
trem9st necessity, and when the Republic was at
It's last gasp, we can but think that the Govern
ment IS making mistake to-day that will cost
1t blood and treasure somo months hence.
Whether Fremont is superseded now or not is
q matter Of but little moment. His method Of
managing the campaign in Missouri which WAS
50 enthusiastically applaudod as just the right
course, has been vetoed, and if he continues in