Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1861-10-19

The New York Herald was not so far
from right os some thought, when it declar-
ed that Fremont was to be superseded.
This was planned in high circles, and would
have been carried into effect but for the
voic c of the people. Fremont's enemies
openly boaSted of his fall Persons very near
the government were sure it would occur.
Fremonts hold upon the popular heart was
not foreseen or estimated. This considera-
tien will prevent the execution of such a
step. He will not be deprived of an op.
portunity to show his capacity as general !;
The opposition, however, only sleeps. If
he docs not win an immediate victory
whether he has troops enough or not, his
| removal is q feregone conclusion. There is
however, q settlement to come ere long,
when the difficulties that have been heaped
| 10 his path will appear.
1t is scarcely necessary to say that the
feeling among the politicians of Washington
is against Fremont'S proclamation. A ma.
jority of the Cabinet agree with the presi
dent, but Secretary Cameron is reported to
side very decidedly with the Western Gen.
eral in bis policy towards slavery. The
time-servers, the timid, and the unprinci.
pied all combine against the proclamation.
There are also many truthful, honest, loyal
men who believe it impolitic 10 interfere
with slavery at this time by proclama.
tion or otherwise. The sentiment oil
the people Of the loyal states is far in
advance Of that Of Washington on such
subjects, and this is the principle reason
why the administration lags behind the
people. Society at the capitol is far from
auti-slavery. Improvement, however, is the
word. Things are growing better every
day. The logic of events is inexorable
and presidents, as we'll as pro-savery clergy
men give way before it, Just as soon as
our army get fairly in among the slaves and
the fight grows intense, will the government
advance in the right direction. A
dozen proclamations in Virginia or Missouri
thus far would have emancipated but few
slaves. We have first to show that We
have the power 10 touch savery-to con-
vince the slave that we can step in between
him and his master. Till then, as matter
of course, the slave will cling to his master
for self protection.
The city Jail is crowded with fugitive
slaves. They are without claimants, and
doubtless many Of them once belonged tc
men now in the rebel ranks. One of them
certainly did, for his last master was john
A. Washington, of the Mount Vernon es
tate. BY what statute these:.slaves ore KEEP
in the U. S. jail, no one seems to know
They are put and kept there by Republi
can marshal, aud it is a well-known fac
that prominent offiee-holders here hold tba
the late Con6scatiOn Act does not free tht
negroes who came under its operation, bu
; simply turns them over from rebel masters
. to the U. S. Goyernment--the Goven
meDt owning them. According to lhes,
theorists, the people of the North have be
come Shareholders by the act of Congress
} and it rests with them, through Congress
= to decree the fate of the con6s
Gated slaves, whether they shall be sold a
;. auction or freed. This is not the view th
| men who made the law took, nor will an
t anti.slaveIy court make any such decision
| but under these mistaken views, shamefu
injustice is done a number Of colored me
now lying in the U. s. Jail, aud kept ther
! by authority of Republican Admins
| traton. Slaves are also continually return
4 ed to claimants from camp, and files Of sole
iers otter are seen escorting fugitive bac
? TO his master, or the District jai
i These Outrages must and will have a
D end. .- ......... ,-.....
s The army on the Potomac does not mi
o terialy change its position. The Cover
! ment troops and the rebels face each othe
u day night, each side waiting for favorab
d opportunity TO attack the other, The slgl
e earthworks of the enemy on Munson's Hi
/ aud other hills-their outer line OF defenc
! have been fully occupied by our troops, an
/ instead of the ridiculous works of the rebel
t respectable forts now exist, well mountC
n with cannon of large caliber. The fa
q stated by Gen. McClellen 10 recent ord
that there are 32 forts around Washingto
: astonished many people. They have 4
y been thrown up since last May, and twent
r Eve Of them since the battle of Ball Ru