St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1861-10-24
ST STEARNS5 CO. MINNESOTA sTHURSDAY

Ol Y IL q & 81, ~ s..
Fseek % eofoscs Hin claim; Il shsl Ia full and 4
sufficient answer to such claim that the person I
whose service or labor ii Stained, had been 1
employ Cd il hostils service againstahe govern
men, of the United States contrary 70 Ne I! PRO.
visions Of this act. {. 8 -
IT win be observed that the section
above aqaoted; simply provides that any
person claiming slave, who shall require I
or permit him to take up arms against the
United States, or to be employed on any
military or naval works against tho Gov.
eminent, shall forfeit his CLAIM, to such la
cor. This section virtually provides that
all slaves who are actually employed in the I
service Of the rebel army shall be free
But there it stops. The law does not
place any limitations or restrictions, what
ever upon the military power Of the gov
ernmcnt. It says what shall be done,in
given case, but it does not confnc the az
ton Of the Government to the case stated
in the. Law. s. In all other cases than those
enumerated, the law remains precisely us:
it was before the passage Of the act above
cited @sts@ ~ s Rs9l
What then is the law on this subject ?
and what are the lawful powers of the
Commanding General?. sHs2S: 40
4 I.lis as clearly defined rs any principle
of the law Of nations, that, in times Of
war, General has
1.-THE right Of weakening the enemy, for dis
abliag him from al means Of rss.s;ance, 81 X ~
Hence arise,qss from their principles, al the
rights Of war with regard to things belonging
| to the neny.'' IA nation has right to de-
rrive the enemy of his possessions, and goods,
Of everything which may augment his forces
Of Nations, page BAL. .f.aE. .t.es .s,s,.at
These principles apply with the same
force to those who are engaged in this re-
beIlion with which they apply to a foreign
enemy, for the same author defines the en-
envy to be & PSF .1.5 g 9s1aI.'}4a aaa aff'l,'
.::He with whom the nation is at op en- war.
"a private enemy is one who seeks TO hurt us,
and takes pleasure in it. A public enemy for-s
ces1 claims against us, or rejects ours, and
maintains his real Of pretended rights by force.
Of arms. % q s. S& tsis ~ 3%a q
That part Of the proclamation Of Gen.
Fremont (, which you direct my attention 10.
is as fvllowss:sMoS i " 8ses ii!p III fssX p45s
| ..The property, real and personal, Of all per-
sons in the State ofo Missouri.o Who, shall take,
up arms ag4instit the United States, or who
shall be directly proven 10 have taken part
withstheir enemies, In haIdeld, 10 declared to
be coni,cated' TO- the public use, and their.
slaves. if any they have, are declared to be
free men"
The principles. of che law ef nations,
above cited, confer upon the commanding
officer the undoubted legal right to assume
the position: taken by Gen. Fremont. The,
question, and the only question, then, left
for us to determine is, was it policy for
him to assume that position? am equal
~ clear that upon the simple question Of
policy Gen: Fremont was right. Nobody
seems to call In question tn, propriety Of
that part of the proclamation which de-.
clares that "the property, real and perso-
nal, Of all persons in the State Of Missouri,
who shall take UP arms against the United
States, or shall be directly proven to have
taken part with their eaemies in the 6old,,
is, declared copdscatcd to the public use"
But as regards that portion which relates
to stave property, there seems to be "a won
derful sensitivencss, even here at the
North. We are told We must pay out our
millions like water raise, equip, end send
into the field a fabulous number Of men,
and march from ono bloody battle field to
another, until rebellion is crushed out; but
we must not interfere with tee sacred in.i
s,itutionf Of slavery. We mly take lands;
land and gods, aad houses, money, AMI all
Kin Is of property belonging to the rebels,
but it will not do at all to interfere with
property III Man eas .sah3 af;Lf %
Now, gentlemen. let me ask you what;
there is 50 peculiarly sacred about this in-j
stitution Of slavery that it-should command;
our special protection and regard 2, What
has il done for our country, humanity or
religion, chat it should be looked 'uporii With
50 much reverence, ann be singled out as 1
the last thing to be surrendered lin order
TO save the country from ruin? Why this
livery rebellion which is now costing us SO
many lives and SO much money was gotten
up siilthe interests Of slavery. q III Is the
Shareholders. who are stabbing at the heart
lot thu nation today. and. it, is because of
the institution Of slavery that these mon
sters are engaged ii their wicked Work s.
destruction. Slavery il the chief corner
stone of thesrcbellion which IS working to
destroy the country. The black slaves Of
the South are to-day furnishing all .he
sincWs Of war for the traitors. They
raise all the grain and, provisions with
which all their munitions 81 wdkf are sup
10 my judgment we have temporizcd
with this matter too long alIeaay 6 We
have bear aftaid thss ~ INF hs sefanl
sonebody sweilsts the enemy, 4zli1g a5.
Vantage of ogf uncertain z cillltiag poll
icy, has been rapidly gaining ,stleng 5, and
marching f1r ward from. one succcssfai Dat.
liz. RslH rs ;1S:.-ss "A