Delaware inquirer. (Wilmington, Del.) 1859-18??, 1861-09-28


GEs. FREMONT AND THE DEMONSTRATION
IN an army commander is an excellent feature,
but subordination TO authority is just as requi-
site. President Lincoln, for the purpose Of
producing unity OF action in all parts Of his
government, has been compelled TO restrain
Gen. Fremont within the bounds of what the
President believes to be law and good policy.
The necessity OF doing so is very manifest,
from the course pursued by the ardent military
chief. He not only manrmitted slaves hut he
allowed military expeditions to visit secession
towns and carry off all the slave property to
st. Louis. Twenty-Five have been seized in
this way at Benton and Commerce. These
acts of Fremont are said to have greatly de-
lighted the people of the Northwest. Possibly
the ultra abolition men in that region may be
pleased by Fremont's action, but the President
found himself greatly embarrassed by it, and
hence had to restrain the Western commander.
Mr.. Holt drew the Presidents attention to the
subject in a letter. now just published IN the
Louisville Journal in which he says the act OF
Congress limited the conliscation of property
actually employed in the service of the rebel
lion with the knowledge and consent Of its
owners, and instead Of emancpating slaves
thus employed, left their status to be deter
mined by the courts OF the United States, or
by subsequent legislation. That act, he con-
tinues,
WAS believed to embody the conservative
policy OF your administration upon this deli
cate and perplexing question, and hence the
loyal men of the border slave States nave telt
relieved of all fears of any attempt on the part
of the government of the United States to
liberate suddenly in their midst population
unprepared for freedom, and whose presence
could not fail to prove painful apprehension
if not Of terror to the homes and families OF
ALL You may therefore well judge of the alarm
and condemnation with which the Union
loving citizens of Kentncky--the State with
popular sentiment am best acquainted have
read this proclamation. The hope is earnestly
INDUCED by them, as it is by myself, that tins
paper was issued under the pressure OF II mili-
tary necessity which Gen. Fremont believed
justified the step, but that in the particulars
specified il has not your appreciation and will
not be enforced in derogation of laws.
After Mr.. Holt received the Presidents an
swer, he sent Gen. Speed, OF Kentucky, the
correspondence, with the following confined
by himself:
aThe government has the same right to con-
fscate slaves engaged in digging trenches or
mounting guns for the rebels that it have to
conliscate their arms when captured during
the progress of the war; but having conlisea-
ted them Congress goes no further. Upon this
law the President stands firmly, and in doing
so, and dsayowing Cen Fremonts proclama-
ton, he gives another of the ever-mutiplyng
proofs that the war, which is one for national
existence, docs not seek to extinguish or i'll
teretere with slavery as established in the
States. If this institution suffers detriment
from the events or issues of the rebellion, the
blow will come from those who, under the pre-
tence OF defending it, are striking at the life of
a government under whose Constitution it has
enjoyed complete shelter and protection for
three quarters ola century"
This is evidently the proper ground for the
Government to stand upon. Events will force
the slavery question soon enough upon il and
| it is time enough to meet the questions as they
arise, without precipitating them byany over
zeal