Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-09-19
The TROUBLE about Fremont.

The President has ordered Fremont 10
modify his proclamation so as TO conform
10 the act of Congress, in relation to the
confscation of rebel property. The letter
containing the order will be found in this
mornings paper We published the Sec
ton of the act referred to yesterday morn
ing.
This would confiue the operations ofthe
proclamation to slaves of rebels actually
employed, in military sense, against the
government. and would confscote none
other. 1t would uot change the efficiency
of the proclamation in any other respect,
but would acknowledge tic right Of COM
manders to execute under martial law, all
persons found in arms against the govern
ment. and to coniiscNte all the property of
such persons, except slaves not employed
in military sense against the govern.
ment.
This is the matter in Il nutshell, as we
understand it.
The public press is very general in its
condemnation of this act OF the Executive.
The belief that Fremont was right, seems
to he nearly universal. Such has been our
own conviction from the first, and we
have found no reason to change it as yet
People are too apt, in times of excite
ment, to overlook general principles, and
we dent know that Presidents are any cx-
ception to the rule. In the prosecution of
a war, the object of the enlightened COM
mander is not to destroy, but to Inspire
fear-to convince an adversary that he can
be destroyed, and will be, If he persists.
To this end great armies are raised,
great Notifications built, great n"vics
fitted out Convince an adversary that
he has no chance at all of success, and
how long will he hold oul? Suppose when
this rebellion first made its appearance,
the Government of the United States could
within Il week have displayed an efficient
army of half million and a navy of cor
respondent strength. The rebellion would
have skunk away and hid itself without
ever daring to strike blow 1t WAS the
weakness of tue Government which they
were sure of, having caused it, that anima-
ted the traitors; it was its tenderness
which they felt sure they could presume
on that made them insolemt. HGreat abiIi-
ties to resent injury are the surest guar
antee of continued peace in 81 time of peace.
Great ability to inilct injury and dispro-
portionate weakness on the part of an en-
envy will compel asuspeus on of hostilities
without ever employing it; for hcIIigcrcnts
are governed by the same considerations
of consequences as govern individuals. =
1t was on this general principle that
Fremont acted in declaring that the power
of the Government should hc brought to
bear upon the weak point of the rebellion
Believing, as we do, that nothing could
inspire such terror among the rebels rs
the punishment proclaimed ny Fremont
declaring the slaves of all persons in arms
against the Government free men, it seemed
to US not only a just measure Of retnlia-
ton, but wise stroke of military policy.
It must not be overlooked in this
connection that in cxigcncics like the
present, military law is higher than civil.
The President by his act cannot hr I'M
hGESIOOu 'hS hCulIilf tiA!ST AOi9 W INV nv
attempts to make Il portion of the plorIM-
nation conform to Il civil act lie Leaves
the main poiat of it, involving the right
of executing rebels (aud this is the highest
assumption of power belonging TO any
authority without presuming to interfere
with it. The right to remove comman-
der the President, of course. possesses,
but he does not even by this act profess to
annul the military action of that comman-
der while in authority.
Therefore, it seems to us that this re-
quiremcnt of the President, in reference TO
n portion of Fremont's proclamation, is ir-
regular, to say the least, aside from its
bearings on the war, which would be un-
fortunate; depriviug the government MS It
would of powerful! weapon, assuring the
the rebels that they should not be attacked
in their Vulnerable point, and that the
great bulk of their property is in any event
safe.
It now remains to be seen whether Ere.
mont will obey orders or resign. Onc OF
the other he will do shortly, for prompt
ness IS one OF us EuAEhCtti'stiCs'
This matter IS now threatening scriou!
dissention in uyrthern sentiment. W.
hope sincerely that il will be speedily set.
tied, and some general principle of actor
determined on
Philadelphian makes the astounding
discovery that bakers Toaves have the fac.
ulty Of growing smaller when -four is high
or, bat do not seem to grow larger when