The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-11-23
abolition Mnfiny In New York AgaAns
the 0Oycru m ent.

abolition Mnfiny In New York AgaA"s'
the 0ovcrnmcnt.
IEe abolition rebellion against the President,
ior MS fidelity to the compact of the constitu-
tion on the question of slavery and his firm de-
termination to execute the laws of Congress
without regard to platforms or parties, has raj
ned around General Fremont from the moment
mat he unfurled the black flag Of emancipation
IN Missouri. His removal was the signal for
concerted attack on the President by the aboli-
ton presses in every part of the country
symptoms Of disloyal and rebellious spirit
were exhibited in the interest Of the displaced
General in st. Louis. But the mutiny has at
length eliminated in New York, as the reader
Will find by referring to the programme OF
demonstration to Fremont, which we copy, in
another column, from the Tribune, under whose
Influences, auspices and direction the move
ment was set on foot, in opposition to the
government.
According to the statement published by
Greeley, it is to be very formidable affair,
and the turbulent revolutionary portion Of the
German population, who are very imper-
fectly acquainted with the institutions
and laws Of the country, is appealed
to, because native citizens or those foreign born
citizens who speak the English language are
known to be opposed to the course Of Fremont,
with the exception of the abolition clique, who
have persuaded the most ignorant of the Ger
mans that Fremont has been removed because
Of his devotion to freedom in its real essence"
and because Of his friendship for foreigners in
general and Germans in particular. "Our glo-
rious three hundred" are dragged into the
arena in order to add to the effect, because they
are Hungarians and Germans, while the heroic
deeds of men born in the country, and of citi-
zen soldiers of Irish birth, are ignored and
passed over in silence. This is rebel
ious, mutinous and disorganizing movement,
calculated to SOW the seeds of discord and
strife, and to bring the government into con-
tempt at moment when it needs the unani-
nous support of the people to save the re-
public from shipwreck.
1t is not true, as alleged, that Fremont was
removed because Of his proclamation, though
his removal, and the dismissal Of one of the
Secretaries of Departments would be justified
on similar grounds Fremont had no right to
inaugurate political policy for the govern
ment least Of all had he q right to do SO
in opposition to the expressed will Of the Pre-
sident and Cabinet in the instructions to Gene
raj Butler, and in contravention of an express
act of Congress passed with special reference to
the slaves ofrebels. The act of Congress only
went the length Of declaring free such slaves as
were found in arms. or employed in the FORTH
cations and trenches Of the enemy, or otherwise
actively engaged in the service Of the rebel
generals. This, it is known, was signed with re-
luctance by the President. But Fremont goes q
step further than the law, and proclaims the
slaves of rebels free, whether engaged in the
service of their army or not and that, too, by
mere military edict, and without trial in
court Of civil law. This, however, was not the
ground on which Fremont was removed. His
error was publicly rectifed by the President,
after great injury to the Union cause had been
done in Missouri, and Kentucky had been nearly
lost But he was not removed Until his incom-
petence as q general had been completely
demonstrated by the most glaring and indispu-
table facts, and his political plumbers had been
cast into the shade by his military incapacity.
The President acted upon detailed report
of the Adjutant General of the army, which had
left Fremont not leg to stand upon and he
was not influenced by the foolish proclamation
10 boA
by the silly imperial airs which the General
had put on. But the satanic agents of abo-
litionism, in order to manufacture public obi
um against the President, announced that the
removal originated in the fact that FIRE.
mont was too strongly attached to the princi-
Magistrate, who, since his accession to Office,
has disappointed the hopes of the abolitionists
by his refusal to violate the solemn oath
he took to maintain the constitution
and the laws. Because he did not play
the part Of a usurper by overthrow
ING both, and substituting an electioneering
platform in their stead, he is denounced in an
editorial article in yesterdays Tribune, by i'm
plcation, as "a liar and fool, who processes
one thing to-day to get office, and another to-
morrow to keep it." The Tribune argues that
because the President, before his election,
stood upon the Chicago platform, he is bound
now. as the Chief Magistrate, to carry out its
doctrines, whether they conflict or not with the
constitution and the laws and with his own oath
of Office.
But to strengthen the reason it assigns why
the President should perjure himself the 1ri-
bune asserts that a majority of the people voted
for the Chicago platform. If that were true it
would be no valid ground for the Presidents
violation Of the constitution, that instrument
having been expressly drawn up to prevent the
tyranny of majorities and to guarantee funda-
mental rights in perpetuity. But it is utterly
untrue that the Chicago platform was voted for
by majority Of the people. Mr.. Lincoln was
elected only by plurality vote and nearly
two-thirds Of the voters voted Directly against
him and the platform, while many Of those who
voted for him did not intend to endorse the
platform.