Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-09-18
Important COProspsndence-Jose Holt
and the President.
INC LOUISVILLE Journal OF yesterday con
tains the following correspondenoe:
WASHINGTON, September 10, 1861

fNAAN ehp iOAiOWAhE NOlhNcpOnubuCts
WASHINGTON, September u, 1861.
Hy Dear Sir: I hasten to place in your
HANDS the inclosed correspondence with the
President of the United States. The action
which he has taken was firm and decided,
and must prove satisfactory to the friends Of
the Union in Kentucky.
The act OF Congress alluded to was me-
cessity under the circumstances, and was
fully justified by the usages of civilized war
fare. The Government Aas the same right
to conhscate slaves engaged in digging
trenches or mounting guns for the rebels
that 1t has to confscate their arms when
captured during the progress of the war:
but, having confiscated them, Congress goes
no further. Upon this law the President
stands firmly, and in doing 30, and in disa-
vowing General Fremonts proclamation he.
gives another of the overwhelming proofs
that the war, which is one for national ex-
istence, does not seek to extinguish or inter-
fere 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-.
tense of defending it,.are striking at the life
OF a Government under whose Constitution
it has enjoyed complete shelter and protec-
| ton for three-quarteTs offs century
The occupation Of Columbus by armed
Tcnnesseeans, under the leadership of Bishop
| Polk ard Pillow, has excited no surprise here
HuSTe tue uuSCrupulOuS character aud ultl-
mate aims of the rebel chieftains are well un-
derstood. So long as Kentucky maintained
that most illusory of all attitudes-Neutral-
ity-and carefully guarded an extended and
exposed position of the frontier of the rebel
Government-in word, SO long as she SUBJ
served the purposes of the conspirators seek
| ing the overthrow of the republic, and gave
reason to hope that she would finally unite
| her fortunes with them, she was graciously
| let alone; SO soon however, as she declared
her loyalty to GOvernm ent to which she is
indebted for all her prosperity, and to which
she is united by the most solemn ties of duty,
OF affection, and of Interest her soil is ruth
lessly invaded, and, under the promptings
and guidance Of traitors in her own bosom,
her vote at the polls is now to be reversed
by the bsyonets of Tennesseeans, and the
proud old Commonwealth reduced to the
condition of a conquered province of that
political Pandemonium called the Southern
Confederacy. Those who have read her his
tory and know the spirit of her people can
have no fears to the result of this sudacious
assault upon her honor and independence.
The Government here will give all possible
support to the State at the earliest moment
J. HOLT.
General JAS. SPEED, Frankfort, KY.
WASHINGTON, September II, 1861.
Dear Sir The late act of Congress pro-
Viding for the copfscation of the estates Of
persons in open rebellion against the Govern
| ment was as necessary war measure ac-
cepted and fully approved by the loyal men
of the country. 1t limited the penalty of
| confEcation to property actually employed
| in the service Of the rebellion with the
| knowledge and consent of its owners, and,
instead of emancipating slaves thus en-
ploy left their status to be determined
either by the courts of the United Srates or
by subsequent legislation. The proclama-
ton, however, of General Fremont, under
date OF the seth of August, transcends and
OF course violates the law in both these par
ticulars, and declares that the property of
rebels, whether used in support of the rebel
| lion or not, shall be cOnfiscated, and if con-
sistiDg in slaves, that they shall be at once
manumitted. The act of Congress referred
to was believed TO embody the conservative
| policy of your Administration upon this del
| icate and perplexing question, and heLce the
| 10y al men of the Border Slave States have.
| felt relieved of all fears of any attempt on
! the part of the Government of the United
| States to libeTate. suddenly in their midst a
population unprepared for freedom, and
whose presence could not fail to prove a
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 Kentucky, the State
| with whose popular sentiment am best ac-
| quainted, have read this proclamation. The
hope is earnestly INDUCED by them as it is
by myself that this paper was issued under
the pressure Of a military necessity which
| General Fremont believed justified the step,
but that in the particulars specified it has
| not your appreciation, and will not be en-
| forced in derogation of law. The magnitude
| of the interest at stake, and my extreme de-
sire that by no Misrepresentation of your
sentiments or purposes shall the power and
tervor Of the loyalty of Kentucky he at this
| moment abate6 or chilled, must be nv apol-
| ogy for the ffankness with which have
addressed yo3, and for the request venture
to make ofan expression of your views upon
the points oH General Fremonts Proclama-
ton on which | haVe commented.
have tie honor to be, very respectfully,
your obeGient servant ]. HOLT.
His kxcellency, ABRAHAM LINCOLN, Presi-
dent of the United States.
| EXECUTIVE MANSION, Sept II, 1861.
| HON JOSEPH HoLT-Dear ST.: Yours of
this Gay in relation to- the late proclamation
| Of General Fremont is received. Yesterday
| addressed letter 10 him by mail on the
same subjec1, and which is 10 be made public
when he receives i. hOEewith send you
copy of that lette5, which perhaps shows my
position as distinctly as any new one could
write. will thank yO9 not to make it pub-
lie until General Fremont shall have had
| time TO receive the original
Your 0bedient seTY't, A. LINCOLN.
Then follows the letter to General FFe-
mont, which has already been published.