Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1862-09-02
The Prayer Of Twenty Millions.

y a
great proportion Of those who triumphed
in your election, and Of all who desire tbe
unqualified suppression Of the Rebellion
now desolating our country, are sorely dis
appointed and deeply panied by the policy
you seem to be pursuing with regard TO
the slaves of Rebels. l write only to set
succinctly and Enthusiastically before YOU
what we require, what we think we have
a right to- expect, and of what we com
plain.
l. We require of you, as the first SER
want Of the Republic, charged especially
and prominently with this duty, that YOU
execute the la $. Most emp6atically do
we demand that such laws as have been
recently enacted. which therefore may fair
ly be presumed 10 embody the present viii
and to be dictated by the present needs Of
tie Republic, and which, after duo consid-
Grafton have received your personal sane
ton, shall by you be carried into full eff
feet, and that you publicly aud decsiyely
instruct your subordinates that such laws
exist, that they are binding on all function
aries and citizens, and that they are to be
obeyed to the letter.
2. We think you are strangely and dis
astrously remisS in the discharge of YOUR
official and imperative duty with regard TO
the emancipating provisions of the new
Confi-cation Act Those provisions we're
designed to fight Slavery with Liberty.
They prescribe that men loyal to the
Union, and willing to she'd their blood in
her behalf, shall no longer be held, with
the Nations consent, in bondage TO per-
sistent, malignant traitors, who for twenty
years have been plotting and for sixteen
months have been fighting to divide and
destroy our country. Why these traitors
should be treated with tenderness by you
to tie prejudice Of the dearest rights Of
loyal men, we cannot conceive.
8. We think you are unduly influenced
by the counsels, the representations, the
menaces, Of certain fossil politicians hail
inc from the Border Slave tates. Know
ING well that the heartily, Internationally
loyal portion Of the white citizens of those
States do not expect nor desire that Slave
ry shall be upheld to the rejudice Of the
| Union-(for the truth f which we appeal
not only to every Republican residing IN
those States, but to such eminent loyalIsts
as H. Winter Davis, Parsou Brownlow,
the Union Central Committee OF BATH
more, aad TO the Mas vile Uaio@)-we
ask YOU to consider that Slavery il every
where the melting cause and sustaining
base Of treason; the most slayeholding
sections of Mar ylanl and Delaware being
this day, though under tie Union flag, ID
fall sympathy with the Rebellion, while the
Free Labor portions OF Tennessee and Of
Texas, though writing under the bloody
heel Of Treason, are unconquerably loyal
to the Union. So emphaticaIIy is this the
case, that most intelligent Union banker
Of Baltimore recently allowed his confident
belief that majority OF the present Leg
. islature Of Maryland, though elected as
and still protesting TO be Uuionists, are at
heart DESTROYS Of the triumph of tho JEFF.
ID Davis conspiracy; and when asked how
they could be won back to loyalty replied
y Only by the complete Abolition Of
d Slavery" 1t seems 10 us the most obvi-
Gus truth that whatever strengthens or
, fortiiies Slavery in the Border States
. strengthens also Treason and drives home
the wedge intended TO divide the Union.
Had you from the first refused 10 fecog-
nize in those States, as here, any other
than unconditional oyalty--that which
stands for the Union, whatever may be-
come Of Slavery-those Suites would have
been, and would be, Far more helpful and
less troublesome to the defenders Of the
Union than they have been, or now are.
T. We think timid counseis in such
cn. s calculated to prove periIous, and
pro, ably disastrous. 1t is the duty Of
oy9.nmeut SO Wantonly, wiekedly assal-
ed Jy Re. elton as ours has been to oppose
force to force il defiant, dauntless spirit.
1t cannot afford to temporize with traitors
nor with semi-traitors. 1t must not bride
them to behave themselves, nor make them
fair promises in the hope Of disarning
their causeless hostility. Representing
brave and high spirte4 people, il can at
ford to forfeit anything else better
than its own self-respect, OF their admit
ring confidence For our Government
even to seek, after war has been made on
it, 10 diapel The affected apprehensions Of
armed traitors that their cherished priyi-
leges may Be assaulted BY It, is TO invite, IN
suit and encourage hopes Of its own
downfall The rush to arms Of Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois, is lie true answer at
once to the Rebel raids q John Morgan
and the traitorous sophistres Of Berah
Magoi1in.
5. We complain that the Union cause
has suffered, and is now suffering immense
", from mistaken Difference to Rebel
Slavery. Had you, Sir, il your lnaugu'
raj Address, Enthusiastically given notice
that. in case the Rebellion already COM
meneed were persisted in, and your efforts
70 preserve the Union and enfofe the laws
should be resisted by armed force, you
could recognize no loyal person as right
! fully held IN Slavery by traitor, we be-
lieve the Rebellion would therein have re-
eeived Staggering if not fatal blow Az
that mon ent sccortlinsr to thereturns Oh