The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1862-09-04
; TANA COUNTY, IOWA, THURSDAY SEPTEMBER l. 1862
Greeley's Reply4o the President
From the N. YzTribuns, 26th.1

Greeley's Reply4e the President
From the N. YzTribuns, 25th.1
DEAR SlR-Altfongh did no, anti
cipate nor seek any reply to my former
letter unless through your official acts,
| thank you for having acco, ded one.
since it enables me to say explicitly
that nothing vas further from nv
thought than to impeach in any manner
the sincerity or the intensity Of your de.
votion to the faving ofthe Union. 1
never doubted, and have no friend who
doubts thatyou desire, before and above
all else, to re-establish the now derided
authority and vindicate the territorial
integrity of he republic. I intended
to raise only this qnestion--Do you pro-
pose to do this by recognizing, obeying
and enforcing the laws, or by ignoring.
disregarding, and in effect defying
them?
stand upon the law Of the land,
The humblest has clear right to IN
yoke its protection and support against
even the highest That LAWN strict
accordance with the law OF nations, of
nature, and of God-declares that every
traitor now engaged in the internal
work # destroying our country has for.
feited thereby all claim or color Of right
lawfully to hold human beings in slave
rv. | ask Of you a clear and public re-
cognition that this law is to be obeyed
wherever the national authority is res
pected. | cite TO You instances where
in men fleeing from bondage to traitors
to the protection Of our flag have been
assaulted, wounded and murdered by
soldiers ofthe Union-unpunished and
unrebuked by your general command.
ing-to prove that it is your duty to
take action in the pr mises-action that
will cause the law to be proclaimed and
obeyed wherever yonr authority or
that Of the Union is recognizee as para
mount. The rebellion is strengthened
the national cause is imperiled, by every
hours delay to strike treason this stag
gering blow.
When Fremont proclaimed freedom
to the slaves of rebels, you const, aimed
him to modify his proclamation into
rigid accordance with the terms Of the
existsng law. It was your clear right
to do SO. now ask Of you conformity
to the principle SO sternly enforced up
on him. ask You to instruct your gen.
erals and commodores that no loyal per
son-certainly none willing to render
service 10 the national cause-is hence
forth to be regarded as the slave of any
traitor. While 10 rightfnl government
was ever before assailed by 50 wanton
and wicked rebellion as that of the
shareholders against our national life,
am sure no one ever before hcsitated
at 50 simple and primary an act Of self
defense as 70 relieve those who would
serve and save it from chattcl servitude
to those who are wading through seas
Of blood to subvert and DESTROY it. Flu
tnre generations will with difficult, rea-
lize that there could have been hesita.
ton on this ponit. Sixty years Of gen.
eral and boundless subserviepcy to tn.
slave power do not adequately explain
| it.
Mr. President, | beseech you to oper
your eyes to the fact that the devotee.
Of slavery everywhere-jnst as much il
Maryland as in Mississippi, in Washing
ton as in Richmond-are today YOU
enemit $, and the implacable foes .
every effort to re-cstablish the national
authority by the discontinue Of its as
sailants. Their President is not Abra
ham Lincoln bu. jefferson Davis. Yo,
may draft them to serve in the war
but they will only fight under the rebe
flag There is not in New York to-da,
a man who really believes in slavery
loves it, and desires its perpetntion, wh'
heartily desires the crushing out of tn
rebellion. He would much rather saw
the republic by buying up and pension
ing of its assailahts. His sUnion as
was" is Union of which You are no
president, and no one who truly wishc,
freedom to all ever could be.
i D>sA~GD>>>>