Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-05-29
GENERAL HUNTERS PROCLA-
NATION.
FAIRHAvEN, May 20, 1862.

Dear Sir In your leader of this
morning you express fear that the en-
dorsement OF Gen. Hunters proclamation
by the President would produce much d.
vision at the North. and trust il will not
be so because united North is above
all other things most desirable at this
time
Pray, sir, is not this assuming that if
Border State men and pro-slavery dough-
faces in the North can have their ,0ay of
dealing with the rebellion, the anti-sla-
men very will acquiesce and continue to
be loyal citizens while if the counsels of
impartial freedom should prevail with the
President, there would at once be split,
and the lovers Of slavery at the North
would rebel, revolt, secede and be dis
loyal.
do not question the truth of your i'm
plication. believe the anti-slavery men
of the country are the most loyal of men,
and that they have peaceably borne with
more unjust and wicked opposition than
any other class. But it is sad thing for
our country that the public mind of these
Northern States has become so debauch-
ed by slavery that we cannot have union
for the rights and the good of men, but
only as we shall do the dirty work of OPP
pressors and slave-drivers
1t is time this war had taught us, as
God surely will, unless we are slower
than the Pharisees to learn, that, instead
of giving aid and comfort to our enemies,
striking them with blow to-day, and tel
ling them it don't mean anything to-mor-
row, we have got to do, as Generals
johnson and Fremont have : re, lay
the axe at the root of the tree. The hours
are marching on
| don't wonder that other nations make
fun Of us. 1t looks absurd for our Gov
eminent to appeal to the rebel States to
abolish slavery, when by the local la,os
of those States-which our people are so
over-zealous to uphold and protect-they
are Independent and owe no allegiance to
our Government. If we are to respect
the local law of slavery, why are we not
also to respect the local law of secession ?
If slavery is their supreme local right, it
is their right to do anything that will
preserve slavery from the aggressions of
Northern civilization. Are we fighting
to uphold and perpetuate slavery If
not, then we ought to inscribe Freedom
on our banners, and taking up the gaunt-
let which the shareholders themselves
have thrown down, teach them, as our
soldiers will gladly do, that the Union
means justice and right, and that all local
Ia.-s % t,.is country must be agreeable to
Republican principles or they are null
and void.
see not how we can properly recog-
nize as valid any Of the governments of
the seeded States-and if these have
failed, by what right does President Lin
coin seek to preserve slavery from the
effect of Gen. Hunters proclamation ? If
Government sends military commander
to New Mexico, may not this commander
do what is necessary to maintain his COM
mand, freeing the slaves of Indians, if ne
cessary? Can the President create sla-
very where it does not exist by some law
Of the General Government Slavery is
a usurpation and tyranny in whole and in
part, and ! am glad the army before
Richmond are eager to have the real is
sue of the war come MONITOR.
We think our correspondent in his zeal
against slavery, and under the excitement of
those passions which are too apt TO make us
impatient of prudent restraint in revolution
AIRY times, has forgotten to be generous tow
ards those who thouub abhorring slavery as