The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-09-01
Mr. Greeiey's KesponSe - The Pres
tdeAt.

DEAR Although did not an.ici
pate nor seek any reply to my former let.
TER unless through your official acts.
thank you for having accorded one, since
1t enables me to say explicitly that both.
ing was further from my thought than to
lmpeach in any manner tile sincerity OF
intenslty~of your devotion to the saving
of the Union. never donbted, and have
no friend who doubts, that you desire,
beiure and above all else, to re-establish
the now derided authority and vind,cate
the territoria! integrity of the republic
| intended to r..iso oniy this question
DO yoa propose 10 do Ats ty recognizing,
obeyiny and enforcing the iaus, or W o.
nortng, disregardiag, and in effect, dcly,
ing hemF
stand npon the law of the land The
humblest has clear right TO invoke its
protection and support against even the
highest. That lawn strict accordance
with the law of Nations, of Nature, aud
of God-declares that every traitor now
engaged in the internal work of destroy
ing our country has forfeited thereby all
claim or color Of right kwfully to hold
human beings in slavery. ! ask of you a
clear and public recognition that this law
is TO be obeyed wherever the national au-
thority is respected. | cite to you in
stances wherein men fleeing irl m bondage
to traitors to III, protection OF our flag
have been assaulted, wounded and mur-
dered by soldiers of the Union-uppun
ished and unrebuked by your General
Comnauding--to prove that it is your
duty TO take action IN the premlses-ac-
tion that will cause the law to be proclaim
ed and obeyed wherever your authority or
that Of the Union is recognized as para
mount. The Rebellion is strengthened,
the National cause is imperiled, by every
hours delay to strike Treason this stag
gering blow.
Wnen Fremont proclaimed freedom to
the slaves OF rebels, you constrained him
to modify his proclamation into rigid ac-
cordance with the terms Of the existing
law. II was your clear right to do so. |
now ask of you conformity to the princi-
pie 40 sternly enforced upon him. l ask
you to instruct your Generals aud Com
modores that no loyal certainly
none willing to renler service to the Ma
tional csuse--is henceforth to be regard
ed a. the slave Of any traitor. While no
rightful government was over before as
sailed by so wantpp1k nd wicked a rebel
lion as that Of tll veholders against
our National life, Iah sure none ever be-
fore hesitatcd at 50 simple and primary an
act of self defense as to relieve those who
would serve and save it from chattel sery-
itude to those who are wading through
seas Of blood TO subvert and destroy it,
Future generations will with difficulty
realize that there could have been hesita.
ton on this point. Sixty years of geaef-i
al and boundlcss subserviency to the slave
power do not adequately explain it.
Mr.. President, beseech you to open
your eyes to tho fact that the devotees of
slavery everywhere-just as much in
Maryland as in Mississippi. in Washing
ton Is in Richmond--are TODAY your
enemies and the implacable foes Of eyery
effort to re-establish the national authority
by the discontinue Of it's assailants.-
Their Preeidentis not Abraham Lincoln.
but Jefferson Davis, You may drsft them