Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1862-10-03

SAMUEL JACKMAN.
Cutsinx the GordiAn Knot.
The Presidents proclamation, says the Now
York Post sweeps away hosts Of difficulties
which have encountered our movementsat every
step in this war. 1t puts us right before
Europe; it brings US back to our traditions; it
aninatos our soldiers with the same spirit which
led their forefathers to victory under Washing
ton; they are fighting to-day, as the revolution
airy patriots fought, in the interests ofthe human
race, for human rights, and against oppression
and oppressors of all kinds. 1t draws, too, a
strict line between rebels and loyal men. Among
the captures made by the rebel Jackson at Har-
pers Ferry, the Richmond journals exultingly
announce two thousand negroes. These poor
creatures arc plainly counted among the spoils
of war; they win, Ike others Of their brethren,
be sold for the benefit of the captors; jefferson
Davis and the King of Dahomey act alike in
this matter But when we capture negroes they
are free, and the President publicly recognises
and maintains the freedom of such PERSONS
The lovers Of liberty in Europe will understand
the difference.
But the advantages gained to us by Mr.. Lin
coins act are not only moral, and do not only
affect our standing aud interest abroad; a little
reflection will show that the direct military
benefits Of the policy announced in the procla-
ton are of vast importance. Henceforth our
navy, which has been our most successful mill
tary arm, win work with hundredfold effect;
and the great preparations made and making by
Secretary Welles and his able assistants may
rightly fill the rebels with new terror Those
portions of the southern states where slavery
has its strongest hold, where slaves are most
numerous and where the spirit of rebellion is
most bitter, are just those accessible to our gum
boats and new iron-clads. 1t is in the valleys,
on the seaboard, and near the great navigable
rivers, that slavery predominates The cotton,
rice and sugar plantations, whose aristocratic
owners are the leaders in the rebellion, are al
most without exception near navigable waters;
the fertile bottom lands" have been monopo |
lized by the slave-owners, for the double reason
that they need rich soils and cheap water trans
port to market for their staples. In the hill
and mountain regions slavery has not flourish
ed; and there as in East Tennessee, in West
ern Virginia, in Northern Georgia, and in West
tfI NOTtn hilu g1putu OditiIld5 INC leoptC oAC
loyal, and viii willingly return to an allegiance
they have never heartily thrown of.
The great body Of the slaves, and the wicked
centres of the rebellious spirit, are therefore
easily accessible to our enterprising navy
Such victories as that of Port Royal will be
fruitful heneeforth they viii strike terror to the
heart Of the rebels; the appearance Of fleet on
L. I..o
more than the occupation Of island or two,
or the slow reduction Of fort. The cotton
states, where the rebellion originated, will get
taste of the war which they have hitherto so
carefully confined to the luckless border states.
The fighting population, which has been drawn
from these states to that degree that only old
men and boys remain to keep in subjection the
numerous slaves, will be called back in haste
when our navy once more goes to work. Vic
tory, before they return, viii be easy to oul
sailors;.but ifthe men needed to guard the cotton
states against the double danger our navy viii
hereafter threaten them with, are withdraw
from the rebel armies, then those armies will nc
longer be able to offer resistance to our land
advance. From the day this proclamation il
read in the South the rebels win be obliged tC
use precautions hitherto neglected. The ne
cessity toguard against an enemy in their homes
win diminish almost at once the numbers Of the
rebel army, viii make farther and more sweep
ing couscriptions impossible, viii cause tbs
aristocratic leaders in the rebellion to fight viii
less confidence. and with the uneasy feeling in-
spired by fears of attack in the rear.
In military view, the proclamation, it win
be seen, affects most seriously the cotton states
or those parts ofthese states where this infamous
and causeless rebellion was hatched, and fed.
and nurtured into strength. A providential
retribution threatens these conspirators against
the Union. They plotted against liberty, and
by liberty they win now perish. No loyal man
but win rejoice to see the war carried into the
cotton states, 20 the doors Of those who began H.
Thousands Of southern men. even, will hail with
gladness the prospect that South Carolina and
her reasonable sisters VIII also suffer; and the
country which has had already such splendid
exaniples Of the vigor, skill and iTesistabls
courage Of our glorious navy. viii not doubi
that the now work which lies before 1t for ths
fall and winter, while the rivers ars high, vii
be thoroughly performed.