Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1862-09-05

spnndenca Between Horace dfecley ana Abfa-
ham Lincoln, we do so in this issue Of our pa
per- The clause IN the Confscation Act which
Mr, Greeley wishes the President to enferce is
us follows.
BEc 8. dbea farther enacted, That all slaves
of persons who shall hereafter be engaged in re-
hellion against the Government Of the United
States or who shallin any way give aid or COM
fort thereto escaping from such persons, and taxi
ing refuge within the lines Of the army; and all
slaves captured frora such persons, OF deserted
by them and coming under the control Of the
Governmental of the United StRtes; and all slaves
Of such persons found or being within any place
occupied by rebelfo forces and afterward occupied
by the forces of the United States, shall be
deemed captiyes Of war and shall be forever free
of their seryitude and not again held as slaves.
twill be seen that this section went immedi-
aiely into effect. Yet, since the passage of The
law, 1900 slaves, who had been impressed into
Our service on the Mississippi have been restor-
ed TO their masters, in direct opposition to its
provisions. At New Orleans, fifteen slaves had
made their way from distance Of 25 or 30 miles
to within our lines, when they were set upon
by the police of the city. The slaves proving
too much for the police, asquad Of United States
soldiers attacked them, killing two or three,
balance, and then turned the whole lot over to
their rebel masters. Although these slaves
averred that they only desired to join the Union
army and obtain their freedom, and plead and
begged not to be sent back, if not to certain
death, at least to what was far worse, the whip
ping post, no attention was paid to their frantic
opportunities. 1t was these fagrant violations
of plain aud Just law that called out Mr. Gree
ley letter to the President.
The Presidents letter to Mr.. Greeley, while
1t evades the main ISSUE states concisely and
clearly what we have always endeayored to main
tain in this Journal, that the great primary OBJ
ject of the war is to restore the integrity of the
nation. That integrity has been assailed by a
tremendous conspiracy of armed men, and he, as
the chief Executive officer of the nation, is
bound to labor and fight for its defense and re-
covery On this point the whole free North
concurs. Every patriotic man who draws his
sword, or wields pen, feels that this is the su-
preme object of the contest, and that no other
should be allowed to stand in its way. Already
we have swept by the board many of the most
ancient and vital munimeDts Of political and
ciyil freedom, to reach the end, and If these ex-
pedients fail, others must be tried We have
dispensed with the ha6eas corpus, that essential
safeguard Of the citizen, have invaded the
freedom of the press, we have incarcerated sus-
pected persons without process of law, and we
have sacrificed millions of property and thou
sands upon thousands of lives, to secure the per-
petuity Of our institutions under the federal
Union. The necessities of war have overridden
~ = :.
rights of citizens in these respects, and the same
necessities must hereafter override other rights |
should the circumstances of the times require
the sacrifice.
The holding of men in slavery, which is deem
ed one of these rights in certain parts of the
country, particularly in the parts now chiefly in
rebellion, cannot expect exemption from the liza
biIity to violation and overthrow, which molests
and threatens others rights, much clearer in
their sanctions and less odious in their origin
President Lincoln declares, explicitly, if we
understand him, that he views slavery in no
other light. If the existence of it is found to
embarrass the war, he viii put it Immediately
out Of existence He viii destroy it, he asserts
just so far as he finds it incompatible with the
peace and prosperity Of the Union, or as he may
find the removal Of it necessary to the efficien
prosecution of our military operations. Fur
ther than that he is not prepared to go officially
although has personal wishes are that every maj
on the continent should be freeman.
In this position the President will be sustain
ed by men of discretion and patriotism every
where; but the same persons who approve hi
general principle win be apt to insist that th
time has come fora practical assertion Of tn
principle The Congress of the United States
indeed, long since expressed its opinion emphat
ically on that head. 1t decided that the slaves
of rebels should be emancipated, and the whole
country has been looking to the President for
vigorous inauguration of the policy AS means
of attaining the great end Of the war-which il
the preservation Of the Union--nine- tenths O
tho loyal North feel assured that none would bs
more effective than stripping the insurgents o
their laborers. Let it be once made known thai
the government of the country is determined tt
assert and vindicate the freedom Of every slave
whose master has rebelled against its authority
and the news Of the truth would spread with al
most teIsgfaphic speed to every plantation in
9ebeldosn It would detach the hopes and sym
pathies Of the southern productive class from
the southern cause. Itwould stopthe supplies
Of snbsistencet 10 the rebel army, which are now
chiefly furnished by slave labor. Itwould dis
able the entire force Of white able-bodied men
from Joining that army. and il would call home
msay who are alrsady there 70 guard and pro-
teet thslr endangered hre-eides. In order to
secure these endsit IS not necessary to incits an
insuTectian; il Is not necessary to put arIns in
the handsof the emancipatess for the simple de-
elaration Of their freedom would, like a charm,
accomplish every desirable result
Mr.. Lincoln does not YET soc his duty in this
respect; but II win Be an encouragement to the
pssiop hat hismipa i open 70 reesiya impress
ionss and every dny'h experiences, We are sure,
must bring him nearer and nearer 70 the end. -
Thoampds ef mlnda. as conservative. as saga
cioasa apaaa honsFt y bis. who began Chs war
with The eonsietlDn that the war would Of iissli
end slesefy, are nov convinced that Inc end Of
slavery only win be the end Of the war. what
Mr.. Lincoln said many years ago IN one q his
spesches. that freedom and slavery are incorn-
pasitIe oiemepis of Union. il true then Is Ten
tEmeAtruer aow that slavery has made war upon
freedom. A system which Is prepared, in iii
own delense, toin,sscr prod lgioas armies and by
waste half the iAee Of the eounsig with fire and