The national Republican., 1862-09-18
A rRooLAnAs1on OF nmAuoIrATIoH

~ AFAONAAAASAo AoN W NAASSAFA >A~ss'
The present patriotic and courageous Con
gress, after the maturest defiberation, and y
aecting In this particular The unqsstionabse
will of the people, enacted law, near the
close Of their late session, absolutely emanci-
pating al slaves Of rebels, Of ths two follow:
Ing descriptions:
|, First. Those who should succeed in cscap.
ing into our military lines. .r r,.r.,...
Second. Those who may be found in places
captured by our troops, after being in posses
sion Of the enemy. -, ,... Dar. r,
This legislation was the result Of the fxcd
belief Of Congress, in whom the war-makisg
power is vested by the Constitution, that this
war could never be closed without depriving
the rebels of the resource Of their slaves.
What Congress enacted, the President Of
tcinlly approved, and it Is now the undisputed
law Of the land. 49,.
II this law is executed, it ends the whole
controversy about slavery. II will, as the
war progre sees, certainly bring about gen.
ersl emancipation. and general emancipation
is universal emancipation, because it will he
impossible TO maintain slavery after the lar.
ger portion Of the slaves are freed.
This law was intended to close the whole
controversy, to settle the policy Of The country,
and TO leave no discretion whatever to the
President. .p.
As we have said before it will settle the
whole controversy, il Il is executed in gond
faith. It practically covers the whole ground,
because it provides for the case OF every slave
Of rebel who can reach us, or whom We can
reach. As to slaves Of rebels not coming
within these descriptions, that IL. beyond onr
reach or unable to come to ms, they must re-
main, at present, unaffected BY any law, OF
any proclamation from the President. or from
generals in the field.
We have, therefore. felt little interest in the
appeals which are understood to have be- D
made TO the President 10 induce him to Issue
a proclamation Of general emancipation. He
has :hc right To do it, and such proclama-
tion might he useful in some asrcts, hut we
are satisfied with the laws as they arc, pro-
vided they are executed, which they have not
hecn. And II is more feasible to persuade
the Precedent to execute existing laws than o
persuade him TO go further
The present laws ought to be notified ty
him to the generals. ard hy th"m to the Eol
diers, by regular army orders, No good rea-
SOD can be assigned why snch notification and
orders are not issued, and they are known 10
be necessary to the enforcement Of the laws,
If Il wa worth while for Congress 10 of r
liberty to certain C!ass Of eacaping slaves,
Of which Congress was and is the cole right
ful and constitutional Judge. I. rs worth while
| to have this offer nsdc known to the slaves IN
some authentic manoer.
Aud when our generals are directed by
Congress to DO certain things, it is the duty
Of the President TO cause the generals To kuos
what the will Of Congress is.
This duty d the l'residuni is not only en-
forced by general considerations, bu, in this
particular case BY the nntoricty of the fact
that our generals are na executing the law.
In New Orleans, some slaves Of rebels e.
Gaping into our lines, instead Of being secured
in their freedom, were actually set upon, aud
some Of them murdered, in the streets, by our
soldiers And they were so set upon and
murdered, for no reason, real, or pretended
except that they were endeavoring tn essals
from slavery into freedom.
1t il believed by those who ought to know
that the President is gradually yielding his
objections 10 the issue Of the proper orders in
this case.
We hope 80, as we believe that this wal
can never be ended upon any other policy
than that which Congress has decreed, and
also, because we have sincere desire to support
the Administration and wish it TO be conducted
in such way that we can conscientiously do
SO. Those who have access to him, are hope.
full that the President intends soon TO issue
the necessary orders 10 the army, to execute
the laws. We are rejoiced to hear 80. Tht
President may rely upon it, that such ordert
will nc received ny the country with Hcclamn
| tions.