Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-05-22
HUNTERS PROCLAMATION.


freeing the slaves in his entire Military De-
partment, consisting Of the States of Georgia,
Florida, and South Carolina, has taken the
country by surprise, and excites good deal
Of comment, and no little censure. 1t comes
at time when Congress is puzzled with the
question Of the confscation Of rebel proper
~, including slaves, and just when that
body seems to have arrived at the conclusion,
that in the present waning proportions and
power of the rebellion, very stringent and
sweeping act of confiscation and emancipa-
6on would not be polite. 1t comes just after
the bill of Mr.. Lovejoy to secure freedom to
all persons within the Territories Of the Uni
ted States, was shorn of what were supposed
to be the more irritating of its provisions by
the general assent of even the Republican
side of the House. II is in advance of the
proclamation of Gen. Fremont, which the
President rescinded, as having transcribed
the act OF Congress. Fremont proclaimed
freedom to the slaves of only such men as
were engaged in the rebellion, while by
Hunters proclamation the slaves Of all,
whether they be loyalists or rebels, are de-
clared to be free.
1t is said this proclamation was not author
ised by President Lincoln, and that it will
not be approved by him. 1t is doubtless true
that the proclamation was made without the
Presidents knowledge, and we are inclined
ourselves to the opinion that it will not be
sanctioned by him to the full extent at least
1t involves an entire change in the mode of
conducting the war. The ground upon
which Gen. Hunter bases bis proclamation is
that slavery and martial law in free coun-
try are altogether Incompatible" and he
declares that persons in those three
States-Georgia, Florida and South Car
DINA - heretofore held as slaves, are
therefore declared forever free" As it is
well settled that martial law can have no
force and operation beyond the lines in the
actual occupancy of the authority which es-
tablishes it, it is evident that this proclama-
ton can have no efficacy in setting free the
slaves in Gen. Hunters Department, except
such as may be already within the lines of bis
occupation. Nothing less than the sword can
accomplish in fact what Gen. Hunter has
proclaimed as theory OF law. Hence it
follows that, should his proclamation be APP
proved by the President, the war in Gen.
Hunters Department will be waged hereafter
directly against the system of slavery, of
course upon the assumption THAI the restora-
flon Of the Union can only follow its extnc-
ton.
But if this is to be the policy in Gen.
Hunters Department, why should not the
same policy prevail in every Others
Why should not Gen. Burnside issue
similar proclamation, freeing the slaves in
North Carolina? Why should not McClel.
Ian, Banks and Frem ont do the same in
Virginia, Gov. johnson in Tennessee. Gen.
HaOleck in the South Western Department,
and Gen. Butler in Louisiana and Mississip
pi2 Will it do to force immediate enamel
patton upon Georgia, South Carolina and
Florida, and not upon Mississippi, Alabama,
and Louisiana? Are the rights of slave
holders in Virginia and North Carolina and
Tennessee any more sacred than those of
other States Orls slavery any more toler-
able or less dangerous to free institutions in
one portion of the South than another?
In truth, if the President has made up his
mind to endorse Hunters proclamation, we
can scarcely see why he should not make
that policy general and universal. And we
cannot help remarking that if it be true that
the President, as Commander-in- Chief, has
arrived at the belief that the progress Of the
war has shown general and immediate eman-
cipation to be an indispensable means to the
restoration Of the Union, and that he has the
power to accomplish that by martial law,
aided by the military arm, it would have
been more in keeping with what is due to his
exalted position, as well as to the American
people, that he should have proclaimed the
policy himself, and not have left it in the
hands of his subordinates. And we think If
the President had approved the policy we
have supposed, he ,Dould have announced it
himself. We repeat our conviction that the
proclamation of Gen. Hunter will be re.
scinded, or essentially modified. We have
often expressed our belief that this rebellion
is not to be talked down nor written down,
nor crushed by mere enactment Of Con-
gress, or the edict of military commander.
1t must be put down by the military arm Of
the Government, and that alone. We must