Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1862-05-23
Presidents PrOe1amation

We publish this morning an import
ant Executive document, setting aside
and declaring null and void the procIa-
nation by General Hunter abolishing
slavery in the States Of Georgia, South
Carolina and Florida. Whatever fault
the country may have occasion to find
with the President regarding this sub
ject, will not be on account of this
proclamation, but rather that the policy
now announced for the Government of
Commanding Gen erals was not laid
down long ago With reference to the
treatment Of slaves, there has been no
policy at Washington, and: Of course,
no uniform action on the part of Gen
erals. Hence the Fremont imbroglio,
and now the Hunter com plication--the
order of Halleck and the pronunciamen
to Of Philps-the tenderness of McClel-
Ian aud the boldness Of Butler-the
buncombe speech of Cameron, and the
dinner table rebuke of that official by
Secretary Smith. The iarring in high
quarters, led, of course, to jarring
among the people, and the negro ques-
ton thus left open has afforded seces-
sion sympathizers an opportunity to ex-
cite the fears and prejudices of class
Of people who are concerned almost as
much about slavery as they are about
the Union. A certain amount of dis
cretion must necessarily be given to
Generals, charged with the active con-
duct of the war, but the Commander-in- :
Chief should on all matters, such as the
treatment of slavery and the property
| of rebels, issue general instructions for
the guidance of subordinate commanders.
This is not only the privilege of the
President, but it iss his duty. The
latter he has now executed, in part, by
reserving to himself the right to decide
all questions regarding the general
emancipation of slaves. 1t would have
been we'll had he gone a step further,
ard given instructions as to the police
resulatio OF the army regarding con-
trabands. This is something that re-
mains to be done, It must, now that
our armies are getting South, with the
hot and sickly season at hand, soon be
met, and determined by the President.
Aside from the direct bearing Of the
Presidents proclamation. it has sig
nifcance and Importance that are quite
apparent. He does not hesitate to have
it understood that circumstances may
arise, under which he will feel it his
duty to exercise his authority as Com
manderin Chief of the army and navy,
to put an end to slavery If this shall
be necessary to the suppression of the
rebellion, reluctant as the President has
shown himself to be, to interfere with
the domestic institutions of the seeded
States, it is very clear, that he will take
the responsibility. If, therefore, the
rebels desire TO save slavery, they must
cease their rebe lion against the Gov
ernment Twice he has warned them
on this poiat, and they may rely upon
it that he means what he intimated in
his first proclamation: and what he fully
declares in his second, which we print
this morning. And let it further be
understood that the country will fully
sustain the President in carrying out
the policy he has announced. This
policy is, that there will be no general
emancipation unless it becomes neces-
sary to sustain the Union. If this shall
be necessary, the Preside says slavery
must go the wall, and the people say
Cincinnati Gazette.