The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1863-03-28
Effect Of the Proc lam ation--War OF the
Roses.

Horace Greedy. of the New York TrtL,Dn>,
has created quite buzz in radical aboliti-
ohdom, 10y the recent enunciation Of some
exceedingly het-rodox views as to the
effects of the Presidents Proclamation of
Freedom. We find in the Chicago Jour-
nal the following diegesls of the views of
Mr.. Greeley and the nature of the contro,
versy in which he is involved with his
brethren of the radical persuasion:
The New York Tribune has lately gwen
an exigesis Of the Presidents Proclamation
of Emancipation somewhat dItt-rept from
that given by many of the orig inal advo-
Gates of the measure The effective part
of the proclamation. it will be remembered,
is in the words following. The President
declares -
&" That all persons held rs slaves within
said designated States and parts of States
are and henceforward shall be free; ar ID
that the Executive Gonernment of the
United States. will recognize and main
tain the freedom of said persons"
The New York Tribune, however, surprs-
ed it's readers few days ago, by ANNOUNCE
ing its opinion that any State might save
=. its slaves by prompt and thoroush
aroused one Of the rea lers of the Tribune,
who once urged in letter that the slaves
in the States affected by the proclamation
are legally free, and inquiries whether the
Administration would buy peace by re
enslaying them. The Tribune rejoined
that every slave who shall have practi-
"cally closed with the protters of the Presi
dent, deserted the rebels, and rendered
or rendered any service to the Union
cause, will have thereby established n
valid claim on our Government for the
maintenance ard vindication of his
&. right to life, liberty and the pursuit OF
happiness. But" the Tribune adds -
Suppose the rebels we're Tomorrow to
lay down their arms and return 10 uncon-
ditional loyalty, and their several States
to be thereupon recognized and accepted
as members Of the Federal Union, and
suppose them thereupon to re-afiirm and
re. enact the laws under which slaves are
now held by them respectively. what is to
override and subvert thoselaws? Suppose
that every slave now held IN Georgia were
actually set free, and that Georgia, having
returned to loyalty and been again rrcog-
nized AS an equal member Of the Union
should proceed to reduce them once more
to slavery what does Mr.. Potts propose to
do about it? We have not the smallest
doubt that an ex slave living in any free
State, who should be pursued as fugitive,
might plead the Presidents Proclamation
and his virtual acceptance of its conditions
By deserving the rebels and adhering to
the Union as bar to his ex master claim
But that the Union. or any one acting un.
der its authority, could interpose between
two native or naturalized inhabitants of
Georgia and override the Constitution and
laws Of that Statc-she being peaceably,
indisputably, Loyalty within the Union
and defeat the claim of the one to hold
the other as his slave, we do not under.
stand. The President has not assumed to
abolish the laws Of any state-much less
to forbid their re-enactment after the per.
feet restoration Of the Union"
And to this is added denial that the
Government has pledged itself to continue
the war any longer than is necessary to
bring the rebels to loyalty.
This denial Of any pledge to carry ont
the Proclamation brought out Mr.. Theo.
dore Tilton, well known for his connection
with the New York Independent, who in an
eloquent note declared that the most
solemn obligations rest upon the Govern
ment to enforce the declaration of freedom
contained in the Proclamation. Other
correspondents followed, one Of them ex-
pressing his anxiety at finding" either the
Tribune falling into "error or myself fall
ing from grace" All demonstrated against
view which appeared to contemplate the
reinstatement of men, whom they had
been led to suppose legally free at this
moment. The Tribune in withdrawing
from the controversy, however, adhered
toi its position that the Proclamation has
not limited the Presidents action in max
ing terms of peace, and "has made no
"change in the premises except in so far
as slaves may have accepted its proffers
and thereupon rendered service, or tend
cred it, in aid Of the National cause"
Itremains to be seen how far this sig
nal retrenchment of the effect of the Proc
-lamation, will be adopted by others associa-
ted with the Journal in question, in the
original advocacy OF the measure.