Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1863-05-22

In reply 10 a letter from o. M. Murray, an
ultra Abolitionist the New York Tribune sets
forth the policy Of the government az relates TO
Slavery in the following distinct and truthful
manner:
sIt seems to us Of vital consequence to keep
this whole matter right end foremost--to con-
vince loyal Democrats, ready 10 fight for the
Union but not for Emancipation, thdt me pdr is
vaged orr side eractsy and truly on their groNnds
and for tho ends they approve. We wish them to
believe and feel what we know TO be true, that
the President has from fra 10 last made He pres
srvdtion Of tse Union aud the restoration Of the
rightful, constitutional authority of its Govern
ment the poe-star Of his course--that whatever
he is impelled TO do against slavery is done cr-
prssaiy 20 sdvo TIC Union and because Slavery Is
obstacle 10 is restoration. We insist that his
power over Slavery flows entirely from the re-
bellon aud viii die with it--tbat each rebel Stats
rcH rscoccr al IN poror u eVcr had over the status
Of It's own people by the simple and salutary
process Of ceasi,g 70 Be rcbe, aud becoming once
more loyal"
This view of the Governments policy is one
on which Union men Of every possible shape
can consistently cooperate. With the single
"pOle-siar" of the Union and the prosecution of
the war for our national existence there need be
no iealOusies suspicious, nor divisions ON poll
icies present or prospective but all can come to-
gether and work together till that single end is
accomplished. and afterwards divide on lesser
questions il they will-Tolcdo Blade
II it is meant by the above, that when the
war is closed, and the States now in rebellion
shall have acknowledged the authority of the
Government that they can, by either judicial
DEGREES or legislative enactment, re-enslave a
single person freed by the Presidents Procla-
nation, we beg to dissent in toto; but il on the
contrary, il is meant that these States win have
the same right to re-establish slavery under the
Constitution that they had TO establish it prev-
'ous TO the rebellion enslaving none but those
who may then be slaves, we agree. The war
power only gives the President control over per-
sons and property, and all persons freed by the
authority thus vested in him are just as abso-
lutely free as though they were born free. Not
free for day, year, or during the war, but for
all time-they and their descendants All
the slaves in the rebellious States have been
thus freed, and If the rebellion is put down,
these States can never again re-enslave single
one Of those freed persons, without fiaorant
violation of the Constitution of the United
States, and in utter contempt of the power of
the Government. But il the States named wish
to again establish slavery, they can do so, but
they must procure their slaves from the States
where slavery is yet permitted. This is our view
of the NATTER and we believe it to be the view
of the President and all right minded and hon
orable men.
We should like to know if the Tribune and
Blade contend that the rebel States win have
such control "over the status Of its own people
by the simple and salutary process of eeasing to
20 re6cL as will give them the legel and Consti-
tutional right to re-enslavea single person freed
by the Proclamation of the President? If this
is answered in the negative, we shall be ready
to consistently cooperate" with them. We
are for the Union at all hazards, but we do not
intend TO bemean ourselves before God and man
by becoming the champion of slavery or even
itsapologist. We hope that when the war is
over, slavery will have ceased to exist. In any
event, the three and half millions of slaves
freed by the President will be free, unless this
nation proves false TO God false to man, and
false to the Constitution