The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-09-25
Peace without Emancipation.

A prodigious influence is being exerled
to establish the conviction in the popular
mind that it is impossibl- to restore the
Union while the institution of slavery re-
mains intact This idea is based on the
assumption that slavery already ceases to
exist, because slaveowners indiscriminately,
loyal and disloyal alike, are despoiled of
this species of property by virtue of the
Presidents proclamation. The National
Mteligencer publishes very able and dis
passionate letter on the subject from a
gentleman of that city, native of a
Northern State. The following is an ex-
tract:
A sovereign has not the power to ALLEVIATE
part of the State. He cannot demise the prop
erty of his subjects. His power is limited to
the appropriation, under certain circumstances,
OF portion of mems estates by way of taxes
without impoverishment.e except in cases where
the necessities of the State require the use of
the property of the subject But the sovereign
has no right to destroy the property of any num-
Der OF the citizens, except in selfdefence and
for an equivalent.
conceive it the duty of the sovereign to
protect his subjects in all their property, and l
conceive it the privilege Of the subjects, when
the State refuses or is unable to defend or pro-
tect them, g to resume their original right of
taking care Of themselves, independently of the
State, in the manner they think the most pro-
per-" And, in my opinion, the inability of
this government to protect its good and loyal
subjects in their lives and property, as against
the wicked and rebellious men who assumed
the direction of affairs, and lett them powerless
to resist treason, whereby they were compeI-
ed to recognize, however unwillingly, the au-
thOrity assumed over them, renders all such
comparatively. if not altogether, innocent, and
as such entitled to the fullest amnesty on re-
turning to their allegiance when they can do
so with sufficient guarantee for the preserva-
ton of their liberty lives, and property and,
in. my opinion, until such guarantee be afford
ed, they are neither criminal by the law Of ma
lions nsr that f God. Ana # this be SO, it is
the duty of the sovereign not only to receive
them as good and loyal subjects, entitled to all
the rights and immunities had and enjoyed pri-
or to the existence of a rebellion in the concep-
ton Of which they took no part, but 10 use all
proper means to encourage their return. The
sovereign authority may for the common veal
abandon part of its subjects and their posses
sions, leaving them to take care Of themselves
as best they may, or to become victims of a
stronger power, but has not the right under
any law or example to despoil its subjects when
abandoned, any more than when they return
to their allegiance. If the necessities of the
State require the possession of their property,
their loss must be borne equally by others,
which involves the principle of compensation
without which the seizure becomes an act of
tyranny. lU9 .aGG raoa
States or nations, where the power exists to
enforce it, may be made to repair whatever in
juries they may have committed by revolt or
rebellion, apd individuals not amenable to pun
ishment for their crimes, but it will not do to
attempt to punish the innocent in like measure
with the guilty. 1t is laid down as a principle
by the best authors, that that is just war in
augurated 81 either to defend ourselves and our