Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-06-23
FrOm Harpers, WoekIy.
FREMONT.

IT, W. . w.. .I I|srA
General Fremont has resigned his com.
mission in the army, and has accepted the
Cleveland nomination. In accepting it he
has writtena letter in which he declares
that Mr.. Lincoln has already deprived the
peolple of those liberties against which
also Jefferson Davis took up arms. That
We may do General Fremont no Injustice,
we quote his words. Among the objects
of the Cleveland Convention, he says, was
to bring the people "to realize that while
we are saturating Southern soil with the
best blood of the country, in the name of
Liberty, we have really parted with it at
home." aEfA 1T
In the estimation of General Fremont.
therefore, the guilt of the President and of
Davis is equal and if what he says be
true, the war is ss unholy as ever Mr.. VAL
landigham or Mr.. Fernando Wood de-
| clared it to be. No loyal, liberty loving
citizen of the United States can be more
fairly asked to sustain, by single dollar
| or word or wish, an Administration which
has deliberately 'overthrown the Constitu-
ton and liberty, than to encourage a cou-
spiracy which aims at the same result.
The strongest friend of the rebellion, the
most vehement apostle of "peace," has
never. offered a palmer and more conclu.
sive reason for Immediately stopping the
war, and settling definitely the terms of
the destruction of the Union and Govern.
ment than General Fremont offers in his
letter. If Mr.. Lincoln be equally treach.
| erous to the Constitution with Jefferson
Davis, certainly any man may elect with
whom he will range himself. If General
Fremont be correct, it is General Grants
patriotic duty to turn his guns against the
Washington traitor who has really de.
stroyed our liberties rather than against
the Richmond rebel who has merely threat.
ened them.
No man has the right, without know
ledge which few can have, to question an.
other mans sincerity Yet It is hard to
conceive that General Fremont can siu-
tcerely mean us to view, on the one hand.
the exercise of an arbitrary authority for
the salvation of the Government, expressly
granted by the constitution in. time of re-.
bellion, as, atreachery to the Government;
or, on the other, to accept an occasional
indiscretiou in its exercise as a loss of
liberty We trust that the right of per-
sonal freedom is as sacred in our estima.
tion sit is in that of General Fremont or
of Mr.. Fernando Wood; aud we cannot for
get that Mr.. Wendell Phillips WHOSE letter
is urged upon General Fremont as virtual!
ly the Cleveland platform, does not hesi.
tate to ooucede that the exercise of arbi.
trary power may be necessary, and must be
allowed at a time like this. His words
are: TN sixty days after the rebellion
broke out the Administration suspended
hG6eGS corpus, onithe plea of military ne.
cessity, justly"
! Yet that sense of personal wrong, long
broOded, and fostered by unfortunate in.
iuences of many kinds, may confuse even
noble and generous mind, history toe
plainly shows. 1t RENAME for us, then
only TO deplore that General Fremont adopts
a view of the situation which comedies the
destruction of the government as accom-.
plished, aud releases every citizens from
his obligations. The more direc., ,the more
heroic, course for him, if the caose has in.
deed been betrayed by Mr.. LincOln and oul
liberties are lost, as he asserts, would be
not to- allow that hoary despot nearly {
year to forge our chains more closely, bu
to uuroll the banner of armed opposition al
once, and summon all true men to rescuI
their liberties from the tyrant's grasp.
With what profound sorrow those who
EhaVe known the name of Fremont only al
the watchword OF Liberty aud Union now
hear himsrepeati0g the cry of VaHsndig.
ham and the gCopperheads, adopting thsir
extremest position as his own, only those
i who have known what tits 70 see the NOR
al fSllaof q, leader almost romautically. ad
.mired cansimagine. If Fremont had dieC
before the var began his name would al
ways have shone in our history with a love
Fly lnstre, asa symbol of the regeneratiVl
Pripciple Of American politics. He Wsstno
President, the historian would have said
bat his name expressed the aspiration O
J. awakening conscience in the people. >
When, then, it is asked hereafter, How
did he changer the reply will be simple
] that, at time when slayeEy by force o