Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1865-03-10

thew had carried elections as they raised cotton
by the force of threats-therefore they could
manage affairs OF real magnitude, and could dab
bic successfully in actual lstatesmanship.-NetC
PorIc EventIeg Post
MESSAGE OF GOV. BROWN. OF GEORGIA.
Washington, March 2-The Richmond Des-
patch of February 2Sth contains the following
from Georgia:
"The message of Governor Brown commences
with defence of the state against the attacks
of the press for permitting Sherman 10 march
unmolested through the state He says she was
abandoned to her fate and neglected by the
Confederate authorities, and while her army of
able bodied sons were held for the defence of
other states and denied the privilege of
striking honest blow for the protection of
their homes, Georgia was compelled 10 rely only
upon few old men and boys. He claims that
the golden opportunity was thus lost for over
throwing Sherman. Had he been resisted from
the start and forced to fight and exhaust his am
munition, his surrender would have been GER
tain. He recommends the establishment of
militia system, TO be in no case turned over to
the Confederate Government, but retained for
home defence. He says there are only fourteen
hundred exempts in the state aud most of these
are over age. He recommends the passage of
law authorizing the impressment of provisions
in the hands of persons who refuse TO sell their
surplus to the INDECENT families ofsOldiers. He
complains that Confederate agents can lock up
the corn cribs and smoke-houses against the
state purchasing agents. Referring to the peu-
itentiary, he says that more than half the con-
victs released to fight have since deserted. He
recommends the passage ofa law prescribing the
penalty of death on conviction of robbery, horse
stealing or burglary. He opposes the armiDg of
the slaves, believing them to be more valuable
as agricultural laborers than they could be as
soldiers. They do not wish to 90 into the army
and the principal restraint now upon them is the
fear that the enemy will make them fight and
compel them TO take up arms, and they will de-
sert by thousands. Whatever may be our opin-
ion of their normal condition or interests, we
cannot expect them TO perform deeds of heroism
when fighting 10 continue the enslavement of
their wives and children, and it is not reasonable
to demand it of them. Whenever we establish
the fact that they are military people we de-
stroy our theory that they are unfit TO be free
When We arm the slaves We abandon slavery
He complains of the unsurpatiOns of the Con-
federate Congress in levying disproportiouate
taxation, and says much of the most obiectiona-
bic Legislation is imposed upon the country by
votes OF men who act without responsibility TO
the constituency ont Ofthe army. He takes the
government to task of a great variety of abuses,
such as illegal imprisonment arrest of citizens
port system and the partiality of the govern
ment to men of wealth, who are given nominal
positions which keep them out of the army,
while poor men and boys are forced into the
ranks. he animadverts severely on the gener-
alship of the President and traces his military
career during the war.
"He says; Our government is now military
despotism, drifting into anarchy, and if the pres
ent policy is persisted in it must terminate in
reconstruction, with or without subiugation.-
Governor Brown states that he is utterly on
posed to BOTH but if he favored either he
would give his earnest support to the policy of
the President as the surest mode ofdiminishing
our armies, exhausting our resources, breaking
the spirit of our people, and driving them in dis
pair TO seek refuge from worse tyranny by pla-
cling themselves under agovernment they loathe
and detest, For the cure of existing evils he re-
commends the repeal of the conscription act and
a return TO the constitutional mode of raising
troops by requsitions upon the states, the obser-
vance of good faith with the soldiers by paying
them promptly, the abandonment of impress
ments and secret sessions of Congress, no more
representation without constituency, and lin
ally taking from the President his power as com
mapder-in-chief.
Ale calls for convention of the states TO
amend the constitution, and closes in the fol-
lowing language: My destiny is linked with
my country. If we succeed, am free man,
If, by the obstinacy and weakness of our rulers
we fail, q common ruin awaits us all. The night
is dark-the tempest howls-the ship is lashed
with trumbulent waves-the helmsman is steer
ing to the whirlpool-yet our remonstrances are
unheeded. We must restrain him. or the crew
must sink together, and all be buried in rrccov-
cradle ruin.
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