The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-05-22
LINCOLN CHARGED WITH VIOLA
TING HIS OATH.

In labored and fallacious attempt to
justify Lee and other West Point officers
In the regular army who broke their oaths
and went over TO tho support of the
Southern Confectionery ut the opening Of
the shareholders rebellion, the Richmond
Va.) Dispatch says: Mr.. Lincoln posi-
lively violated his oath of Office when he
sot the negroes Free" Rebel assertions
like this cannot be suffered to pass unre-
buked. When Mr.. Lincoln assumed the
duties of the Presidency he took an oath
to preserve, protect. and defend the Con-
stitution of the United States, and that
Constitution declared that he should
take care that the laws be faith
fully executed" Early in his
term Lincoln was confronted with armed
resistance to the enforcement of
the laws of the United States in the
Southern section of the Union. The
forts and other property of the United
States were seized. its flag torn down. and
its authority defed by lawless insurgents
In order to enforce the laws of the United
States and MAINTAIN the national authority
the President was required to use military
force, and as Commander in chief of the
army he was invested with all the powers
embodied in the laws of war as recognized
by all civilized nations. The laws Of
civilized war everywhere recognize the
right TO confiscate the property of insur-
gents and where slavery exists TO free
their slaves. There is not the slightest
doubt that the emancipation of the slaves
was proper, legitimate and justifable
exercise of the war power.
During pence the President could not
confscate property or free slaves, but in
time of secession and rebellion against
the national authority, when the war
powers of the Constitution came into
operation, he could do both to any extent
thought necessary. He could confiscate
the mules, wagons, and provisions of the
insurgents, and for the same reason could
take their slave property away from them.
There was no peculiar sanctity about al
legged slave property that exempted it
from the laws Of war which apply to all
other property. The proclamation Of
emancipation was issued solely as n war
measure, and SO stated, and was made
to apply only 10 the States and parts
of States then in rebellion against the
United States. Parts of the slavehold-
ing South then inside the Union lines
and not in actull rebellion We're exempted
from its provisions, so careful was Presi-
dent Lincoln to keep within the war
powers of the Constitution. The proc
ihAhutioA hiu hOi lAtt thc SiaN 90 III WIS
souri,, Kentucky, Maryland, Delaware,
or in any locality where rebellion did not
successfully prevail. Forty-eight coun-
ties now belonging to West Virginia,
seven counties of Virginia, and thirteen
parishes iii Louisiana were excepted as
not being in actual rebellion. To
claim that Lincoln violated his oath"
when he merely exercised just,
necessary, and proper war power
in putting down the rebellion, saw
ing the Union, and enforcing obedience
to the national laws by depriving in
surgents of their slave property is mon
strous. Ample warning was given, and if
the rebels had laid down their arms and
ceased making violent resistance to the
laws of the United States and returning
to their allegiance, their slaves would not
have been taken. Complete justification
for the proclamation of emancipation was
made when Lincoln stated in the pre-
amble that it was issued by virtue of the
power in him vested as Commander-in-
chief Of the Army and Navy of the United
States in time of actual armed rebellion
against the authority and government of
the United States and as hit and neces-
sary war measure for suppressing said
rebellion. Lincoln broke no oath, but
he would have been criminally derelict in
duty if, attempting to save the cursed
thing-slavery had lost the Union
TIL