Historic Newspapers

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The Disloyal Knave

Summary

Citizen editor warns County people to "be on their guard against the malignant Abolitionism of the Editor of the Examiner." Argues that Examiner editor supports Federal government's war not as "preserving the Constitution", but has become clear that the intent is to abolish slavery, not just in the seceded states, but in the border states which mostly support retaining slavery. Gives as example the Examiner editor's support of the proposal to abolish slavery in the District of Columbia, and suspension of the fugitive slave law, actions opposed by the MD delegation. Citizen editor sees this as clear intent to abolish slavery in the border states. Asks why Federal army officers, who are paid out of pockets of MD as well as other states, are prohibited from returning escaped slaves who reach army encampments to their loyal owners. Examiner editor accused of stating value of the 3,000 slaves in the County has declined 80 percent, worth about half a million dollars. Citizen editor argues that, if fugitive slave law were supported by the government, the correct value of slaves in the county would be 2.5 million dollars. Examiner editor would sustain any anti-slavery action of the Government and thus citizens should be aware of the "unscrupulous Examiner editors "insidious wiles".