Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-05-02
FROM WASHINGTON.
SATURDAY, April q


ing blow against slavery, in the ratification
by unanimous vote Of the Senate, of new
treaty with Great Britain for the suppression
Of the slave trade. As yet the details bavt
not been promulgated, but it is understood
that the new treaty takes a stride in the RICH
direction. If nothing else adverse to slavery
shall be done, the emancipation act and this
treaty will make the present Administration
memorable, aye, honorable in the estimation
Of the civilized world. But something more
and great deal more, think will be done
The Republicans Of the House are for thu
most part agreed as to the policy Of oonfsca
tion--not for an indiscriminate and sweeping
act, but for the punishment of those who
ought to be held responsible for the rebel
lion. In short the impolicy Of universal con
fscaton is too plain to leave room for seriout
divisions in opinion. Much, and in thou
sands ofinstances all, of the personal proper
ty Of the people in the rebellous states is il
the hands Of the Confederate government, ant
the people have nothing to show for it bu
Confederate notes payable five years after
their independence shall be acknowledged d
When the rebellion shall be crushed, that
will be all worse than confscated, for it will
be utterly lost, beyond the reach Of redemp-
ton, for any part of it, by amnesty or pardon
But worse thing than that is this the peo-
pie of the South can save this property only
by making the rebellion successful In that
event, their government would be bound to
refund, and would have to do it go all this
property now stands as premium for rebel
lion. 1t stimulates the people to persist in
rebellion and even in sections which have
been redeemed by our army from the rebels,
the people who hold Confederate paper are
still unwilling to see the authority of the fed
eral Government re-established This is a ser-
Gus matter, for how can we prevent recurrence
Of strife, or hope for peace, when the feelings
and interests Of these people are against us !;
These people are now SO firmly bound, by the
tionable whether we shall not have to compel
submission by permanent military force
Now if we attempt to 60 still farther and
confcste all their real estate, we shall only
increase the weight Of pecunary interest
against us. They can save their property
only by defying the federal government. Thus
the war will be prolonged and the expense
will have to be borne entirely by the loyal
( tua n M Gpal1v trtt,
we do triumph, our portion of the expense of
a prolonged war may be altogether greater
than the sum that can ever be realized from a
confscation of rebel property. In pecuniary
point of view, therefore, we may we'll doubt
the policy OF these sweeping measures but
when we consider that they are of doubtful
constitutionality, and that they may utterly
fail of having any effect, save that of stimu-
latlng prolonged resistance to the govern
ment, the impolicy Of resortng to them
seems to be clearly unquestionable This
view of the question is enough to show its
magnitude, and to justify the House in send
ing it to select committee for further ex-
animation. The proposition has been made
in the Senate. The speech of Senator Col
lamer is universally acknowledged to be one
of transcendent ability. Is is his greatest
speech, and marks him as being both great
lawyer and a great statesman. The readers
Of the IPatchmdn will undoubtedly have it in
full, and trust they will read it in connec-
ton with his bill, which have already sent
you, in the form OF an amendment sub
mit'ed in the House by Mr. Walton.
In addition to the work Of the Senate this
week, l must remind you of the passage of a
bill to establish diplomatic relations with
Liberia and Hayt These governments are
purely African, and because of that fact alone
they have not heretofore been recognized, al
though they are Of more Importance CONNER
eially than are some others which have been
honorsd with full missions 1t may be ma
tuFal for us to dislike negroes, but it is not
very reasonable to do even that much less