Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1863-10-06
Reconstruction.

Mr.. VINO, in his address at Village Hall, gave
bis views on the only right way to reconstruct
the Union. They are direct and forcible, and
well worthy Of consideration in these times
when 90 much is said about the way 10 treat the
seeded States and at our request Mr. WING has
furnished us that portion Of bis address for pub
lcation Discussing this topic, Mr.. W. said
"There is one grave question that now agl-
tates the public mind, which is this II the
Union should ever be restored what will be the
situation Of the seeding States This we may
as well discuss now as at any other time. Some
claim that they will come in as territories 4,
others are in doubt, and think there must be
some treaty, &c. while others propose to leave
the question open until the time when some
State offers to return.
The question, to my mind, is plain and sim
pie, involving no doubt or mystery. only give
my own views, and no one else is responsible
for the same. am for the Constitution as it is
and the Union as it was, rs far as it has not
been affected by the war.
BY The theory Of the Constitution, no State
can secede and in practice we treat this war
as an insurrection of the people, not secession
Of States When the insuTection is put down,
the States are 10 the Union as before The
States stand a part Of the Union to-day, as
they have always stood. If the instruction is
put down the States are part OF the Union,
as before, with all their local laws, including
all their laws in relation to Slavery, in full
force.
If the Government should attempt to inter
fere with the local laws OF one State they
might with all. If they could abolish slavery
in South Carolina, they could establish slavery
in Vermont. This would be in violation OF the
Constitution we are bound to support. am
therefore for the Constitution as 1t is, until le-
gally changed.
But we can never restore the Union as it was
You can never restore to health or give limbs to
the brave sons of the North, who went forth IN
the pride Of their strength to put down this re-
bellon You can never Gil the vacant places
in your family circles, made vacant by this cru
ell war. You can never restore to life your no.
bic dead that now sleep On a hundred battle
fields where they poured out their hearts blood
as a sacred Offering to the God of Liberty.
We can never restore the Union as it was in
the North-then why in the South which has
been the cause of all this misery and bloodshed =?
We can restore the States with their bounda-
ries unimpaued, with all their local laws and
institutions. We cannot restore her dead
Time may iertilize her fields now laid waste,
and build up her villages and cities that have
been destroyed. But can time ever wash away
her treason, or purge her sons from the inlamy
Of traitors2
All in the South that prove their loyalty will
have their property restored, except their slaves.
The slaves have been freed ia all the States
that were in open rebellion on the first day Of
January, 1863; and they can never be re-
turned to slavery. The President has proclaimed
their freedom, and the nation is pledged to carry
out the decree. This does not interfere with
the local laws Of any State 1t merely takes
from the traitors portion of their property
as they call slaves-iorfeiled 10 their country by
the crime Of treason.
This does not prevent South Carolina il she
should come back into tho Union to-day, from
purchasing and holding slaves il she can procure
them from Maryland, Kentucky, or any othel
territory excepted in the proclamation. Al
that the proclamation could do, was to Tree al
the slaves in the territory named, and render
them and their posterty free forever.
To guard and protect from Slavery every slav'
SCI free by the proclamation is the sacred dutl
Of the Government, and unless it does this it i
recreant to its trust. And every freeman tina
is not prepared by his voice, his purse, and hi
vote, to sustain the Government 10 carrying on
the proclamation, has not the soul of lreema
in his bosom. The man that would return t
Slavery the brave men who fought so nobly a
Mllken's Bend, Port Hudson, Fort Wagne
and the other battle fields Of th. South, wber
they did such deeds OF noble daring, has not tn
heart of q man. II any such exist at the Mort
they should at once seek tho sunny South an
) enjoy the smies Of Southern traitors.