Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1863-11-13

shfaNou of they love with intensity,
few OF us can apptecste perfectly they the v1tes
they would give, would constitute the pufest that M
70 the ballot box They sho ildhaye the privilege Of using
ballots as well A. letsbnets sgAnst the armed foe,
ballots against the home traitors The experiment has
been tried by several states. We the result We
md how nearly unanimous are their sufages Tor friends
Of the Union, how strong and hn Their hearts beat
the music Of the Union.
This mattef Of ballots, Mr. Speaker even in times of
is hardly less important in its bearing upon fna
sulis than that of bullets. Have not generally
petenced more alarm Of the position Of poll.
ucans a, home than from any othes source Have we
not considered the campaigns Of Ohio and Pennsy wanna
though hoodless important those of 0cttysburgh
and Chattanooga the battles 0f Oct. 1871 decisive
their influences A. those Of last July when our hears
we're thrilled with The glad ddngs Of 10 many victories
Not that rejoice IN pafzan triumph, but
believe aud not without that defeat IN those
elections Of the friends the Union a. home would
equally disastrous 10 It's results with defeat Of
in the Held. What sit, would have the effect
Of the success Of Nall,ndigham Woodward upon
our armies What chil 10 their noble atdor how
disheartening How feeble would their hands have
that are now 90 mighty Fofsaken abandoned by those
who sent them form upon their holy mission with &
hope courage could they have their exuant foes
oW enemies understood u we'll Nothing so disheart'n-
ing 70 them has occurred these many months. They
North
The Congress that soon 70 meet vas nearly lost II
n had lgr buliots ~ gidrfs pefhaps IL
would have been lost The Union maiony BE- even now
50 small that uihing accident might stroy h. Only
think what ia mense interests hang upon the ra lives Of
few Congress has the power On parllyzc the arm
Of the Conimsuder.in Chief Of our army h can stop
the supplies which feed and cothe aud furnish men
with the material u war. Can hen deny our sol
diors the privilege of determining by their votes the
character Of 40 important body Of men that NJ
Congress Shall expose brave boys the inju-
es TO which they would Be liable from such source II
We can prevent 30 sad catastrophe Shall they come
home feeling ashamed " their country, their labors al
lost their comrades mouderng in dshonored graves,
many hearthstones made desolAte for naught
few months and President is TO be chosen Can
deny citizen soldiers the privilege Of casting their
votes Tor The man N their choice Shall We r1n he
tfrtal 4H Inv of
man Hofauo Seymour the Presidency, whose
soul must be haunted by the ghosts Of the murdered in
nocens he has slain, who has done much parayze
the and chill the heart NJ the General lvcrum me-
who cannot, ia such this, rise above the low.
foul and stHguant level of the pafuzan, 20 the ofy plain
OF pure state anship- responds The call vol
unieers maniiesty get rid Of ratnot voters that he
and his friends may the reius " poveti
Far be IL from me g. sugmatixc the hundred thousands
of voters calling themselves Democrats, enemies VI
their country Many of them, do.htes. believe that
the way out of our troubles Is by the paths 4 peace
They hnk their wayWard brothers would gladly welcome
the Olive Branch" aud return 10 the 'nd they have
left. In respect they correct in their views
Our enemies r0ad welcome the Olive Branch, but not 20
return 90 the lnion but AZ sure token that our proud
Republic s gone forever. The onest bur mistaken poe
sion u many renders their atons The government
more alarming The honest masses welded bv the tfi.
torous, vainous few become all the dangerous,
of ihs very sincerity Of heir Conviction.
They are smiitcu with strange madness a. least bal
lucin@uor hat must he restrained by The intelligent ii-
lou ~ Union citizens. lost forever
Perhaps it may be said there is danger in Vermont
do not KNOW, llIt certain. What calls be
made upon us Who rHh tel ] he example if worth
much Il there Is 40 danger TO be appreheudcd here -
have Therefore spoken not particularly ior the bill in
question for have special foudness fir 90; but
have been pleading 10 behalf of the object il purposes to
mpiist.
what have said may be REGARDED as out n place in
asmach supposed 20 be agreed Inc dc.ir-
ableHess ofthe jecought Butt is ntnc solemn pres
ence of the great crisis, through which bel ed coun-
Try is passing that invoke the candid attention Of thc
House TO the consideration Of the Of u'
have for dssen from the conclusions OF
tee. d. not doubt tho sincerity of their convict ous
Thinking a. ihcy do, ney have only peHormcd their du
: iy am not sure, Mr. Speaker, but exgonciea ma;
aise M hc history ~ any country when t becomes me
duty Of people u Tread close upon the limits " cons
rational fcsTirfions There many of abss'
Statesmen who believe both Congress aud the president
have esnited 90 measures u doubtful consuturonaliy
Hr the defence ~ the Republic Once IN hundred ui
tho s'nd wears al mis- may Be necessary When ths
choice comes hctNecu Constitutions she le 1f Na
ou the truc pat1t viii not long pause 60 calculate the
comparative claims sui, is true that Consiituu %.
should not be hecjessiy violated Happily for
think there is clear path out of me difficulties whct
constitutional reductions obige VS. 70 encounter con-
sttuuuu IS often important in ts OptssoRs IN it
IO.itive requirements.
The Committrr regard fhe . % providing FOR taking
the o soldcr. opposed both TO The spirit and e
ter Of thc Constitution Whatever may be true fcla
n 20 the letter, think them very much mistaken ls ID
the spirit What WAS the manifest purpose " our faith
ers u framing our Constitution Let us pnt ourselves
back int their umcs aud inquire what the state OF
opinion the world over lu regard 20 The elective fa1
chsr. Tue sentiment OF The world then was nat thi'
matter of voting the right aud privilege Of the fcN
The People, EN- masse were deprived uf BE- Our fathers
fought NOT more for their liberties and Independence
than they did frr the sf fire frqurbse Oar bold noun
s,neers m advance II their brothers IN othc
colonies StUet They intended that an the citizeu'
Of the State should h 10 the right n voting fo
iheir rulers They wove their sentiments int" every
dbre of the CONSTRUCTION An instrument born ~ tucl
hearts as thcirs could be nohing less than mis- No
only dd hey intend 900 opposition q TIE worlds semi
meut that the citizens Should vote but that their con
vcnenre should be- consulted. that no legislation OF
other as Wickcducss should remove the ballot boz
reach Of the huu1lpst aud -
Thereto they cnlcted that the citizens of every tow
" m0y hold elections therein No authority could de
Prive them Of ihs phrcse Observe, hl~ever' tha
the Cons tuition docs not say that elections h
held elsewhere The idea {, that elections mgy be- he
in ~ town Il ii not mandatory. The citizens ar
not Obliged 20 hold elections unless they choose, an'
practically, for all but town officers, citizens alowe'
q vote anywhere 10 the county in which they reside o
members " Congress. anywhere In the Distncti ia
STATE Off -crs Eecto-s, anywhere in the state Prob
ably d did 90 fathers, In the ullness
their parntism that any Of would seek th
destruction of The structure they had reared al such eX
pensc n toll and buod-least Of all. that any Of ou
citizens would raise the fratfic ml hand. They tU
not dream that lrgc portion " our ffcemcn would h
compelled 20 fofeg all ih,r democratic privileges ltaN
their To- fight against domestic traitors II the
had decmod such thing possible do you suppose hel
would have ich the question doubtful As ~ the right
patriot soldiers 20 yofci Has any gentleman in tht
House any doubt how this question should ho an
swercd? DO we NOT feel In our very heart of hearts
that our fathers would have divided iu the Fundamental
law Of the state for just such an sNigencf. ASK m
shade OF that venerable Father whom we know no
and commune with the hcoc spirit before whose CHS
ccd form we how with fila reverence, whose iree ,pil
Il, throwing TO the winds parchment, appealed
the Great Jehovah. Ask him fhe foreseeng the
Of 10 day. would have framed n,trument intended
deprive the noble OF our citizens Of one Of their deare
rghtsi
Why, Mr.. Speaker, 1t seems to that some kin
Angel gifted with prophecy, guided the hand that pen
ned our constitution, SD that while In ordinary times
It's provisions should Doe exact, appropriate TO cond
on Of peace and safety II great eNigency should ari',
that would Justify departure from ordinary methods,
could be done without erasing line or Violating 20 Nh
least e1tont the spirit Of our nuhlc constitution W
provide for Akng the ballots of our soldie's and uc
interfere with the voters al home, We here can 81
hold electiuns thcrein according to the spirit and e
ter" NJ the constitution. We do not propose thai tow
officers should be affected by oolderE yotcsthere
TOO many practical difficulties in the way The const
tuition does in express words prohibit ciuzer
voting eseWhere than Ia the towns in which they Tesid
Besides sir volunteers soldiers do not lose their rec
dence IN the towns In The county or State by ben
removed om hOrders, in the service Of the Sta
and United States rney do NOT reside in Virginia
Louisiana because they there clad In the psnoply
soldiers. To all legal inents and purposes, they a.
still residents Of tho where they resided at Nh
time of their enlistment The bill IN question propos
10 Recognize them As such residents and all nt'n
voting IN the towns where is their residence. II N
residence o the soldiers goes with hn then his const
tutional rights accompany him. His residence and b
rght by virtue of that residence may be regarded
naming with him. Here then, IN the absence Of Az
prohbi ory clause, aud knowing that our action Is
= harmony With the spirit Of fathers embodied
d this instrument the friends Of this measure can pla