The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1863-10-02
Reconstruction.

us We've vi Tut VhiJ IiSHb why w lCCO"''iNN
the Union. They are direct and lorcibe, and
well worthy of consideration in these times
when so much is said about the way TO treat the
seeded States; and al our request MIR. WING has
furnished us that portion of his address for pnb-
LEGATION. Discussing this topic, Mr. W said
There is one grave question that now agl-
tates the public mind, which is this: If 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 +,
others are 10 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, as 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 instruction Of the people, not secession
of States. When the insurrection is put down,
the States are in 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 d part of the Union,
as before, with all their local laws, including
all their laws in relation to Slavery, in full
force
Ii the Government should attempt to inter-
fere with the local laws of one State they
might with all. If Trey 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 it is, until le-
gally changed.
Bnt we ean 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-
bellion. You can never fill the vacant places
IN your family circles, made vacant by this cru
ell war. You can never restore to life your no.
Die dead that now sleep on a hundred battle
fields, where they poured out their hearts blood
as sacred Offering to the God of Liberty.
We can never restore the Union as it was 10
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 fertilize her fields now laid waste,
and build up her villages and cities that have
been destroyed. But can time never wash away
her treason, or purge her sons from the infamy
of traitors?
All in the South that prove their loyalty will
have their property restored, except their slaves
The slaves have been freed in all the States
that were in open rebellion on the first day of
January, 1868 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-forfeiled to their country by
the crime of treason.
This does not prevent South Carolina if she
should come back into the Union to-day, from
purchasing and holdipg'slaves If she can procure
them from Maryland, Kentucky, or any other
territory excepted in the proclamation. All
that the proclamation could do, was to free oil
the slaves in the territory named, and render
them and their posterity free forever.
To guard and protect from Slavery every slave
set free by the proclamation is the sacred duty
Of the Government, and unless it does this it is
recreantt to its trust. And every freeman that
is not prepared by his voice, his purse, and his
vote, TO sustain the Government in carrying out
the proclamation, has not the soul of freeman
in his bosom The man that would return to
Slavery the brave men who fought so nobly at
Milliken's Bend, Port Hudson, Fort Wagner
and the other battle fields of tbs South, where
they did such deeds Of noble daring, has not the
heart Of q man. If any such exist at the North
they should at once seek tho sunny South and
enjoy the smiles Of Southern traitors.
PARoLED PsIsosERs ORDERED TO DUrr.-The