Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-07-04
The Reconstruction M eting at Faneuil Hall.

Ha'e eummObeu u5 tOEether TINS morning, tha
a voice might 90 ou5 from FaneuIl Hall to which
'he people of the Unitel States could listen a,
10 times past.
Mr.. Presi lent and fellow citizens he question,
pressing upon the people OF this country, are
The most vast and moment0us that have eyeI
presented themselves for souuOn by free people
We wish to know, suppose first what are ouI
powers. That IS the first question. What aIe
our just powers2 Seooud-W hat ought we to
doY Thlrd-Ilow ought we to do it2 With
your leave propose to attempt an answer to
these three questions.
What are our just powcs2 Well, my friends,
that depends upon The answer to one question
Have We been at war, OF have we not2 In hat
have We been engaged Tor the last four years ?
Has II been a war, or has it been something else
and other than VA, Now. take II upon my
sell to assert, and challenge contradiction, that
we have been in a condition Of public and per
leot war. IL has been no mere suppression by
muniolpal powers Of an insurrecIon TOR the
redress Of grievances. II has been perfect
public war The government has ri.ht to
exercise, at It's discretion every belligerent pow
er. applause We are not bound to exercise
them the enemy cannot compel US to do II
out az our discretion, we may exercise every
beligerent power. Do YOU doub il2 Does auy
man doubt lt2 (Foices-" No')
Will tell you why you must not doubt it.
10 The hrst place, 1Ae supreme Court Of the
United States has, By an unanimous decision,
hsld that we are IN public war, and that tue
government can exercise every belllgerent power.
ne conr differed as to the time when we entered
upon such war, but tnat We came 70 1t at last
was their unanimous decision. The PrZe
courts, like the mple Of Janus, are closed In
peace, and open only in war The Prize Courts
nave been thrown open, and every prize that has
Deen condemned IN this country has been CON
aemned upon the principle OF a pubic war.
we have condemned the prizes upon the same
rules, and no other, than those by which we
condemned them IN the war with Great Britain
10 Iol2 This has been sustained by the Supreme
Court, ac'ed upon by the Executive, and recog-
nIz'd by Congress The statutes have called it
war 10 terms. The soldiers that are enlisted
what are they enlisted for Why, they are
enlisted " tor the war, are they not uow is
IL at this moment? Is not the Executive hold
ing those States by military occupition Are
We not holding them in the grasp of war? You
cannot justify the great acts Of our government
llr the last three years except upon the prlnci-
pie OF the existence Of the war. You look in
vain in the municipal rules of a Constitution to
mud justification foo what we are dong now.
You might as well look into the Constitution to
lad rules for sinking the Alabama IN the British
Chanuei-to find rules for taking Richmond.
You might as well look there to ind rules for
lighting General Grants cigar. daughter
NJ; We sand upon the ground of war, and we
exercise the powers Of war
NnU n, falIour o;t,,,... L..
ers and rights? What Is d WAR? War Is not
an attempt to Kill, to destroy but it is COR
c'oR ior purpose. W hen nation goes into
war, she uues 1t to secure an end, and the war
ioes not cease until tue end is secured. A box.
ing match, trial OF strength or skill, are over
When one party stop war is over when its
purpose Is secured. ltsa fatal mistake to hold
that tins war Is over, bec,u the fighting has
ceased. (Applause.) rhls war is not over We
iri 10 the atutude mi the safus Of war to day.
Ihere Is the SOLUTION Ot the question. Why,
suppose man has attacked your lie, my friend
ia tue highway at nlgut, armed, aud after
ieath struggle yol get him down-whlt then
When he saws he has done fighting, are you
Obliged to release him Can YOU not hold him
unul you have got some security against his
weapons? (AppIause) Can you not holI hun
unul you have searched him and taken his wea-
Pons trom him? Are you obliged to lot him up
% begin new fight for your llle2 Thai is the
principle that governs war between nations.
when one nation has conquered anothar. in a
war, the victorious nation dUes not retreat from
che country and give up possession Of it, because
he lighting has ceased No; 1t holds the con.
quefed enemy in the grasp OF VIZ until 1t has
secured whatever 1t has a right to require Zap
plause,) put that proposition tearirssly. The
conquerng party may hoid he other in The grasp
of CT wta Il has secured l0hatee-r il has rigit
10 acquire.
Bd., what have we a right to require? We
have no right to require our conquered foe to
adopt oil our notions, our opinions, our syst8ms,
however mucl We may be attached to them,
however good we may think them but we have
right " require Whatever the public safety
and public iaIth make necessary. (Applause,1
That is the proposition. Then we come TO this
We hare a right 10 hold the rebels in The grasp of
car Until tre h ps obtdmed iphlhper The pubic
safely and he public tauh nqgpe. tAppAuse
ana cres ot" GJOd.') lsnot that solI iouu.
dau9n to stand upon VIII it not bear ex4mi.
nation and are We not upon It to-day
Vow, my friends, take up my next question
We have settled what our Just powers are. Need
| ask an audience IN FAneuil Hail what it IS that
the pubic safety and the pubic taltn demand?
ls lherea man here who dlubs2 la theIrjsress
Of TINS war, we found 1t necessary to proclaim
the emancipation OF every slave. (Applause1
On the first day of January, 1868, Abraham
Lincoln, OF blessed memory, declared the emln-
oipatlon OF every slave. lt was military act,
not civil act. Military acts depend upon
military power, aat the malsutu Of mlitlry
power is the length OF the military arm. Now,
chat proclamation of the Let OF January did NOT
emancpaIe the slaves, bat the military arm
emanclpaIcd them, IS it was stretched forth and
made bare. (Applause) District alter district,
region after region, STATE after State have been
Drought wlIhln the grasp OF the military arm,
unaI AT last to day, tho whole rsbsl territory
lies within and beneath the military arm. loud |
appause) therefore, in STATE alter STATE. rs.
slon after region, the slaves have been emlncl-
,ted, until at last, over the whole country every
save Is emanelpated. (Renewed applause) / |
would undertake 70 maintain before any lmpar-
sal neutral tribunal In Chrstendom tho promo.
sIt'on that We have to-day an adj quate military
occupation OF tho whole reoel country, sufficient
10 effect the emancipation ol every slave, by ad.
United laws Of war. Whatever doubts may
nave ex sted as to the manner in which the
proclamation operated, there lie no doubt lell
a0w because We have oil the ground the slaves
nave STOOD upon within our military occupation.
The slaves are emancipated La iutn, this ia
true. Bus the public faith stands pledged to
them, that they and their posteuty forever shall
have complete and perfect freedom. (Pro.
longed applause.) No. merely our safety no,
the public hith is pledged that every mao, W.
men and child OF them aud their pos,erty TOR.
ever, shall have complete and perfect reedom.