Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1865-07-20
The Presidents Theory.


Explanations of President Johnson
Reconstruction" policy have appeared in
our columns, but as much misunderstood.
ing seems to prevail in relation to it,
we copy the following statement, made
in letter to the Columbus (Ohio) State
Journal, and said to be semi official,
which presents the presidents theory
clearly. His stand is taken upon legal
and constitutional grounds, and his in
dividual opinion as to the propriety OF
extending the suffrage to the blacks has
no part in his plan, for the reason that
he does not believe himself entitled to
enforce that opinion. The statement
referred to is as follows
The true key to the presidents proc
lamation is that he holds the doctrine
that the so-called acts Of state secession
are null and void, and all acts done in
pursuance thereof and hence that all
offices held under rebel authority can be
declared vacant by the military author
ity Of the president of the United States
on the quelching Of the rebellion.
Further that the state constitutions and
Jaws Ia force at the date of the pre-
tended secessio&, having been held in
allegiance during the war, remain IN luil
force and effect, as they originally stood
before they were changed, and subjected
to recognize rebel authority. Therefore,
his proclamations recite, "That whereas,
nf tho fntrth NAT 10
Of the constitC ton Of the United States
declares that the United States shall
guarantee to every state in the Union q
republican form Of Government" there
fore, he, as president of the United
States, proceeds to PUT in motion the
machinery that may enable the legal,
loyal voters of the state to set in opera
ton again the civil government, refer
ring back to the date Of the so-called
ordinance of secession, to ascertain who
are the legal voters Of the state. How
ever, by his authority as commander-in-
chief Of the army he prevents the rebel
legal voters from exercising the right OF
suffrage by requiring the test-oath set
forth in the amnesty proclamation Of
May 90, 1866. By this action he en-
franchises no one, but, by virtue Of his
pardoning power, prescribes the con-
dition on which legal, loyal voter of
the state may exercise his pre-existing
right of suffrage, by acknowledging the
the authority Of the government. of the
United States, without which oath he
is no voter under the constitution and
laws.
President johnson believes that Meth
er himself nor Congress has any constt-
tutional right to create a voter; but
that power the people of the several
states composing the Federal onion
have rightfully execised from the origin
Of the government to the present time.
It by no means follows, as some argue,
that if the states are as they were ante
oelium, that the officers whom President
Johnson has displaced, are the legitimate
state government, that acknowledged
rebel authority and resisted the para
mount authority of the Constitution OF
the United States by armed rebellion
which forfeits the right of those officers
to hold office but not the right OF
the legal loyal voters of the state
70 choose other officers who may
bring their state again into proper
practical relations to the govern
ment OF the Union. Tn the beginning
Of the war, this principle was fully rec
ognized by every department of the
government in reference to Virginia,
when Pierpont was elected governor, by
the legal loyal voters, and Messrs. Car
Isle and Wiley admitted as United
States senators, long before West Vir-
ginia was separated from the balance Of
the state. Ie@ t1Ff
President johnson, in his proclama-
ton, has not wiped out any State con-
situations or laws that the United States
ever recognized: he has merely elected
the rebel usurpers of Office, acknowl-
edging nothing that did not exist preyi-
Gus to the so-called secession. Taking
up the old state constitutions and laws
as they existed then, he gives the loyal
people an opportunity of filling the Off
ces with loyal men. Slavery fell with
the operations OF the laws of war, and
the people are duly notified that it cam
not be resurrected; but the president
had no more power to confer the right
OF suffrage on negroes than to prescribe
that minors of IL or women should vote,
contrary to the old state constitutions
and laws. ......
in his speech at the Union Conven-
ton held at Montpelier, Hon. J. S. Nor
rill OF this State, made the following
timely and sensible remarks on this sub
iect of negro suffrage, which are worth
republishing
Here in Vermont, we believe in uni
yersal suffrage, in true fraternity and
equality of human rights for all before
the law. This equality Of rights does
not require that every one shall vote.
In Vermont, we deny the elective fran
ohise TO women, to minors, to unnatural
lied foreigners. In other States the
privilege is accorded to colored men in q
qualified degree; In others black men
are wholly excluded. And this is q
question which properly belongs to the