Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1865-12-08

should be punished and the offense made in
famous; and, at the eeme time, that the
question should be judicially settled, finally
and forever, that no State of its ern will has
the right to renornce its place IN the Union
The relations of the General Government
toward the four millions Of inhabitants
whvm the vsr has called into freedom, ave
engaged M most serious consideration. On
the propriety of attempting 10 make the
freedmen electors hy the proclamation OF the
Executive, | took Tor my counsel the Consti-
tutiun itself, the interpretations OF that IN
strumcnt by its authors and their contempt
raries. and recent legislation by Congress.
When, at the first movement toward indie
pendence, the Congress Of tie United States
instructed the several States TO institute gov
eruments OF their own. they left each State
to decide for itself the conditions for the en-
ioyrnent of the elective franchise. During
the period of the Confederscy there conti-
nued to exist very great diversity in the
qualifications OF electors in the several
States and even within State disJinc-
ton Of qualifications prevailed with regard
to the officers who were TO be chosen. The
Consultation of the United States recognizes
these diyersi.ies when 1t enjoins that in tue
choice of members OF the House OF RepreseG-
tatiyes of the United States, a. the electors IN
each State shall have the qualifications re-
qulsltc for electors OF the most numerous
branch Of the State Legislature"
After the formation OF the Constitution, it
remained, as before, the Uniform usage for
each State to enlarge the body Ol its electors,
according to its own Judgment and, under
! this system, one State after another has pro-
a 10 of eli
until now universal suffrage, or something
very near it, is the general rule. 81 liked
was this reservation OF power IN the habits
of the people. and 80 unquestioncd has been
the Interpretation of the Constitution, that
during the civil war the late President never
harbOred the purpose never ayow-
ed the purpose-of disregardIng 1t; and in
the acts OF Congress, during that period,
nothing can be found which, during the CON-
tinuance OF hosIIlitIcs, much less after their
close, would have sanctioned any departure
by TIT Executive from policy which has 50
uniformly obtained. Moreover, concession
of the elective franchise to the freedman, by
act Of the President of the United States,
must have been extended t. all cJlored men,
wherever found. and 80 must have established
change Os suffrage in the Northern, Middle
and Western states, not less than IN tine
SJuthcrn and Southwestern. Sucl an act
would la,e created new class Of voters,
anu would have been an assumption OF power
by the President which nothing in the Con
stiIution Ut laws Oi the United States would
have warranted
On the other hand, every danger of con-
flIct Is avoided when the settlement Of tie
question Is referred to ths several States.
they can. each for it.elf, decide On the mea-
sure, ami whether II is 10 be adopted at once
and absolutely, or introduced gradually and
with conditions. In my judgment, the
freedmen, II they show patience and manly
virtues, will sooner obtain a participation IN
the elective franchise through the Sta.es than
through the General Government, even, II II
had power 10 intervene NL'n the tumul'
Of emotions that have been raised by the
audiences of the social change shall have
subsidized, It may prove that they will receive
tie kIndliest usage from some % these On
whom t.ey have heretofore most closely de-
pended.
Bus while have no doubt that now, at.ci
the close ef the war, n T. not compete TOT
the tItucrAl Government 10 extend the rlcc
tive franchise 10 the several States, 10 !,
equally clear tina, good faith requires the Sc
curity OF the freedmen 10 their liberty anC
their property, their right 10 labor. AMI theii
right 10 claim the just return If their hor
cannot to- strongly urge = disi a>siona 4
treatment on this subjecr, which should b,
carefully kept sloOi IRON all party strife
We mus; avoid hastY assumptions 5t auI
natural impos-ibility ior the .wo races 10 l.v,
side Nv side, in state Of mutual benefit anr
Z ,,,..t IN T.
no inconsistency; let Us, then. g Or anl
make that experiment in good hItn, and no
- too easily dIshe4rtencd The country n
in need OF labor. and the freedmen are II
need Of employment, culture and protection
While thclr night Of voluntary migration
and expatTiauOn j. not = lie Questioned,
would not advise their forced removal anC
colonization. Let US rather encourage then
to honorable and useful industry, where i
NAV 10 beneficial to themselves and 10 th,
country and, instead OF hasty anticipation
OF the certainty Of failure, let there be moth
ing wanting to the fair trial Of the expert
ment. The change in their condition /, the
substitution OF labor by contract tor the sta
tus OF slavery. The freedman cannot faI-l,
be accused OF uuviliingnc-s to work, so Ions
- n doubt remains about his freedom o.
choice in his pursuits. and the certainty o.
| i. recovering hls stipulated vages In thi,
the Interests Of TIC employer aud the EN-
ployed coincide The employer desires il
his NUrkmen spirit and alAcrIty. and tines,
can he permanently secured m no other wsy
And It Size une ought 10 oe able {,
enfJlce tie contract 50 ought the other
The public Interest will b. he-t promoted il
the several States will provide adequate pro
lection and remedies 70 tho freedmen. Tn
til this i. in some way accomplished. there !,
no chance for the advantageous use Of their
lsbor: and The blame Of ill-succe.s will not
rest on them.
know that sincere philanthropy il ,rn
est for the immediate realization OF its reno
rs; sims but time IL always An element in
reform. Ii is one Of the greatest acts on re
cOri TO have brought four millions of peopl,
into freedom. The career OF free industry
must he fairly opened to them and then
their future prosperity and condition must
after all, rest mainly on themselves. Ii they
fail, and 80 perish away, let us he careful
that the failure shall not b. attributable t.
any denial OF justice. In all that relates t.
the destiny oi the freedmen. We need not b,
too anxi us TO read the future many Incl
dents which, from speculative punt Of
view, might raise alarm. will quietly set l'
themselves.
Now that slavery is at end or near 10,
end. the greatness OF its evil in the point pi
view of public economy. becomes more anu
more apparent. Slavery WAS essentially =
monopoly OF labor and a. such l1cked t1t
States where 1t prevailed against tho incom
my of tree industry, Where labor was the
property of the capitalist. the white man
was exc uded from employment. or had but
the second best chance OF I'm ding it ami
the foreign emigrant turned away from tho
region where his condition would be so pre-
cariOus With the destruction uf the M Ina
poly, free labor will hasten iron all parts 81
the civilized world to assist in ieyt Looping
various and immcasurable resources which
have hitherto lain dormant The eight 81
niue States nearest the Gulf OF Mexico hay,
q soil OF exubcrant fertility climate frieni
~ to long lite, and can sustain denser p,
pulatiun than Is found as yet in any part u
our country. And the future influx to thcm
will lie mainly from tue North, or from tn,
most cultivated natiuns i'm Eurnpe Er 90.