Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1865-06-23
gHatrbman s. Stair Journal.
BYR.P. WALTON
MONTPELIER. JUNE 20, 1865.
THE PRESIDENT AND THE RIGHT
OF SUFFRAGE THE SOUTH.


settled purpose TO commit the reconstruction
of civil government in rebel states, (at least
the first attempt in that direction to loyal
citizens alone who were entitled to the right
Of suffcage at the date Of the secession Of the
state. The Limitation to loyal men is salts
factory to all loyal men in the North. But
the still further limitation, to those only who
were formerly permitted to vote, excludes the
loyal negroes; and that undoubtedly has
created regret, and perhaps dissatisfaction,
among many Of the Northern people. 1t is
now reported that President Johnson has said
the question Of negro suffrage is surrounded
with many difficulties, and that he is against
entering upon it at present. With him, then,
1t is question for time to solve. With him,
too, there is doubtless a question of modes Of
solving It, His frst choice clearly is by the
voluntary action Of the respective states and
we'll may it be 30, since the Constitution ex-
plioitly declares that the electors (of Re-
personalities to Congress) in each state shall
have the qualifications requisite for electors
Of the most numerous branch Of the state leg
islature." II the several states tpiU volunta-
rily settle it, in the right way, it is surely
best to let them do it.
We have not doubt as to what is the
right way. Saying nothing of the rights Of
the negroes under the Declaration Of lnde-
pendence, and nothing of the debt due them
for loyalty and valor, there are other argu-
ments that can be urged with much more
force in the South Though the South gives
up slavery ION compulsion,) it cannot be ex-
pected thai old-time shareholders will give up
their opinions so suddenly. They aoknowl-
edge no political rights in the blacks, and
owe them no debt Of gratitude. They are to
be touched through their interest, not their
present principles. What the South needs
FIRST is laboring power; and they have got il
in the negroes. What it needs next, land
never before was the need so absolute is to
have these negro laboler honest, intelligent
industrious, and thrifty. When they were
slaves, the lash would extort labor, and to
some extent repre's roguery, Bot the lash
D
tary it takes two now to make a bargain fol
it, and the negro will not work unless he
chooses, nor be whipped by any body if be
does not work. He has will Of his own,
and the lash must be exchanged for means oil
different kind. The negro has to make
himself honest, intelligent, industrious and
thrifty. White men, and above all, the old
masters, cannot do that for him. They can
only help him do it. and hold out to him the
greatest possible inducement TO do it, by giv.
ing him the chance 10 do Il, Recognize him az
man capable Of raising himself to higher ex-
cellence give him schools and teachers and
preachers, and time to attend to them give
him aid and comfort by encouragement tell
him that he can rise, and rise he will One
other thing still is absolutely necessary, and
that is to make the negroes contented and
peaceful citizens, respectful to the rights Of
all others, and attached to the communities
and states in which they live. VIII you do
this by denying to the free black man precise
ly what he thinks are the greatest of his own
;
with discomfort will come hatred of the whites,
and with hatred will come naturalization,
and perhaps instruction. Clearly this is not
the way to make the negroes respect the
property and rights and lives Of white men
among them. II any body wishes to have
the negro good citizen, give him The chance,
and the work will be ree-quarters done.
Strike out the word "white" from constitu-
tions and statutes, leaving TO all, both black
and white, the same privileges, and nsurrec-
tons will be impossible property and per-
son will be safe the state will be peaceful
and prosperous; and the negro will magnify
his privileges as a citizen. He will be proud
of them, and speedily become better fitted to
exercise them than the poor whites of the
South ever were. Vermonters have a right to
say these things confidently, for she has tried
the experiment and proved it all. Not on a
large scale, we admit, for she has had few ne
groes but there have been enough to test
the capacity of the negro for the duties of cit
izenshlP. Even here prejudice against the
race has tended to deprels the negro, but in
spite Of that the blacks in Vermont have re-
spected the privileges of citizenship as highly
as have the whites.
But are the whites and blacks of the South
ready for this noioS The whites certainly are
not. Their errors are chronic, and will not
yield to gentle medicine, nor yield to any in
single day or month Would it be entirely
safe to commit to the blacks en- masse the i'm
mediate election of conventions to form new
State constitutional We confess that we
are not sure that it would be safe, or best for
them. Suppose they are cheated into con-
stitution that denies the full rights of citizen
ship to them: will it not be held that they
have decided that question for themselves,
and so prevent friendly intervention Moth
ing could be more disastrous than that to
the blacks and to the South. We accept the
full force of the statement in the able letter
to Senator Collamer, that the Southern states
cannot be made truly loyal without the aid Of
L L L. IL