Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1865-09-29

THE suUATION-wHAT CAN BE
nnNEp

lshed, and 1t remains to settle the country
and 70 adjust the government Of the whole
country to the new condition Of things
which the war has produced.
The policy OF the administration in the
matter Of reconstruction is scarcely devel-
oped beyond what is regarded as a Temporal
~ experiment. This policy may be wise in
giving the late rebel States time to learn and
comprehend their new situation, and tenn
porary quiet until Congress shall determine,
as the duly constituted authority Of the ma
tion, the policy Of the Government In this
matter.
The Presidents policy is certainly not suf-
fciently broad and comprehensive to meet
subsisting exisencies, and IL pursued as
permanent and final plan, will prove fail
ure. Itprscucally dlsfranohises the wealthy
aud most intelligent Of the late rebel popula-
tion. These will constitute a powerful ele
ment in the population which no truly re-
publican government can long embrace in
their disfranchised condition aud remain
peaceful. Besides, the situation of the South
requires those $40 900 fortunes and upwards,
belonging to the class exempted in the gene
raj amnesty, to facilitate its industrial puf-
suits, so necessary to the support Of the
masses OF the southern population. VIII
men invest their wealth where they are like
ly hereafter to be treated as alien enemies
The numerous pardons granted show the
conviction of the administration, that those
wealthy citizens must finally be restored TO
their rights as citizens Of the United States,
with but few marked exceptions. The pro-
cess Of pardon on individual applications of
this class, IL these applications are severally
examined and intelligently acted upon, will
be found altogether too slow to realize any
thing like general amnesty to the exempt
cd class, and TO realize equal and exact jus-
tice in the premises. There will be loud
call during the coming session of Congress,
for act of general amnesty towards all
participants in the late rebellion, with the
probable exemption of parties under arrest
ior treason against the United States. or who
have departed to foreign countries, to avoid
such arrest There will, also, be call for
the repeal OF the oonfsca'ion act, excepting
where the lands or property are now held
under the United States, and except where
Judicial proceedings have been commenced
10 effect confscatiun under these acts Of
lands and property now in the possession of
private parties. 1t is very likely that these
measures will commend themselves to the
wisdom Of Congress. But such acts cannot
be safely passed, without the enfrsnchise-
ment of the laboting population of the South.
IL is well settled that the freedmen and the
whites, rich and poor, Of the South, are to
live together, and are to share a mutual
interest in the development of the resources
and in the industrial enterprises of the
South. Does any body suppose that four
millions of people can. for any length Of time,
k..a af,,ll .al l., L..
oil despotsm or slavery, while entirely exr
cluded from voice in the government unde-
which they live
Much is said about the dissemination Of
knowledge among the blacks, to fit them to
exercise properly the elective franchise.
While the backs have much larger and bet
ter knowledge Of the industrial pursuits to
which they have been trained than the poor
southern whites, they have shown more pa
tience and discretion and common sense,
than their masters. lately in rebellion, during
the war. But the more intelligent the
blacks become, the more dangerous will they
become to those who seek by constitutional
restrictions to usurp their rights As edu-
cation is now the interest and the purpose of
the four millions of freedmen Of the South.
how long will the peace of the country be
likely to rem dn, unless the elective franchise
shall be accorded to this vast population
The enfranchisemeDt of the negro must be
insisted on by Congress, as condition of
general amnesty TO the rich whites.
The Presidents theory OF reconstruction
presumes, that the several states lately in re-
bellion must bring to Congress republican
constitutions, to be approved by Congress be-
fore representatives from those states can be
admitted to that body. When such consu-
tutions are presented, it is competent for
Congress to propose amendments, as was
done in the case of West Virginia, and refer
them to the people of the State, from which
such document was sent, making the read
mission of such state conditional, on the ac-
tceptance of such proposed amendments by
its people. In this way. II in no other, the
eniranchisement of the freedmen can be fixed
by Congress. The general amnesty to ebels,
suggested as desirable, must be coupled with
the enfranchisement of the freedmen, and,
then, such measures in combination will be
safe to the country.
The necessity OF the enfranchisement OF the
freedmen, is illustrated by every act Of south
ern conventions assembled since the close of
the war. In Tennessee the negro was de-
cared an Incompetent witness as against
white men, and various other oppressive re-
stfictions were imposed. In Alabama so far
as the convention had authority. the State
confederate debt was recognized by large
majority, thereby seeking to tax the properly
Ut any and the labor of the colored people
there, to pay the expenses of u war got up to
establish their perpetual enslavement I he
inequality of congressional representation as
between the North and the South, in case the
freshmen are counted as the bases OF repie-
sentat.on in congress, while white men only
elect those representations, has been too often
discussed to need repetition in this come c.
ton. Twenty five 10 tmenty-seven members
Of congress, are TO owe their official existence
70 the fact that 1000 900 freedmen or eolortd
/ people are inhabitants of the country. II
these people are not allowed 10 vOte, theu
these members OF congress are elected with
out constituency a. elected by those who
have Interests opposed to the coiored people.
hen " members OF congress diminish the
number OF NDrtharn representatives. 50 that
a difference Of forty TO hity ON division Oi
congress ona any question, Is made 10 favor oi
the South. In addition 70 the injustice OF
this thing, is there a political party Ia the