Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1865-11-24

suits of the war may be made secure tor the
future.
The letter is too long for us to give even
an epitome of all its points and the argu-
ments by which they are supported. One or
two of the positions of Judge Redfeld, if ia
ken lust as he has stated them, would, if all |
were subjected to an attempt to carry them
out In practice together. come into trouble
some conflict with others. But these We
have no occasion to particularize.
Some of the very just positions taken by
the Judge are, that "the war has conclu-
sively determined that secession is rebellion
and treason, and that the National Govern
ment may put it down by force of arms, and
punish the offenders in any and all legal
modes. 1t will be seen that this is max
ing the National sovereignty, not only su-
preme, but also the judge of the extent and
nature of its own powers. This is but
the indispensable consequence of the para
mount national sovereignty He considers,
too. THAT the National Government may
fairly claim that the war has determined the
truth, that Slavery is incompatible with the
successful operation of our Government
and "that it must be effectively abolished by
the States.
But how to prevent the future restoration
of Slavery by State authority, and to secure
to the large population once slaves but now
free-in short, how to secure for the future
to all the population Of the States lately in
rebellion, that protection from injustice
which all are equally entitled to, is.sin the
estimation of Judge R., the difficult problem.
Its solution, he thinks is to be found
through the force of that provision of the
| constitution which makes it imperative on
the National Government to guarantee tC
each State republican, form of government
and what would be republican form Of
government he considers point for the Ma
tlonal Government alone, as the supreme
power, to decide. To suppose that decision
to rest in the States is to make the provision
nugatory and of no value whatever.
As there is now large population in the
late rebellious States. which, if formerly IL
someisense, continuessJ R, Represented
through their superiors, the masters-whicl
in it's present new state is not represented
in any form or mode in the organic law o
the States-it should in some way have
fair and free opportunity of being heard, il
person or by their representatives, in tn
creation of new organic law which ma
be said, fairly and truly, to represent tn
, whole native and naturalized population {
) the State" Hence, says he,i ''seems not IN
proper for the National executive and legii
J lative authority to require of the sever
where slavery has been abolished in cons,
quence, that the States shall form new cor
| situations, giving all the native and natura
/ ized inhabitants voice therein. This coul
! only be done by having the convention form
: ing the constitution composed of delegat,
chosen by the vote of the whole people. an
. then submitted for its adoption to the vol
of the whole people"
The tone and tenor of Judge Redfeld
letter are very different from some of his fol
: mer lucubrations on public affairs. Liz
/ many others the war has taught him some
thing His present opinion that all mel
, black, yellow. and white, ought to have a
equal chance TO vote on the formation an
adoption of State Constitution under whic
they are to live, will shock dreadfully tn
feelings Of some of his former laudator.
That he thinks the S. Government can nc
AS the State constitutions now are-confe
, upon the black and mulatto men the right {
vote, where those constitutions forbid then
but only the right TO JOIN on equal term
: with the whites in making new constitu
tions, will not relieve their distressed feeling
at all. They will say he reaches the sam
end only by different road. They will pu
him over to the abolition side without fur
ther ceremony.