Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-07-04
Gov. Pierpont on the Elective Franchise.

Gov Pierpont on the Elective Franchise
The question respecting GOV. Pierpont's back.
5one-th4t is, the question Of iact-has been
settled By his message to his Alexandra leeisla.
,ure lie has concluded that it is not wise ia
dislranchlso certain rebels whom he thought it
was WISE to dIsirauchlse few months ago. He
legislature Of eleven persons concurred then, and
concur now in these views Of Perpont, Accord
nglN styling themselves the General Assembly
ot Virginia" they have brought ia bill to let
those hitherto traitors vote Aud as they do
what Plerfont wants done, they doubtless are
Influenced by the same reasons which influenced
hin And this Governor SAID, in bis message
to them, that he was in favor Of enlargng the
suffrage, and permitting these representatives Of
the first families in Virginia to vote, notwlth.
standing their treason and he gives the follow.
ing reasons
/. Is folly to suppose the State to be governed
under Republican form OF government, when
nine tenths OF the people are DISTINGUISHED but
fortunately, by the terms Of the Constitution
The General Assembly has control Of the subject
The restricting clauses oil the constitution were
devised 10 time Of war. Now that the COL Il ct
Is passed the main facts developed by the past
We, . declare they have taken the oath Of ale.
1iauC5 to the United States without mental res
eryauon and intend to be and remain loyal 10
The government OF their fathers IL would NOT
be the splut Of the noble Angl Saxon race to
strike fallen brother and u Impose upon him
Illuminating terms after far surrender. There
lore, IL II were practicable tO organize COUNTIES
under the dnqlaliiying clauses of the consutu-
non, we should stu earn stly recommend their
repeal We must not lose sight OF the great
Ia 70 that the white man 10 social and relIgl' u.s.
We must encourag' the mIlder propenstles Of
his nature. We must not deal too harshly with
others, lost we defeat the obJ.ct Of wise legisla
ton, and degrade where VIZ would elevate
May We ask, just how many 4" tentts of the
people, in Gov, Pierponts estimation, can be
DISTINGUISHED, and yet the government be Kepub-
Ilcln? Aad how long since the spirit Of the
noble Anglo-Saxon race in Virginia refused
e to strike "a fallen brother, or 4" impose upon
him hunllaung terms2 Or does this spir
It Of the. noble Aoglo-Slxon rae. consider it.
self ye at liberty to strike fallen brother -
who happens to be black, and therefore pecu
harry hel pIess and wholly at us mercy And
what has the question Of " pracuc,bility " to
do with the matter, any more than i had when
Pierpoot did not consider il mpracticabe to
govern the whole State Of Virginia, with poek-
et legislature Of eleven men ut Alex lndria
But " the white man is social and religious
which we are Obliged to Pletpont for charae
terizlng as great fict how is it abou,
the black man We had hitherto supposed
these to be the negros culIAr exccllencies.
And we must encourage the milder propensi-
ties Of his nature that is the white man 3
nature and voting encourages these mldcr
propensiues" Have the blacks no " mider
propenslties to be also cultivated Or are
they sufficiently encouraged already? And
Pierpjnt adds caution against dealing too
haIshy with others lest his legislature should
d" degrade where it should elevate " and he
therefore recommends giving the b,llot to trai-
tors, to " elevate them Does he count the
black man IN need OF no elevation -
After these sp rkling aphorIsms and gems Of
wisdom, thrown of by this Virginia governor
for the treatment Of white traitors, it is not a
matter OF surprise that he should dlsmIss the
question Of negro suffrage, BY Swing that 1t
" Is exciting great interest at present all over
tle county out as neither you nor | have con
troll over that gu jet, il will OF course not he
the subj ct OF your deliberation'
We have been tod many times that the Pres
ident could do nothing about negro hage
and now Plerpont says, that neither he nor his
legislature have any control over IT. And
So the negro is left out in the cold, while the
white traitors are taken IN and warmed and
clothed