Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1865-07-21

freedmen remain. as thy now are. disfrauchi-
sed, this increased power will be welded by
class Of voters smaller in proportion than
before. Phis furnishes an addiuons, tempta-
ton to that class to retain it in their hands
and we shall be compelled TO meet. as hereto
fore, the old spirit, tot improved by its recent
experience, md largely increased in its politi-
cal powet.
As we speak from a free state, it may be
suggested tnat we are not so good judges Of
what should be done for the colored people
Of the south AS those who have been brought
up among them. 1t does not follow that
those who have been brought up under an
abuse are the best judges whether it shall be
continued, or Of what shall be substituted in
its place. The people OF the north have seen
the colored races acting as freemen under free
institutions, which the people Of the south
have not. They who have known the man
Of color only slave before bis master, or
sometimes as a disfranchised free man under
a slave system embracing his race, are not
the only nor necessarily the best qualified
class to give an opinion as to what he may
do or what should be done for him as free
man, under free systems. History teaches
us that national emancipations do not emAn-
cipation has seemed to disappoint expecta-
tions, the difficulties are traceable, in large
measures to persistent aud multiform count
eractions by the late master-class.
/ Appeals may be made to taste or pride, on
the subject Of the social equality Of the peo-
I Pile of color. We must not permit our o.
pinions to be warped by such consid erations.
The present question is strictly one of poll
] Il i,tat nd nd n al
equality. When the free man Of color, edu-
Gated in the common schools. dep os,ts avote
which he can write himself gives deposit
tion which he eau read and sign, and pays
tax on the homestead he has bought, the law
forces no comparisons between bis intellectual
moral, physical or social condition, and that
Of the white citizen, of whatever race or ma
ton, who lives, votes or testl6es by his side
But the nation has deep interest in the
freedmen, by themselves considered. The
Repu blic must choose to-day between two re-
suits. The millions of people of color in
the south, no small part Of them carrying the
best white blood in their veins, must be eth
er an educated, industrious, andholding,
armsbearinE, taxpaying, voting, seltprotectng
population or an uGtaught, indolent, OBJ
jectless, disiranchised, helpless and debased
population, - the substratum OF proud,
restless, unrepublican, political and social
aristocracy. The President has undertaken,
in certain Of the rebel states, an experiment
for speedy restoration. Recognizing the gen.
ersl policy and duty Of restoration as soon as
practicable, the experiment commands our
earnest wishes for its-suceess. BY its sue
cess we mean-not the return OF the states
to their position that they are only too
ready to do but their return with constitu-
tions in which the public safety and public
faith shall be secured. We cannot conceal
our apprehensions that the experiment will
fail. But let not the Republic fail The more
recent signs are that the spirit which caused
the war is preparing to fight over politically
the ground it has lost in battle. This ought
not to surprise u.s. Let no haste to restore a
state, no fear of rebel dissatisfaction, lead the
Republic to compromise its safety or its
honor
During the progress towards restoration,
the nation holds the states in military occu-
patton, by powers resulting necessarily from
successful war This hold upon them is to
be continued until this or some other expert
ment does succeed. We need not be pre-
cipitate. The present authority, although
resulting from war, may, as we have said,
be largely exercised by civil methods and
civil functionaries, and be accompanied with
the enjoyment of many civil rights and local
municipal institutions, executive and Judicial.
II the present experiment fails, we may try
the experiment Of building by the people
from the foundation, by means of municipal
institutions Of towns and counties, with the
aid Of education, commerce and immigration,
new spirit being infused and the people be-
coming accommodated to their new relations,
and so advance gradually to complete restora-
ton.
This ia but one suggestion. Various
methods are open to us. Only lot It be un-
derstood, that there is no point at which the
rebels can defy, politically, any more than
they could in war. the authority of the Re-
public. The end the nation has in view is
the same as that for which the war was ac-
cepted and prosecuted, the restoration OF
the states to their legitimate relations with
the Republic. The condition Of things calls
for no limitations of time or methods. BY
whatever course of reasoning it may be reach
ed, upon whatever doctrine of public law 1t
may rest, however long may be the interval
Of waiting, and whatever may be the process
resorted to, the friends and enemies OF the
Republic should alike under stand, that 1t has
the powers and will use the means to ensure
final restoration of the states, with consli-
tutions which are republican. and with prov
isions that shall secure tie public safety and
the public faith.
Boston, June 81, 1865.