Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-08-29
Reconstruction.

We fed in recent number Of the Soldiers
Friend legthy extract from Chaplain Merwin's
Fourth of July 0 alton, delivered at Montpelier,
from which we extract the following judieious
hints on the difficult work Of reconstruction:
Our danger to-day is, that through Cd preju-
dces, and mistaken clemency we shall put 10y
atty one side or in the background, and permit
dsloyaty to do with the ballot what for four years
il has been striving, but failed, to do with the
bayonet-dsmembe the Republic and break
down the Union. Now then, there is a path Of
safety for US, plain and straight It seems to me-
1t is tuis put all the loyalty you know OF or can
find at the South to school for the present, then,
cordially sustaining the President in his efforts,
let all unite in aiding the military power Of the
United States, and the Christian patriotism Of
the North, 10 re-peophng, re'educatlng, and re-
clothing the wastes and desolatons Of a four
years war there. Those poor whites and blacks
must live, and by their dependence, and in
capacity, and incompleeness by the war which
for four years has wasted them, they shall
learn to hate traitors and treason on the one
hand, and learn so to love those who have eman-
cipated them on the other, as that they will rush
to grasp our protecting arm 80 strongly, that no
sword eau sever, and no cunning OF educated
white traitors can untwine it. We have spent so
much time and money in oonquering these white
traltors--we have got to spend 80 much more in
repairing the mischief of their treason--that we
have neither time nor money to take the census
OF the South at present, and hence we can form
no basis Of either numbers OF loyalty for political
action. By 1870 we shall be able to take the
census, and then, learning who the people are,
and where they are, and how many theye are OF
them, we can go to work intellgently 10 help
them re establish their connection with the gen
era government on the principles of the original
Declaration Of independence
There is q path Of safety for you-wll you fol-
low it?
see no necessity for hasty, premature action.
do see in the above course, chance for tuition
and pupige, for part who used il, and for pen
teuce and evidence Of loyalty for the rest, who
are sad and guilty deficient 10 these qualities
as yet know that military power is despotic
power. and regret more than they can the nee
essity for It's exercise but we did not create this
necessity. BY 1870 these white traitors may
demonstrate that an armed force IS no longer
needed to preserve the peace OF the country In
the South. Then it will be an easy matter to
withdraw il; but while hall the continent IS wet
with the red blood Of slaughtered patriots-while
a hundred baltlefelds reek with the perjury of
the broken oath OF southern traitors think there
is not only desirable, but righteous safety in
the exercise of this military power. If by 1870
penitence takes the place of prejudice, and these
traitors seeing their error, their folly, and their
crime, learn to love again the Union and the
Consttution--f they are ready to obey the law
If, in short, they give us no convincing proof
that they are ready 10 come back to their aegi-
vnce to the old flag, and all it symbolizes of hope
and OF freedom to q reunited people, then the
white.Iobed, sweet.hced sisters OF Justice and
Liberty, not blindfold, but radiant with new love
will lead US to peacs enduring as the everlast-
ing mountains under whose protecting shadow we
celebrate this S9lh anniversary OF our natonal in
dependence to-day.