Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-10-31

AUIe 70 ICau IN lne EDBllsu language UNDERSTAND
ly sixth, and must have paid taxes for the last
year preceding for which such taxes were due
and payable, subject to any disqualification for
crime, OF which the person may have been duly
convicted, which may be prescribed by law.
The adoption Of these measures, in addition
to those before mentioned would in my judg.
ment, meet the ends Of justice and fairness
secure The 70 establishment of the state govern
ment, the admission of her Senators and Repre-
-entatiyes in Congress, the susper sion Of military
rule and the restoration Of civil, constitutional
and local self government And it would do
more. 1t would secure your protection against
ether great and pending evils and is, am
persuaded, Of the greatest consequence to your
future peace, prosperity and happiness.
First, 1t would remove all Just grounds of
antagonism and hostility between the white and
black races Unless this is done, endless strife
and bitter feeling must characterize their reIa-
tions, and all history and human experience
teach us must, sooner or later, result in war
Of races. We now know from TAD experience,
what war Is between equals and enlightened
people. But Of all wars a social war Of races is
the most relentless and cruel tho determination
or expulsion from the country, or enslayement
of one or the other being its inevitable end
where they are left to themselves, Or the loss Of
liberty to both races where they are all subject
to the control of a superior power which would
be our situation. speak, Of course of the log
ica rights and status of the two races. Their
social relations are matters Of taste and choice,
and not subject to legislative regulation.
Second, This course would disarm and put
an end to interstate, sectional, political agIta-
ton on this subject at least, which has been the
special curse OF our country for 80 many years,
and which was the cause Of the unnumbered
woes we have recently experienced and still suf-
fer, by depriVing the agltators Of a subject on
which to keep up such an agitation, and OF the
means OF Producing Jealousy, luminosity and
hatred between the different parts of the country
and between the different races. And this would
do much toward the renewal Of ancient relations
Of natural harmony and lraternal good will
between all parts OF the country. And this too
is Of the greatest consequence to our future wei
fare, and especially as our people now known
there is no hope OF escape from it by appealing
to the principles of State Sovereignty aud the
hight OF secession.
If the state will accept this policy al once e
will attain the great ends heretofore mentioned,
and it will save ils own people from years of
painful strife and agitation on these questions,
which would AZ lass probably after years Of
contention, DO found to be the only means Of
bringing it to a. end, even il it lead 10 nothing
worse. How infinitely better it will lie for you,
for both races for the present and the future,
for the whole country, ii you will unbesIIatng-
ly recognize the unalterabe facts as to your CON
dItiOn, and the inevitable logic of events and
"a aa il ~ in 3 do ba
Of the blessings OF civil government and con-
stitutlonal liberty and avoid, as it is 10 your
power to do, the fearful peril which now lies
before you, know the fearful struggle against
education, and habit, and policy, and tradition,
and prejudice, which such course will require
you 10 encounter, aud how hard it's for human
nature to overcome such difficulties. But my
sincere prayer ia that God, in His goodness and
mercy may enable you TO exhibit this last crown
ing evidence, in the midst of your caIamities.
The negro will, 1t Is hoped, gradually diluso
themselves among the greatly prepondering
numbers Of whites in the different States and
Territories many Of them will probably 20 to
Mexico, and other countries, in search OF social
equality and few or none Of their race will
ADDED to their numbers by acocssions from other
countries. While the steady and rapid influx
OF great numbers of white races from other
countries will gradually decrease the dispropor-
ton in numbers between them and the whites,
and so render tins new element Ia society and
government lnnoxlous, or at leas. p)weress for
evil, ii they should be 80 inclined But from
the general doclity OF their disposition we NAV
expect the most OF them to be Industrious and
useful citizens. But to secure these desirable
ends it must not be forgotten that i! is an essen
tial prerequisite to confer on them their reason
able and necessary rights and to adopt policy
which will prevent them from becoming an ele.
ment of political agitation, and strife, and
danger.
Whether any significance is to be attached to
this letter, from the fact that It's author has Just
been released from Fort Warren, it is, perhaps,
improbable to speculate. ltsnotlceable, how
ever, that the rebel II, $. Foote OF Tennessee,
before being allowed to return to that state,
wrote a letter in which he took substantially
the same ground taken by Mr. Reagan and
MIR. Foote has, since his return to Tennessee,
further urged the same doctrine. 1t is not im-
possible that President johnson, before per.
hitting these prominent rebels to 10 at large,
ascertain ed their views, and understood that if
liberated they would use their influence to in
duce their states to build at the outset Just and
hrm foundations for tho future OF the south.
The public, since this letter OF Mr.. Reagan, will
wait with some lmpaticnce and considerable
curiosity lor the views OF a. H. Stephens upon
the subjec. Of southern reconstruction,
Whatever significance, however, this letter
nay have As an evidence Of the views of the ad
mni'tration at Washington, 1t certainly ought
to have quietlng eject upon those fearful
souls who not only do not dare advocate negro
suffrage either North or South, but spend their
strength and their intellectual force in areu.
ments, whose only weight and effect is TO defeat
impartial suffrage everywhere Mr.. Reagan,
who knows something OF the negro race, and is
as well able to Judge Of the probability OF the
" war OF races, which has been held up in
various parts us bugbear, 10 irlghten the pco.
pie from insisting upon justice and fair play for
all men, as those who prophecy that the two
races cannot live together with equal civil and
political rights.
s
For the Freeman.
Hour oao VIA ,arya A. I..al.... -.