The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1865-12-12

~ ana ACT 90 fAf ANNfh &AH7eN& III 1WNg del3h
cratvas fcsturagisn oi ghis sranch 0gess,l asihar
iiy VI lhe Uuiied states Is tbsnGire nesossar,
rssoryed wIA ths hals that stFly p,osassaa s.i
Be- nsaIs iar ibe redemption u ali d. iaue..sss =
Il i mauif,si that TREASON most ,xrAai ID char
acisr has beou committed
Persons vho are charged With lee coasaissio.
should have lair aud impartial trials Is the high
esi eiyi tribunals OF the e0aatry. 10 order lh4
The coastiotiuu Gnd tbs laws mas bc faliysind
case8, the truth clearly established aad Affirmed
thAt treason is erimS, that traiters should D,
punished anil the OIienoa made iufssauas. and ii
the sans time tba, the question may bs judicial,
D settled finally and ioFeser tbal nu Slate ol i,
osR wall has the shl u renvuuee its place Ia ths
Uuon.
The relations u the General Government toward.
tbs foar millions OF inhabitants wh5a .he var
has esllel into freedom have engaged my most
serious consideration On the preprieiy II al.
tempting 10 make Tie ffeemen electors hy tht proo.
laInation IT the executive, took ivr ny coansel
& The cOnssituton ITSELF the Interpretation cf thsg
instrument BY US authors aud titeir ceusesapora
ries, and Of recent lea isation by Conguss
When at the bfst movement towards indepen.
deuoe, the Congress Of the United States instrae.
4 ed the several states to institute gorerumentsoi
their own, they Jeff each Stale to decide for itsel
+
/ franchise During The period u the couielera.
cy there continued to eIisl very great diversity
/ ia the qualification Of electors ia the several
States, and even within state distinction d
4 qualifications prevailed with regard TO the Off.
GERS who were 10 be chosen,
The constitution oi the United States reoognz.
cd these diycrstes when il enjoins that in the
choice Of members OF the House Of Representa-
tIyes % the United States the electors in each
Stale snail have the qualifications requisite for
electors OF the most numerous branch OF the State
I legislature Amer the formation Of the cons iitu.
/ lion 1t remained as before the uniform usage for
each STATE 10 enlarge the body OF It's electors ac
eording to its own judgement. and under this
system one State after another has proceeded 10
increase the number OF It's electors until now uni
yersal suffrage or something very near is tho
1 general rule. So fixed was this reservation Of
! power in the habits Of the people, and 30 unques
toned has been the Interpretation Of The consti-
tuition that atduring The civil war the late President
noyes hafbored the purpose, certainly never ayow-
ed the purpose Of disregaraing il, aud ia the act
OF Congress during that period n thing eau be
found which, during the continuation Of hostili-
ties, much less af their close, would haye sane.
toned any department by the executive from a
policy which has So uniformly obtained More
freedmen by act Of the President Of the United
States, must have been extended TO all color ed
men wherever found, and 50 must have establish
ell a change Of suffrage in the Northern, Middle
and Nesern States, not less than in the south
ern aud South western. Such an act would hive
been an assuup ion Of power by the President
which nothing ia tue cOnstiut or laws Of the
United States would have warranted On the
othrr hand, every danger ot conflict is avoided
when the settlement Of the question is referred TO
the several States They can each for itself de.
ede on the measures, whether il is to be adopted
ot ouee and absolutely, or introduced gradually
aud with condition. In my judgement lhe freed
men, u they show patience und manly virtues,
vii sooner obtain participation in the elective
franchise throughout the States than through the
general government, even If il hal pUwer 10 iu-
terYcHe. " hen the tumult Of emotions thadbaye
been ra sed by the suddenness ofthe sociaI change
shall have subsiIei, il may prove that they viii
receive the Etnd,st usage from some II teo,e on
HuOn they heretofore MOI. closely depended -
while late no doubt that nov, af,cr tie close
Of the war; il is not competent lor the general
government TO extend the elective franchise in
the several States 1t IL equally clear that good
faith requires the security Of the freedmen in
their liberty aud their property, their right to
labor and the right to claim the FIRST return Of
their labor. lcannot too strongly urge your dis
passionate treatment Of this SUBJECT which should
be carefully kept alooffrom all party strife. We
must equally AVOID hasty assumption Of any nat
ural lmpossbity for the two races 10 lige side by
side IN stat Of mutual benefit aud good will
The experiment involves US IN no inconsistency;
let us, tfen, 60 on and make that ex pertinent in
good faith, and not be TOO easily uisheartened. -
IL. ia LAIN ~.
men are in need Of employment, culture aud
protection, while their right of voluntary
migration and expiration is not 10 be ques-
TONED. ! would not advise their forced
removal and colonization. Let Us rather
encourage them TO honorable and useful
industry, where il may be beneficial TO
themselves and TO the country, ana in
stead OF hasty anticipation of the certainty
OF failure let thers be nothing wanting 10
the fair trial of the experiment The
change in their condition is the substitution
OF labor by contract for the status OF sla-
very. Tue freedmen cannot fairly be NC
cused OF unwlllingness 10 work so long as
a doubt remains about his freedom Of
choice 10 his pursuits and the certainty Of
his reco, erlng his stipulated wages. In
th, the interests Of the employer and the
employed coincide The employer de-.
II cs IN his workman spirit and alacrity.
ana THESE can be permanently secured IN
nt uher way; and il the oilc ought to be
able 70 enforce the contract, so ought the
otter. The public interest ~ii be be.t
! rlnoted If the several States will pro-
vide adj q0at protection and remedies TN
The lreegnen. Until this is ia some way
accomplished there is no ciaucel for the
adSunag Gus use Of their labor, and the .
bame Of i'll success will not rest en- them
! know that sincere philanthropy is car
nest for the immediate realization ot It's
= motest aims, but time is always ar ele- !
menl in reform. II Is one Of the greatest
ats on record - have brought four
millions Of people into freedom.
The career of free industry mnst be fairly
opened 70. the and then their future
and condition must, after all.
rest mainiy Oh themselves. II they Il .
and 50 perish. lei o. be careful that the
failure shall not be attributable b. any de-
niai u justice IN all that relates 10 The
destiny Of the freedmen we need not bc
too aHx oas % read the future. Many -
which from . speculative poiul u
view might raise aiarm will quietly settle
Now that slavery i a. a.