Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-06-27
The Secret Of the Democratic Admiration Of
President Johnsons Policy.

]
pointing Hugh Kennedy to the mayorally Of
" Orleans and secondly it directs GleDdy
Burke to fill the position until the arrival Of Mr..
Kennedy. The ns ructiJDs relieve from dut}
Col. Quincy, acting Mayor. Immediately on
receiving the lnstruc tions, Col. Quincy sent for
q endy Burke, E.q Arriving at the Mayor :
parlor Colonel Q IncY communicated the above
instructions TO him, at the sane time inducing
him into he chair. There was most cordial
leelng manifested Col. Quincy was HI prlsed
u being relieved from the duties of Mayor but
lid not feel that he was relieved until receiving
Instructions from the commanding General.
1t ls now gener lily Understood that Governor
Wells has full civil powers as Governor OF Loo
lsiana, and his appointments are TO be ratheo
by the authorities; but since there are no proc
amations TO this effect, 1t IS left to conjecture.
These copjectures are verified by the action Of
Gov Wells since his return.
W noticed the other similar military inter
ference with the civil administration, in the re-
moval of the mayor OF Richmond by the new
commander Of that depar iment In our minds
no stronger arguments than are found IN such
iacs as these can be offered, 10 demonstrate the
necessity Of delay 10 the work Of reorganiza-
ton 1t is infinitely less dangerous to the lib
critics OF the people, to leave the entire control
of the late insurgent communities 10 the pro
vost marshal's and provisional governors, until
such time as the people can be entrusted with
the undsturbad manag ement of their own az
fairs, than permit mixed rule, part civil and
part military, and one which the military COM
mandant always feels at liberty to control, by
everything the decision of the ballot box when
1t is adverse to the party which rests its author
ify ultimately on bayonets and not ballots
| Rehabilitation should DO no mockery, and
should DO deferred until elections can be safely
entrusted to the people. There can be no more
mischiegous and dclusive reconstruction thar
that which, with a fair promise of referring al
matters to the people OF the lnsurgent districts
yet retains all power in the hands Of the mill
tary, and reserves to itself the right Of reyers
ing the decision Of the election, when the ieds
raj power shall elect to do 30.
And it requires no presclence 10 see that the
late Democracy are looking eagerly forward t.
the moment, which The lmpolIuo haste OF tht
government seems rapidly bringing us to, when
there will surely come collision between the
federal executive and the people Of the reorgan-
lied States when persons whom the peopl,
claim to have chosen as civil oihcers, Wi be re.
moved, as the mayors of New Orleans and Rich
moud have just been and when the fedora gov
eminent will claim to decide not only the quail
ihcation of electors, but the validity Of elections
1t Is easy to foretell what side Democrats vii
be drawn to 10 that struggle, and how, in de
fence OF their late rebel friends, they will then
quote all the maxims OF liberty and law by
which free government lie justified. And in an
ticipation Of the probable party capital which
they will obtain from such an unfortunate lssu'
of a reconstruction dangerously hasty in pom
Of time, and fatally wrong in principle, thts
Democrats have almost forgiven President John
son s Stern ha tired Of treason, aud exhibit txhl
arant and extravagant joy 1t the refusal to CIV
the negroes the ballot ior they see through
that single error the triumph of their Southern
friends at the ballot box, and all the con5equen
party advantage which That triumph will Civ
them. And President Johnson will soon see
what their praise means, when he finds theI
press universally condemning him for adm
he Union men Of the South by hayonets il
their choice of civil officers Yet this will b
one OF the inevitable and necessary results Of
policy which, DISTINGUISHING only few rebel'
refuses the ballot to the great majority of III
devotedly loyal people of the late rebel States
Aud if that issue is presented the Democrat
party will not have the exclusive defense OF th,
rlgh, Of the people Of St t. 10 elect their ow
oib 1ersi for on that side will be arrayed not oil
" all the argument but all the traditional pre-
udices of the great mass of American citizens
We have considered these suggestions not Ut
timely nor impairment, IN view OF the lollowin
extract from an editorial in the New Yor
Tunes, which distinctly justldes the policy {
'''''uo"' 'o""'o"' y" ""A' ''emS 70 us 10
the most dangerous oil all grounds, VIZ that
is only tentative, and that the State govern
ments organizsd under II can at anv TINA ho..
-. .-,e. 49,. D.. "'''
a''''' ""'" '"' 'e'''''' '""y oi'o' ~ W 40
swept away and military authority usurp thei
place. This is what the Times says-and
.ooms 70 ma 10 ba tina mos, nsrn;c;ono AID =.
N0''' w 40 " ~ '"0 ''V'' P''"''''u' "nu uu