Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1865-12-07

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my counsel the Constitution itself, the interpre.
tatiOns OF that Instrument by its authors and
their cOtempOraries, aud recent legislation by
Congress, When, at the first movement towards
independence the Congress of the United
States instructed the several States TO institute
governments of their own, they left each state
to decide for itself the conditions for the enjoy
ment of the elective franchise During the pc
riod of the confederacy there continued TO exist
very great diversity in the qualifications of
electors In the several States; and even within
State distinction of qualifications prevailed
with regard 10 the officers who Were 20 be eho-
sen The Constitution of the United States
recognizes these diversltics when IL eulOms that
In the choice Of members of the House of Rep
rcsentatiYes OF the United States, 'the electors
in each State shall have the qualifications requi-
site for electors Of the most numerous branch Of
the State legislature After the formation OF
the Constitution, il remained, as before, the uni
form usage Of each State to enlarge The body Of
its electors, according tn It's own Judgment;
and, under this system, one State 0ftC' another
has proceeded To increase the number of its
electors, until now, universal suffrage or some
thing very near It, is the general rule So fixed
was this reservation Of power In the habits of
the people, and 80 unquestoned has been the in
depreciation Of the Constitution, thar during the
civil war the late President never harhored the
pursOse-ccrtainly never avowed the purpose
of disregarding IL; and In the aCts OF Congress,
during that period, nothing can be found which,
during the continuance of hostilites, much less
parturc by the Executive from q policy which
has so uniformly obtained, Moreover a COnces-
sion of the elective franchise TO the freedmen,
by act of the President Of the United States,
must have been extended to Ill CUlorcd men,
wherever found and so must have established
change Of suffrage in the Northern, Middle and
Western States, not less than IN the southern
and Southwestern Such an act would have ere
ated a neY class of voters, and would nave been
an assumption OF power by the Precedent which
nothing ~ the Constitutions OF Laws Of the
United States would have warranted
QUESTION FOR THE SrATEe.
ON The other hand, every danger of conflict is
avoided when the settlement of the question il
referred 10 the several States. They can, each
for 'tself decide on the measure and whether II
is to be adopted at once and absolutely, or IN
PRODUCED gradually and with condition =, INV
Judgment the freedmen, If they show u0fienr
and manly virtues, will sooner obtain nar.irI-
patton in the elective ."-anchisc rhrongh th,.
States than through the General Government.
even II II had power TO intervene. When -
tumult of emotions that have been rais,, :, -,
''e s"O'e'i',,- ,s vi inc sotiGi cnangt shat have
suUsided, 1t may prove that they viii receive the
kindliest usage from some of those ON whom
they have heretofore most closely depended
SECURITY FOR THE FREEDMEN.
But while have no doubt that now, after the
close of the war, it Is not competent for the
General Government to extend the elective
franchise in the several States ii Is equally clear
that good faith requires the security of the
freedom in their liberty and their property,
their right TO labor, and their right to claim the
just return oftheir labor. | CanuOt too strongly
urge a dispassiOnate treatment of this subject,
which should carefully be kept alOOf from all
party strife. We must equally avoid hasty as
sumptions of any natural impossibility for the
two races to five side by side, in state of mu-
tual benefit and good will The experiment
involves us in no Inconsistency; let us then, 90
on and make that experiment in good faith, and
not be too easily disheartened. The country is
in need of labor and the freedmen are in need
of employment, culture and protection. While
their right of voluntary migration and e&patria-
ton is not to be questioned, | would not advise
forced removal and colonization. Let us rather
encourage them 20 honorable and useful indus
try, where il may be beneficial TO themselves
and TO the country; and, instead of hasty antici-
paions Of the certainty OF failure, let there be
nothing wanting to the fair trial of the expert
ment. The change in their condition is the sub
stitutiOn of labor by contract for the status of
slavery. The freedman cannot fairly be accused
of unWillingness to work, so long as doubt re-
mains about his freedom of choice in his pur-
suits and the certainty of his recovering his stp
ulated wages. In this the interests Of the en-
poyer and employed coincide The employer
desires in his workmen spirit and alacrity, and
these can be permanently secured in no other
way. And ii the one ought to be able to enforce
the contract, so ought the other. The public
interest will be best promoted, if the several
SUITES Will pIONluc dutQUdLS projection ana
remedies for the freedmen. Until this is in some
way accomplished, there is no chance for the
advantageous use of their labor; and the blame
OF ll-success will notrest on them
know that sincere philanthropy Is earnent
for the immediate realization Of its remotest
aims; but time is always an element in reform
IL is one of the greatest acts on record TO have
brought four millions of people into freedom
The career of free industry must be fairly opened
to them; and then their future prosperity and
condition must, after all, rest mainly on them
selves. II they fail, and so perish away, let US
be careful that the failure shall not be attribute
BILE to any denial of justice In all that relates
to the destiny OF the freedmen, we need not be
too anxious to read the future many incidents
which, from speculative point Of view, might
raise alarm, will quietly settle themselves.
shh 81 SLAVE Us. FREE LABOR $751;,
Now that slavery lie at an end or near its end,
the greatness of its evil in the point of view OF
public economy, becomes more and more appa-
rent. Slavery was essentially a monopoly of la
Dor, and as such locked the States where it pre-
vailed against the incoming of free industry
| Where labor was the property Of the capitalist.
| the white man was excluded from employment
or had but the second best chance of finding il I.
| and the foreign emigrant turned away from the
| region where his condition would be SO precari-
| Gus. With the destruction of the mononnlv
free labor will hasten from all par.s az the -cil31
| lized world to assist in developing various and
| immeasnrabe Resources which nave hitherto lain
| dormant. The eight or nine States nearest the
| CUT OF Mexico have a soil of exuberant fertl-
| ity, climate friendly to long life and can sus-
tain denser population than is found as yet in
any part OF our country. And the future influx
| OF population TO them will be mainly from the
| North, or rom the most cultivated nations In
| Europe. From the sufferings that have attend
| ed them during our late struggle, let US hook
away TO the future which is sure to be laden for
| them with greater prosperity than has ever be-
| fore been known. The removal OF the monOp-
| oily OF slave labor il pledge that those regions
| =
| population, which will vie with any in the Union
| IN compactness, inventive genius, wealth, and
| Industry. a.e- ...
| e NO MoHoP0IAEs-EO CLASS LieIs I.NT ION.
| Our Government springs from anCfNya made
| Tor the people-not the people for the Govern
4 ment 70 them it owes allegiance from them
| II must derive its courage strength and wisdom
| But, while the Government lie thus bound to
| defer to the people, from whom it. derives its
existence, 1t should, from the very consideration
Ofits origin, be strong in it's power of resistance
| 10 the establishment of inequalities, Monopo-
lies, perpetuities, and class legislation are con
| trary to the genius Of free government and
! ought not to he allowed Here there is no room
| for favored classes or monopolies, the principle
| OF our Government il that Of equal laws and
| freedom of industry. Wherever monopoly az
tains foothold, IL is sure TO be source eff dan
| ger, discord and trouble. We shall but fulfill
our duties az legislators by according equal
| and exact justice to all men, special privileges
| to none. TheGovernmenb is subordinate to the
| people but, as the agent and representative of
! hepeOple, it must be held superior to moaopo-
! hes, which, in themselves, ought never 10 be