Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-12-12

Oouhu more tnah ever 10 mutual affection anC
support.
Tho amendment to the Constitution beinl
adopted, 1t would remain for the statas, who's,
powers have been 50 long in allegiance, to re-
tume their places IA the two branches Of the
National Legislature, aud thereby complete thu
work OF restoration Here IL is for you, fellow.
citizens OF tie Scnate, and for you, felow-citi
zens OF the House u Representatives 10 Judge
each o. you for y0u selves, Of the elections, re.
turns, and qualifications OF your Own motnbefs
The iull assertion OF the powers of the Gene
raj Government requires the holding Of Circuit
Courts OF the United States within the districts
where there authority has been interrupted
In the present posture OF our public affairs
strong objections have been urged to holding
those courts IN any OF the states wherc the re-
b6lllon has elisted and il was ascert4ned, by
inquiry, that the Circuit Court of the United
States would not be held within the District OF
! virginia during the autumn or early winter,
/ nor unit! Congress should have I" an oppOrtu
NIFTY 70 consider and act on the whole subject. -
10 your deliberations the restoration OF hls
branch OF the civil authority Of the United
States IS therefore necessarily referred, with the
hopr chat carly provision will be mado Tor the
resum ptlon oil all It's functions u is manifest
| that treason, most tlagTant in character, has
been committed. Persons who are charged with
Its commission should have fair and impartial
trials "a tho highest civil tribunals of the coun-
! try, ~ order that the Constitution and the laws
may be fully ylndleated the truth ciear.y a..
tablshgd nd affirmed that treason is crime,
that traitors should be punished and the ofense
made infamous and, , az the same time, that the
question may bo judicially settled, finally and
| forever, that no state OF lts own will has the
/ rght tJ relounce It's place in the Union.
The relations OF the Genera Government to.
ward the four millions OF inhabitants whom the
war ha5 called into freedom, have engaged my
most serious consideration. On the propriety
OF attempting to make the freedmen electors by
the PROCLAMATION Of the Executive, | took for
my cJunsti the Constitution itself, the lnterpre.
tatlOna " that instrument bg It's authors and
Their contemporaries, and recent legislation by
Congress. hen, at the first movement toward
Independence, the Congress OF the United States
INSTRUCTED the several states to institute govern
ments OF tnelr own, they lei. each state 10 DE-
eide iOl it-eli the conditions iJr the enjoyment
OF the elective franchise During the period Of
the Conlederacy there continued TO exist very
great diversity IN the qualifications Of cleo
tors IN the several states and even within a
state distinction OF qualifications prevailed
with regard to the officers who wer. 10 be cho.
sen. The Constitution OF the United States
recognizes these diyersites when 1t enjoins that
IN the choice Of members OF the House Of Rep.
resentatyes Of the United Statcs " the electors
10 each state shall have the qualifications requi-
site Tor electors Of the most numerous branch Of
the ate legislature
Alter the formation OF the Constitution. it
remained as before, the uniform usage for each
state to enlarge the body of rs electors, accord
lug to It's own judgment; and, under this sys-
TEN, one state after another has proceeded 10
increase the number OF lie electors, until now
universal suffrage, or something very near &, il
the general rule. so liked was this reservation
OF power in the habits OF the people, and 90
unquesuoned has been the Interpretation Of the
Constitution, that during tho evil war the late
Presi- sut never larbJred tie purpose ttainly
never svJwee .he purpose-)l dsregardiug it
and 10 the acts OF Congress, during that period
nothing can be found which, during the contln-
uance OF hosllitles, much less after their close,
would have sanctioned any departure by the
Executive from policy which has 90 uniformly
obtained. Moreover, "a concession OF the etc-
tive iIarchlse to the freedmen, by act Of the 1
President Of the United States. must have been
extended 10 oil cOlored men. wherever found +
and 50 must have established a change of 6uf- /.
irage IN the Northern, Middle. and Western
S.etes, not less than IN the southern and South /
western. Such an act would have created new
class Of VoieFs, and would have been an assumr-
uJn ct power By tbi President which nothing /
IN thd Constitution or laws OF the United States /
would have warranted
On the other hand, every danger Of c)uGict
Is avoided WHOM the settlement Ot the question
is referred 10 the several states. They can, each
for ITSELF decide on the measure and whether
II Is 10 be adopted at once and absolutely, or
introduced gradually aud with conditions In
my Judgment, the freedmen, If they shw pa
uenec aud manly virtues, will sooner obtain o
participation IN the elective franchise through
the states than througt tho General Gov rn-
meni. even II IL had power 70 intervene. When
the tumuit OF emotions that have been raised
by the suddenness of the social change shall
have suoslded, It may prove that they will re-
ceiyo the kndest usage from some Of those on
whom they have heretofore most closely depend-
ed
But while have no doubt that now, after
General Government to extend the elective fran
ehlse IN the seye al states, 1t is equally clear
that good faith requires the security Of the
freedmen in their ioerty ana their properly,
their right TO labor, and their right 10 claim
the just rciura OF their labor. cannot too
strongly urge drpasSionate treatment OF this
subject, hleh should be carefully keltao from
all party strife. We must equally avoid hasty
assumptions OF any nAturai imposslbllity for the
two races To 1--we side by SIDE, IN q state of mu-
tual benefit and good wal tbs experiment IN
wolves US m no Inconsistency lot US, then, 90
on anu mako that experiment 10 good faith, and
not be too easily oishcar;encd. ihe county is
in need OF labor, and the freedmen arc IN need 4
oi employment, culture and protection. While ,
their right oi voluntary mi ration aud cxpatri $
alton is not TO bo questioned, would not advise ,
their forced removal and colonization. Let us
rather encourage them to honorable and useful {
where il may be beneficial to them. I
selves and to the countryi aud, instead Of hasty !
lnticipatlons the certainty OF failure, lot there
be nothing wanting 70 the hlr uitl of tue ex- /
pertinent. The change IA their con ltion is the
substitution oil labor by contract lor the status
OF slavery The freedman cannot fairly BE- nc. !
oused of upwIllIncness 20 work 80 long az a |
doubt remains about his freedom of ohoiso In |
h's pursuits, and the certainty Of bis recover. /
log his stipulated wages. Ia this the interests I
oi the employer and the employed coincide. G
The employer desires IN his wOtkmen spirit and
llaerity, and these eau be permanently secured I
in no other way. And IT the ono ought 70 be /
able to enforce the contract so ought tue other.
The public interest viii b. best promoted it the 4
several states will proud adequate protection /
anu 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 illsuccess W i'll not resi- on them. \
| knnM Tint ainrnrn rhilnnIhrnnu il nnrnnal L