Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1865-07-21

war will have been in vain. 1t has not only
been the favorite weapon Of slavery, but has
been eagerly caught up by the enemies Of our
institutions in Europe,-the tenet that the
Un ted States is not a nation, government,
a sovereignty,-that the citizens owe to it
no direct allegiance, that they cannot com
init against il the crime Of treason, il they
carry with them into their treason the forms
Of State authority. The right of thi' republic
10 be a sovereign, among the soUereignties Of the
earth, must be put beyond future dispute, abroad
as t0eH as at home. We have paid the fearful
price, and we must not be defrauded Of the
results.
Let us now, fellow-citizeus, look at the
dangers which attend an immediate restora-
,ion Of the rebel States to the exercise Of full
State authority. Slavery is the law Of every
rebel State. In some of these States free per-
sons Of color are not permitted to reside in
none Of them have they the right to testify in
court, or to be educated, in few of them TO
hold land, and in all of them they are totally
disfranohised But, far beyond the letter Of
the law, the spirit Of the people and the hab-
its Of generations are such as to insure the
permanence of that state of things, 10 cub
stance. Ifslavery should be abolished in form,
their spiri, and habits. their pride and pass
ions, will lead them to uphold their oligar-
chal system, built upon a debased colored
population, and intrenched behind State in
situations, over which the nation cannot pass
in peace. Their personal relation with the
coored people as masters over slaves being
changed in law, they will look upon them in
a new light, as a class to be feared, and as
he cause Of their defeat and humilation.-
They will not tax themselves to give TO the
freedmen an education. They will not per-
nit the continuance within their States of
| phianthropic agencies for colored people, from
the free States. They will not encourage
Northern immigration, with systems Of small
freeholders and fee labor; nor will capital
and labor go there from the free States under
present auspices. Returning to their old arts
of politics, which they are fond Of. and in
/ which long practice has made them expert,
they will seek to repudiate debt incurred
for The suppression OF their revolt; nor can
we shut our eyes to the danger Of political
combinations, to be ruled by this oligarchy
and to do its work. IL is useless to suggest
or conjecture methods and means the spirit
and motive will take such forms as occasions
may require
We trust it cannot be necessary to pause
here and refute political fsllicy, which the
/ logic Of events has already exposed. 1t has
been contended that, forcIble resistance hav-
ing ceased, the rebel States are, by the act,
again in their orbits, and ia the rightfu pos
session and exercise Of all their functions as
States, in local and national affairs, just AS if
no war had taken place,-that the nation,
whether by Congress or the Executive, has
no option to exercise, no power or right to
enforce, no conditions that 1t eau make. We
trust that the mere statement Of this PROPOSE
tion, in the light of the circumstances in
which we stand. is sufficient refltation.-
We are holding the rebel country ia military
occupation, and the nation is asserting right,
before it yields that occupation, to see the
public safety secured and the public faith
preserved The only question can be as to
the mode Of obtaining this result. We trust
all loyal people of the Land will have no hesi-
,ation in standing by the President, with clear
convictions, as well as strong purpose, on
this iseue. BY necessity, the Republic must
hold and exercise some control over these re-
gions and people until the States are restored
to their full functions as States, in national
as we'll as in State affairs. This authority Is
to be exercised by the President or by Con-
gress, or both, according TO the nature of each
case. Though resulting, necessarily. from
the fact OF the war, these powers are not nes-
sarily to be exercised by military persons or
/ 10 military forms. This temporary, provsio-
nal authority, although supreme for the time,
may be exercised, much of it, by civil offi ;ers,
\ using the methods of civil power, and admit
ting the employment of Judicial and executive
functions, with the arts and busine and So
cial intercourse of life. This we understand
to be, in substance, the position which the
] arA kalt
/ the people recognize it to be OF necessity and
of right.
Let US now, fellow citizens, turn over our
attention TO our rights and duties. Having
succeeded in this war, and holding the rebel
states in our military occupation, it is our
right and duty to secure whatever the public
safety and the public faith require.
First The principle must be put beyond
all question, that the Republic has direct
claim upon the allegiance Of every citizen,
from which no state can absolve him, and TO
his obedience to the laws Of the Republic,
any thing in the constitution or laws of any
state to the contrary Notwithstanding"
Second The public faith is pledged to
every person of color in the rebel states, to
secure to them and their posterity forever a
complete and veritsble freedom. Having
promised them this freedom, received their
aid on the faith of this promise, and, by a
successful war and actual military occupation
of the country. having obtained the power to
secure the result, we are dishonored if we
fail 20 make it good to them.
Third. The system of slavery must be abol-
ished and prohibited by paramount and ire
versible law. Throughout the rebel States,
there must be, in the words of Webster" i'm
pressed upon the soil itself ian inability to
bear up any but free men"
Fourth. The systems of the States must be
truly " republican"
Unless these points are secured, the public
faith will be broken. and there will be no
safety for the public peace or the preservation
of our institutions.
1t must be remembered that under the
constitution. most of these suojects are en-
tirely matters of state jurisdiction. Once
withdraw the powers of war, and admit a
state to its full functions, and the authority
OF tho nation over these subjects is gone. 1t
| is a state function TO determine who shall
hold land. who shall testify in state courts