The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1865-07-21

lloH vi low" vi aily iotate nOIWltnStanQ-
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Second. The public faith is pledged to
every person of color in the rebel States.
to secure to them and their posterity for
ever complete and veritable freedom
Having promised them this freedom, re-
ceived their aid on the faith of this prom
ise, and, by successful war and actual
military occupation of the country, having
obtained the power to secure the result,
we are dishonored if we fail to make it
good to them.
Third. The system of slavery must be
abolished and prohibited by paramount
and irreversable law. Throughout the
rebel States there must be, in the words of
Webster, " impressed upon the soil itself
an inability to bear up any but free men,"
Fourth. The systems of the States
must be truly "repub!ican.''
Unless these points are secured the pub
lie faith will be broken, and there will be
no safety for the public peace or the pres
ervation of our institutions.
1t must be remembered that, under the
constitution, most of these subjects are
matters of State jurisdiction. Once with
draw the powers of war and admit State
to its full functions, and the authority of
the nation over these subjects is gone. 1t
is State function to determine who shall
hold land, who shall testify in State courts.
who shall he educated and how. who shall
labor and how, ana under what contracts
or obligations and how enforced, and who
shall vote in national rs well rs in State
elections. We have already said that all
these points now stand in the constitution
and laws of the rebel States decided
against the freedmen Action is necessary
to put them right SO great a change Is,
no doubt, fundamental, and goes to the
bottom of their social and political system.
If it is not made now. before civil society
becomes settled, before the States are re-
stored to the exercise of all their powers.
it will never bc made, in all human proba-
bility, by peaceful means.
The question now occurs. how are these
results TO be secured before these States
are permitted to resume their functions
We agree that these results ought 10 be
secured in conformity with what may bc
called the American sy>tem-that upon
which and for which our constitution wa-
made. This is system of separat.
States, each with separate functions. con-
stituted by the people OF each. and Self-gov
ernins within its sphere, with central
State constituted by the people of all, SUI
preme within its sphere, and the fina
Judge Of its sphere and functions Th,
President recognizes the Importance o
proceeding i'll accordance with this system
| lie aims at a restoration of the States b,
the people of the States, without resort t,
the exercise of soverei IN legislative iuris
dictlon over them by the general govern
ment. In this we offer to him our sym
pathv, as we ask for him an intelli"en
support But. inasmuch Us once restored
the State will be beyond our reach. til,
utmost care must be taken to avoid a has
ty and unsatisfactory restoration. W,
acknowled ge that there may be dangers ii
protracted and extensive military occupa
ton But we believe that the people ar
willing to incur their share of these pcrilS
We believe that the people feel that tn,
greatest hazard is in premature restoration
traught with future danger. ANY reSto
ration would be dangerous which did no
secure. beyond all reasonable peril. tn
abolition of slavery, actual freedom. jus
rights to the free, and, within each State
"a republican form of government
The President and his Cabinet. We hav
every reason to believe. have these result
in view We cannot doubt that CongreS
will refuse to receive any State upon IN,
other terms. If there are any members O
Congress whose fidelity on these points
doubtful, we implore YOU to exercise owe
them all the just authority and inhuenc
of constituents.
We advance no extreme or refined the
ory as to what may be included within tn
term ga republican form of government
In the exercise of the extraordinary pre-
rogative of the General Government t
determine whether State constitution
''rcpublican,' there must he practica
wisdom and no refined theories II tn
constitutions with which the rebel State
now come are not ''repubIican," in sue
a reasonable and practical sense as nation
> act upon-it they are so far unrepublica
, as to endanger public peace and the stabi
/ ity of our institutions, then we may trea
> them as not ''republican'' in the America
5 sense of the term.
What. then, is the character of the
: present constitutions, assuming that slave
: ry is prohibited Here presents itself II
, question of mere principle or theory. b,
$ facts of an overruling and decisive cha
: acter. From one-third to one-half
} their free population are absolutely an
: forever not only disfranchised, but depri,
ed of all the usual rlg ghts of citizens in
: republic. Not only so, but this diSfral
7 chisement is perpetual, hereditary and il
= surmountable. 1t is more deeply seatl
, than the Oriental caste. 1t clings to eac
: man and his posterity forever, il there |
!, traceabIe thread of African descent. \
: achievements in war or peace, no acquis
e tions Of property, no education, no mel
f tai power or culture, no merits, can owe
= come it. To make the case worse, the
t people are not only disfranchiseI, but IL
o temner shirt and the habits of the rulir