The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1866-01-12
From Harper's Weekly.
Our Duty to the Freedmen.

That the people of the late rebel states
will ultimately see the coincidence OF jus
tice and prosperity we have no doubt
But Gen. Howard and General Grant and
General Schurz are all of the opinion that
for some time vet the national government
must directly see that the freedmen are
protected in every personal right And
this, we presume. will be the suggestion
Of the committee on reconstruction.
To leave the freedmen At once in the
absolute control of the late rebel popula-
tion at the South would be crime which
would forever justly disgrace the United
States. Whatever the good intentions of
large classes of that population may be,
We all know too we'll what the immediate
results of such policy would be, We
zee it already in North Carolina. In this
state a negro was lately convicted of some
triiiing offense. and WAS sentenced TO sla-
very for term of years The wording of
the constitutional amendment permits the
enormity. Foolishly following the old
phraSeology of laws in an entirely differ
ent condition of affairs the amendment
torbids slavery except as punishment of
crime. Nothing is easier than TO erect
vagrancy into Il crime; then, by refusing
TO employ the negroes. TO compel their VA
.r,ncy; then to sell them into slavery for
i longer or shorter term.
This l. but an illustration of the foul
play TO which the freedmen will be ex-
posed in the absense of the national pro-
lection. And there Is no excuse what
ever ior leaving them TO such fate In
deed. when we remember the un>wervin =
patience of their fidelity to us during the
doubtful years of the war-how tranquil
lv they repelled their masters fal>ehood~
meant 10 inhame them against us-how
steadily these people, derided As apes and
and treated like cattle. waited for our
coming and believed in our friendship
how they GUIDED all our escaping soldiers.
who counted upon their fidelity aS surely
a. they themselves counted in escapin.
upon the north >iar-how they resisted
. bribe>, threats. torture and death rather
. than bciray Us, asking no reward. but
trusting in u> aS surely a we trusted in
! tlern-when we remember this unpreee-
deniel history. and reflect that manr
among Us are now hall reluctant not TO
deliver Them into The pilileSS hands from
which they rescued Us. and are calculating
/ how little We can DO for them and how
much for those who de>pi>e and hate
them, We MAY well fear lest the luSire of
our victory be irretrierabiy furnished
The cau>e of the United States. said the
expiring continental congress. l. The cau-c
of human nature. Ii Is 80 now more than
ever. l'v the fundamental law OF the land
every man Is now the free equal of every
other man. the llte slave of Cox. Orr of
South Carolina a. much as the governor
/ himself: and We trust that the committee
on reconstruction. looking at facts rather
than al theories. will recommend the con-
tiruance OF the free,lmen'S bureau until
the people of the United States are thor
oughly satisfied that the personal freedom
which they have conferred upon the ma
Jorlty of the people OF South Carolina,
ior instance, is to be respected 10y the mi
noriiy.