Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1866-11-15

1.-THE ELEVEN" AND THE CONSTl-
TUTIONAI, AMENDMENTS.

bdtOr OF me Dduy journal lit seems "a
me, an old democrat aud one who never voted
any other ticket in his life. that the eleven
members OF the House of Representatives
who voted against the Constitutional Amend
menle, are not only ambitious 10 send down
TO posterity a record their own children must
be ashamed of, but are the greatest enemies
Of the South In Vermont IL the eleven we're
among those who stayed at home during the
war, aud sympathized with the rebellion, the
old feeling Of hostility TO the government
may account for so strange vote, but if it
was the mere caprice Of party identity, we
can assure them, hat they represent bot a
small portion Of the numbers who still call
themselves democrats in this State. The on
" hope Of delivering the country from It's
present unfortunate condition, bordering al
most on anarchy. is in the adoption Of these
amendments, and a voice raised against them
at the North, however feeble, is in full unison
with the Southern leaders--those who drove
the Southern states into rebellion, and most
of whom would be disabled from holding Of
fee by their adoption. Should the South
reject this proifsred mercy, for 1t is mercy
20 extend any terms to traitors, a fearful res
possibility will rest upon them, and their
sympathzers at the North The political
struggles we have pressed through since the
close Of The war wild soon be forgotten, from
their mildness IS compared with the virulonce
and bitterness Of what will follow. Poliu-
cal parties will divide on an issue Of extremes,
aud ia such contest it Is easy to predict
who must go TO the wall The Southern
traitor, as unfcpeutant as when the rebel ar
my was in the field, on the one haud, With
the copper" element at the North, will
force the men who have put down the rebel
lion, to rally around such political standards
as are carried by Thaddeus Stevens and 9th
ers as have been regarded by many as ex-
iremists, and injurious to the Republican
marty; for there will be no conservative or
middle ground left, when we are told by men
who have fought the Government for five
years, and still insist that they were tight,
that they will not sccep; terms 30 mild, to
restore them to representation and full fellow
ship, IN the Halls Of Congress. And the
Veimontef who can extend the sympathy of
a vote to prolopQ this last struggle OF treason
must have an acco mmodadng conscience, even
il il could be soolhed 10 rest on a full sized
Virginia feather bed
The N. Y f. ~ Post, paper that zeal
ously sustained dent johnson and my
policy - until b. vurs around the circle
so many time, now US the following plain
language on the subject # The amendments
Hitherto We have gwen only mercy
but Justice is still alive. Il seems mon
sttous thing 10 the southern politicians that
come OF them should be excluded from Office;
but. suppose they we're tv be hanged for thor
treason, as the law demands, suppose their
estates should be taken from them, as the
law requires? II they will take our advice
they will think Of these things. They are
not masters of the situation. They have /
no more power now, nor strength with the
country, than they had the day Lee sulren
dered to Grant; then they would have joyful |
ly accepted the amendment; it is great folly |
Of them to reject it now. Their attitude, |
their conduct, their words, their pretentious
claims, are all irritating TO the northern peo-
pie, who fought through four years to PIT
down treason, and now see the leading trail |
tors aspiring to the highest offices, and de-
handing where if they were prudent they
would suppicate, and if they were only rea-
sonable they would accept in silence the
large and free mercy which is offered them.
Ifthe southern leaders were wise men,
they would cay TO themselves ''O1r best
course is to adopt the amendmc because
thus the matter will be settled; &c shall at
least be secure Of our life propc $ and res
must wait for our offence to be forgotten"
They would see that presently their affair
will "bow over" if they only act prudenIy ; !
but that their present course is only calculat-
ed to excite resentment against them. Con-
gress, which would have the power, under
the amendment, would, before many years
pass, remit the very light penalty put upon
them. and restore lhem--or all who showed
proper spirit--to all privileges, and they
might still hope for political future.
Bot they seem little inclined for such wis
dom. They are as besotted now as they
were in 1860, when they deliberately made
war against the Union, and really believed
their treason would not be resisted. Their
crazy attempt then not only brought rum up.
ON their own states, but enormous losses and
sufferings upon the northern people. So too,
their present course threatens TO inHict upon
us, as well az upon the southern states, fur
Their injuries. TlN southern leaders have a
capacity for mischief, that IL to say-so much
we must grant them; they are able TO keep
the country in disorder; but whenever the
people OF the United States come fairly TO
see this, nothing is 80 probable as that they
will sweep away, with the strong arm Of as
tice, these infatuated hnderers Of peace and
prosperity, these malignant and stubborn
mischief makers. If the men who led the
way in the great treason insist on being
hanged or expatiated, they may yet have
their willard hat sooner than they think"
~
ABOUT MosEs.--lhe radical Unionists in
the Western States are enjoying parallel
run by some wit on the prslries between ouI
johnson {" Moses and the Moses Of Scrip
ture to the effect that's
Moses led his people through the sea
johnson led his into it.
Moses asked Pharaoh to let the people go
Johnson was asked by Congress to let the
people go, but wouldn't
Moses erected a serpent in the wilderness
and the people lived johnson erected a
serpent in New Orleans and the people died.