Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1866-09-14
APPEAL OF THE LOYAL MEN OF
THE SOUTH

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The representatives Of eight millions Of
American citizens appeal for protection and
| justice to their friends and brothers in the
States that have been spared the cruelties
Of the rebellion and the direct horrors of civ
il war. Here, on the spot where freedom
was proffered and pledged by the fathers of
the republic, we implore your help against a
recognized oppression, whose sole object is
TO remit the control Of our destinies to the
contrivcrs Of the rebellion. After they have
been vanquished in horrible battle, they seek
thus at once to punish US for our devotion to
/ our country, and to enuench themselves in
the official Notifications Of the government.
| Others have related the thrilling story Of our
wrongs from reading and observation we
come before you as unchallenged witnesses,
and speak from personal knowledge our sad
experience. II you fail us we are more utter
y deserted and betrayed than il the contest
had been decided against US for in that case
even victorious slavery would have found
profit in the speedy pardon Of those who bad
been among the bravest foos. Unexpected
perhdity in the highest place Of the govern
ment, accidentally filed by one who adds
cruelty to ingratitude, and 'oreives the guilty
as he persecuies the innocent has stimulated
the almost exiingushed revenge Of the beaten
onspirators, and now the rebels, who offered
to yield everything TO save their own lives,
are seeking 20 consign us to bloody graves
Where we expected benefactor we find a
prosecutor. Having lost our champion we
turn to you, who can make presidents and
punish traitors. Our last hope under God is
in the unity and frmness Of the States that
elected Abraham Lincoln and defeated Jcfer
son Davis. The best statement Of our case
is the appalling yet unconscious confession of
Andrew Johnson, who, In savage hatred of
his record. ptoclaims his purpose TO cloths
four millions Of traitors with the power to
impoverish and degrade eight millions of loyal
men. Our wrongs bear alike on oil races,
and our tyrants, unchecked by you, will award
the same fate to white and black
We can remain interiors. and victims we
may fly from our homes but we should tear
to trust our tate with those who, after de-
nouncug and defeating treason, refused to
fighl those who have bravely assisted in the
good work ill we are wholly secured,
there is neither peace for you nor prosperity
for us. We cannot better define at once our
wrongs and our wants than by declaring that.
since Andrew Johnson affiliated with his ear
ly slanderers and our constant enemies, his
hands have been laid heavily upon every 10y
alist in the South. History, the Just iudg.
ment Of the pfesent and The certain confrma.
ton " the future, invite aud command us to
declare, that after rejecting his own remedies
for restoring the Union, be has resorted to
the weapons Of traitors to bruise and beat
down patriots thai after declaring that none
but The 10y al should govern the reconstructed
south, he has practiced upon the maxim that
none but traitors shall rule that while IN
the North he has removed conscientious men
from offce and filled many Of the vacancies
with the sympa'haefs Of treason. IN the South
he has removed the Prov AID listed atm
OF and selected the equally proved and con-
victed traitor; that alter brave non who had
fought for the old flag have been nominated
for positions, their names have been recalled
and av0wed rebels subsututed that every
original unionist in the South who stands fast
to Andrew Johnson's covenants from 1861
to 1865 has been ostraCised that he has
Ofiupted the local courts by Offering premi-
ums for the defiance OF the laws Of Congress
and by openly discoulaglng The Observance
Of the oath against tleasun that while fefu-
sing to punish one single con. pcuous traitor,
though thousands nd earned the penalty Of
death, more than a thousand Of devoted union
citizens have been murdered IN cold blood
since the surrender OF Lee, and in 10 case
have their sssassins been brought to judg-
ment; that he has pardoned some OF the
worst OF the rebel criminals n forth and South,
including some who have taken human life
under circumstances of unparalleled auocity /;
that while denouncing and lettering the OPP
eraions of she Freedman's Bureau, he, with
full knowledge OF the ialsehood, has charged
that the black men are lazy and rebelious,
and has concealed the fact that more whites
than blacks have been protected and fed by
that noble Organization and that, while de-
clating that it was corruptly managed and
expensive to the government, he mas conniyed
at system of profiigacy in the use of the
public patronage and the public money Who'll
ly without parallel, save when the traitors
bankrupted the Treasury and sought to dis
organize and scatter the army and the navy,
only TO make 1t more easy to capture the
government; that, while declaring against
the injustice of leaving eleven States unrep.
resented, he has refused to authorize the lib
erA plan OF Congress simply because it rec
ognizes the loyal majority and refuses to per
| petuate the traitor minority; mat IN ever,
State south OF Mason and Dixon's line hit
policy has brought the most deplofablo con
sequences, social and moral and POLITICAL
| II baa fmhOldpnnu returned fnhalg tbran Ia