Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1866-03-02

countrymen, there is an earthquake coming
/, We already hear the ground swels Of popu-
lar indignation and judgment. The Ameri-
can people will speak, and their instincts are
not a lie. They will know who are their
friends or who are their enemies
Everybody will be astonishcd at the allusion to
notable men by name as if the President had a
personal quarrel with them. Wendell Phillips is
private citizen, and without political aflinites.
As to all parties and Presidents aud public men
he is common scold, representing nobody,
though very eloquenty decaiming his own ideas,
which are sometimes sublimely right, but usually
utterly impractcable The President might as
well attack windmill. Thad Stevens and Sem
ator Sumner stand in different relation, protected
by the Constitution itself from being called in
question for anything said in debate yet the
President quotes Stevens twice. But we lay no
stress upon that, as they win not we hope We
do think it very undigni6ads u the President, aud
very unnecessary. to make these illusions. Mr..
Stevens is an old man, with sharp temper Like
every other strong man we ever knew or heard
Of, who was afflicted with physical iufirnity be
is inpatient of contradiction or opposition in any
body, and therefore his severity must be taken
with large allowance We recolect nothing from
Senator Sumner, since Mr. johnson was President
that could be deemed personally offensive. Let
us assume, the best supposton, that the Presi-
dent has only named these men as representatives
of class whose ideas OF reconstruction are dsap-
proved by him. 1t is a large class, composed Of
many men, in all the loyal states, who helped put
the President in his present position, and have ex-
pected to give him support. What if they are too
radical to suit the President? Is there not some
body too radical for the President in the other ex-
tremef Is he not content TO watch the clash Of
extremes, and trust to the wisdom and prudence
and patriotism Of Congress and the people to
settle the great questions in about the right way
after a-especially with his help for the right?
II he wishes to check extreme measures, we don't
believe he can do it by speeches such as this and
if Congress wishes for the cooperation of the
President, we don't believe it will get it By fight
ing or abusing him. We sec no necessity for a
quarrel, either the freedmen question or the
question Of the admission Of members from South
ern States. The Freedmen's Bureau must last for
one year at least, and IL at the end Of that time,
there is necessity for enlarged powers, both Con-
in the law are necessary now, we do not doubt
that they can be readily made with the approval
Of the President As to the admission of mem-
bers Congress (the House) has settled bat one
point, and that is that it will not admit members
until it has ascertaned and recognized states en-
titled to representation. On the other hand, the
President admits that Congress has the sole power
to judge of the elections, returns, and quaifcat-
ions of members The preliminary question ncces-
sarily is this Is the claiming Stats entitled to rep
resentation So says the House No, says the
Presidentg they were states, assssates. cannot be
any thing else and as such are entitled to repre-
sentation. But has the President treated them as
States? Did he not FIX various conditions prece-
dent to his acceptance of them as states y-to wit,
requiring them to abolish slavery. annu the ordi-
nauces of secession, repu late the rebel debt and
secure equality Of civil rights With bad grace he
denies that Congress may look into this matter
and satisfy itself that these states are fit for admis
sion to representation. There must be state
within the meaning of the Constitution, and cleo
tions according to the laws Of she United States,
and Senators and Representatives legally qualified,
before there is any title to representation in either
Senate or House. Now the Senate and House
propose to ascertain and recognize these states as
fast they can find them. and then admit them
We do not see why the President should complain
of that, but rather why he ought to rejoice at it,
He tells that but loyal men are entitled to
seats; and that is an admission that there is a
peculiarly about these unrepresented states that
they have disloyal men; that there is danger that
g tba .rt1.
Surely then the President ought not TO complain
il Congress shall be very careful about this 1t
will be more heavenly than human if the President
and Congress can get along tremendously after
this but then, il all the bad speeches are out,
they may do it. As the matter stands, the Presi-
dent is in bad position. If he may be excused
for resenting the sharp speeches of Mr.. Stevens,
he cannot be excused for interfering with the pre-
negatives of the Senate and House There are
two things on which, by the Constitution, the
President is not called upon to act and these are
the representation in the Senate and House, and
the proposal of amendments to the Constitution
yet he has interfered with both. In this he was
wrong, and his speech is in bad taste. Now If he
will do some good thing, we will give him full
credit and hearty thanks, for we have not parti-
Gle OF malice toward him. We can still look back
to his brave speech in the Senate and overlook
great fanlts.
A. w. ORvTr, of Stanstead John Kelly, and
Elmon Roberts, of Derby, Charles Eastman, of
Holland, Jonathan Page of Charleston, and A. II.
Adams of St. Johnsbury, have been arrested for
smuggling upon the frontier.
For the 10 rnai.
THE SCHOOL. FESTIVAL.
Noticing in your valuable paper AN advertise
ment Of the School Festival in East Montpelier,
TO be present, Therefore, on We'd
nesday afternoon | found myself in mine host
Hammett's spacious hall" gazing at swarm Of
little folks, who had collected TO enjoy the holiday
provided for their amusement. Suitable recrea-
tions arranged for them, and a merrier crowd
I never bebed
The weather on both Wednesday aud Thursday
evenings was very unpleasant, yet the hall was
filed To repletion. The toasts offered were re-
sponded to in avery acceptable manner by Mossrs.
Peck, Of East Montpelier, Atkins, Gorham, and |
Willard, of Montpelier, the last named gentleman
generously giving several dollars from his private
purse, towards the fund The exercises OF both
evenings were of very interesting and high or
der. The music was exquisite, and the good |