Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1866-11-16
Ghe 6ree press.
c. G. 4 Il. l.. BENEDICT.
EDITORS AND PRoPRIEroRs.
FRIDAY MORNING. NOVEMBER l6. 1866
TUEwEEKLY FREE PRESS


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speech of Hon. Geo. +. Edmunds. 4. =.
Senator.
BnoEE THE LEGISLATURE on VERMONT.
October oath 1866.
REPORTED for the RecoIil
M Prcsideaf, FeL0ig CiH-eRs oCthe hco
Houses Of The legislature 1t is naturally
to be expected that on an occasion Of this
description, the first duty Of one Of the Cit
zeus o! the State OF Vermont who has re-
ceiyod SO lately at your hands the almost
unanimous expression Of your confidence and
favor. should bc-as it i certainly
bis sir-t p!casure-;o return TO you
lis ieIycnt acknowledgements Tor the honor
you have conferred upon him-acknowlcigc-
mcnts that are not the mere formal expires
sion which courtesy and good taste require,
hat. .hcr. the real sentiments Of one Of
vour follow citizens, who, having received
high honors at your hands Il called upon
on his part. 20 assume high and weightY Tc-
Responsibilities which. at this
time, make these marks Of your appreciation
while ticy are all the more GRATEFUL % him
who addresses you all the more serious and
N '-0ls because they are responsibilities
which y5u feel, as wei as |. and which must
be met, as great responsibilities always must.
by uni nchIng fidelity, and bv the most
VIC r0us and heartfelt perseverance TO the
end.
The questions gentlemen, which y0u have
invited us 70 address you uron,-the uu,s-
tons % the Constitutional Amendment now
pending before the States. and Of the great
political Issues which, IN one way OF another
hinge upon that amendment. are omlucut,y
practical questions. Theorists and dipl3-
matt may i-AH ataA NhAA AALAA -4AAlhaAl
economists may write orGtiUns ami utter
diauibcs upon them, as Las been done. but
after al, they are really the quostI0ns Of the
people they are cminentiy AM sulrcmlly
practical quCstions-quCstous which come
home 70 the hourly Consideration Of every
manani woman in the country Tie great
iutu.c, ina large dcErec-tLc great future
not only Of our own nation but of ali natl n
-dcpends upon how these great questions
are now to be solved.
There are opposing theories. Tie rebel
lion Is over. The armed rebellion is over. /
say the grmea rebellion because YOU can not
i5Il TO perceive that although the c.lnk %
arms has ceased. vet the rebellion itself is
act over. Precisely the same spirit. precise
ly the same motives, precisely the s-mc Vur-
pose are manifested to-day thar there were
two years ago.
Now 1t is maintained, gCntlcme,, know.
1t Is maintained by high Executive authority.
maintained by proclamation which only q
few months since was issued, that Teacc-
blessed, whIte-r0bed peace-Cxistei through
out the borders Of this land that order was
restored; that personal liberty was again
secured and that therefore every part Of the
country should again be represented in the
national congress. am sorry that we can
not unite with that great authority in sec
ending that proposition. 4. the truth were
SO, ] am sure there Is no people within the
limits OF this Union who would haIl il with
greater satisfaction than yourselves There
Is no people, north or south. east or west.
who desire peace more sincerely than we do.
But gentlemen, ~ are too old in this sfrur-
gle for political and national hfc-wc arc too
old 10 believe against the facts, that that OK
ISIS which does not exist. With almost the
same breath that brought Us tins sounding
proclamation, the telegraph brought US the
news Of the rot at Memphis and the massa-
ere IN New Orleans Il now brings Us the
news that over all the sunny south, from
hill 70 hill, from hamlet 20 hamlet. those
who have stood by the government and the
flag, are still pursued by the same old re-
lentlcss spirit OF yiudIc,ivc scJru-the same
old scorn Of northern liberty and northern
institutions that ab0unIcI before. This
proclamation, gentlemen, Of which have
spoken, is not TRUE
This, then Is the situation. The southern
States, which have been IN rebellion and
whose armed resistance to the government
has been overwhelmed, found themselves. AZ
the end OF the contest, entirely dis0rsanizcd,
so far as the practical operations Of their
government went. am not now taking up
the disputed theory as to whether any rc-
he-lious State was IN the Union OF out Of the
Jnlon-which question reminds me very
iorcitly of a scTipturdl one, as TO whether
certain apostle was in the LJiy or out Of the
body we all know that practically these
States were found without any organized
goyornmcnt) The original organized COM
munues with their laws. officers. and ma
chIuery, had been scattered - the winds by
tie rebellion. These States, then. We found
IL a dlsJrganizCd condition. OF this there
Is 10 question there ccn be 20 question
even lie ehici Cxpouuder, himself. Of this
theory o. trethcTlY loyc-thc head and front
OIL ,his lrothcrlY love oposition-iniorms
Us IN proclaim ton issued Nav -. 1868.
tAat tie State OF North Carolina. having re-
belled, and It's rcbellious government having
D--n conquered there existed no power what
ever within the State to rcorganize civil
government. And he informs US of the F.
truth. II Tad 10 man within it, borders
Who, by law, was entitled to set it up
AGAIN As II one OF your school districts I
81 jull lose ITS organization by nOn-elccti0n /
OF officers. The discric; exists, If You please, 1
nut there Is no man il the district more I
than another who has any right to set it On
It's feet again. But the GiSfric, exists a.
much as it ever did. Now that was the ex-
act condition in North Carolina on the Doth
Of May, 1863 IL was their true condition.
And here arises the first cardinal difference
between the President and Congress. rs he
1ghiiully Gays, these States were disorgan-
4ed communities, and he goes forward and
undertakes TO declare that it belongs 10 nm
10 make laws for States, to reyitalize States
md communities, and declare who among
he citizens Of these States should exercise
he high privilege Of the elective franchise.
Gentlemen. it will ell repay the perusal.
or You TO read that first document of the
'resident-his proclamation Of Nav Doth.
1863. 1t begins by truly declaring that the
constitution Of the United States REQUIRES
hat the United States should guarantee TO
.ach State a republican form Of government.
hat Is true. That by force of the rebellion
he form and substance Of government had
eased to exist. That is true. Then it de-
lares-'therefore, /, Andrew johnson, set
? this government. declare that no man /
hall be entitled to vote if he comes under I