Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1866-08-31

best ever held IN New England.
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HRNEY A WIsEIN A NEW CHARACTER. -
Ex Governor Henry a Wise of Virginia, in
an address lately delivered at Norfolk in that
State for the benefit Of the churches devasta-
ted by the war, argued that the rebellion was
brought about in the providence of God for
the destruction Of slavery, but that it was
wrong to punish individuals for acts clearly
committed in accordance with the design of
the Almighty. Gov. Wise said;
" He is, fear, an iufilel who doesn't see
hat the fire and sword OF this war we're sent
from Heaven. God knew that we could be
orn away from our black idol Of slavery only
by FIRE and blood and the drawn sword of the
destroying angel Of war. He sent them, and
We ought to praise the Most High that he
lid not send worse plaques, like those of
Egypt, against whatever weakness OF wicked
aess we clung to like Pharaoh. But | ap-
IeA. to Christian charity, and to every known
Jaw, whether individual citizens and persons
ought to be vindictively punished by man or
government for the acts Of sovereign States,
and the inevitable interpostion of Divine
Providence"
The shifting Of the responsibility from the
rebel shoulders to the State. which the rebels
themselves ruled, ia no new trick Of the Cow
ernor but the idea that the STATE is not re-
sponsibe. but Divine Providence, is an ex IA
touch. On that point We retort the example
which Wise himself quotes. Though Phafa-
oh and his host pursued the children Of Isiael
under the inevitable iuterposition of Divine
Providence" God held them all guilty-Pha-
raoh, the Egyp ptien State" and the eople-
and punished ev.ry one Of the Egyptian rebels
with death. There remained not so much
as one Of them Exodus II; %.
CIVIL RIGHrs IN GgoRGIA.-A gentleman
residing at Lawson, Ga, writes to a govern
ment official in Washington, the following
a,coant Of the manner in which the civil
rights law is enforced in that section:
" You wish to know what is the effect Of
the removal of troops from here. Well,
will mention one instance which came under
my own notice, to enlighten you. A Mrs.
Adams (colored) had quarrel with white
woman because the latter made scandalous
charges against her. The white woman had
Mrs. Adams arrested, aud she was taken be
fore Junge Y. King of Clinch County, who
sentenced her to receive 65 ashes, which
sentence was carried into effect by the sheriff.
| sent word to Gen. Wilson cf the affiir, and
although the latter officer sent subordinate
to investigate the case, no punishment has
been msted out to these violators OF the Civil
Rights bill. This is not the only case of
like character that has come to my notice
since the removal OF the troops SO lcng as
the latter were here (they were oolored) no
magistrate dared disregard the law, because
the officers were known to administer justice
when need be-"
Thus it will be seen that the freedmen
have at the present time no more rights in
the late insurgent States that they had while
they were in bondage, and Notwithstanding
that the law Of the land proclaims equal
rights to all, they, in the portions Of the
South from which the U. S. troops have been
removed, are still subjected to the most in
human treatment at the hands OF their late
masters. Such cases as that of Mrs. Adams
evidently did not come to the knowledge Of
Gems. SteadmGn and Fullerton previous to
their report on the practical workings of the
Freedmen's Bureau.