Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-06-21


been no question raised upon the sub
ject. That eyent-more a calamity to
the South than the North, in the time
and manner of its transpiring-had IN
famed popular passions to the highest
pitch, and made the people of the section
which had lost their chief now seek IS
an equivalent the life of the chief of the
section conquered. This was an i'm
pulse of passion not a conclusion which
judgment or justice could support, Mr.,
Lincoln through his entire administers
ton, had acknowledged the South as
belligerent nationality, exchanging pris-
Oners of war, establishing truces, and
sometimes sending, sometimes receiving,
propositions for peace.
DAVIS ON RECONSTRUCTION.
EVERY mans experience must teach
him that quarrels between friends are
best healed when they are healed most
promptly. The alienation which was at
first pain, becomes by time habtual,
and the mantle of charity being with
drawn. the faults of each become more
and more distinct to the other, and thus
the bitterest hates naturally spring from
the ashes of the closest friendship.
1t is, therefore, probably tosbe regret
ted that so much delay has occurred in
the work of reconstruction, because of
the enhancement thereby of the Difficult
ties in the way Of speedy and cordial re-
Cancellation. This opinion is qualified
as probable, because of my want of re-
cent intercourse with the people. A
short time before the close of the war
the idea was infused into my people, as
you are well aware, that if they would
cease resistance, the Union would be
restored, and all their rights of person
and property respected, save the proper
ty held in slaves, which would be a
question for the courts. | have no doubt
that the majority-a very large major
ity-Of the Southern people accepted
this proposed settlement with single
ness Of purpose and would, If confd-
ingly and generously treated, have been
now industriOusly engaged in repairing
their wrecked fortunes, without any
thought of again resisting or obstruct
ing the General Government in its Ordin-
airy functions.
How far the public wealth would by
this course have been increased, the pub
lie expenditures lessened, may be meas:
ured by many hundred millions Of dol
lars. If it be true that much has been
lost, morally and materially, by delay, it
would seem that true policy indicates
the promptest action in what is termed
Reconstruction. The North says we
no nd
cease to do evil should not prevent US
learning to do we'll This can only be
done by removing all impediments to
the exercise of State functions and the
re-eDjoyment Of such civil and political
rights as are left US in the Union.
Each house Of Congress is judge of the
election and qualification of its own
members. The constitution has settled
the question of representation. A con-
stituency may lose its rights for time
by selecting Ineligible persons to be its
representatives out the right Of repre-
sentation is not impaired thereby, and
the mistake or abuse may be remeded
by new election. Test Oaths are evil
continually, and only evil. They res
train those honorable men who require
no letters, while men of a different class
will either take them perjuriously or
with mental reservation. All history
has proved them Intellectual, and some
thing worse.
Our forefathers emigrated to a wilder
ness, and waged the war of the Revolu-
ton, to have and to hold a government
founded on the consent of the governed.
They consulted and compromised with
each other to establish voluntary
Union. If that idea is to be followed,
confidence, generosity, fraternity, and
not test-oaths, disabilities and armies
quartered in the interior, must be relied
upon to restore the Union and make it
reflective for the ends for which it was
formed"
Reconstruction, continued Mr. Da-
Wis, cannot properly involve or be made
to depend on those social problems
which have arisen from the sudden dis
ruptiOn of the relations existing between
theswhite and black races in the South
ern States. These problems belong to
the several States and must have treat
ment according to the different circum-
stances of each. No general rule can
properly be made applicable to all, aud
1t will prove unfortunate if the subject
is controlled by distant and but poorly
informed, if not prejudiced authority.
The self-interest of individuals and com
munities, together with the demand for
labor so far exceeding the supply, may
safely be left to protect the laborer.
The public action of the Southern
State Conventions furnishes conclusive
evidence Of the desire of Southern peo-
pic to resume their position in the Union
and it must strike all observers with
surprise that while those who strove so
desperately to leave the Union, are now
so earnestly endeavoring to resume their
places in it, it is the very men who sent
fire and sword to destroy them, or com
pei them to return, who now bar the
dopr and deny them re-admission to
that very condition to which it was
throughout the war proclaimed to be
their first and last duty to return. Sol
itary reflection" concluded Mr.. Davis,
"has given me no key to the mysterious
origin Of the change in Northern opin-
ion. of which / find evidence in every