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

tions We're adjusted. Ihe NorJn con-
sented TO 80 much representation, in con-
sideration that direct taxes should be
laid in the same manner, Like all the
compromises that have been made, the
south had the best of IL, as they had a
large and constant representation from
n while the direct taxes have been too
small and unfrequent to furnish any
corresponding ADVANTAGE &c the North,
But slavery Is over and ended. The
slaves have been made free The mas
ters can no longer claim to represent
them, either on the ground that they are
members or dependents of their families
or that they own them as their proper
ty. The former ruling class in the
South say, "These people, now having
become free persons, We are entitled u
have our representation raised by the
enumeration of the whole for that pur-
nose" Very we'll" say we, " let the
same rule of suffrage extend to them Is
is applied to the white people, aud be
represented for them all" BY no
means" it is answered they are too
ignorant TO know how to protect their
own interests in voting, and therefore
we will vote for them and still more,
we cannot permit them to vote because
it would tend TO elevate them solially to
something like the elevated plane upon
which we stand, which we will not sub
init to-
Is there any Just ground upon which
the southern whites can claim that they
should represent the negro population,
especially those lately held in slavery}
Do they stand in the same relation 10
them that the fathers, husbands and
brothers OF a northern community do to
their non-voting women and children,
whose interests are as dear to them as
their own! How opposite in theory and
in fact is the relation between them.
They do not regard them as having a
common interest to be supported, but as
hostile element in society TO be spurned
and crushed.
1t seems to me perfectly manifest that
upon no Just principle should repre-
sentation be allowed to the whites on
account OF the negroes Suppose we test
this by the actual choice of the negroes
themselves
If the negroes were allowed to choose
representatives themselves, and to choose
between their former masters or others
like them and men like the senior Seua-
tors from Massachusetts and Ohio.
which would be elected | would be
willing to WAGER well on the success Of
my friends here. think it perfectly
just for us to say, "If you will not let
these people vote you shall not alone
represent them, but we will do it Jointly.
We believe we have their true interests
at heart quite as much as you we be-
heve we understand their wants quite
as well, and We are satisfied they will be
more content under our joint representa-
ton than under yours alone"
Does this amendment do justice to the
colored people Of the South Mr. Pres
ident, | am sorry to feel compelled to
say that do not think it does. can
not feel satisfied with q scheme OF recon-
struction of these rebel States which
gives no direct and immediate benefit to
the only class Of loyal people living in
them. When ! remember how loyal and
faithful these people ever proved, how
they led, clothed concealed, and guided
our prisoners who had escaped from
rebel prisons and starvation how faith
fully and truly they brought us infor-
nation and guided our troops and
more than ALL how calamity they fought
they yielded their lives to save the ma
ton, | feel that something more direct
shodld be granted to and done for them.
I should be much better satisfied +, the
right Of suffrage had been given at once
to the more intelligent Of them aud such
as had served in oar army,
But it is believed by wiser ONES than
myself that this amendment will very
soon produce some grant of suffrage to
them, and that the craving for political
power will ere long give them universal
suffrage. Such | know to be the Upn-
ion of many intelligent Union men of
the South with whom | have con
versed. | trust the result may be as
they predict and that the dav may
come when Ia all the nation, as in my
own free State, the law shall make and
know no difference between men on &C
count of race or color, Believing that
this amendment probably goes as far in
favor Of suffrage TO the negro as Is prac-
ticable to accomplish now, and hoping
it may in the end accomplish all I de
sire in this respect ! shall vote for its
adoption, although | should be glaj 10
60 further.
which we have adopted, disabIes the
leaders Of the rebellion. both civil and
military, from holding office unless re-
stored by act Of Congress Can the
South, can the men who are thus dis
abled, complain of this Were ever
men who had been guilty of armed re-
bellion against their lawful Government
treated with such lenity The history
of the world shows no parallel of mercy
like this. Never before was there re-
bellton of half the magnitude OF this. l
might say of hundredth part the mag
nitude of this, that the streets did not
run with the blood of the offenders. A
war without cause. or pretended cause.
except that the opposite parry had car
ried the election in Il constitutional way,
which resulted in killing and disable
ing probably half million men on
our side, involving us in debt of S.
100000, 900 to burden us and our chill
dren after us, and we exact as penalty