Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-11-21

drafts unparalleled in magnitude, bad to be in-
provised, had to be poised and balanced swiftly
but with a conscientious regard to the rights of
individuals and the rights Of the country. In
sustry, while so lavishly contributing to the
support and life blood CT the nation. had to be
tenderly nursed and wisely and heorically stimu-
lated. Fortunately our financial means to the as
| tonishment of our enemies, if not of our friends,
proved adequate to our exegencies, great as
they were.
| Here possibly some vulnerable or unprotected
! Joints, some debateable theories or doubtful
practices might have been found inviting the
weapons of assaiants, but our opponents choose
10 make the issue one between the virtues of
the President and those of Congress. No
American can now seek to diminish tie virtues
of the President and do not intend to dispar-
age them, although shall speak plainly. 1t
requires some courage 10 make a member
of Congress hold up MS head when a ompar-
son is invoked with one who defes and cha-
lenges in high deb te the whole Of Congress,
collectively Individually, and who " ack-
knowiedges no superior except bis God, the au
thor of his existence. and the people of the
United States" God, to be sure, is still his
80 superior" Let be thankful for that
But the people have in part just voted, and by
this time, l fear, his Excellency may think
they are as much his infer s even members
of Congress. No one il it were personal and
not political would venture to appear in COM
petition with so exalted, AID swinging
around the circle at will.
he dignity and moderation of President
Johnson, conspicuously displayed IN his re-
cent sober and pious pilgrimage to the tomb of
a deceased statesman, are so broadly appre-
ciatcd that they need not be dweIt upon.
But the Presidents political doctrine, l
think, may be open to more serious anmsd-
version. He struck out early with such ter
rife boidness OF speech, I" chastising traitors
with so much audacity of tongue that his
warmest friends trenb,ed lest he should prove
a relentless and viudictive prosecutor OF rebels,
already whipped, ard, if truly 1epentanr, as
they then appeared, deserving of some pity
short of conhscatlon and death. But while he
gave utterance TO numbering and wrathfu.
words with the air of an offended Jupiter, in
deeds he was very meek-as meek as q Tennes-
see Moses. The red-handed rebels, worth
$50 600, Came for pardoDs, not singly, nor IN
pairs, but in droves, aud what faileo
IN his mission Is not Mayor Monroe OF
New Orleans, with a pardon IL his pocket, as
shl;e wool? 3? Even Clement c. Clay, Jr.,
the advsier and correspondent, uslDg The same
cy pher Of the assassin Booth, though inter
cepted when fleeing from the country, gees al
large his paroe, and Is at home spoken of as
4 iii candidate for the United States .Serate
from Alabsms Ana yet the President a one
time no doubt truly Union man aud had
- tie mouth OF q lion He said, before he
delivered his me morabe inengural-now his
tolIc-" We get men IN command who under
the il liueLce of Hauery, fawnlng and caresSlog z
grant protection 10 the rlch traitor, while the
poor Union nan stands out in tie cold, often
unable to get a receipt or g voucher Tor his
losses" How lamentable that these words
could not have been engraved on the heart.
He said that, - traitors must be made
Il Ix hot by he /.
dripping d blood, at New Orleans, and de-
grading Sheridan, the gallant and true-de
grading him because he true and told hIs
tale without gloss and without he
lie said " traitors must be punished and I'M
poverlshed." Does he fear any personal ap
pIcaton OF his dec rine He Is making {
crusade against the party and principles wh'ct
placed him ID power-otiering the brIbe of al
the offices ~ the country 10 those who VII
tail down, down, down and worship a. his foot
stool. Those " no fail need hardly expect tc
rise again. But has the secret service fund
been exhausted . that he may vita Do-littl'
associates, te called upon TO pay the expense
OF uuf- rtura:e campaign With the Ide
Of November l Go expect that p0lltlcGI treach
ery, al least, will be somewhat impoverished
Wnere Is the theory of the President, upol
which be accepted ms nomination, when tn
foremost loya!Ists of the South ure " kick Il
out II office," 10 use his own phra eology, ant
pardoned IT bsls put in their places, the place
Of those appointed by Lincoln ?-Lincoln
fallen length that tower Of strength
With stool fIur-sq nsr- TO all toe winds lhat pe~
The President said " traitors N ust take bac
. seats IN the work Of the recons;ru ctlon." fe
who occupied the front seats at the Ph hiladel
. phia Convention ? Bat l forgot. South Car
5 DINA folded 10 the arms OF sssachusetls dl
cause the resident to weep True the rebel
t.r prf,u Ier *
= SIMPSONS three hundred foxes, and thoug
their heads appear to look north and sout
i their tails are Joired with frebrands TO set th
Union on fire. Why should not the PresI
d; Ident weep Pie may, leJ say {. him in
whisper, cry lis eyes now, for the fire does DC
seem TO burn much
&, Notwthstand ing The poor opinion the Pre-:
S ident entertains of Congress and loudly pre-
, clains every law passed 1T the last session, O
practical importance, except two, was approx
I ed by him. One of these the Freed
mems Bureau Bill which only conferred upor
nim some additional military authority to pre-
.ect loyal refugees and the poor negro froI
: actual starvation and from being lynched an
: bounded by their cruel pursuers and the otne
was the Civil Rights B.il-made law of th
land by a two-thlrds vote of both Houses, and
: if The 39th Congress needed any salt to prs
serve its memory iresh in all the future, ths
one act alone would be al-suthclent. In
act extended the privileges of a citizen, tn
= right of protection TO life, Liberty and prop
J erty to sue and be sued, 10 give evidences, etc
= to ali persons, including those who have here
: ,ofore had - 10 rights which white man va
: bound to respect" These measures, 50 ht
name and 80 mpe tatively demanded by eli ou
surroundings, were vetoed by the Presiden
= and he the grace to Gail his aclio
=. sounding the tocsin of alar n whenever n
: saw the citadel of liberty In danger. ReJec
y ing the first military aid and then rejecting IN
: authority of la9 the courts, 1t would ratht
- seem that The President sounded, not "he
: liberty was in danger, but when 1t was about
be protected. Inc son asked for bread an
! he, oeing father, gave him a stone. but IN
> issue is before the grand Inquest OF the ma
: ton. Inc people will decide between tn
President and Congress Aye the verdI
g has aread, began 10 be revealed. Ii was whispe
. ed in Vermont, not concealed in OHIO, Pennsylv
. MIA. and elsewhere, and when New York ar
:. other states, follow, as follow they will, we sha
a nave it in such thunder tones that even
: Washington the deaf will hear, the blind Sc
20 and in due time every body who Is lame, trus
will 1raik,
j, Permit me, Mr.. President, the brieie
= possible manner to al!ude to the amendmen
> TO the Constitution proposed BY Congress. II
i. first is definition of ctIz- -nshIp and securir
!, TO all citiZeDs equal protection under the law
, This havlng long been controverted point
- urgently required, the Legislatures an
- courts at the South would sOon make Il
emancipation of the colored race nuihty-
- uyo bava RIGHT to demand one uf