Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1866-10-26
guatrbman & Stair 1ournaI.
BY 4. P. WALTON.
MONTPELIER, OCTOBER 20, 1866.

nounced just before dark last evening that Hon f,
Woodbridge would speak at the Representatives Hall,
at O'Clock, on the constitutional smepdment and
other political questions But notwithstanding the
shortness Of the notice the Hall was well filed The
meeting was called to order by Hon NJ Dorr, Pres
ident pro ten Of the Senate, who introduced Mr..
Woodbridge.
Upon taking the stand Mr.. Woodbridge discaimed
any desire for political pr,fefment or prominence in
addressing the Legislature At this time, but did
solely in ruIouse 10 their wish as expressed in the
resolution which they bad so unanimously adopted.
But what he had to say this evening would be as the
thin vine 20 to speak, before the ohoioer and richer
wine which his colleagues would administer to them
to morrow Uhisl evening.
After paying bnef and eloquent tribute to the
memory Of the late Senators Collamer and Foot the
speaker came to the main sui eot-the constitutional
amendment Any amendment Of the constitution, he
said, should be approached with great caution but
in the formation Of our government our fathers had
no precedent 10 guide thtm, with the progress and
growth Of the country changes would be required to
meet the necessities OF the people. Slavery al
lowed to hrd It's way into the form of government,
but it's growth has been ispid and ts power po-
that to usuIp the rens Of government IT,
self, and eliminated in placing in the executive chair
the iruculent Buchanan, surrounded by Cabinet Of
whom the iheyng Floyd and the traitor Davis, were
the controlling spirits Thepcople now became aware
Of the danger that threatened hsm and in their
majesty and elected as he chief magistrate Of the
ton that pure and noble patriot, Abraham Lincoln.
Then folloHe. the wat oflsGl, with all its varied
Of triumph srd defeat but We now look back
upon it but to zee the hand OF God-the God Of the
Purlaus who hitt id loot upon New England soil,
aud planted there the principles Of freedom and equal
ityWho had d,crtcd that the should be closed
unu slavery no longer existed in the land Slavery,
an Institution, was dead, the war had been ended,
and the great question II to- day what shall be
done with the States lately in Itbelllong'
One theory was that the late TO be regarded
in the same nsturess foreign war--he States h,ying
seeded from ard gone out oithe Union, must be
brought back into the Union by The same process as
foreign State would te admitted into the Union.
Another theory was that the States never were out
Of the Union, INT in il uch they ever we're
They were in rebellion sRsinst the Union but as soon
as that rebellion IVES cot ouu,d and the war was
c sed, they 10 be once re habilitated in all
their iormer relations The Union
lie did not believe in either Of these theories His
position that the iebelious States are in III Union
far as the Jurisdiction Of the United States govern
ment was concerned; hatihey bound at all times
to obey the laws Of the United States; that they were
obliged 10 support and maintain the integrity Of the
general government; but having practically surren-
dered their relations TO the Fedcai Government and
bay q deetro, "a and di,,ured that Relation, So fr "a
they could having overthrovn their own ststa GOV
erumtnts and of e,utse the Constitution, ursr ,biob
they had lived ard been proteeied by The FEDERAL now
er, hey have no right to representation until they
come ms loyal people under the sanction Of a repub
lican TORN vi government 1hequestiou with Congress
was did they so come at ls,f session ~ cror,sy
Tie Peiiept had ss,pm,a thst the rebeliops s,stos
were at the close of the war. wholly without state
governments, and If was nroer hat the, ,bonld
become organ zed As STArts t,ior to taxing mart in
the national tGsrs Do.sit follow that bsvi,e torn
up and scattered to the winds tbir old Con sitution
tbat after having dereed theisrd with ustriotic blood
and carried wahr and oe into every marietta honse
hold and o,eat,d doh, of ,bres hpnd,ed rili;,s ~
dollars fv reason of their treason vb.p d,,e, nv
of ne bs,orst IN Ia, down tbeir
t,uow tho, nor IA Co,s,i.,i1,, h.
the breath Of lie sooin h,,,,b,d ;,to I'D ,h,r
la,iops ia the general eoverpmep, al r,,,orel .rd
tbev are ,rti,l.d IN ,en,e.,ntot,,rtr c,r,r,ss =.
mann Ii So ubuo Is n. s,ety If ,be o,rr,ry,
where he to,dy ,shsuion7
The coutttv Wruld tp nov erl.. f,r ito own r,,oc
ton R,beliou woult follow rehellon. i, surreotion
would follow iusuueetion If he, spcceede1 well. II
not vber. in an Exhausted eonditiop thew Law down
their arms the traitor Who has sopobt IN e,,ov tho
government enters st once with the pa,rot Who has
SOUGHT ia prot.ot tho ooy,rnu,rt with his ,nor, and
he blyol into the fun and the free partieiuaon in the
councils Of the nation In short. such = monstrous
Io,1ine would only transfer esttempt upsuceesfl
in the field to an opportunity in thelegsave halls to
destroy The nstion In tletne csc theattenpt u BY
war; in the othei the FIST failinatbey entr Con-
g,ss wah he same tressoDahle aud Indignant spirit,
and bs political eotruptrp and intrirue aecouplisb
that which the, G. uld not eff CT hy arms
Con gree. at its la,t session refused to admit the
reIeous slntes TO r,preseutatop. beeause thew wish
cd 10 man ri fbeussves srd tho co,,,,r soin., inst
this state Of affairs The President had Indicted IN
the States that " on certain conditions ihey ,bopld be
admitted TO rept,s,utAtiop Int he had Vet In learn
what right the President had to make any such prom
i.es. Congress Itself nus be ,he Judge Of the quali6
eatiop Of its own pbtrs atd for the nrpo,e of es
tAtlhirg uie hist should be Just to themselves
to lie country AID 10 the rebellious States had pro
posed certain smtndu,ntsio the Constitution; hut
with the cxcepiion perbaps OF Tennessee the proyi
ions Of III, Con,i'ud had not been complied with in
There had been 10 scli, n. under The Constitution. by
the constituency back Of the representatives elect that
gave them the right 10 represeptstop ard the p,ipo
pie o. self prese rvaton gave to Congress the right to
exclude the rete lous States nom such epresena,iou
We must protect ourtelvts and our posterity, which