The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1866-05-11
Senator WilSOn,s !SDepch

iec'lonary States. until Congress should
have declared the State entitled to repre-
Sentation:
TIE GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY.
On the lSt of May last. tie rebel States
We're PROSTATE at the feet of the nation
completely conquered and suhiugated.
They had fought, and fought bravcIv, for
tour years against the authority of the
country: but they had been defeated, and
/ their people could then have been moulded
at the nations will Abraham Lincoln
bad been aSs;tSsirated. The people of the
rcheliou- States SAW that the Government
Of the nltcd States had a million men in
arms and they were ready to accept anv
policy the nation chose to impose upon
them, and to accept it freely. The lead
er> OF Southern opinion, in May and June
% iH>i year, ali expected the reorganiza-
tlon OF the nSurgent States upon the basis
Of the equality Of all men before the law.
The public sentiment in the South wa,
fast settling down into complete acquic,-
cencc in any conditions the Government
should demand. Many Of the eminent
men of the South chcertuiy ayowed their
readiness to accept the cnfranchi,emcnt of
the black man. and Mr. Reagan and Mr..
Mallory, members OF jeff. Davis cabinet.
publicly advised the granting of suffrage
10 the new-madc freedmen.
Sir, in the North tie religious aSSocia-
tons, at their anniversary meetings. with
voices approaching unanimity, demanded
suffrage for the freedmen: the literary
journals and the religious press ably ami
earnestly advocated entrancIliScmcnt : the
Republican press was unanimous for sut-
ira@e: the New York Herald. always
quick to discern the currents of public
cpinlon, proposed a plan of qualified SUI
tra@c, emhracin" colorcd persons who hal
served III the army or navy, who could
read. who possessed u small amount of
property. or We're members OF Chli>i:n
churches the New York News. edited hy
Zen Wood. Il late member of the House
OF Representatives, took ground in favor
of suffrage i'll an elaborate article: the
New York World, that may perhaps be-
accepted a> the leading Democratic ORGAN
ot the country. declared that suffrage to
n, black man uust conn. .,,uor or I.t,,
The Boston Post. the leading Democratic
iuurnaI of New Enolond WA, ready 70 ox-
tend suffrage to the colored race other
Ijournai>. supporting the Democratic party.
manifested their readiness to settle the
controversy about the rl@iits OF the negro
y @Nln2 l'i'h suffrage for ms own pro'"c-
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And III the mAorta lWordS OF Abraham
Lincoln. that
.Thr ballot OF the black man in som,
irving time to come may keep the Jewel OF
liberty in ;hc family Of freedom"
Thauuhilul men, anxious to heal III,
vnunl~ nf civil war and i,,rv in t;,r,.t.
fitness the memories Of old contests. wcr,
Speaking for universal suffrage for for,
oiy;po and ro~torinn alI
II fine President of fine limited Stare,
hal seized that uolen moment. that uranl
ovDort,nitv then vouch,alad bv I'ro,i
hence to wcapon the hand Of the new mad,
freeman wifi, ,ha ballot these sec,iona
controversies woald have pcrShed forever
, line representative. of tbe r,.b,.IIinus S,ata
! woul,i ere this have IilIcl these vacant
chairs. and the heavens would be rainin.
their choicest blessings upon the nation to,
/ , decd So wise AMI 80 iu.t Eut fine Pros
| ident. though frankly avowin" himself !,
t favor OF qualified sufIraoc, declined 10 as
t >ume the responsibility which the condj
e ton Of the country imposed upon him
+ AMI the great opportunity God gave til,
, nation to destroy caste, to clotle th
cmancpatcd race with power to GUAR,
their own liberties. riohts. and interest