Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-11-07


nothing but treason, to be entitled-if he can
get through the test oath'-not only to the
right of suffrage, but he may hold office
but. we have said to them, that these promi-
nent men who have held up their hands and
called upon God to witness that they would
be true to the Constitution of the Uuited
States and then have gone into bloody war
to tear down and destroy the government
they have sworn to protect, until you have
shown by sufficient length OF good oehaVlor
that you have repepted the wrong you have
done, you shall hold no Office until two thirds
of Congress say you may. Is there any thing
rash or unjust in this? Can you point me to
an instance in any country where traitors to
their government, rebels who have been COM
PEELED to submit to their government, have
ever been let off on such terms as these
There have been rebellions from time to time
in England-not such we have had exactly,
but rising from disputes as to who was the
rightful heir TO the crown, some questions OF
genealogy where some one would ASSERT their
right to the crowu-and whenever this
manner of rebels have been subdued have
not the streets run with blood, has not their
property been taken by the crown, and has
any one of these rebels got off with his head
But we say, keep your property, you may
even vote, but you can not take into your
hands the reins of government until you
shall have shown a sufficient degree OF re-
pen lance! Was there ever such lenity
shown before? l trow not You may search
all history but no instance can be found OF
any such clemency extended to rebels
Mr. President, | have said all ought Ito
say, but will add word in reference to the
opposition toward these amendments. Where
does the oppositionI to these Constitutional
Amendments come from? Do you suppose
toat if t ese propositions had been made to
the South in a month after Lee surrendered
that they would have made any cavll about
it? Ttey would not have expected to get of
u pom snch terms as these They woul have
acceded to something far more severe than
anything that Is prop sed 10 these amend
| ments But, in an evil hour, ti.e rens OF
Government fell into the hands Of Southern
man
! | do not desire - say an, hing harsh IN
regard 10 the President, | have no doubt,
myself, that be was thoroughly honest IN be
leving that tho plan that be got up was an
/ excellen.ly good one But the Southern men
/ came about him and deceived him 10 relation
/ to their sentiments. They reported to him
tn at everything was going on in harmonious
style, and that lenient policy would be very
satisfactory to both the North and South. /
! have no doubt that he did believe that he had
| got up q new scheme that would work veil.
| But when it was put in operation; when
they had got g. restored " they believed
wheu they had elected their members to Con-
grees and supposed-as the boys have it
that they were out of the woods, then We
begon TO hear from Memphis, and from New
Orleans. They supposed that they had done
all that was required technically, and then
began to act out their part of the programme
And President Johnson although he found
mis- policy was working ruin to the interests
of the South, and to the people of the South
black and white, and rum TO the Union, va;
too willful and obstinate TO alter 1t.
HIS policy was inaugurated and set IN a
frame st the Philadelahia Convention. Their,
the party wa. born-a party to sustain ant
carry forward this policy Of Mr.. johnson
And who made the perty' Have you ever
heard of real Southern Union man who II
in favor of Mr.. johnson or his policy? Dc
you know s single man who joined IN saying
that the war was = failure and ought to bs
stopped who is not johnson man 1t is
very strange state of things that all the loyal
lists in the country were changed IN slngl
. moment-in the twinkling of an eye-at thI
, convention, which only las,ed five hours, an'
at which not q word was said But 1t i
. said that there were some Republicans In 81
. Johnson Convention. 1t is true, there wer
here and there enc, but they we're farthe
apart than angels visits, and if you will lool
where, by some gravel on the track, the
f were switched off [Laughterl great at
= tempt was made to cover this over and
:, think the use they made Of these few rene
a gade Repu blicans they had, deserves credit
! but the veil was too thin.
Mr.. President, | have already spoken thrs
times a. long as [ had intended, but befor
Il closing | want TO say Just another wor
= about the Presidents. 4 great many peopl
NJ
! have always had hopeful feeling, ia fact
+? belong to the hopeful school of philosopher
!, | have fear, that when We have gon
a through this war God is going Co desel
y us now and let Andy Johnson carry s
/ off to perdition. If he able to take tt
A first step there might be ser )us DANCE
:, Some think he will take the Democratic men
q bers of Congress and put the Southern men
= bers with them aud call It Congress, leavIn
h out such as do not believe in it, but III
- makes me think of the mau who wanted
| Jump very high indeed, and started so ia
~ back In order to make a good jump, that
ir fell dor0n before he got there
n, The first step have to take is to sen
an loyal representatives from the north, and 81
+ recent elections here demonstrate that th
= people are not to be swerved one jot or tIstl
"a | have never had any doubt of the result. I
10 far as we have gone, Vermont, Maine PEN
or and will be followed up by New York al
, these other States, and we shall not lose
h. man in Congress. | have never felt Ill
ns responding. | have never fsit the slighte
,e fears that there would be anything differeu
ON This idea that turning out few OF 81
II Postmasters is going to effect the elections
!, all moonshne. The President might just
st we'll turn out 50 many mosquitoes, it seer
IT to me. Mr.. President, have always be-
10 accustomed to tn INK and feel that wi
"A belonged to nv party belonged to the rig
Ne party and ought to have the office, and th
it was nothing save a little Troublesome to
7 turned out of office occss'onaliy, but dou
-. its influencing the vote of any one save t
b. one who is turned out , The influence tt
>. will have Will amount 10 little or nothin
he We have every reason e. presume, Mr.. Pr
80 ident, and | feel that glorious future
10 opening to Allow me 10 thank y
If again for the support and favor L have
-, ceived at your HANDS, and Tor your kind
I'm tention. (Applauss
'ff sor he Freeman
- Railrl nd Meeting