Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-06-20

| tation In Congress, they extend ffrage to all
| the cOlored men, such al element of LOYALTY
would thereby be infused into the haiot-b box
that, added to the white loyalty existing there,
We hight safely count upon a portion uf their
representation being reliable, true Union meu,
and thus avoid solid sectional vote against
he interests of that part of the country which
has saved It, In my judgment, there is no
| reasonable ground of fear, whether they do
or do not extend suffrage to colored men. that
the control of the national Government can
| be Fl laced in disloyal hands.
Will the adoption of this amendment work
any wrong or Injustice to the white people of
| the South?
| While slavery existed they were allowed
representation upon three-ffths of their slaves
lt Is somewhat difficult to see any principle
| upon which this basis was adopted. LII they
stood upon the same footing a. the on-voting
" hite population. then they should have had
| representation for the whole number while
if they were regarded property merely they
| should not have been counted at all. a. 10
property qualification was established or al
lowed IN other respects. Ii any representa-
tion at ali was allowed, 1t was proper that it's
| exercise should be gwen to the masters. as the
condition of absolute de pendence and sub bmiS-
sion IN which the slaves stood rendered all free
and Intelligent choice 'm posi- bic on their part,
aud II The slaves had any fEte-est TO be pro
tected 1t was the master's and not theirs. The
master might possibly be regarded as the head
OF a family, oi which the slaves formed a part,
ard 30 their proper represen tative but | agree
that the analogy i5 exceedingly FAINT But the
compromlse By which this partial representa-
tiOu W IS allowed Ter slaves had prob4bl very
little foundation IN any just principle of rep
Tesenta tiun, but was one of the arbitrary COM
promises by which the conflicting interests of
the two sections were adjusted. The North
consented TO 80 much representation, IN con
deration that direct taxes should be laid in
the same manner. Like all tbs compromises
that have been mace, the South had the b, 8,
OF 1t, as they had large and constant repre-
sentatlon from It, while the direct taxes have
been too small and uDfrequent to furnish any
corresponding advantage TO the North.
But slavery is over and ended. The slave.
have been made free. The masters can no
longer claim TO represent them, either on the
gIou. & that they members or dependents
OF their families OF that ,hey own them as their
property. The former ruiiog Glass IN the
South say, L" These people. now having become
Tree persons, We are entItled To have our rep
resen alton raised by the enumeration OF the
whole Tor that purpose Very well. " say
we, g. let the same rule of suffrage extend TO
them as Is applied to the white people, ami
De represented tor them ali. = - By no means'
II is answered a. they are too Ignorant to
know how 10 protect their own interests IN
voting and therefore will vote for them
and euil more, We cannot permit them to vote
because IL would tend To elevase them socially
10 something like the elevated plane upon
winch We stand, which We will not submit
to-
Is there any just ground upon which The
southern whites can claim that they should
ram l-arr rha Ia
those lately held in slaveryt Do they stand
in The same relation to them that the fathers,
husbands, and brothers of a northern com
munlty 90 TO their non-votIBg women and
children, whose ln ertsts are dear them
as their own! How opposite In theory and
IN fact the relation b,twe-p them. Tney d.
not regard them a. having common interest
u be supported, but hosnie element In
society 10 be spurned and crushed
l1 sc, us 10 me perfectly manifest that upon
no just tirincIple should representation be a.
lowed 10 the whites account OF the negroes
Suppose We test tins by the actual choice of
the negroes themselves.
LII the neg Were allo wei to choose rem
resentatlves themselves, and TO choose between
theT iormet masters or Others like them AM
men ike The senior Senators from Massa ,hu-
se,is ami ONO, whIcu would be elected [
would be "IIlIGg 10 wager well on the success
oI my friends here. L think 1t perfectly lust
for US 10 say, - If you viii los let these pc
pie vote you snail not alone represent them
but we Will do 1t jointly. We believe We have
shelr true interests at heart quite as muca as
you We believe We understand their wants
quite as well, and We are satisfied they will b.
more Content under our 5lnt representation
than under yours alone.
ID e tbs amendment do lustice to the co..
OTed people of the South? Mr. PresIdenr |
im sorry to leel compelled to say tn.r do not
tllnk II DDS. | cannot feel satisfied with a
scheme ot reconstruction OF these rebel s "a es
whicn gives 40 direct and Immediate benefit
10 the only ass OF loyal pile living in IN, H.
w hen remem Der now loyal and faithful these
people ever proved now they led, clothed,
concealed, and guided our prisoners who had
escapet from rebel prisons and starvation:
how faithfully and truly they brought u. in
formation and guided our troops; and mere
than ali, how gall,ntiy they fought by the
side of cur men, and how nobly ID ylelied
tLeir lives to save the nation, feel that some
thing more direct should be granted TO and
done Tor them | should be much better sat
SHED 1t tae rig h. of suffrage had been gwen
al once to the more IntelIgen; OF Them and
such as had served In army. But L. is
believed by wiser ones than myself that this
amendment VIII very soon produce some grant
Of suffrage u them, AMI that the craving Tor
folltical power Will ere long give them uni
Versa al sufrage. Such L know 60 be the upi,-
lon uf naay intelligent Union men OF the
nth with whom L have conversed. | trust
the result may ee a. they predict, and THAI
Inc day may come when In ali the nation, as
IN my own free stsse, the law shall make and
know no difference between men on account
Df race or color. Believing that this amend
nent probably goes far IN favor of suff age
10 the negro as Is practicable TO accom- plIsh
loWr and hoping 1t may In the end accom- plsh
Ill desire IN this respect, shall vote for its
adoption, although | should be glad to 20
urIher.
The substitute for the third section. which
We have adopted, disables the leaders of the |
ebellion, both civil and military, from hold |
ng office unless restored by act of Congress |
Jan the South, can the men who are thus dI.- |
Ibled, complain of this? Were ever men who |
lad been guilty OF armed rebellion against |
heir lawful government treated with such
entity! The history of the world shows no |
parallel of mercy like this. Never before |
vas there a rebellion of half the magnitude
IT this, that the streets did not run with the
blood of the of.nders. A war without cause,
n pretended cause, except that the opposite
'arty had carried the election in q cobstitu-
Ional way, which resulted IN killing and die
'oiIng probably half million men our
ide, Involving US in debs of 80 900 O0O, 900
o burden US and our children after us, and
We exact as penalty for it, and as meas
Ire OF safety for ourselves, that the leaders
instead OF being hung, shall nOs hold Office
lniess Congress shall tor their good behavior
'r other cause remove the restriction What
they had been taught that a State had the
Constitutional power to secede /? Have not all
ebeliions had as good foundation, and those