Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-03-13


| EXECUTIVE MANSION,
Washington, d. e., August Is, 1865. :
Coz. William L. Sharkey. Jackson, Mss.
am grstifed to see that you have organized your
| Convention without difficulty. l hope that with
out delay your Convention will amend your
State Constitution, abolishing slavery, and de-
nying to all future Legislatures the power to
leglslae that there is property In nan and also
| that they will adopt the amendment to the Con-
stitution of the United States abolshing slavery.
If you could extend the elective franchise to all
persons of color who can read the Constitution
| of the United States in English. and write their
names, and to ali persons of color who own rea |
estate valued not less than $3.50, and pay
taxes thereon, you would completely disarm the
adversary, and set an example the other states
will follow. This you can do with perfect safe
ty, and you thus place the Southern States, with
reference free persons OF color, upon the same
basis with the Free States. | hope and trust
your Convention will do this, and as consequence
the radicals, who are wild upon negro franchise,
will bs completely foiled 10 their attempts to
keep the Southern States from renewing their
relations to the Union, by not accepting their
Senators and Representatives.
ANDREW JOHNSON,
President of the United States.
There are four points noticeable in this letter,
viz:
l. The President then favored giving suffrage
to some of the Freedmen.
q He said it could be done with perfect
safety" thus showing that then he had no fear
of the 50 war of races which he now loses no
opportunity to urge a reason why black men
shall not vote.
3. He had then the same hostility against
Z" the radicals -" the adversary" as he calls
them-ss he has now and was scheming how ne
might foil them.
4. He did not favor suffrage then because it
was just, but because 1t would help him carry
his plan through OF forcing Congress to recog-
nlze his method of reconstruction.
We have seen nothing, not even his disgrace
ful speech of the 22d of February-which, taken
in connection with his present posi- ton, shows
President Johnson in more unfavorable light
than this letter. He appears here as the secret,
scheming, arttul politician, who has no prlncl-
Piles, but makes everything subordinate to his
determination to foil the ladicas. He also ap-
pears the man who wilfully, or with shock
ing ignorance, IN isrepresents the radicals as de-
string to keep the southern representatives and
senators out of Congress without just reason.
He also appears in the character of an unjust
Judge who would do justice. counsel 1t to be
done, to accomplish a;personal triumph, hen he
would not do 1t because it was right. 10 foil
the radicals he would grant suffrage to those
who are clearly entitled to it otherwise he
would withhold it from them
We are not surprised that the President it'll
held for several weeks his correspondence with
southern provisional governors, when 1t YVES
asked for by both Houses of Congress. Such
letters as this to Sharkey show his policy to have
been wrong from the start The intriguing pol
itician is uppermost everywhere. Hi guiding
star is not the fixed light CT truth and right
eousness, but the success Of Andrew JohnsOn's
not inquire what justice demands, but what
must be done to foil the adversary the repub-
llcans. He does not say to Sharkey, Do this be-
cause it will be inexpressibly dlshonorable and
mean and dishonest and unrighteous in the Uni
tel States to refuse to do 1t. but. Do 1t, and
81 the radicals who wild upon negro suffrage
Will be pletely foIled.' Is it surprising that
be who in August last inspired by no higher
motive should now daily make speeches which
PENNsYLvANIA.-The Republicans of Penn
sylvania held their State Convention last week
and nominated Gen. Joht w. Geary for govern
or. The Convention, by vote of 1l9 to 81 =,
passed the following resolutions
Resolved, That the work OF recognizing the
late nsurrectionary States to their proper rels-
tons to the Union necessarily devolves upon the
lou hat
shall be taken, State lately in insurrectio is
entitled represent alton in either branch OF Con-
gress that, primary TO such action, 1t Is the
right of Congress to investigate for itself the con-
dition OF the Legislation of these States TO inquire
respecting their loyalty, and to prescribe the
of restoratlc and that to deny this neces-
sary constitutional power is to deny and imper /
one of the dearest rights belonging to our repre-
sentative form of government, and that we cor
daily approve of he action OF the Union Repre-
sentative in Congress from Pennsy vania on this
subject.
Resolved, That the public faith is solemnly
pledged to the protection IN the enjoyment OF all
their natural rights, of their persons, property,
and domestic relations, of the colored population
who have been emancipated by the fat OF the
people, under the Providence Of God, and who
deserved liberty by their kindness and fidelity to
our soldiers in prison, wounded seeking escape
from their tormenters; by their courage in bear
ing arms for and fighting the battles of the Union,
even is more precious than money IN
every just account, SO the honor of the nation is
more sacredly engaged to these humble but never
treacherous friends, than those who hold its bonds
stamped with the broad seal of the United State
that their freedom shall not be mockery, nor
their just hopes of security, education and eleva-
tion in intellectual and moral imprC vement dis
appointed, and these facts must be kept inviolate.
Resolved, That the Hon. Edgar Cowan, Senator
from Pennsylvania, by his course in the Senate of
the United States has disappointed the hopes and
has forfeited the confidence of those 10 whom ne
his place, and that he is hereby most earnest
ly requested to resign
An office holder offered the following resolution ::
That relying the well tried loyalty and devo-
ton of Andrew ohnson to the cause of the Union
in the dark days of treason and rebellion, and
remembering his patriotic conduct, services and
suAerngs which, in times past endeared his name
to the Union party, and now reposng full conf
dence in his ability, integrity and patriotism, we
express the hope and confidence that the policy of
his Administration will be SO shaped and con-
Quoted as to save the nation from the pers which
still surround it.