Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-05-02
Vermont Ideas i'm Virginia.

Vermont Ideas I'm virginia.
We are in receipt OF an excellent
speehc delivered on the 8th inst. before
a mass meeting of Union men of Peters.
burg, Va, by James FL. Plat, Jr.,
former citizen of Burlington.
Mr.. Plat served for three years of the
war as Captain in the 4th Vt. Regiment,
and at the close Of the struggle settled
in Petersburg, whereby Yankee energy
and business enterprise, he has acquired
a handsome property.
Mr.. Platt, after urging upon his col
ored hearers the Importance of perfect
political organization and unity of
action, and of acquiring the blessings of
education hitherto denied them, closes
In the following sensible strain
Adopt for your political guidance the
great principles of the Declaration of In
dependence which l have enumerated,
and these which l will now mention as
those hope to see adopted by the Re-
publican party of this State,
LIST. Equal protection to all men be-
fore the courts, and equal political rights
in all respects 49, including the right to
hold office.
I'd. A system of common school edu-
cation which shall give to all classes,
free schools and free and equal partic-
ipation in all its benefits.
Sd. A more just and equable system
Of TO nbicb oho1l oppnrtiop tovac
to property, and require all to pay in
proportion to their ability.
4th. Abolition of the usury laws.
5th. Encouragement to internal i'm
provements, and every inducement that
can be offered to emigration.
We want these and all other good OBJ
jects for "the greatest good Of the great
est number"
And now will tell you what we don't
want. We want no confscation. We
want no prescription. We want no
punishment--no vengeance. We want
the past rubbed out and forgotten as far
| as possible. Where forgiveness Is neces-
sary, we want it extended. Let all men
not disqualified at common law, have
the full and restricted rights we claim
for ourselves, and then, relying upon
the great truths we advocate, let US
| fight for their success, with an unwav-
ering trust, that by their own inherent
| force by their wisdom and their fidelity
to right and principle, they must and
will triumph. And whenever any man,
let him be white or black, stranger to
you or lifelong friend, comes out
square and fair, boldly and fearlessly on
this platform, and you believe him sincere,
welcome him as a friend trust him i'm
| plicitly, and if he betrsys that trust,
consign him to political oblivion deep
as the Internal pit
No one now fails to recognize your
rights and privileges, or will attempt to
deprive you Of their exercise. You will
be allowed full and perfect freedom of
political action, and to vote as your con-
science may dictate; and no white man
can be so blind to his own interests and
the interests of his section to wish,
much less attempt to deprive you of the
labor which you diligently perform, in
case you should not vote to please him.
You represent in your persons the most
important element of our future prosper
ity you represent the laboring masses
of the South-the field hand, the house
servant, the mechanic, the artisan.
Your sinewy arms have felled the for
est opened the farm and plantation,
made the road, the canal, the railroad
by the sweat OF your brows the sunny
South was made to bloom like the rose
it is you whose labor has quickened the
wheels OF commerce, and swelled the &C
cumulated wealth Of the world; upon
your brawny shoulders rest now the fu-
ture prosperity Of this noble State and
who that is here to-day doubts your
worthiness Of the trust confded in you
Many of you are ignorant, but through
no fault of yours, and with your own
hard work, and the Divine assistance
which is working so wondrously in your
behalf, you will overcome that ignor.
ance, and become free, prosperous, en-.
lightened, virtuous and happy. You
will make for yourselves name as q
people, which shall honor your days
and give to your children and children's
children, as honorable and euviable a
condition as that Of any peasantry on
earth.