Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-04-04

- sopans su6tsgs 70 the white popalA-
sioa. II Ia apparent, therefore, that
these provisions do not eouloru to ~
standard Of republication which Coo
gress seeks to establish. That there may
be no mistake, It Ia only necessary that
reference should te made TO the engisa
act, which declares such constitauoas
should provide that the elective fraa.
chise shall be enjoyed by all such per.
sons a. have the qualifications theroaa
stated for election Of delegates. WtioA
class OF persons Is here meant clearly
appears In the same section, that is -
say-the male citizens OF said StatA
tweuty.one years old and upward, Of
whatever race, color or previous c0ndf-
ton, who have been resident In saia
State for one year previous 70 the date
OF such election. without these provi-
sions no constitution which can Be
formed In any one Of the ten States will
be Of any avail with Congress. This
then, Is the test of what lconstitutioo
Of State of this Union must contain -
make 1t republican. Measured by such
. standard, how few Of the States noW
composing the Union have republican
constitutions II In the exercise Of the
constitutional guaranty that Congress
shall secure to every State republican
form Of government, universal suffrage
for blacks IS well as whites Is stse f&S
non, the work Of reconstruction may as
well begin in Ohio as in Virginia, In
Pennsylvania as in North Carolina.
When I contemplate the millions Of
nwr calInuu ottixono ~ tho QOuth nth M
alternative left but to impose upon
themselves this fearful and untried ex-
pertinent of complete negro enfranchise-
ment and white Acknowledgement, 1t may
be almost as complete, or submit indef-
initely to the rigor of martial law with
out a single attribute as freemen, de-
prived of all the sacred guarantees Of
our Federal Constitution, and threaten
ed with even worse wrongs, 1t seems To
me their condition Is the most deplor-
able to which any people can be re-
duced.
1t is true that they have been engaged
in rebellion, and that in their object to
bring about separation OF the States
and dissolution Of the Union there was
an obligation resting upon every loyal
CltlLSu w hcdb buCM % CuChtC0t 0ho W
wage war against their cause. In6exi-
bly, opposed to any movement imperif-
ling the integrity of the government, I
did not hesitate to urge the adoption Of
all measures necessary for the suppress
sion Of the instruction. After long
and terrible struggle, the efforts of the
government were triumphantly success
full, and the people Of the South, submit
ting to the stern arbitranent, yielded
forever the issues Of the contest Hos
tilities terminated soon after 1t became
my duty to assume the responsibilities
Of the chief executive officer of the re
public, and at once endeavored to re-
press and control the passions which
civil war had engendered, and no longer
regarding these erring millions as ene-
mics, again acknowledged them as our
| friends and our countrymen. The war
| had accomplished its objects, the nation
was saved, and that cardinal principle
of mischief which, from the birth Of the
government, had gradually but inevita-
| bly, brought on the rebellion, was totally
| eradicated. Then, it seemed to me, was
the suspicious time to commence the
work Of reconstruction. Then, when
the people sought once more our friend
ship and protection, considered it our
| duty generously to meet them in the
| spirit of charity and forgiveness, and to
| conquer them even more effectually by
the magnanimity of the nation than by
the force of it's arms. yet believe that
if the policy of reconstruction then in
augurated, and which contemplated an
| ~ nf 20 all
their political rights, had received the
support Of Congress, every one of these
ten States and all their people would ut
this moment be fast anchored in the Up-
ion, and the great work which gave the
war all its sanction and made it just and
holy, would have been accomplished.
Then, over all the great and truthful
regions of the South, peace and its
blessings would have prevailed, where
now millions are deprived of the right
guaranteed by the Constitution to every
citizen, and after two years Of legisla-
ton And themselves placed under an ab-
solute military despotism. "a military
republic, a government formed on mock
elections, and supported only by the
sword" was nearly 8 quarter Of cen
| tuI bluCS pEUuOuuCcu Wy DautCi VCV
ster, when speaking OF the South Ameri-
can States, movement, indeed, but q
retrogrsde and disastrous movement
from the regular and old fashioned mon
archicsl systems and added, "if men
would enjoy the blessings OF republican
government, they must govern them
selves by reason, by mutual counsel and
consultation, by sense and feeling Of
general interest, and by the acquieseuce
OF the minority In the will Of the major
ity properly expressed; and, above all.
the military must be kept, according to
the language OF our Bill Of Rights, in
strict subordination to the civil author
ity. Whenever this lesson is not both
learned and practiced, there can be no
political freedom. Absurd preposter-
Gus! 1t is scof at and satire on
free forms of constitutional liberty for
forms Of government to be prescribed
by military leaders, and the right OF
suffrage to he exercised at the point Of