Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-12-11

competent judicial tribunal. If this does no
satisfy all our desires with regard to tn,
southern rebels, let us console ourselves b,
reflections that free Constitution triumph
ant III war and unbroken in peace, is worth
far more to us and our children than th,
qualification Of any present feeling. 1 an
aware It Is assumed that this system of gov
ernment for the southern states is not to b,
perpetual. Ii is true this military govern
nent is to be only provisional; but 1t il
through this temporary evil that create,
evil IS 70 be made perpetual. If the guaran
tres OF tae Constitution can be broken pro
YisionaIiy- u serve temporary purpose, ano
III part only Of the country, we can destroy
them everywhere and for all time. Arbitra-
ry measures often change, but they generally
change for the worse. 1t is the curse of des
p3tism that 1t has no halting place. Inter
nitted exercise OF its power brings no sense
OF security u its subjects, for they can never
know what more thev will be called to en-.
dure when it's red right hand is armed tc
plague them again. Nor is it possible tc
conjecture how or where power unrestrained
by law may seek its next victims. State.
that are still free may be enslaved at any
moment, for if the Constitution does not pro
tect ali, il protects none.
NEGRO SUFFRAGE
= IL ~ minlteStlY anu ayOWedly the object
of these laws t. confer upon negroes the
privilege OF voting, and To dislranchise such a
number of white citizens as will give the
former clear .najorityn Mt all elections in the
southern states. This, to the minds of some
persons. j. 50 important, that violation of
the Constitution is justified as means of
bringing it about The morality is always
false which excuses Il wrong because it pro-
poses t. accomplish Il desirable end We
are not permitted to do evil that good nav
come. But IN this case the end itself ID evil
well the means The subiugation OF
the states 70 negro domination would be
worse than the military despotism under
which they are now suffering. 1t was be
lievel beforehand that the people would en-
dure any amount of military op ,ression for
any length Of time, rather than degrade
themselves by subjectiOn to the negro race
Therefore they have been left without a
choica. Negro suffrage was established bv
act Of Congress, and military officers were
commanded to suPerintend the process of
clothing the negro race with the political
privileges torn from white men The blacks
in the South are entitled to be well and hu-
namely governed, and TO have the protection
Of just laws for all their rights of person and
property If it were practicable at this time
10 give them Il government exclusively their
own. under which they might manage their
affairs IN their own way, it would become q
grave question whether We ought to do 50
or whether common humanity would not re-
duirc us to save them from themselves. But
under the circumstances this is only specu-
lativc point. 1t iz not proposed merely that
they shall govern themselves, but that they
shall rule the white race. make and admins
ter state laws, elect presidents and members
of Congress, and shape u greater or less
extent tile future destiny of the whole coun-
try. Would such n trust and power be safe
in such hands
The peculiar qualities which should char
acteriZe any people who are ut to decide up
on the infringement Of public affairs for a
great state have seldom been combined. 1t
j. the glory % white men t. know that they
have had these qualities in sufficient measure
10 build upon this continent great political
fabric, and 10 preserve its stability for more
than ninety years, while in every other part
Of the world all similar experiments have
failed. Bat if anything can be proved by
known facts. If ali reasoning upon evidence
Is not abandoned, il must be acknowledged
that IN the progress Of nations negroes have
shown less capacity for government than any
other race Of people. No independent gov
ernment Of any form has ever been successful
in their hands On the contrary, wherever
they have been left u their own devices. they
4
into barbarisu. In the southern states, how
ever. Congress has undertaken 70 confer upon
them the privileges of the ballot. just re-
leased from slavery, IL may be doubted
whether as 4 class they know more than their
ancestors now To organize and regulate civil
society. Indeed. it is admitted that the
blacks II t.e Snuth are not only regardless
Of the rights Of property, at - utterly igno-
rant Of public affairs that their voting can
consist in nothing more than carrying n
ballot to the place where they are directed
to deposit it.
need not remind you that the exercise
of the elective franchise is the highest attri-
butte Of an American citizen, and that when
guided hv virtue, intelligence, patriotism
AMI the proper appreciation of our free in
situations, il constitutes the true basis of a
democratic form of government, in which a
sovereign power is lodged in the body of the
people. 1 trust artitcially created, not for
it's own sake, but solely as a means Of pro-
noting the general welfare, it's influence for
good must necessarily depend upon the elc-
vated character and true allegiance of the
elector 1t ought, therefore, to be reposed
in none except those who are fitted. morally
and mentally to administer il we'll for if
conferred upon persons who do not justly es-
innate its value, and who are Indifferent as
- It's results. it will serve only means
OF placing power in the hands Of the unprin-
cipled and ambitious, and must cyentuate in
the complete destruction of that liberty of
which Is should be the most powerful con-
seryator I have therefore heretofore urged
upon your attention the great danger to be
apprehended from an untimely extension of
the elective franchise TO any class in our
country, especially when the large majority
Of that class, in welding the power thus
placed in their hands, cannot be expected
correctly - comprehend the duties and res
ponsibilities which pertain TO suffrage.
Yesterday. as IL were, four millions Of per-
sons We're held in 2 condition of slavery that
had existed Tor generations. To-day they
are treemcn, and are assumed by law TO be
citizens. II cannot be presumed from their
previous condition OF servtude, that a
class they are as well informed Us to the ma
ture of our government rs the intelligent
foreigner who makes our land his choice.
In the case Of the latter, neither a residence
Of five wears and knowledge of our institu-
tions which it gives, nor attachment to the
principles of the Constitution. are the only
conditions upon which he can be admitted to
citizenship. lie must prove, In addition, q
good moral character, and thus give reason
able ground for the belief that he will be
faithful to the obligations which he assumes
as q citizen Of the republic. Where peo-
pie. the source of all political power, speak
by their suffrage through the instrumentality
OF the ballot box, it must be carefully guarded
against the control of those VINO are corrupt
in principle ani enemies of free institutions !;
for it can only become to our political and
social system safe conductor Of healthy
popular sentiment, when kept free from de-
moralizing influences. Controlled through
fraud and usurpation by the designing, an
archy and despotism must inevitably follow.
La the hands Of natriotic and worthy men,