Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1867-12-11

violate our uuN by assuming Them, Ns palpaoy rs we
would by acting in flce n positive inierdct ~ hc
Constitution forbids 10 d. whatever u does not affirm
atvey authorize, either by express words or BY clear
Implication II the authority desire 10 use does not
come US through the Constitution, exercise Il
only by usurpaton and usufpaon is the most danger
Gus Of political crimes by that crime the enemies OF
free all ag have worked out their d.
signs sganst public liberty and pti sste right u leads
directly and immed aely 20 the establishment Of despot
ic rule Tor undeleeated power always unlimited aud
unrestrained The acs Of Corgess In question are not
only Obi hisotonsble Tor their assumption Of unetanpd
power, but many Of their provisions are in enie with
dire pfovt1na Of the C1nsitutiOn The COnstitn ion
commands that republican form Of government shall be
guaraneed al the States that person shall be de
phvsd u life liberty properly without due process "
law. auested without Judicial warrant, or punished
without, fair trial before impartial jury that The
privilege Of hi5eds s2'Pw th' not be denied ia time Of
peace and that bi u attander shall be passed even
against single individual Yet the system Of measuss
established by these acts of Congress dies totally sub
vert and destroy the rm as well the substance Of re-
publican government In the ten States 10 which thef Ap
ply IL binds them hand and foot 10 absolute slavery
aud subjects them . strange and hostile poFer more
unlimited aud more likely 10 be abused than any other
nov known among civilized men. u tfamples down all
hoso rights IN which the essence ofbsfV eoussts and
which Zee government IL alwfys most careful % pro-
t-ot. 1t denies the hl5eqs c9rpRs and trial by jlry
Personal freedom property and life, " assiled By the
passion the prejudice, Or rapAoiy Of the ruler have no
security whatever 1t has the effect Of bin of attsnder
bill of pains and enates not upon fes indivdn-
kl but up VII le sses, i1clu iinS MILLIONS who in
h.bt subject States, and even their unborn children
These wrongs, heing expressly forbidden cannot be con
shuionaly inflicted upon any portion NJ our pcope no
matter how they may have within jurisdiction
and no matter whe her they live in states territories or
districts
have 90 desre to from the proper and just
sequences their great crime those who engaged In re
bel ion agaust the government; hut mode of pun
shment the measutes under consideration are the most
unreasonable that could be invented Msny Of thofe
people perfectly innocent; many kept their fidelity
20 the Union unt,nted TO h. last many we're ino,pa-
BILE of auy legal ofense large portion, even Of per
able 20 bear forced into rebe ion against
their will and Of those who guilty Of their own corr
the degrees Of guilt various as the shades of
their character aud tem3er But hese acts Of Congress
coufOuni them altogether IN one common on lhuif
crmmate vengeance upon classes, scots and pares
uyon vh lie communities. for oGen es commi ted ny
porlu oi them atainst the governments which they
owed obedience IN non in the barbarous ages II
the world, but Christianity and civilization have made
sush progress that resource 70 punishment so cruel
aud uni ust would meet with the condemnation OF all
unpttigiiced and right minded men Tne punitive IS
tce of this age and especially Of this oounty does not
consist In stripping whole states q heir liberties and
reducing all their people without Distinction 70 slavery
II deals separapT with each individual confines itself
O. forms OF Law, and yindicates Is purity ~ i'm
partial examination Of every case before crmp-tent
judicial tribunal u this does isy all desires
with regard 20 the southern rebels let console
stlse by ref citing that free Constitution Triumphant
il aud uub oxen n peace, is worth far 90
and cAidieu than The grauh alton of any present.
feeling AN aware it is assumed that this system OF
for 'hs southern states ia not 20 be petptu
al lt is true thus military government is to be Only
provisional, tut it IS through this temporary evil that
greater evil is 70 be made perpetual II the guarantees
OF The Constitution can De oxen Prov iuAy 70 serve
Temporary uurp Sc. and in part only Of the county
de,troY the everywhere and for all time. Ar
btrary often change but they generally change
for the IL is the Of cespousm that il has
hsltiug place lntermitted exercise OF its power
brinss sense Of sec iy TO its subecs for they can
never know what more they will be called TO endure
when It's red n1ht hand is armed 10 plague them again
Nor possible 70 lecture no = o, waes po~s, -,
that still free may be enslayed al any moment fit II
the Constitution does protect al, IT protects none.
EFGao sTFFRAGE
ItismAnifesty and avovedly the object o. these avs
confer upon negroes the piy ege Of voting and TO
disanehise such number Of white citizens a viii give
the former clear msJ rity at all elec ms in the south
states This 20 the minds Of some persons is 50
important, that violation Of the Constitution is Is-
fed means Of bringing Il about The morally is
always false which wrong because it proposes
o. accomplish desirabe end. We - permitted to
d evil that good may But in this the end
itself is evil, well the Ine subJugatiOa Of
the States negro domination would be wosse than the
military despotism under which they now suffering
II believed bs1rehat that the people would endure
any amount Of military oppression iJr any egh o ume'
her than degrade themselves BY sutluk TO the
negro Therefore they have been tft without a
oh0 Negro sltrhge was established by ac' OF Con
gre aud mill airy Off commanded To superin-
tend toe process Of clothing the negro race with the 20
ltical pfviezes torn from white men. The blacks in
the South ent ei TO be well aud humaney governed,
ard TO have the protection Of just laws for all their
rights Of person and property II 1t we're praeucAoe az
this time give them government exclusively hri
own under which they mizht manage their ahairs in
their own way would become grave question wheih-
fr we ought 70 do 80, or whether common humAuliy
would not require US 20 save hem from themselves
But under the circumstances this is only speculative
point II is proposed merely that they shall govern
themselves but that they shall rule the white race,
make aud administer State laws elect presidents and
members nf Congress and shape greater or less
tent the future destiny Of the whole country. Would
such a trust and power be safe Ia such hands
The peculiar qlslues With should caafActeIEe any
people who n, to decide upon the management OF
public AFFAIR." for g-eat State have seldom been com
bined It is the glor' Of white m-n TO know that they
have had these quaes in suh ient measure TO build
serve its stability fr more than ninety years while IN
every other part Of the world ali similar experiments
have JAILED But II anything can be proved by kaown
facts, al reasoning upon evidences Is not abandoned
IL be aeknov edged hu in the progress OF nations
negroes have shown less capacity for government han
an, o.her race Of people. No Independent government
Of any form been successful in Their hands
Gu the contrary Vheneyer hey have been left To tne
devices they have sh0wn constant tendency TO re
lapse into barbari m In the southern States however
Conges has undertaken confeT upon q EN- the pIivi
leges Of the ballot J4st released iorm slavery II mas
he doubted whether class they know more thar
their ancestors how TO oRanzs and regulate cls soel
~ Iudeed 1t is admitted that the blacks OF the houtf
only regardless OF the rights Of property but So
utterly ignorant Of pubic ataIs III their voting car
consist In nohing than carrying ballot 10 the
place Whrre they are directed to deposit IL | ne no
remind yoa that the exercise Of the elective franchise
the highest attiIbue Of American ctdzen and tina
when guided BY virtue, intelligence. patriotism and h'
proper APP recitation Of our free institutions, it constitutes
the true basis Of democratic form Of government IL
which sovereign power is lodged In the body Of thi
D. ople artihciay created not for its sake
but solely as means Of promoting ihe general WliaTe
iis influence for good NUT necessarily depend upon th
elevated character and true allegiance Of the eltotor
ought therefore be epOsed in except those whS
fitted, morally, aud mentally, to administer IT well
tu II conferred upon persons who do not justly estimate
is value and VIII Indifferent to its results, II vii
only means Of aeing power in the hinds o
The unpTr oped and ambitious aud must eyentuae IT
the mplete destruction Of that liberty of which i
should be the most powerful conseryAor have there
fore heet urged upon your attention the great dan
ger 10 be app p'ehfnded from untmelY eX ension o
the elective franchise any class IN country, espec
iAly when the large maj my of that class in WELDING
the power thus placed in Their hands cannot be expect
ed rreoy comprehend the duties and TespOnsbili
b Isles which pertain suffrage. Yesterday, as It were
four nj Ions q persons held ia = condition o
slsy6rY uat bad existed for generations To-day thel
ffeemen, aud assumed by las TO b. citizens 4
be pr, sumed fTom their previous condition o
seIyude that class they well informed as Il
the nature Of government he intelligent foreign
latr, her residence Of five Yeas and knoseledg
Of Institutions which Il sives, attachment 10 h
principles OF the Consu uoi, the only condition.
upon which he be admitted TO citizenship. he mus
prove, IN addition, good moral character and thu
give reasonable grouud for the belief that he viii b
faithful 10 the Obligations which he assumed as ciuzeT
Of republic. Wheie people, the source Of all pc
Ii ieA poser, speak their suffrage through the iustiu
mentally OF the ballot b1S, It must be careful guard
ed against the control oi those who oorfupt IN priu
cple aud enemies OF free instituiidns for 1t onl
become political and social system safe oonduc
tor Of healthy popular sentiment, when kept free from
demofalizmg influences. Controlled through fraud ans
usuTpau.n by the de,igning, anarchy and despotlsn
must inevitably follow. In the hands Of patriotic ant
worthy government will be preserved upoa th
principles of tue Constitution inherited from our faith
en. IL follows therefore, that in adnittng TO he bal
lot box new class OF votes not qualified for the exer