Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-10-21

less than you arc to promote such a result.
You greatly exaggerate any influence of mine
misled doubtless by the accident of a historic
name. represent nothing in Massachusetts,
but comparatively small and very unpopu-
lar minority, and am regarded as hardly less
Objectionable, though far more insignificant,
than yourselves by the majority Nothing
that could do or say, i'll visited you, would
be likely to receive fair or candid construc
ton. My action wonld be attributed to I'M
worthy partisan motives, and yours to the |
inveterate luminosity which is still believed |
terminate the South. In spite of any protests
of ours, it will be insisted that we have some
:" disloyal " intent in our meeting. l do not
urge these apprehensions reasons for an
absolute refusal, for l should try to face my
share of the obloquy with such fortitudc as
could muster, if saw a fair chance of aiding,
be it never SO little, to q better understanding
between the sections.
But as you seem to anticipate an important
effect on the North from the reception which
you might offer to me, think it right to
disabuse you of the error. Nor do think
that can say those things to your people
which would be delightful to them to hear,
or pleasant for me to speak. Your fate has
been for the present involved by the inexor-
able logic of events in most bitter political
struggle. The interest, and [ doubt not the
convictions, of the dominant party will pre-
vent any dispassionate consideration of YOUR
case until after the election 1t is declared,
and, l fear, it is widely believed that ne
SPIRIT Of secession still fires the Southern Heart
and ,C0rks through the Democratic Party A
mass Of honest men are taught and believe
that the success of that party means the po-
litical re-establishment of the genius of revolt
and the elevation to power of the Southern
leaders in the late war Now, while do not
believe that if the widespread suspicion of
this intent could be discharged from the
minds of our people here, there would be
great difficulty in obtaining fair hearing. it
is too potent II weapon Of party warfare to be
/ relinquished during this contest for the presi-
dency. If the democratic party is defeated
in this canvass, Il as because the people fear ats
success ,coald jeopGrdi-e the substantial results
Of the 1car. Now, upon this point the North
ern mind is absolutely determined and no
party could maintain itself which should re-
pudiate the war surrender its acquisitions.
For nv own part, | think it would be very
difficult to get rid Of any of the logical and
legitimate results of the war If tried to
ever SO hard, but still our people are very
sensitive on that point | cannot see, for
instance, of what value your pet dogma of
the constitutional right to secede would be
to you, even if we granted you dispensation
to proclaim it on the house tops.
Constitutional or not, it will never again
be practicable, except in the form of revolu-
ton, and that is an extra constitutional
right which cannot be taken away from any
people Slavery take to be stone dead,
for the reasons you very clearly and ably
state In your letter to me. 1t would never
again be of any value TO you If you had il
back. and the ghost of it. which is so much
dreaded at the North. the phantom of in
voluntary seryitude for poverty and color,
as a punishment for vagrancy which haunts /
\ ]
speedily become burden odious and so
/ intolerably expensive that, if for no better
reason, you would be glad to drop it. But,
at the same time, you must yourselves be
| well aware that the hasty and inconsiderate
legislation upon this subject in two or three /
of your = states lately in rebellion" did
more TO fasten universal suffrage upon you
than any other thing. The North Is
well aware that there Is wide distinction
between civil rights and political privileges. |
nor were our wisest and most practical
statesmen of the Republican party at first
inclined TO adopt the dangerous experiment
of placing political power in the hands of
your poor ignorant field hands upon mere
tanclful theory OF the natural equality of .
man. Doubtless a citizen of Massachusetts
/ who is utterly illiteIate NAV be my superior
in all manly qualities, but unless he can read
the Constitution in the English language he
is not my equal politically. The principle is
here admitted that we may and must temper
/ theoretical equality with practical tests of
fitness for public duty. Now this was ig-
nored in your case. because it was urged and
believed that thus alone could the blacks
protect themselves, and IL said that any
admitted qualification would be abused BY I
YOU to their total exclusion from the fran
chise and consequent helplesness. The
Northern people. having freed the slaves
and left them still mingled with their former (
masters, could not, with decencv or humani- /
/ ty. abandoned them naked 10 the savage
enmity which they were taught to believe /
you felt TO them, nor could they calmly look +
on to see those oppressed of whose comfort /
and happiness they had become the guard /
ans.
For my own part have never felt any ap- /
prehension of losing any Of the proper re
suits ofthe war. have always bel eS ed you I
must from necessity yield them as frankly as
we claimed them. | have never doubted that |
it was possible to treat you after your
surrender in such a way to enlist your
aid and engage your sympathies in consti- /
tutional restoration to the Union, and vet
secure freedom and fairness to the black. and /
tranquility and happiness to the whites.
As You very forcihly say, there is pol /
icy possible for you but peace. War now /
would be your utter destruction. The [ MON !
is of more value TO Won than 70 US, and t. I
the IOIsllAuLiDu Hlpiit 'Stu YOU HF IOT ftO-
lection. y general and cordial confidence F
in your attitude, feelings and protests is es
sential to your peace and prosperity We +
must renew the old spirit within us. or the +
now Union will be an empty form. Even if I
by a party success in very close vote at the I
North aided bv your own efforts ut the I
South, YOU obtain temporary relief from 7
your AFFECT state to-day your condition will I
still be rrecarious, your path fall OF snares. t
and true Union ~ distant ever. So F
long one-half the North is persuaded {
chat you have the will and the power to /
jockey them cut OF what cost them SO dear /
sands. lime alone, and 4 patient and en-
during persistence on your part in well doing
in face of all Encouragement. can efectually /
remove the cause of your ills palliative
will but induce reaction again. cheer
full Concurrence in the essential principles of
Democratic and constitutional Government
| regard rs requisite for Your peaceful pro-
erosion in future. lnclining to these opin-
ions, should have excused myself from ac-
cepting your kind Invitation had you not
expressly disclaimed any political intent.
do not wish to make any political speeches to
your people in the interest of any party, nor
Gus position. But as | have felt the evil very
much, of late, that of our own knowledge we
were so little informed of the real needs. and
wishes, and purposes of each other as |
cannot feel sure that may not be of some
use, and as deplore with all my heart the
distracted and discovered condition of our