Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-02-05

7
ought to vote Is not the simplest statement
OF this utterly inconsequent reasoning the
only answer it deserves?
We might,-if it were necessary-deny
the Doolittle premise, which afiirms that
none but intelligent men should vote, and
that only white men are intelligent
general rule, but while he refuses to make
intelligence the prerequisite in individuals,
either white or black, why take space to
knock out If his argument plank which he
repu.iiates himself? We are replying to
Doolittle, and when Doolittle's plan refuses
IL follow Doolittle's logic. why waste words
upon his logic?
We might also deny his assertion that it
is General rule that all white men are capa-
bic, and therefore suffrage among whites
shOuld ne universal at least, we might DENY
that tbs general rule is accepted by the gen
crafty Of white men How is it in Eng
land? Was not the only argument against
the Reform bill, in the English parliament
recently, this identical proposition of Doc
little, that it would degrade the ballot to al
iow uneducated Englshmen to vote2 Irishmen
are white.-at least Doolittle would class
them among whites -are they all allowed the
ballot But Doolittle may say that he means
- limit his assertion to this country. If he
docs We 'ieny his assertion that all white
men vote because the generality OF white men
are intelligent. The instance which he men,
tions Of foreigners shows his assertion to be
an! Il. the adoption Of the constitution voted
in all states but South Carolina-another fact
f"ntradicting his assertion. But, most of all,
oar government is by the - consent Of the
gov erned- IL rests on that foundu tion, ana
can logically rest no other. What has
. consent of the governed = to do with race
or color or education or property? When
DOoittle asserts that capacity should be re
quireC although his offer Of suffrage to
unintelligcnt black soldiers gives the lie to
his assertiOn-he is making issue with the
Declaration Of Independence, and making
war on the logic Of the Revolution. The
rights of human nature are not to be over
thrown until some mightier arm than Doc
little strikes at them, or some orator attacks
them who does not knock himself down with
his own arguments
But :. Decius . seems TO 10 staggered by
Doolittie's assertion that Cohgress first
summed that the southern states were in the
Union. by proposing constitutional amend
ments, but has since declared that they had
no valid state governments.
Suppose this to be so,-whicii we 10y no
means admit-the question remains whether
Congress was right in either case, and if go,
in which That Congress was of one mind
yesterday and is of another mind to-day,
may show that it has no stability, but does
not prove that it was right yesterday and is
wrong to-day, any more than it proves that
it was wrong yesterday and is right to-day
The question is not What is the opinion of
Congress? but is rather What is the legal
status of the southern states? 1t may pass
for argument with unthinking men to fling
III the face of righteous act of this Congress
all erroneous or wrongful act Of a former
Congress, but thinking men will still inquire
whether Congress has not got right at last
That it failed of attaining unto Justice in
the first attempt, il poor taunt with which
To reproach it when it finally reaches that
lofty plane
But Congress has never, as a matter Of
fact acknowledged the southern governments,
as reconstructed by johnson, to be valid.
Their representatives, and senators have been,
in every instance, refused admission to seats,
Ia.t full
lied. Why recite other acts, beyond this sin
gle act Of refusal to recognize the states as
states entitled to representation in Congress,
when the question was directly and over and
over presented to Congress? The proposed
constitutional amendments were not sent to
southern states by Congress, in fact, were
not sent to arv states We do not deny that
Congress las, in some votes, given some
ground for charge of inconsistency in its
treatment of the late rebel communities but
it has always persistently refused when the
question has been fairly presented, to recog-
nize any state except Tennessee rs having a
valid state government.
We have thus disposed Of the lions in
DeciuS's' > way and we trust to his salts
faction He will find. analysis of
Doolittles positions and arguments in respect
t. suffrage, that they all in reality based
upon questions of race, admitting all the
white race to the ballot, and-except where
he contradicts excluding all of every
other race But such all argument takes
from our Declaration Of independence its on
IS iustifying truth, withdraws from President
Lincoln g great act of emancipation it's only
defence, and strikes at the very root Of the
tree Of republican liberty and equal rights.
Are we to fight over again the battles Of the
last ninety years because some Doolittle has
the effrontery to deny the truths which those
years have made part of the fabric Of
government Or would it not be better to
invite the renegade Doolittles of this genera
ton to make their home in some empire or
monarchy where their ideas OF limited suf-
frage. or none at all, would meet with hearty
welcome from the governing classes ?
Republican Governments.
The New York World attempts To answer
Senator Morton's recent able speech in the