Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-06-03

mont O0y, VINO OccuPioS P1AsAO0 Al INC
front rank of the fight now raging there.
He says: II was indignant thus morning
on reading an article in Wizards Mont
.pelier paper, endossing the Walker ticket,
and full Of gross misapprehensions IN re-
gard to Virginia masters. one OF the
hardest things we have to bear is the lit
tie sympathy we get from the Northern
Republican press. They evidently be-
lieve implicitly all they see in the Demo
cratic papers in Virginia, to the exclusion
of Republican testimony. Can You not
do something in Vermont, to make the
people see Virginia affairs in their true
light 7"
1t is in answer to the above question
that / have penned this rambling letter
and wish only to say, in conclusion, that
if any set of men in the whole country
deserve the plaudit swell done" it is. that
class who, close upon the surrender, be-
fore the smoke of battle had fairly cleared
away, raised in every rebel state the he
publican flag and Drawing insult, social
ostracism, and the click of the deadly
rife. have stood resolutely by their colors.
Mostly young men, full of hope, ardent in
their love of country, and intrepid IN the
discharge of duty, they are, in the midst
of difficulty and peril, vindicating the
most advanced doctrine of our party. II
in this they are wrong. then we are
wrong. In this work their old enemies,
once vanquished in the field, have reap
peared upon the stump. When the APP
peal was to arms, Republican sympathy
was with these Northern Adventures.
Why not now They stand quite as
much in need of encouragement and
words of cheer now as then and trust
that the Freeman, which has never yet
scrupled TO - render unto Caesar the
things which are CHsar's," will at the
proper time do these men justice.
Very respectfully yours,
WM. w. GEoUr.
Barton, May -, 1869.
Hon. C. w. Willard, editor of the Free
man, makes the following observations on
the above, under the head of "The Con-
test in Virginia.
We give Oh the outside Of this paper
an article in answer to some comments IA
Freeman some weeks since, on political
affairs in Virginia. We have 40 desire
for controversy, and are not unwilling
our readers should fully accept our CORE
spondcnt's view of the situation. Ii did
seem a hopeful sign 10 NJ, that much OF
the rebel element in that State had - FAR
despaircd of success in carrying ont it,
old proscriptive and ari>tocratic notions
into this political campaign, A. - find il
necessary "to steal the livery Of Republi-
canism 10 serve the Democracy in The
battle is half won, at least. when the old
.lave-holding oligarchy feels obliged, On
It's familiar fields, 10 drop it, ancient war
cries. and make its contest for men rather
than for measures. II l. NOT impossible
that the freeman gave the Walker men
too much credit Tor sincerely abandoning
their former pro-criptiye politics. but, Al
the moment Of writing the parties seemed
to be- making the issues Of the cainlaign
rather personal than political
We have noticed. since our former ar
ticle was written, however. that the pa
triarchal politicians If Virginia have
found much cause, as they Judge, 81 COM
plaint. in the action If the President in
declining to submit to a separate vote the
provisions OF the proposed constitution I:
relating 70 township and county orgapIza-
tionz, and it is now quite likely, after all
their sincerity will be thus brought 10 the
test. and they will vote against the whole
constitution on account OF this. 10 them,
Objectionable feature. There can be no
doubt that these provisions Of the consti-
tuition strike fatal blow at the power OF
the old families Of the state, and give the
new population, and the new voters. white
and black, their due weight in the future
politics OF that commonwealth. BY these
provisions, as We understand them, Air-
e
nizations much like those Of most New
England States and 10y this means the
people OF the state will have il in their pow
er to exercise a much greater political IN
fuence than heretofore. In fact. next 10
the Fifteenth Amendment 10 tbc Consti-
tuition Of the United States, we doubt il
ANYTHING is more necessary To the triumph
OF the voters OF the state than these pro-
visions OF the proposed constitution Of
Virginia /: and on the adoption Of those
provisions it is quite certain that the dis
honest Walker mon" viii vote Ia the ne
gative.
But what i most needed, II begin re-
construction IN Virginia, l. a constitution
that gives all men and we should be glad
to zee it also make no discrimination
against women, an equal chance in labor
in education, III the state. Let thi, equal
chance be given. and the steadic>t work,
the persistent energy, and the most active
brains of the best men viii win the battle.
Republicauism Is little more than the
principle that everybody shall have a fair
chance, and no speciat favors: ana we
shall begin TO have hope OF Virginia. as Of
every Southern State. when We ~oe that
principle inlelIbiy written IL 4AelG con
stitutions. and honestly put in practice IN
the administration OF their public uit-irs.
Without that the triumph 81 Wells would
be only barren victory. and with that
the success OF Walker could Uuiy. at tie
most, be a temporary defeat u Republic
canism