Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-06-09

BY VIM. II. JOHNSON OF ALBANY NY.
Mr.. President and FeIEosO C5tizens.
come from New York to greet you %
Vermont on the auspioious termination Of
the struggle between freedom and slavery.
We have come to shake hands together
and evince the satisfaction we feel at this
glorious termination. We are here to
testify to those who died in the struggle,
how fully we appreciate the liberty we
now possess. | was at loss at first, to
know how those who were born in free
Vermont could appreciate the merits of
liberty, but 1 remembered that you of
Vermont hold liberty dear for liberty's
sake, and was treasured. L am not here
to speak particularly of the brave fight
the black soldiers made in the war, but
to express to Almighty God our thank
fulness for the work He has done for our
race 1t is recorded that Vermont was
among the frat to wheel into line for the
ratification of this amendment. When
Benjamin L. Butler, by single dash of
his pen, raised the down-trodden slave of
the South to the dignity of contraband,
he struck mighty blow in the vindica-
ton of the rights of our race,-set in
motion what accelerated the results of to-
day. That deed was appalling to the
slave oligarchy at the South and to the
mud stills at the North. The first gun for
our liberty was struck by John Brown,
and its echo never died away until the
war came, and the smoke of deadler
carnage was lifted from the land and re-
vealed four million shackles broken and
stricken from the limbs of our race. What
shall say to you of politics? l say this
stand by the party that stood by you
do not be deceived by the batteries of
those who simply wish your votes. We
know the men who befriended US. We
know who voted for this amendment and
who against it; whose hand it was that
traced the emancipation proclamation,
and what party it was that sustained him
in that forward stride for human liberty.
The Fifteenth Amendment originated
in the House of Representative, and was
adopted by that House on Thursday, Feb.
the 25th, 1869, by vote of 143 Republi-
cans aga inst AZ Democrats. And by the
Senate the next day, by the affirmative
votes of 80 Republicans against Is on the
other side. 1t was Immediately submitted
to the several State Legislatures to be
acted upon and it is as follows to wit:
Section /. The right of citizens of the
United States to vote shall not be denied
or abridged by the United States or by
any State, on account of race, color or
previous condition of servitude.
Section 2. The Congress shall have
power to enforce this article by appro-
pirate Legislation.
1t was considered and State after State
ratified the amendment, until the neces-
sary three-fourths was obtained That is
out of total of 81 States 20 placed them
selves on the Lords side In that contest
between right and wrong, between
equality and the truly fundamental pre-
cepts of Democracy of the one side, and
privileged class OF landed aristocracy on
the other, aud it is recorded, and Won
may justly feel proud of the record, which
places your own great yet little green
mountain State, among the first to wheel
into line, and to mete out to others what
she has always maintained at home for
her own.
The work was thus fully accomplished
and full effect and credit was given it on
the Both day of March of the present
year, and by the official proclamation of
the Secretary of State, approved by pro-
clamation of His Excellency President
Grant, made to Congress on the same dav.
Within the last two or three days Con-
gress has passed law in conformity to
the second section of the fifteenth
amendment, which will effectually en-
force that amendment and forever re-
move all obstacles in the way or which |
might otherwise obstruct the privilege of
any citizen to the full exercise Of his fun.
mental and inherent right as an elector
at any and at all elections, either NUM-
cipal, State or Federal. This is as #
should be, and complies the work Of fully
and completely enfranchising my hither.
to enslaved, but hopeful and God trusting |