Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-04-11
The Southern Situation.


In considering the Southern question, it
must not for a moment be forgotten that
the whole difficulty grows out Of the iniqui-
tous system of human slavery, whose abnor-
nal growth upon the body polite had been
stimulated until it eliminated in life and
death struggle for the mastery over our
national liberties and that when it was re-
moved by the sword of the rebellion, this
was only the first step, and by no means
the most difficult, towards full recovery
from the effects of the great inconsistency
and crime. Therefore our philanthropists
and statesmen, in treating the question,
should remember that the problem is not
one which has legitimately arisen under our
republican institutions, but in the line OF
undoing great national blunder and sin,
and that long years of charity, patience and
perseverance will be requisite to the best
results.
On the face of the question our system Of
government rests upon the theory that the
majority ought to rule, and will be able, in
general, to maintain its authority, by force
| if necessary, against factious and turbu-
lent minority. The constitution provides
for the contingency of the majority in a
state being temporarily overborne by sud
den outbreak, and unable to recover it
self without help from the general govern
ment But these provisions seem to assume
| that tha aforitNr rauana1 from tr,tnaI 70
peril, and having an opportunity to collect
and organize its resources, will be able to
sustain itself and carry on the state govern
ment without help. But it never was con.
templated that majority in any state,
strong in number only, should be so excelled
by the minority in vigor, intelligence and
wealth as to be permanently unable to main
tain its ascendancy should be able to elect
its officers, but not to uphold them in the
exercise of authority. That, however, seems
to be the condition of the majority in South
Carolina and Louisiana. The experiment
has been tried in Louisiana of putting
down the insurgent minority with the strong
hand and setting up and maintaining the
duly elected officers. After four years of
that experiment, the dependence of the state
government upon external force continues.
1t has lost rather than gained strength in that
time, until now it is only the faint shadow
of a government, exercising authority only
within the limits of the state house, hav-
ing neither money nor credit, neither phys
ical force nor confidence in its resources.
Its chief executive officer does not pretend
to believe that his government could stand
for day without protection by the army of
the United States. The situation in South
Carolina is essentially the same, but with
this difference In the latter state there is
at least one department of the government
whose legitimacy is undisputed-the judici-
ary-and that sustans Hampton. In Louis.
lana all departments are duplicated, and
there is no authority that is recognized by
both parties as legitimate
In this perplexing situation the President
does not find constitutional warrant for u.s.
ing the army to sustain majority which is
powerless to help itself. Each state must
maintain its own state government without
permanent dependence upon Washington.
Moreover, the President cannot use the army
in behalf of the Republicans in those states,
because after the thrtieth of June next he
will have no army to use for that purpose
Nothing is more certain than that, unless
the troops are relieved from that duty be-.
fore Congress assemblies, no money will be
appropriated for the maintenance of the
army without provso that il shall not be
used to interfere with the state governments.
Since the President will be deprived of the
power to interfere, it is wise and polite
to obtain such guarantees as he can that
the withdrawal of the troops shall not be
followed by oppression aud outrage.