Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-09-19

section. 1t is a question in which the whole
country is deeply interested. Pa
triotism. justice, humanity, and our
material interests. all plead ON the
right side of this question. The colored
people are the laborers who produce the
| cotton which, going abroad to the markets oil
the world. gives us that favorable balance OF
| trade which is now doing 81 much for the
revival of all business. The whole fabric of
society rests upon labor If free laboTers
suffer from oppression and injustice, they
will either become discontinued and turhu-
! lent. destroycrs of property, AMI moi pr"ull-
! GERS of property. or they will abandon The
communities which deprive them of their
! inalienablc rights. In either case, social or
| der and the peaceful industries upon which
/ prosperity depends are mpcriled and per
| haps sacrificed. II will not do to say that this
! is an affair which belongs solely TO the dis
/ tant States Of the South. The whole country
must suffer if this question is not speedily
| settled, and settled rightly. When the two
races are numerous. prosperity can only exist
| by the united and harmonious efforts of both
/ the white people and the colored people. The
! only solid foundations for peace and progress
/ in such communities are equal and exact Jus
tice to both races. Consider the present
situation. Whatever complaints may have
been heard during the progress of rcconstruc-
ton, candid men must admit that all sections
and all States are now equally regarded, and
share alike the rights. the privileges, and the
! benefits of the common Government. All
that is needed for the permanent pacilIc;l
ton of the! country is the cordial co."rer;i-
ton Of all wcll-dispoScd citizens Ia secure
the faithful Observance of the equal rights
amendments Of the Constitution.
] IIapr,il,- in the worry communities " here
! lawleSsncss has been most general and most
successful. there are editors Of newspapers
and other influential citizens who speak out
| and denOunce these crimes against free gov
eminent. Ii is plain that a sound public
opinion is forming where il is most needed
! No community can afford to allow any of its
citizens to he oppressed To lose their rShis
Tolc Indifferent ON the subject is Ia dsrc-
gard interest and duty. The Union citizens
and soldiers can do much 10 remove the evils
we are considering Let it he understood
that no public man in any party VIII
hr sustained unless he Will under
take to carry out in good faith the pledges
made in all our platforms IN regard 10 the
rights of col0rcd citizens; unless hc VIII
support laws providing the means required
/ to punish crimes against them and unless
he will nppost. the admission OF any man 10
either House of Congress whose seat has
been obtained 10y the violation of the FIT
teenth Amendment. The right Of suffrage
is the right of self-protection It's free cXcr-
else is the vital mir Of Republican institutions.
To establish now the State-riEhts doctrine
of the supremacy Of the states, and an
oigarchv of race, is deliberately 10 throw
away an essential part Of the fruits OF the
Union victory. The settlements OF the wal
in favor of equal rights and the supremacy
of the laws OF the Nation are just and wise,
and necessary. Let then not he surrender
ed Let them bc faithfully accepted and
firmly enforced. Let thcm stand, and, with
the advancing tide of business prosperity, We
may confidently hope, l'y th, blessing IF
Divine Providence, that We shall soon enter
upon an era of harmony and iTrgross s"ch as
has been rarely enjoyed by any people