Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-03-14

ed immensely to the moral and indus
trial forces of our people. 1t has lib
Grated the master as we'll as the slave
from relation which wronged and en-
feebled both. 1t has surrendered to
their own guardianship the manhood of
more than five millions of people. and
has opened to each one of them career
of freedom and usefulness. 1t has CIV
en- new inspiration to the power of self
help in both races by making labor
more honorable to the one and more
necessary to the other. The influence
of this force will grow greater and bear
richer fruit with the coming years.
No doubt the great change has caused
serious disturbance to our Southern
community. This is to be deplored,
though it was unavoidable. But those
who resisted the change should remem-
ber that under our institutions there
was no middle ground for the negro
race between slavery and equal citizen
ship. There can be no permanent dis
franchised peasantry in the United
States. Freedom can never yield its
fulness of blessings SO long as the law
or its administration places the smallest
obstacle in the pathway of any virtuous
citizen. The emancipated race has al
ready made remarkable progress. With
unquestioning devotion to the Union,
with patience and gentleness not born
of fear, they have followed the light as
God gave them to see the light
They are rapidly laying the material
foundations of self-support, widening
the circle of intelligence, and beginning
to enjoy the blessings that gather around
the homes of industrious poor. They
deserve the generous encouragement of
all good men. So far as my authority
can lawfully extend they shall enjoy the
full and equal protection of the Consti-
tuition and the laws.
FREE AND PURE BALLOT.
The free enjoyment of equal suffrage
is still in question, and frank state
ment cf the issue may aid its solution.
1t is alleged that in many communities
negro citizens are practically denied the
freedom of the ballot In so far as the
truth of this allegation is admitted. it
is answered that in many places honest
local government is impossible if the
mass of uneducated negroes are allow
ed to vote. These are grave allega-
tions. So far as the latter is true, it is
the only palliation that can be offered
for opposing the freedom of the ballot.
Bad local government is certainly a
great evil which ought to be prevented !;
but to violate the freedom and sanctity
of the suffrage is more than an evil-it
is crime which if persisted in will de-
stroy the Government itself Suicide is
not remedy. If in other lands it be
high treason to compass the death of the
King it should be counted no less a
crime here to strangle our sovereign
power and stifie its voice. 1t has been
said that unsettled questions have nc
pity for the repose of nations. 1t should
be said with the utmost emphasis that
this question of the suffrage will never
give repose or safety to the States or tc
the Nation until each within its own
, jurisdiction makes and keeps the ballot
free and pure by the strong sanctions Of
, the law.
} IMPORTANCE OF GENERAL EDUCATION.
But the danger which arises from ig.
, norance in the voter cannot be denied
1t covers field far wider than that ot
; negro suffrage and the present condition
of that race. 1t is danger that turks
and hides in the sources and fountains
of power in every State. We have nj
: standard by which to measure the dis
: aster that may be brought upon us by
t ignorance and vice in the citizens wher
joined to corruption and fraud in the
: suffrage.
7 The voters of the Union, who make
: and unmake constitutions, and upor
2 whose will hang the destinies of oul
: Governments, can transmit their su
] preme authority to no successor save
the coming generation of voters, VIII
> are the sole heirs of sovereign power
If that generation comes to its inheri
$ tance blinded by ignorance and corrupt
f ed by vice, the fall of the Republic viii
f be certain and remediless.
e The census has already sounded th'
D alarm in the appalling figures which
b mark how dangerously high the tide o
q illiteracy has risen among our voter
f and their children.
e To the South this question is of su
e preme Importance, but the responsible
e ty for the existence of slavery did no
e rest upon the South alone.
r The Nation itself is responsible fo
!; the extension of the suffrage and is un
: der special obligations to aid in remov
ing the illiteracy which it has added t
the voting population. For the Mort
C and South alike, there is but one RENE
e dy. All the constitutional powers Q