The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1813-11-25
Cantonement, Piattsburgh,
November Is, 1918.
TO HIS EXcELLsNcY

Cantonement, Pians6urgh,
.Nouem6er Is, 1918.
TO HIS ExcELLENcY
MARTIN CHlTTENDEN, ESQ.
Governor, CAPTAIN General, and Commander
tn Chief in and over the STATE Of Vermonf.
SIR-A most novel and extraordinary Pro-
clama from your Excellency," ordering
aud directing such portion of the Militia OF
the Third Brigade in the Third Division OF
the Mllilis of Vermont, now doing duty In
the State OF New.Yolk, both officers and men,
forthwith TO return TO the respective places OF
their residence" has Just been com a,unlcated
TO the undersigned officers of said Brigade.
A measure so unexampled, requires that We
should state to your Excellency, the reasons
which induce us absolutely and positively TO
refuse obedience to the order contained In
your ExcelleDcy's Proclamation. With due
Difference toyous Excellency's opinion we
humb'y conceive, that when we are ordered
into the service Of the United States, it be-
comes our duty, when required, to march to
the defeuce of any section of the Union. We
arc not Of that class who believe that our du.
ties "a citizens or soldiers are circumscribed
within the narrow limits Of the town or state in
wbichwe reside bu, that we are under para
The great confederacy Of states. We further
conceive tbss W hile we are in actual service,
aud during the. period Gov which we were or.
dered ia,s service, your Excellen :y's power
over US, az Governor Of the state OF Vernon,
is suspended.
If is true as your Excellency states, that
T" We" are out of the jurisdiction or control
of the Executive Of Vermont" we would ask
FRO, h~n .rsu Ia.
right, or, ,presu,nes to exercise the hower Of
orceringus 10 return from the service in which
We are now engaged! If we were legally
ordered into the service Of United States,
your Excelency must be sensible that you
have no authority to order US out Of that SER
vice. 1t We were illegally ordered into the
service, our continuance in it, is either vol.
untary or compulsory. If voluntary, it gives
no one right to remonstrate or complain I; il
compulsory, we Can appeal 10 the laws OF our
country for redress against those who illegally
restrain US Of our liberty. ln either case, We
canoont perceive the right your cxcelleucy
has TO lnietfere in the bLsincss.-Niewing the
subjec, in this light, we conceive il our duty
TO declare unequivocally TO your excellency,
that we shall not obey your excellency's order
for returning bur shall Continue in the service
of our counxy Until we.arsjegaiy and hon
ourally discharged. ASjnv vba,ion or order to
deser, the Standard Of our e66nlry, will never
be obeycd by US, although hProceeds from
the Governor and Captain General Of Yer.
mont. 'N'eA
Perhaps j, is proper, that we should con-
tent ourselves with merely giving yout Ex-
cellcncy the reasons which prevail upon us
10 disregard your proclamation; but we are
impressed with the belief, that our dry TO
ourselves, to the soldiers under our command,
and TO the public, require that we should ex.
pose to the world, the motives which produce
ed, and the objects which were intended to
be accomplished, by such an extraordinary
proclamation. We shall take the liberty 10
state TO your Excellency plainly, our senti.
menis on this subjects. We consider your
proclamation as gross insult TO the officers
and soldiers in service, inssmuch ssii implies
that they are SO ignorant Of their rights as 10
believe you have authority TO commend them
10 their present situation, or SO abandoned as
to follow your insidious advice. We canno,
regard yeur proclamation in any other light
than as an unwarrantable stretch Of executive
authority issued from the worst Of motives, TO
effect the bassest purposes. It's in our opin-
ION, renewed instance OF that spirit OF dissr-
ganization and anarchy which is carried on by
faction to overwhelm our country with ruin
and disgrace. We cannot perceive what 9TH
er objects yosr exccllency could have in view
than to embAfrass the operations oil the army
to exile mu,iny aud sedi,ion among the sol
diers, and ~ isdvce them TO desert, that they