The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1855-03-14

that the folly and iufamy of the proc.
lamation to which your Excepency has
put your signature is not wholly to be
ascribed to your Excellcncy, but chiefly
to the eviltadvisers with whom we believe
your Excellency is unhappily encompass
cd
[ Signed By aHMc officers ofthe brigade. ]
After tho reading of that document,
Mr.. President, the conduct and the
character, the stubborn valor and the pa.
triotism of the militia of Vermont, am
quite sure, will require no further vindi-
cation at my hands before this body.
This proclamation of Governor Chit
tenden, however, excited less of censure
and of Indignation than his subsequent
refusal to order out the militia of the
State after the 'actua. Eruption Of the
enemy into our territory on the opposite
side of the lake in the State Of New York
He. however. called upon them to turn
out as volunteers, and in his annual mes.
sage to the Legislature in the month of
October after, he took occasion to com
mend them for their promptuess, their
bravery, and their brilliant success.
am not to be understood, Mr. Presi
dent, as attempting to impeach the con-
duct, much less to impugn the motives
or the pa triotsm of Governor Cbittenden
l am merely Stair g historical facts. He
acted, have no doubt. upon the honest
convictions of his own Judgment, and
from sincere regard to what he deemed
to be the best interests, the honor, and
the safety Of the State He acted Ger.
tainly not inousistently with bis political
faith. He was Fedcralist of the old
school, and persistent opponent of the
war and of the administration of Mr..
Madison. He was a member of Congress
in the House OF Representatives at the
time of the declaration Of war, and was
the only member of the Vermont del
egation in either House who voted against
that declaration. The following year
he was elected Governor Of the State of
Vermont by the Legislature, after a
protracted strungle, by majority Of a
single vote. the people having failed to
make an election in the popular canvass,
no one having received an absolute ma
jority of all the votes cast, as required
by the constitution of that State. He
was rc-elcctodin 1914 by the Legislature.
the people having again failed to elect
as in the preceding year. The popular
sentiment of Vermont was in favor of
the war and Of the administration of
Mr.. Madison as indicated by all the
elections except in 1918 and 1914. when
the parties were nearly balanced. The
State cast its electoral vote for Mr..
Madison. as it had before done for Mr..
jefferson, and as it afterwards did for
MIR Monroe. Vermont was emphati-
cally a Republican State Without
calling in question, then, the purity of its
motives, it is apparent that the senti
ments and the course of action of Gov
ernor Chiitenden in reference to the war
we're not in accordance with the prcdom-
inant sentiment of the State. But here
I may be allowed to claim for his action
the charitable consideration of our Demo
cratic friends upon the opposite side of
the chamber, in view of the fact that he
afterwards attached himself to the Jack.
son Democracy, as did many of the lead
ing Fcdcralists of my State, and that he
remained through life most respectable,
prominent, aud influential member of
that party.
(Conciuclcl merit ,ccck