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

with bis said brigade to act either in CO.
operation with the troops of the United
States or separately, as circumstances
may rcquire,in repclling the enemy from
our territory and in protecting the good
citizens Of this State from the ravages OF
hostile incursiops.
And, 10 case Of an event so seriously
to be deprecated, it is hoped and expect
ed that every citizen, without distinction
of party, will fly at once to the nearest
post Of danger, and that the only rally.
ing word will be d" our country"
Feeling, as the Captain General does
the weight of responsibility which rests
upon him with regard to the oonstitu
tional duties of the militia and the sa
cred rights of our citizens to protection
from this great class Of the community
so essentially necessary ia all free coun.
tries, at a moment too when they are Sc
eminently exposed to the dangers of hos.
tile incursions and domestic difficulties
he cannot conscicntiously discharge the
trust reposed in him by the voice of his
fellow citizens, and by the Constitutions
of this States and the United States,
without an uncquivocal declaration that,
in his opinion. the military strength and
resources Of this State mus. be reserved
for its own defence and protection erc(W-
stUciy. excepting in cases provided for by
the Constitution of the United States,
and then under orders derived only from
the Commandcr-in chief
Given undcr my hand. in Montpelier,
the | 9th day of November, in the year
of our Lord 1918, and of the indepen-
dence of the United States the thirty
eighth. MARTIN CulrrENDEN.
That brigade company published an
answer to this proclamation. That an
swer is so characteristic of the spirit and
illustrates the valor, the determination,
the " real grit if may so say. of these
volunteer defenders of the country. that
the Senate will pardon ne for reading it
in this connection:
Answer to Coz. Chutendcn's Pfocla-
nation.
To his Erccilcacy. Martin Ch1tendcn,
Esq, Governor. Captain General.
and C0mnsanlcr-in-chief IN and over
the Stake Of Vermont:
SIR A most novel and extraordinary
proclamation from your Excellency, " or
dcring and directing such portion Of the
militia of the third brigade in the third
division of the militia of Vermont, now
doing duty in the State of New York
both officers and men, forthwith to re
turn to the respective places of their
usual residence" has just been commu'
nicatcd 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 ODE
dience to the order contained in your
Excellcncy's proclamation. With due
Difference to your Excellcncys opinion,
we humbly conceive that, when we are
ordered into the service of the United
States, it becomes our duty, when requir.
ed, to march to the defence Of any sec
ton of the Union. We are not of that
class who believe that our duties, as cit
liens or soldiers, are circumscribed with
in the narrow limits of the town or State
in which we reside but that we are un.
der paramount obligation to our com
mon country. to the great Confcderacy of
the States We further conceive that
while We are in actual service, your Ex
ccllency's power over us, as Governor of
the State of Vermont, is suspended
If it is true, as your Exccllcrcy states
T. that we are out of the jurisdiction or
control of the Executive of Vermont"
we would ask from whence your Excel
lency derives the right, or presumes to
exercise the power, of ordering us to re-
turn from the service in which we are
now engaged 1.-Two were h,gal|y or
dercd into the service Of the United
States your Excellency must be sensible
that You have no authority to order us
out of that service ; if we were illegally
ordered into service, our continuance in
it is either voluntary or compulsory. Ii
voluntary, it gives no one right to re-
monstrate or complain if compulsory,
we can appeal to the laws of our coun-
try for redress against those who illegal
ly restrain us Of our liberty. In either
case we cannot perceive the right your
Excellency has to interfere in the bust
ness. Viewing the subject in this light,
we conceive it our duty to declare une-
quivocally to your Excelleucy that We
shall not obey your Excellency's order
for returning, but shall continue in the
service of our country until we are legal
ly and honorably discharged. An invi'
tation or order to desert the standard of
our country will never be obeycd by us,
although it proceeds from the Governor
and Captain General of Vermont.
Perhaps it is proper that we should
content ourselves with merely giving your
Excellency the reasons which prevail up
on US to disregard your proclamation ;
but We are impressed with the belief
that our duty to ourselves, to the sol
diers under our command and to the
public,requires that we should expose to
the world the motives which produced
and the objects which arc intended to be
accomplished by such an extraordinary
proclamation. We shall take the liberty
to state to your Excellency plainly our
sentiments on the subject. We consider
your proclamation as a gross insult to
the officers and soldiers in service, mas
much as it implies that they are so igno'
rant of their rights as to believe you
have authority to command them in their
present situation, or SO abandoned as to
follow your insidious advice We can
not regard your proclamation in any 9th