Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-07-13

man, the highest regard, affection, and es-
teem." This, however, was only an exag-
geration Of his customary mood, for in his
best DAYS, he would have offered his arm to
an archancel in the style of democratic
President doing the honors Of the planet to a
distingu shed visitor. In word be was
inst himself percizely-a man that would
have stuck to his intercession for the cities of
the plain. If he had been in Abraham's place,
till he had nothing left but Lots wife to
offer in mitigation of their doom. Moses,
though the meekest of men, was bold enough
to reply to the threat Of destruction to tie
Israelites, Forgive them or blot my name
out of thy book" General Ogle wouldn t
stop at that he would offer an apology for
the unfortunate multitude at the general
! Judgment, IN the confidence that everything
! could be satisfactorily arranged afterwards by
his own kind offices.
OF his moral conscience am safe in say
| ing, it was Just the balance Of hls own i'm
pulses and opirions. His feelings settled
( the right and wrong of things among them
! selves, without any reference to received
standards. No prophet could be more conf
/ dent of his inspiration than the General was
Of the oracle within him and he was more
! over, not the man TO desire favor out of rule,
to pray, or wish, in thought or word for a
personal benefit to soul or body, or to fear or
evade any legitimate consequences of his
| own large liberty of soul.
| As an example Of the General 5 mode of
reasoning, and the morale Of his logic, he
shall answer in his own style. Suppose an
Indian war to be the subject; its providen-
tial results. rather than It's Justice, being its
warranty.
"Percizely,' he would would say, "you
mustn't look at great national movement
the way a magpie squints into marrow
hone. History isn't written with the point
Of pin. The Canaanites were the Indians
Of the Holy Land, and when the cup OF their
| iniquitics was full, and tie Cavaliers and
Puritans Of that day wanted room, and had
the better right of better men to fill 1t, JehO-
Yah told them. pine blank, to oust the
l0unging ylrlets. Ne see, the Lord OF the
Vineyard cannot tolerate mere cumberers OF
the ground. The copper heads take up more
room than the rest of the world can afford
them They are, in fact, the greatest land
mOnOpOlists in the universe and the most
worthless squads at that; 50 the fine fellows
must either 90 - work when the time comes,
or else pull up stakes, and put out for the
Rocky Mountains, or for kingdom come.
The earth must be farmed. not foraged. by
man; and the vagabonds that have neither
forts nor fences, must give it up-ther case
is past praying fOr-burnt brandy w0uldn'
save them. Besides, a new world was want
eI for the new system. Democracy required
a fresh soil, a wide field, and clean sweep,
to set up with, and this was Just the Cont
nent fit for the use, percizely 80
In public debate and conversation, be was
remarkable for tact, blunt wit, and effective
eloquenco besides, he had a voice and man
ncr of defamation which insured the recep-
don Of anything that he uttered. Not a
man in a million has equal possession and
command of the nerves OF his auditors. Think
towards him as they might, they were Obliged
to think with him. He never knew the en-
barrassment of doubt, and he never showed
its hesitation. lie wasn't loaded squib fash
ion. with alternate wads of wet and dry
powder When he exploded an opinion, 1t
mad the clear compact, metallic ring OF
srrgi- -lt-cut-rifle crack. and, hit or miss, 1t
wag not safe q stand within his range.
lie had learned all the best and most avail
able law maxims; he knew the Scriptures, as
he said ike book and. he was richly sup
Piled with those sententious oracles of wisdom
and prudence which have cry tallized them
selves into happy, sail-proying maxims, in
form for ready and effective use.
am not attempting q biography, but
presenting a character. by the method Of de-
scription. rather than by instances, events,
and actions. The actual outward life, in any
case. does but little more than hint the con-
stitution of the man. Especially where con-
ditions restrain the play Of extraordinary
powers, narrative must fail 10 effect talr
presentment. Every incident of the Gener-
all life was full Of him; but the historical
detail would involve that of the times, his
contemporaries, and surroundings; besides,
his report rests in oral tradition mainly. lie
died before the daguerreotype and daily pa
pers undertook the hole-and-coTner gossip OF
the country, and no phOnographer ever
caught the living likeness OF has thoughts.
His contemporaries are nearly all gone, and
very few of them fully apprehcnd him. lie
published nothing. His life got utterance
only in voice and action. 1t was eXtempO-
rIzed on the instant, and the data which re-
main 90 the chronicler are as meaSre, con-
fused and inadequate as the incidents OF
battle, a storm. or a dance. ! would gladly
compromise for fair report OF one OF his
Fourth of july Orations. It would relieve
the awkwardness that there is in playing
Snowman to the Lion, and 20 far % supply
the defects in my performance, 1t such an
auto exhibition could be secured. J must
even attempt to reconstruct one OF these
fossil curiosities from the fragmentary re
mains which lie scattered in my memory.
The date is about twenty-five years ago;
the scene was laid at the ''Cofee Spring"
mile fr,m our village: the company made up
Of the population OF the town and neigh
b0rhood. mustered en- masse. The dinner,
spread upon the table, cast into horseshoe
shape. in an arbor made with forks and poles,
covered with bushes, fresh cut, and close
piled to exclude the sun, was discussed; the
military, the citizens and the boys, refreshed
10y the repast, and eulvened little (more
or less) with rye whskey, whiskey and wa
tor. whiskey sweetened with sap sugar, and
small beer, graduated to the tastes and ages
Of the company, are all brought up standing
by an order for attention from the Captain
Of the "Independent Blues, - and the Genera
mounts the table.
TIE ORATIo>.
'.Fcrc1eiy, my fellow citizens (waviug IL
red silk handkerchief at arm : length, )
percizely-as Brutus fresh from the execution
Of the tyrant Caesar, cried to his Countrymen,