Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1861-07-12

g ployed Tor lis destruction by force Tor II
t preservation. The call was made, ant
t the response of the country was mos
gratifying, surprising in unanimity ant
| spirit the most sanguine expectation
Yet none of the States commonly called
slave States, except Delaware, gave a reg
iment through the regular State organi
cation. a few regiments have been or
ganized within some others of those
States by individual enterprise, and re
ceiyed into government service. o.
course the seeded States, so called, were
not uniform in their action, some of them
being almost for the Union, while in 9TH
ers, as Virginia, North Carolina, Tennes-
see, and Arkansas, the Union sentiment
was nearly suppressed and silenced,
The course taken in Virginia was the
most remarkable, perhaps the most i'm
portant A convention, elected by the
people Of that State to consider the very
question Of disrupting the Federal Union,
was in session at the capital of Virginia
when Fort Sumter fell To this body the
people had chosen large majority of pro-
fessed Union men. Almost Immediately
after the fall of Fort Sumter, many mem
bers of that majority went over to the
original disunion minority, and with them
adopted an ordinance for Withdrawing the
State from the Union Whether this
change was wrought by their great APP
proyal of the assault upon Fort Sumter,
or their great resentment at the govern
ments resistance to that assault, is not
definitely known, although they submit
ted the ordinance for ratification to a vote
of the people to be taken on a day then
somewhat more than a month distant.
The Convention and the Legislature,
which was also in session at the same time
and place, with leading men of the State
not Immediately connected with either,
Immediately commenced acting as if the
State were already cut Of the Union
They pushed military preparations Wig
orousIy forward all over the State. They
seized the United States Armory at Har-
per's Ferry, and the Navy Yard at Cos
port, near Norfolk. They received, per-
haps, invited, into their State large bodies
of troops with their warlike appointments
from the so.called seeded States. They
formally entered into a treaty Of tempo
rary alliance and cooperation with the
so-caled Confederate States, and sent
members to their Congress at Montgom-
cry, and finally they permitted the insur-
rectionary government TO be transferred
10 their capital at Richmond. The peo-
pie of Virginia have thus allowed this
grand instruction TO make its nest with
in her borders, and this government had
no choice left but to deal with it where it
finds it, and it has the less regret, as the
loyal citizens have in one form claimed
its protection. Those loyal citizens this
government is bound to recognize and
respect as being Yirginians.
ARMED NEUTRALITY HOSTILE TO GOV
ERNMENT.
In the Border States so-called, in fact
the Middle States, there are those who
favor a policy which they called armed
neutrality-that is, an arming of those
States to prevent the Union forces pass
ing one way, or the disunion the other
over their soil. This would be disunion
completed. Figuratively speaking, it
would be the building of an immense
wall along the line of separation; and |
yet not quite an impossible one, for I'M
der the guise of neutrality it would tie
the hands of the Union men, and freely
pass supplies from among them to them
surrectionists, which it could not do as an
open enemy. At a stroke, it would rake
all the trouble off the hands Of secession
except only what proceeds from the ex-
ternal blockade. 1t would do for the dis
unionists that which of all things they
most desire, feed them we'll and give
them disunion without a struggle of their
own. 1t recogn8es no fidelity to the Con-
no obligation to maintain the
Union, and while very many who have
favored it are doubtless loyol citizens, it
IS nevertheless injurious in effect.
THE ACTION OF THE GOVERNMENT.
Recurring to the action of the Gov
eminent, it may be stated that at first a
all was made for $4,000 militia, and {
'apidly following this proclamation was
ssued for closing the ports of the insur-
dictionary districts by proceedings in the
nature of blockade. SO far all was be-
ieved to be strictly legal. AT this point {
be insurrectionists announced their pur |
rose to enter upon the practice of priva- '
eering. Other calls were made for vol t
nteers to serve three years, unless sooner
scharged, and also for large additions I