The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-04-23
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
Gentlemen Of the Senate,
and House Of Representatives.

an extraordinary and very alarming character.
The elements OF dlsunion which, in portion of
the United States, for many years, vented itself
in threats and menaces, has eliminated in open
rebellion; and an unnatural and causeless civil
war has been preciptated against the General
Government.
Unprincipled and ambitious men have organ
lied despotism, and an armed force, for the
purpose ofoverthrowing that government which
the American people have formed for themselves,
and of destroying that cons >titutional frame work
under which we have enjoyed peace and pros
perity, and, from d small and feeble people,
grown and expanded to rank among tile first
nations of the earth
The enormty Of this rebellion is heightened
by the consideration that no valid cause exists
for it. The history of the civilized world does
not furnish an instance where a revelation was
attempted for such slight causes No act OF
oppression, no attempted or threatened invasion
Of the rights Of the revolving States has existed
either on the part Of the General Government,
or Of the loyal States; but the principle has
been recognized and observed, that the right of
each and every State to regulate it's domestic in
stitutions, should remain inviolate.
The inception and progress of this rebellion
have been remarkable, and characterized at ev-
cry stage by total absence of any high, hon.
orabIe principle or motive in its leaders. Its
master spirits are composed essentially, of men
who have been in high official position in the
General Government: and it has transpired
that members of the late Cabinet at Washing
ton, while in the exercise of their official func-
tions, were engaged in reasonable plots for scz
ing the public property, and subverting the
United States Government
Conventions of delegates in the revolving
States chosen in anrne instnpooo hu p,nor;tu
of the legal voters in those States, have, with
indecent haste, adopted ordinances of secession.
which ordinances have in no instance been sub
mitted to the people for their ratification. These
proceedings have been followed by @ convention
of delegates from the several revolving States,
which convention has organized u Confederate
Government, adopted a Constitution, elected its
Executive officers and subordinate functionaries,
constituted itself into Legislative body. and
enacted code of laws-all of which proceed
ings have been independent of any action of the
people of those States.
The authorities of the revolving States, and
subsequently, that Of their Confederacy, have
proceeded to acts of robbery and theft upon the
property of the United State, within their lin E.
its. Forts, arsenals, arms, military stores, and
other public property, have been seized and ap-
propriated for use against the power of the Gen
eral Government; and custom houses and mints
in Southern cities, with large amounts Of treas
ure. have been feloniously robbed.
These acts have been followed by military
demonstrations and strategetlcal operations
against the United States forts at Pensacola and
Char eston, the latter Of which, under it's gallant
commander, Major Anderson, after lombard
ment Of thirty-tour hours from the beleaguering
batteries OF the insurgents, was evacuated on
ha o~I +bo nf tLo To,o
withdrawn.
But the crowning act of perfdy on the part
of the conspirators is the proclamation of JEFF
ferson Davis styling himself the President Of
the Southern Confederacy, " inviting all those
who may desire, by service in private armed
vessels on the high seas, to aid his Government,
to make applications for commissions, OR letters
of marque or reprisal," thus lnstituting q
grand scheme OF piracy on the high seas, against
the lives and private property Of our peaceful
citizens.
These acts of outrage and daring rebellion
have been equaled only by the forbearance Of
the general Government Unwilling to precip
itate conflict which must involve the country
in all the caamities of Civil War, the present
Government Of the United States has exhausted
every effort for peace, and every measure for
bringing back to their allegiance the disafected
and misguided States.
The duty Of protecting the Forts and Gov
ernment property, not possessed by the insur-
gents, was imperative upon the Administration
but further than this, no measures for ceerclng
the revolving States into obedience to the Con-
stitutious and the Laws were adopted and in
the matter of the beleagured Forts, the Govern
ment acted only on the defensive, until the con-
fict was commenced by the insurgents.
Such forbearance on the part of the Govern
ment, while it has served to place the conspira-
tors in !: neral wrong, is no longer justfable ;
and the Country halls, with entire unanimty,
and with ardent enthusiasm, the decision of the
President to call into requisit'0n the whole pow
er of the Nation for suppressing the rebellion and
repelllng threatened aggressions,
u Ei-om every part G. the Country, in all the
loyal States, there is one united voice for sus
tanning the Union, the Constitution, and the
integrity of the United States Government. All
partizan differences are Ignored and lost in the
higher principle of patriotism.
In this patriotic enthusiasm, Vermont emf
nently participates. Her citizeas, always loyal
to the Union, will, in this hour Of peril, nobly
rally for the protection of the Government and
the Constitution.
On the 18th inst, the President of the Uni
ted States issued his Proclamation, d" calling
forth the Militia of the several States of the
Union, TO the aggregate number of 75,0 900, in
order to suppress reasonable combinations, and
cause the laws to be duly executed
The quota required of Vermont, for immedi-