The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-05-16

$500 per year. or 81 rs for three months, to
village acknowledgements delivered at their
houses or places of business.
Advertisements inserted on reasonable terms.
Orders are solicited. G.. W. WILLARD.
$500 s---
We print in another place in this paper an
article on the 8. War " very ably and clearly
setting forth the position Of very many of the
loyal citizens of the North and more particu
arly the views Of those who have never sympa
thized with the Republican party in its struggle
against the encroachments of the Slave Power
1t lie natural enough iAat persons who have new
or shared with us in the belief that the evils Of
the system of forced labor were essential and
vital, holding rather that they were only acct
dental and exceptional, should even now hest
tate to believe that this wicked Rebellion sprang
from chat same evil source and should look for
ward to a complete settlement Of the differences
between traitors and loyal men, without taking
into the account the institution Of American
Slavery. And we make no issue, and have no
quarrel with such men because they are fighting
tor the Government under the same Flag that
covers and projects u.s. They fight for the en-
torcement of the laws, aud so do we. They
fight for the Constitution as it is, and so do we.
They make their war upon traitors and treason,
and so do we. And it is certainly no reason
why we may not side by side go on in the cam
paign that VIC differ in respect to the source
from whence this internal river of treason
sprung and is fed. 1t will be time enough to
settle our differences in that respect by-and BY
At present we must either resist the current or
b. overwhelmed byit. When our house is on
fire it would be the most foolish madness TO de-
lay efforts to extinguish the flames till we had
agreed upon the origin of the confagra,ion
yet it would be but the commonest exhibition of
human nature for each one of us TO give an
opinion on that subject.
We believe that tho war which Southern trea.
son has forced upon US is in one sense war Of
opinions. The traitors hold that Slavery is an
essential and necessary basis of Republican Gov
ornment. They hold that it must be protected and
hedsed aboutby the Federal authority, wheth-
er the people who elect the authorities 50 sgree
or not. Through the ballot-box and in a. i4a..!
way they have end avorcd to make this opinion
the law for the whole nation. Failing there thew
have forsworn their allegiance and taken up
arms. They naunt this issue upon all their
banners and in all their messages and procla-
nations. However we attempt to cvade it they
are forcing to sec that the battle is to decide
whether Their opinion Of what rights Slavery is
entitled TO in our Government is to be the law
for tho nation, or whether the PEOPLE are to de-
termine that question for themselves With the
traitors 1t is Slavery first, the Government Of,
forwards while Is. 900 900 of freemen arc now
saying that they will haze Government wheth
or they have Slavery or not.
And wo don't think it requires any particular
foresight to see that either the Government will
gnomnionsly fail to put down this treason, or
Slavery viii suffer great da@age before the