The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-09-16
Let us Profit from our Past Mistakes.

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Let us Profit from our Past Mistakes
On Saturday last Gov. Fairbanks received ar
order from the War Department to send forward
the troops now in camp in this State, with such
arms and equipments as they might be furnished
WITH without moments delay. The troops
are without uniforms, without arms, or at best
but partially and insufhcicnrly armed, without
equipments, without the discipline and drill so
necessary to the efficient soldier, with scarcely a
full company, in short with hardly any thing
that makes the efficiency of an army, except
the ardent patriotism, the stern determination,
and the indomitable will that characterize every
Vermonter who has offered himself in this emer-
gency to the service Of his Country. 1t is idle
to speculate upon the possible or probable rea-
son which has Influenced the Government at
Washington to make this sudden requisition
upon Vermont. We only know that the regi-
ments are Immediately needed at Washington,
and this need is SO pressing that the authorities
dare not wait until they can make soldiers of the
men who are now but unarmed civilians. For
the purpose We have in view these simple facts
are enough. LIE, us note their teachings, as far
as Vermont is concerned.
The troops are not ready, as they should be, to
form part of \ defensive or aggressive army.
Whose fault is it Certainly not the fault of
the soldiers, Or the people of the State. They
have done their part, have voted money and
furnished the men to fill the ranks. And they
have not asked any one in authority from Pres
ident Lincoln down to be frugal either of treas
ure or of troops in the business of putting down
treason. From every recruiting station during
the past two weeks we have had accounts of the
ardent patriotism Of the Green Mountain Boys
The Caledonien, near the Governor, and in some
sort his official organ, through smile that suf
fciently conveyed its idea said that the recruit
ug-oaices were like |" cork-leg," they persisted
in going and would mt be stopped. Every re-
QUESTION that has been made on the people for
troops has been answered generously and abund
anty, and the last even more SO than the first
Nearly three hundred more men offered them
selves than We're accepted, because they were SO
unfortunate as not to make the prefer Of their
services until the Regiments were supposed to
be full, and there is little doubt that another
Regiment would already have been flied, had
not the recruiting officers received orders from
the Governor to take no moro mon. The people
are not in fault in this matter but by their ZEAL
enthusiasm, and unselfsh conservation of their
services and lives to the Republic, have rebuked
the fears Of the timid and put to shame the
malignant cgoakings of those who at heart have
have had no generous love Of Country, and who
have endoavored to establish the opinion that
all were as cold and dead and unpatriotic as
The people have done their part has the ex.
ecutiye authority of Vermont done its part ? |
The CdledoniGn, speaking again we doubt not
the voice of the Governor, offers dorhla answer
to this question. One branch Of t'a a1sHcr js |
the cold and unfeelinc excuse rha' Veruon1 has |
already done az mach or more than her gis er
States What shall gcrmoa..y4 stand i&!v by |
when t'ei,oa ~ hurting IRE brands a. tho Very .
sit4i4I OF oar jtb25aa45, ana tha ~. g are Kind
ling a0l Kissing 4h9us e}o iy4l.e vOrG OF our
Government, az, taa Divinity Of Freedom from
mo Sanctuary OF her Tenp.e is calling (ur hcln,
sod say they have performed their siaro Of tbs
labor ct ex'inguiaAn~ thc flames or if they
'har their services, shall they be cuute.,t to he
pushed 5ac: Ard tod That thev have ,one