The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-05-14
The Change in the North.

flashes of lightning. The Country has lived
an age since last November. Events as they
have rapidly transpired have proved the fore
sight Of the most sagaclons to be but foolish
shness, and brought utterly to naught the wis
dom of statesmen. Neither the friends nor
the enemies of treason six months ago had the
least definite anticipation of the hideous mad
ness that is now controlling the South; and
both the friends and enemies of the Country
were then as utterly ignorant of the strength
and pervasiveness of the patriotism that is now
the one soul and living spirit animating the
whole North. The heroes and statesmen OF last
November ore not the heroes and statesmen of
to day. The mighty march of events has swept
past many prominent men, and lett them timld
ly following in the wake of a public opinion
that they had been long accustomed to lead.
The live men are fast taking their places in
the front rank, while the fossils and the tmid
are hobbling along in the rear.
Thousands and thousands in the North 200 days
ago could find no words too severe, no epithets
zoo opprobrlous to apply to Massachusetts,
and the same men now shed tears joy to see
the Old Flag " full high advanced " and borne
in the fore front of the battle by the Old Bay
State. One party then sneered at Gov. An
drew, the other at Gen. Butler, while each
now vies with the other in shouting the Grave
fierce political battle was fought in Rhode
Island against Gov. Sprague, and two-thirds of
New England sympathized with the defeated
candidate Yet that same twothirds to- day
would go miles on foot to do honor to the Gov
ernor who first in person led his gallant Regl-
ment to Washington.
Tho arts of diplomacy, the mysteries of red
tape, the delays of the circumlocution Office,
have lost their charm. The PEOPLE have risen
in their might and have demanded action, i'm
mediate, decided action and they are watch
ing with sharp and eager eyes to mark the men
for the times. And when they find such man,
no matter under what campaign banner he
may have hitherto fought the battles of poll
tics they are ready to put the Flag into his
hands and follow his lead in bearing it to vic
tory.
And opinions are being changed and modified
every moment, as the reckless daring af Sou tn
ern traitors is giving fresh proof of the infer
nal spirit which is it's moving spring. Men who
last fall would not oven have admitted to them
selves that Slavery was not divine institution,
and the South fully justified in all of its de-
mands for concession from the North, would not
now grant one inch of privilege to the deformed
monster that is striking at the Government.
However much we may try to keep our judg-
ments Of Slavery and Treason distinct. we can
not now do it. We are simply compelled to be-
icve that it is Southern civilization, Southern
institutions, the Southern system Ct forced la
Dor that have educated the Southern mind up to
the pitch Of this stupendous villainy And this
is now no partisan view Of the case. 1t has been
reached through no change of party feeling. No
man has by any argument brought his neighhor
to see this aspect of Slavery. But is as though
two men should be standing by, discussing
whether beautiful snake was an inoffensive
animal that could safely be left to its own way,
till suddenly their arguments were cut short by
the reptile striking his poisoned tangs into the
hand that caressed him The South vauntingly
proclaim that their battle is for chattel Slavery.
that they are fighting for the right to extend
their institution over the whole continent, and
make it the foundation of the Government. ~
They and not we, have given the issue this pre-
else shape. They have forced the North to take
sides between Slavery and the Goyernment1;
and the North has not hesitated one moment.
On one side is the banner of the patriarchal in
stituton on the other the * stars and stripes
There Is no middle ground. God be praised for
the unanimity with which the North has rallied
to the support of the Old Flag And when the
victory is won. as it surely must be, by freemen,
whatever mitigation of punishment may be ex-
tended to white traitors, we believe that the
Institution which is the root of all this evil, will
have no mercy shown it, but be treated as it
deserves, as felon and an outlaw
ST.. LoUls.-In order to alay the excitement
in st. Louis caused by the firing of the Home