Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1862-12-26
MIR. NOFL'S SPEECH.

MIR. NOEL'S SPEECH.
Ga Taur.day tie House beng ia Commit
Zee Of the Whole on the Presidents Message.
Mr. Noel Of Missouri, spoke as follows.
Mr. Noel Of Missouri argued tLa. the present
organized uenl cratic party did not render ua-
qualified supp Irt Co the war, hut vas continually
throwing obstacles in the way q is prosecution.
de undertook % sly that IL vas delusi,a 90
think that this war might have been prevented by
the adoption Of the Critteu.on compromise.
Il was true that some Of the Leaders Of the re
oellion hal voted for az compromise. But the
history Of subsequent events shows thas 10 ten cr
twelve more votes had been necessary 90 defeat
that measure hey c0uli have been procured lie
would g further sld say that there was nothing
IN the Crittenteu clmpr0mise that would have
prevented the rebellion.
The enemies Of the Administration held out tie
idea that the war not for the restoration 4
peace, but for the abolition Of slavery. But this
Wa untrue, alth. ugh such might be the reslit-
They assert that tho Administration trampies on
the constitution, ani al the rights and privileges
under that instrument are 10 be swept by the
board and that the Union is 90 BE c,lt-ulei f0r
without the constitution.
lie lad witnessed ONE of these so-calisd viola
lions Of the constitution. When the war J-1Ee
out The enemies q the country were aos .aflei
90 the reael states, bat were scattered over the
lad. Never was a cgnsF iracY s1 we'll corrected.
Not"ithstaaiins the opinions q Judges fancy
and SO a. O. the violation Of the cllstitgti
in suspeniiug the privilege Of kl5s1s r1ts, be
justified President Lincoln iu doing So. To was
MS duty 20 an means % suppress the rebellion.
The cluiscation % re5e. property is another PEE
text for making war on the Administration.
Those Of tie border states, who have been tramp
led IL the dust, take i. as uuknd that the enemies
% the war eXp.ud heir upltlics o1ly upon the
wives aid children OF ,le men engaged 10 rebel
A.u- The border states wish 90 see retaliation vs-
itei on the rebels for their crimes. Again, tho
cleuies % this war exhibit frighuul picture u
the fuan-ial condition g tlo uutry. Bat those
WHO ct up the rebellion are responsible t1r e.ery
dup e blood, every dollar Of extrarriiua-y ex-
peudture AMI i.r all the irregularities commit
ted.
Wh,n slavery comes 10 as an e'eme-t &C rebel
strength, and t1e question is presented between
ne p,rpc'uati0a AMI the preservation ~ the Uni
then let the former die lie would So ac. Ia the
suppression oi the rebellion, that slavery should
sever again produce results similar o. those nov
witnessed lie was against conf promise VITA men
who were cn-eavorius &. break up tuc government
lie would agree % nothing but absolute subnls-
sion On their part. lie spoke she opinions Of the
s,raicht-out loyal uel % the border States In
conclusion be advocated emancipation IL the b1r-
der slave States. lie stood BY the government
by such men as Andrew Johnson. There were but
two parties, one for vsr the other i5r cJurr.-
mise. lie woaii nos lend himself % produce
st7ic am rs tic people. O. divide tle national
councils, and weaken and uluerye tLe arm If She
government and strengthen Che cause % the ,a-
c-y.
BrRNsrpE's OFFICIAL ErrlRr,-Tlc report
Of Gen. Burnside, received in fail to-day,
shows tlatha is. like Gen. jackson. Of 5ll.a
man not afraid to take the responsibility.
Neither does De. after be LAS acted upon bis
own judgment sack TO shun The csnsurs or
avoid the criticism which failure b.in-s
upon him. lie thanks his brave oacers and
soldiers wi;l as much evident siacri.vas if
bis plans had proved .ae,-ssFll, and shows
h,m-eii equal to bearing q defeat. lis frank
and manly rep5r, is the best comment we
can of.r upoa the assertions Of those plrti-
san newspapers which hayeassumeI 20 impl;-
cate pretty mach every officer of the govern
mont as having been more OF less remotely
connected with the failure atFreiericssbur,.
and as accountable for it. The following is the
report
HEADQUARTERs Army Oh TIE Por5uAc.y
FAMoUTH, Dec, 70. (
To MAJ, Gen, Halleck, Washington
have the honor 10 offer the following reasons
tor moving the army Of the Potomac across
the Rappahaa0ck sooner than was antlcipa-
ted by the President, Secy. of War or y5ur-
self and for crossing at q point different from
the point indicated 20 you at our last meeting
at the Presidents. During nv preplrati,ns
Tor crossing at the place | had first selected |
discovered that the enemy had thrown a
large portion OF his force down the river and
elsewhere thus weakening his delenccs ia front
that ne did not anticipate the crossing OF
our whole force at Fredericksburgh, and |
hoped BY rapidly throwing the whole CON-
mana over at that place, to separate by d
vigorous attack the forces Of the enemy on !
the river below, from the forces behind and |
on the crest IN the rear 1.-THE town, in which |
case we could fight him with |
great advantage IN our favor. To do this |
we had TO gain height on the extreme |
right oil the crest, which height commanded |
l new road lately made by the enemy for the |
purpose OF more rapid communication along /
"hiSd punt BAinel MD position /
along the crest would have been scarcely 1
senable.
lie could have then have been driven from |
'hem easily, by an attack on his front in con-
nectlon with movement in rear of the crest
How near We came to accomplishing our
object future reports will show But for fog
and unexpected and unavoidable DELAY in
building the bridges, which gave the enemy
"A hours more to concentrate his forces in
his strong positions, we would almost certain
y have succeeded, in which case the battle
would have been, in my opinion. far more
ieclslve than If we had crossed at the places
irst selected.
As 1t was We came very near Success
falllng IN accomplishing the main object we
in order OF battle Two days-long
Enough to decide that the eremy would mot
come out OF his strong holds to fight US with
ms intantry-after which we recrossed to This
'ide OF the river unmolested, without tho
loss oil men or property. As the day broke
our long lines OF troops were seen marching
IN their different positions as if on parads.