Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1862-06-03
Green A.t. freeman
MONTPELIER, VT.
Tncsday Morning, June 3, 1869.
Presidents Message.


Federal Constitution aud the Union, was clam
Jesunely prepared dura5 tae Winter Of 1860
and 1851, and asauAou an open organization in
the form fla reasonable provisional government
ut Montgomery, Alabama, on toe 18TH day Of
Feb. 1861. On che I2tA aay Of April, 1861, the
insurgents committed the fAsgautact0f cylwar
Ny tle tOulhartlaeut aud pureu Fort sum
Ter which rut 81! tHe hapa VI Immediate conula.
ton. lmmodi4lclY aIIcp,ud, u. ill., sOids and
avenues % this city were o53ructed ana the
Capital was pU5 luto The condition Jl seige
The nAlls n yery direction wefl stopped and
tie mes Of telegraph cut of BY the Insurgents
ana military and naval forces which bad been
called out By the government for The defense ol
Washington were prevented from reaching the
city ty orr 4niz and combined reasonable re.
sistaf ce in TIE State Of Maryland There was
no adequate Or effective organization for the pub
he delcnses. Congress had indefinitely adjourned
There was no tune ~ convene them It be-
came necessary orme to choose whether, usinr
only the existing means agencies, and processes
which Congress had provided, | should let
the government fall into ruin, or whether, avail
ing my self Of The broad powers conferred by the
constitution ~ cases OF lusurrectlOn. | should
make an effort to save IL with all lis blessings
for the present age and Tor posterlty | there
lore summOnedm my constitutional advisers. the
heads Of all the departments, to meet on Sunday
the 2Oth day Of April, 1861, at the Office Of the
navy department, and then and there with their
unanimous concurrence, decided that an armed
revenue cutter should proceed to sea 10 afford
protec ION TO goo commercial marine, especially
70 California teasurc ships then on Their way
TO the coast
also directed the oommandant of the NAVY
Yard ut Boston 70 purchase or charter aud arm
as quickly as possible five steamships for pur-
poses OF defence. directed the commandaut
of the Navy Yard at Philadelphia to purchase or
charter aud arm an equal uumter. ! directed
Commander Gllls to purchase .. charter and
arm and put to sea two other vessels Similar
directions were given 10 Com. Dupont wish Il
view 70 the opening OF passage by water 10 and
from the capital directed the several officers
to take the advice and obtain the aid and Of
iicicn. services / the matter OF Ills Excellency.
Edwin d. m0rgln, the Governor Of New York
or, in his lbsente, George d. Morgan. VIM. NJ.
Eyarts RIM. Blatchlord ana Moses Il Griunel
VIII" were, 10y my directions, especially empow-
cred by the ;, cretlry OF the Navy 10 act for his
department III that Crisis in matters pertaining
to the forwarding oil troops and supplies for the
public dcenses. On the same occasion direct
ed that Governor Morgan and Alex Cummings.
OF the city Of New YORK. should be authorized
by the Secretary OF War, Simon Cameron. to
make al necessary arrangemements for the
trans poFtallon OF troops and munitions of war
IN aid and assistance VI officers Of the army OF
the Uulted States, until communication by mails
ana Telegraph should DC completely re establish
cd between the cites OF Washington and New
YORK no security was required TO De gwen by
them, and either OF chem was authorized 10 act
ana IN case OF inability to consult with the other
On the Same occasion | authorized and directed
the Sccfetny OF the Treasury to advance, with
oat requiring security, two millions Of dollars
o. puolic money TO John 4. Dix, George OPP
dyke, and Richard NJ. batchord of New York.
to ne d by them in meeting such rsauisiton.
as should b. directly consequent npon Tie mil
ltlry dad nVl measure, Tor the defence and
support OF the government requiring them
only 20 act without compensation and repor,
their transactions when duly called upon The
several departments OF the goyernment a, that
tine contained 50 large Il number Of disloyai
persons, that 1t would have been impossible 10
provide safety through otlcmj agenls only FIR
The performance OF the duties thus copGded Ia
atty, aud patriotism. The seyeral orders. issued
with these communications, were transmitted by
private messengers who pursued curcuitous
way 20 the soaooird cities, inland. cross The
States OF Pennsylvania aud Ohio. and the Mr.
thern lakes believe that by those and other
similar measures taken in that crisis, some OF
"elch were without aay authority Of law tht
government was saved from an overthrow.
Am not aware that dollar of The public funds.
cOnhded without authority OF Jaw To unofficial
persons, was either lost orswasted. although au-
prehenSi0ns ol Sueh instructions occurred To
me, us objections to these extraordinary proceed
lngS, and were neces. arily 0verruled
recall these transactions now because nv
attention has been direc.ed TO resolution which
was passed by the House of Representatives ON
tho outh ol last month, which is in these words
-, Resohed That simon Cameron, ate Secretary Of
war by investing AeXand,r CUMMINGS with the con ro
ot large sums OF public money and authority 10 nnrcb
military supplies without restrictions vii bout rsonir
from him any guarantee for he faithful perf,rmanc. -
ms uutles when the services Of competent officers were
available, and by involving the COVE in rash number
OF contracts WIN persons not egitmately engaged m the
business pertaining To the subject matter of such contracts
especially IA the purchase Of arms for future drlysrv
has adopted policy highly injurious to The public service
and deserves the censure OF this House. >, Nv
Congress will see that should be WANTING
equaiiy III CANTOR and IN Justice, if | should
leave the censure expressed IN this resolution TO
rest exclusively and chiefly upon Mr.. Cameron.
The same sentiment is unanimously entertained
ny the heads OF the departments, who particlpa.
ted IN the proceedings which the House of Rem.
resentatives has ccnsured. II is due to Mr.. Cam.
eran T. say that,although be fully approved the
proceedings, they We're not moved nor suggested
BY himself, aud that not only the President but
all other heads OF departments were at least
equally responsible with him for whatever error
wrong or iault was committed in the premises
(Signed) ABRAHAM L,ScoIN
Washington, May %, 1862.
The New York Seventh Regiment leads tho
Gnlh thus TINA 0rhnra MAJ. =. ~