Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1862-04-03

should seek TO gain political advantage by
rancorous persecution of the Gencral.in-C hief
of the national Amy. The course pursued by
certain leading papers in the country towards
Gen. Fremont when in Missouri justly excited
the scathng criticism of the Tribune, but
wherein it was less UNSUITABLE and more vim
dic,ive than the TlTJme's opposition TO Me-
Cellan We have failed to perceive The only
rational explanation of this seeming incoasis-
tency we can make is that one of the generals
was political favolile and the other political
opponent.
Equally uncalled for and impolic are the
efforts of certain Democratic newspul crs to
make it appear the Democrats have monopo-
" of nearly all the hon and all the patriotism
in the country. If We were TO believe their as
sertiors the gieut volunteer army now engaged
in the suppression Of the rebellion is chiefly
made up of Democrats. The Burlington Sen
tinel SYSTEMATICALLY raradcs the names Of
score or more of the Generals in our armies as
Democrats. 1t even goes so far us claim that
majority of the Colonies of the Vermont
Regiments are Democrats, from which stale
ment the inference seems TO be intended that
like proportion of the rank aud file are of the
same political faith. Whether these things are
so or not we have TO means Of knowing. We
are certain that in this part of the State TO
periodically inclined person has taken the pains
to classify our volunteers by their political as
socia,ions, or is able to give the relative pro-
portion Of Republicans and Democrats WHO
have been appointed o. elected 10 military
office. We have, however, no doubt that in re-
gard TO the Generals and Colonies named by
the Sentinel the fact is as stated. AS an offset
we can only say that upon a little recent in,es-
tigation we find that all the regiments Vermont
now has in the field and as many more could
have been differed entirely from Democratic
applicants and yet there would have been II
large margin for selection. Of the balance left
unappointed it does not appear of record that
any have volunteered to serve their country in
an unofficial military capacity.
The Sentinel could 60 little further. 1t
might claim without fear of contradiction that
almost every General, subordinate officer and
private in the rebel armies from the Southern
States is a Democrat; and then it could add
that every officer from the Northern States in
t he same army is also Democrat, ard was
very recently in full fellowship with the Sedi-
mel. When this enumeration is gone through
with il might fur her busy its If in looking up
the names of those who have ever voted q
Rerublicn ticket and are now found in arms
against our country, against the dear old flag
of the Union. Comparisons, as Mrs. Parting
ton would say, "are odorous," but as com
menced by the Sentinel they are very sugges,
tive.
We have no disposition 10 pursue this exam
inntion OF the political an,ecedents Of those
who are engaged in military service for or
against the government Of the Uii,ed States.
1t is enough for us to know in this connection
that there are but two great parties in the
country. The one, mainly composed of people
IN the North bu, having numerous and honora-
bie allies IN nearly every Southern State, is
engaged in maintaining the supremacy of the
Union, the Constitution, ard the laws; the 9TH
er embracing majority Of the people of the
Slave States and including some dishonorabl,
men in the free States. are ~oging war and ex
erting their influence for the destruction of III,
benign and laierrol government under vhicl
they were reared, and who hope to find per
sondl ACKNOWLEDGMENT in ov-rthrowing tn
beautiful fabric of our free institutions. Uni
that government shall be se-es;allished in al
its parts and the leading traitors shall have re
ceived punishment proportional as near a
may be TO the enormily of their offence W,
trust that at least the military operations o
our government wiz be kept free from tn,
blighting mdew of political partnership
The true standard of patriotic merit is the ser
vice rendered our country in the appropriate
sphere in which each individual is called to act