Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1862-09-09
An IrresoIute Policy and its Results

deayorug to keep rebellion from crushing the
Government Tins end has been reached after
nearly eighteen months OF war Washington
Is now Je,ogad, Maryland invaded Kentucky
oyerrun. Ohio and Penne; iyAnil ttratencd, the
army 10 Tennessee cut of from is ta-a u orer-
atJus and surrounded ny rbsi fnl apd
hostile Territory New Orleans ~ immediate
expectation Of an al.atk which soy ard forces
there would be powe les. aslns. atd every
other point oil impyrmuea s9ut. occupied by us
since the war commenced. IN fair say to De
lecapturcd by Clue raools or nacuar.d by Us, ~
We /. back 10 our nos. base o operations, and
take time to gather up our scattered strength
reolgaule our shattered armies, and beg "a again
at the slphubct 81 tie war se M t5-day
taking not about our ability ID entirely sup
pres, treason and punish traitors bpt are ..ri-
Dusty deb.tug whether 10 Is pHslble iof ut 10
p,e,,otJ,l Davis from capturing our etl.s.
invading o.r territory. and debating cine ,e.ms
upon which ue shall submit TO bis rule What
bae brsegrt % to tils strait 4 s.iiJus que,-
ton, oud De who cares auytbiu! for the future
81 the lr.y state, 81 the Republic, Shout make
searching inquiry tor IS answer, That the
rock. upon which We have 50 nearly iounlered,
may b. avoided % the urthcraawgaton Of tins
stormy sea.
hi, evident mat tAcrr something wrong
somewhere. or TWENTY-FIVE million. % people
would not, in a contest with eight millions
nave been 70 disastrousiy beaten and Inundated
in the face of the nations OF the earth The
Mult. however, cauuot rest With tbe people for
they have answered with uuleseIyei cheerful
ne., and lgomp,ness, to every cal OF iiH Gov
eminent. and have besoug5t those in authority
again aud again, to make Sill! larger requisi-
tlou- uvon their patriotism, and accept more p
their abundautly volunteered aid, but awe been
told hat the Government had enough men, aud
was almost smolhered in honey. and that no
nor, troops wore required or desired Bat tine
people having done their part, als Tue Govern
ment done ID, part Have those c!aaed with
the executive power o the nation used tie
strength put into their hands in The h.,t VA
possible, or oven <, .knau.iya. Ae latm. goN-
eminent has used it. strength? Or, 81 30 still
deeper than this, his tne government conducted
tins sar with Iull comprehension Of The mag
utuue Ut tae interests at stake, ~ ~ under
standing OF the malsui'y DC resolution, aud
the yindictive determination 90 the rebels never
to be subdued? However We may attempt ID
SPARE this II th4, civil officer. OF tins or liat
military chieit4iu, IN our answer TO these ques-
tons. The universal voice Of the nation answers
these question:, IN the negative, although in par
tieular instances mas endeaSor % tighten this
burden OF responsibility by shifting il from toe
shoulders oil our taynrites upon the shoulders oil
other men The Government; has thu, lar failed
u suppress rebellion, and it cannot escape thc
severe criticism ami combination OF che people
4, q consequence OF the failure. l!it continues
t. pursue the policy Tor year to come that ],
has persoed Tor eighteen months pas it w,li
continue to fail, and the rebellion will become
success, and toe Republic forever divided
The mistake that has been made from The
outset is the policy OF putting down the rebel
lou by any other method than the subioS,tioa
OF the rebels and the possession Of their terrific
~ We have waited, before desperat' RENEE
dies we're resorted to. until the rebels have OBJ
tainei such advantages OF Us that their threats
hayodetcrred us from dom. what they did not
desire that we should do. We declared priva-
teering piracy, but have not dared to hang
privateers for fear of retaliation. We refused
to exchange prisoners until they had 80 many Of
our men in dungeons that our humanity brought
us to their terms, These are palpahle ways in
which the rebels have made policy for Us.
But their opinions and wishes have more seri-
ously mterfered with our treatment Of theu,,
through methods not quite so patent The gov
eminent commenced the war apparently with
the idea that there was not to be much lighting,
that the rebels were to be either starved or
frightened into submission, and that, Tor the
sake OF good fellowship and brotherhood aud
unity in " restored union, the traitors must
be exasperatcd just as little as possible And
SO the VAR has been prosecuted with the most
tender respect Tor all the rights Of traitors, and
with the utmost care that slavery. toe great
support of rebellion, should suilcr iustas lttc
at possible by the accidents 4, , the strife, and be
lett when the war was over as uegry MS possible
in the same state in which the war found il.
aud, although for the last few weeks We hase
heard great deal said Of the more vigorous
policy which had been adopted by the Govern
ment, we have seen no evidence OF it N the field
excep, the orders of Pope, which were modified
as soon as they were found not To exactly suit