Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1862-09-16
Brave and True Words.

Brave and True Words.
The following earnest, eloquent, and patriotic
speech was made by Hon. Tbaddeus stevens,
at the convention which put him in nomination
for Congress nomna,lo which is equivalent
to an election
FELLOW CITIZENS have come Tor the pur-
pose Of thanking you and accepting your nomi-
ration 1t Is always gratifying to u public man
to be assured Of the continued confidence OF
those whose servant be Is. but especially so in
times like these when The wisest men differ on
questous Of policy had prepared to speak on
1 tnose questions, and 70 crtlclse, not in tul-
some manner, but as | thought it deserved the
conduct OF the war and the present policy Of he
4 Administration but in the last hour have
hest.ted whether 70 speak Us | had Intended
whether it were proper to criticise now, in this
hour OF deepest gloom, when we know not
where our armies are, but know that they are
nowhere successful But, whether we advise
the Government, or find fault with it, we must
all do everything to strengthen the hands Of
our nation. Let us not despair lie Is not all
sunshiue--it has gloom with JOY, adversely with
prosperity-nor Is the victory ALWAYS to the just
human energy aud earnestness will often wrest
from fate what would seen TO belong to justice
alone. Possibly We have not yet suffered
enough but let no man talter in his loyalty to
his Government, no matter how he may cri itlcise
its policy for he who ialters now Is traitor
not only to his country, but to humanity and
to his God.
| have not determined whether to speak
had intended perhaps when we know the
result OF these few days, may meet you and
speak to.you. have protested against the
present policy, not only to the people. but TO
the lace Of the President and his Cabinet and
on the floor of Congress, rs those know who
did Inc the honor 10 read my speeches told
them that they were exciting too much lenty
at the request of border statesmen--nOt 0ne OF
whom, in my Judgment, has loyalty IN his
heart. | have accused the prime minister to
his lace for having gone back from the hlih he
taught US, and instead OF armng every man,
black or white, who would light lOr hs Union,
Withholding well-meaniug President from do
ing SO until, rs we advance into their country
and our armies dwiudle away from masma
9 and disease they spring up behind us, and re-
= ,ake what We had gained They sill hold the
! Mississippi, and threaten us even on the bank
i of the Ohio all because the slaves at home
, are giving them no tr0uole-6eeaues zoe
: are, at the point Of the hlyonet keeping
them loyai 10 their masters instead khs Union
: | have told these things 10 the President and
Cabinet. and they replied 1t may come TO
this. Come 10 this -! when 200 900 men
have melted away, aud $4,000 100000 spent
- Come 10 hiS - when another half million
lives shall have been lost, and billion OF dollars
more land upon you in taxation. l cannot ana
,ciH Hot stand hls-and Il you elect me, shall
vote that every maa be armed black and white,
who can and in crushing the Rebellion; thatev-
ry inch OF Rebel soil be taken and sold to pay
the debt OF this war
will not go with the President in paying Tor
all the slaves did not vote for his resolution
: - ICdl not vote to pay for any slave ol a Rebel
Bat will uphold the Administration as tar a.
: pOsslbie-saying ut the same time that j, is all
y IN vain unless they change their policy. Would
1t not be better that 5000 armed slaves should
lie unburred around the battle fields near Manas-
sas than that your friends and mine should thus
: be there? The Rebels might have slain them ,
> they would have saved US, and our own men
. would have gone fresh into action and to victory
y \ ct ut this sympathzers with treason al the
North cry " Abolition ~ AbOitlon-yes
u abolish everything on the face Of the earth but
u this Union free every slave-say every traitor
: burn every Rebel mansion, if these things be
: necessary to preserve this temple of freedom to
u the world and to our posterity. Unless we do
e this, we cannot conquer them, have spoken
Il thus in Congress-and in the last week, after
Z few remarks OF nine, the vote was 81 to a.
! S4 agreeing with me, where year ago not fifty
Il could have been found and it go back there
= again, if we have any one LETT to tight by that
time, the lohole nation will be with Inc Either
e we must pursue that policy, or the war will be
u disgracetully abandoned at last AMI our country
e. diylded-anl he is traitor who talks OF u sep.
y aration on any terms Again | thank you.-
re have said more than uteaded when began
e less than expected last night but have
n told you these things that, even if my principles
a. be lorong they shall ueper be hidden.
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