Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1862-08-01
THE WAR MEETING.

| trance.
The meeting was called to order by Hon
Daniel Roberts, and Lieut. Gov. Underwood
was chosen President, and VIM. ii. Hoyt,
ESQ. Secretary of the meeting. Alr. IN
derwood, with remark or two on the I'M
portauce of the crisis and the duty OF the
State to fulfil its pledge of support to the
government to the last man aud last dollar,
introduced Hon. F. E WOODBRIDGE, Of Yer
gennes.
Mr.. WooDBRIDGE's SPEECH.
Mr.. Woodbridge, after some remarks com
plimentary to the gentlemen who were to
succeed MIN as speakers, went into bret
review of some Of the issues Of years past
the original torinNlon OF the Union the
constitutional guarantees for Slavery the
doctrine Of notification and the question
of slavery in the territories, lie sad his
views on slavery were those OF Vermont. Ii
is curse which destroys the people where 1t
exists but be believed that slavery had re
ceived its death wound. In Gods own time
it would die and there be would leave 1t. 1t is
our duty now to let pass these old issues.
Our flag is now to be sustained. We are
fighting for " Liberty and Union one and In
separable'' and until 1t is secured he thanked
God that lie would not let us have peace.
Vermont has done well. He had been one OF
a commission to attend to some state matters
at Washington, in the course OF which a
little difference between them and the Treas
ury Department had arisen. Mr.. Edmunds
had clearly, and as it turned out, effect yely,
presented the views of the commission in
paper, which was handed to Secretary Chase
with the remark that it could hardly be ex-
pected that the representatives Of 80 small
and insignificant State as Vermont could
alter the decision of the Department.
Mr.. Chase's reply was L" Let me tell you,
Gentlemen, that in this business Vermont is
the banner state. II any State deserves the
consideration Of the Government it Is that
State, and you may thank God that you
have the honor to belong to it" Vermont
has her reputation to sustain. lie did not
doubt that the rebels had AN army of
80 GOO men raised by CONSUMPTION. They
outnum oered US. Mcclellan had $4,000 Op-
posed to lbs, 900 disciplined troops besides
the conscripts. Whatever mistakes he might
have made, Mcclellan had made a mastery
retreat. To MS skill and the valor Of the best
army the sun ever shone On, was their es-
cape from utter humiliation due. The Tt
bels would not wait. nor can We. We must
60 to the rescue nol0. The. spirits of the just
made perfect beckon Us on. The bones Of
the Patriot fathers cry to Us from the ground.
The speaker proceeded in an animated vein
to urge his hearers to stand by the haS.
Hon. Paul Dillingham; was next introduced.
MR. DmLNGHAM's SPEECH.
He began by showing the utter inadmissi-
bility of the doctrine of Secession, and the i'm
possibility of consenting to a division OF the
Union, or OF drawing a line on which a d.
vision is possible. We have got to settle this
question by force. Rebellion Is mad. There
Is no chance for concession or compromise.
Only the strong arm can bring us peace.
There appears to be, at present, something Of
a feeling of espondency. We are listening
too much to the crOakers. We are allowing
ourselves TO give way to disappointment, te-
cause when We had once furnished the gov
eminent all that we supposed it needed, and
had rested ourselves in full confidence Of
speedy victory, we are told that the same
thing has to be done over again. All this is
wrong. The trouble is, that we have failed
to realize the magnitude and resources Of the
rebellion /; but now that our eyes are open,
are We going to quake or hesitate? Are we
ready to own that we cannot subdue these
proud rebels?
Mistakes may have been made by our
Generals, and President and Secretary.
They are human. But have they not
tried to do their best? Should you or |
have done better? We must now enlist our
energies anew. We must take hold Of the
business as we used to of our political con
tests of yore. We must go from house to
house. and canvass our towns. The Gov
eminent does not need money-nor NUM-
tions. 1t wants men with stout hearts and
arms. We are not going to hold back. We
are not towards, though there are some
whose courage needs nursing. Let the
young men, who wish the stamp OF honorable
manhood, 90 forth. Let the fathers talk it
over with their sons, and wives with their
husbands. Let our women show their power
as they have at the South. Let the mother
buckle on the harness for her boy. Let the
maiden say, wish hero for husband. 1t
our hearts are in the matter we cannot fail.
Mr.. Dillingham; made an excellent and eff
fective speech, and was abundahtly ap-
plauded.
CHAPLAIN wooDwARD's SPEECH.
Chaplain Woodward Of the LIST Vt. Cav
airy, next took the stand amid double
round of applause. lie said he had come
back for few days, expecting to find Yer
mont awake as when he left, when more
men were Offering than could be ae-
cepted. He was surprised to fnd
that it was hard enlisting. aud that
there was even talk Of impressing men. Why
is this? Have We forgotten that the past
year has seen a series Of victories of our arms,
such as the world never saw? Eight weeks
ago. and leading Virginia rebels told him
they felt their cause must fail.
But We have had sJme reverses. We were
driven from the Shenandoah valley. True
but it took 80, 900 rebels to drive out our
5000, and they held the ground but three
weeks. Our armies are now IN advance Of