Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1862-09-18
SPEECH OF GENERAL FREMONT.

The following eloquent and patriotic speech
wasdelvered by Gen. J. c. Fremont at the Ire
mont Temple in Boston during his recent visit
to that city. We think it worthy of being read
and preserved:
feel deeply the honor of having been asked
to appear before you | am gratifed that you
think can say anything which will aid in the
object of these meetings. But | trust that this
object so far as it relates to the enrolment of
the volunteers required has already been at
tained. The events for the last few weeks have
made so apparent the necessity for immediate
reinforcements, that | hope nothing else has
been needed to procure prompt response to
the call of the Government, and to that mute
but strong appeal of your friends in the field,
who to-day constitute our bulwark against the
surges of rebellion.
The chances OF war do not admit of delays.
The enemy is pushing it through with renewed
visor and the loss of few weeks, or even a
few days, may involve disasters shameful to
record and impossible to retrieve. In this con-
dition it will never do to let differences of opin-
ion as to how the war should be carried on in
terfere with its vigorous prosecution. First
fill the ranks, and leave to those who stay at
home the obligation of shaping the struggle to
its proper ends.
But Massachusetts needs no other Indictment
to her duty than the certainty that she has one
| to perform. Under this impulse her people
will come forward promptly and nobly, as they
always have done. (Cheers.) She will be al
WAYS true, as in this contest she has been poet
ically true, to her historic record.
The infant that here in the Cradle of Lib
erty" stranged the serpent, is ready in its man
hood to destroy the hydra; and when | see, as
| lately have had the opportunity to see, what
kind of men they are, each one filling n place
in society, instructed, intelligent m.n, heads
and supporters of families, contributing by
steady labor to the wealth OF the State-when
see such men going by thousands and hun
dreds of thousands to the field, my anxiety is
not in regard to the number who 90 there, but
il is that their ready obedience and affecting
confidence in the government will be met by a
corresponding care for them in the field, and
that these contracted energies will be directed
to results worthy of the sacrifice they are max
ing. (Applause)
Therefore, indulge myself in the pleasure
of feeling that the object of this meeting is no,
so much to urge the necessity Tor further troops
as to furnish an occasion for encouragement
| and sympathy to those now leaving for the field
the assembage of frieuds on shore to gree
the parting ship--and so with God-speed tc
them, turn, with your permission, for a mo
ment to the duties resting upon those of u
who, for the time being are left at home.
| had Just now expressed my anxiety that vi
t should obtain from this war results worthy o
,, the sacrifices we are making. How this shal
be doae and in the spediest way, is the question
e which threatens still more to convulse the coun
try, and is making the nation one great coun
, ell of war.
$ And it is right that the people should in thi
e way ieaously debate their vital interests. No
only is this their inherited right, bough by tn
first revolution, but it is also their sacred dut
e to keep themselves well and currently informe
r concerning the progress OF this revolution. an
~ to make known their wishes concerning tn
ii manner in which it shall be controlled, so O
best TO secure domestic peace, and restore
\. upon imperishahle foundations. loud cheers
- 1t is in this way that the vitality of our nstitl
J. tions maniiests and maintains itself. (Al
T. planse.)
In ordinary wars soldier is limited to Il
l. silent execution Of his military duties. But "
r. are in the midst Of revolution where evel
o. citizen is a soldier. Rome had her laws speci
to civil war. Here the nation is stirred
d the heart by struggle for existence, and n
only the life of the country but the life
Representa- i've Liberty throughout the world
5, at stake 1t is not safe to believe that we shl
be able easily to govern this revolution. Al
in the midst of such events it is not only 4
;, right but the duty of every man to express |
+ opinions, and however slight his influence m
% be, to employ it in laboring for the comm'
IA cause.
he Lord Herbert, when envoy at the court
o oT France sent, | think, by Elizabeth--at
w. events at a time when on the personal relatio
wn OF ambassadors depended peace or war for tn,
ny nations-said to the French minister, who h
purposely provoked him, that "allhough al