The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1863-07-31
SkedaddlerS.
CANADA EAST. I
july IL, 1868. (


BROTHER B.: Your son started for home
last Friday; arriving at Lyndon, he heard
that drafting was to take place the next day
and is now here, seeking safety under the
protecting 0.yis of the British Inc.
Under most any other circumstances, we
should have been very glad to see him, and
enjoyed the visit very much. | assure you
that Yankee skedadding has become such
an abomInaton, that almost every man born
iii the |. 5. living here feels mortified to
meet even his own brother as ID skedaddler.
am certain that any father, wishing to see
his son start in the world with the least spark
OF patriotism, or who hoping to see his son
aspiring to any Of those ideas of right and
wrong, which are necessary to establish him
in the rights Of full manhood, would receI
at the thought of placing him in a position
where he would have to endure the taunts
and jeers which skedaddlers have heaped up
on them here. The case is such. that no
friend can feel to take their part, however
much they may sympathize with them as in
dividuaiS placed in a false position. You may
say there are those who are glad to see them
run from their country in the hour of its
trial: this Is true to some extent, but it will
lie found that the few, who take this view,
are the enemies of all free government, and
would be < lAd to see the United States sun
dered and sunk in the ocean; but the same
men despise. III their hearts, the skedaddler,
however much they may fatter with the
tongue.
There are many reasons why skedaddlers
are in such ba! repute And firstly the
cause, in which the government is engaged
is considered by most all just cause, one
IN which not only the people of the states are
Interested, bat all who love truth. and wish
for the spread OF our common civilization.
Another reason is, that almost every family
here IS represented in the army of the Union
many of our young men have left homes as
dear as any in the United States, to assist in
putting down this unnatural rebellion, and
you can readily conceive that it is not very
gratifying to see stout, able bodied young
men, Of the United States skulking and loaf
ing, while cur sons and friends are enduring
the har,lships of camp and field And yet
there Is another reason, why skedaddlers are
at such a discount with those of us who are
natives OF the states. Sked 4ddlers, as q
class, are very bad samples of American char.
acter, both as to intelligence and morals
! Americans, in Canada have claimed that the
schools of New England were models fol
any country, and they have claimed supe-
rior Intelligence for the youth of that land
Alas how often have Americans had to blush
for very shame at the exhibitions OF igno
rance by these young men in regard to the
history OF their country. The fact is. the
most of our lads over fifteen years, are bet.
ter posted in the political history of YOU,
country than four-ftths of the skedaddlers
And Eng glishmen suppose these men to b,
fair specimens of the young men Of the coun
try parts of the United States. As to NOR
ais, as class they are far from wha. W,
should expect from land boasting, ant
rightly too, of exalted privileges. There ar,
exceptions; some of them are not vicious
but the majority lead idle lives. Some sci
liquor; some peddle pictures, &C., &C., whil
others spend their time railing against th'
government under which they were born
while the less guileless, in which most favor
able class am glad to be able to place YOU
son A, are homesick, restless and un
happy; forming, altogether, group of char
acters, as undesirable as you can imagine