The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1863-04-22
The Petition that was not Generally Signed
bV the 18th Regiment.

by the 18th Regiment.
We have received a communication from al
s1lhcer in the 18th Vt. regiment, setting forth at
great length the reasons for and the justification
of, the petition which our correspondent
q T. A. H." introduced TO our readers, short
elme since, asking the Governor to let the
,nire months men come home when their term
of enlistment would expire reckoning from some
earlier date than the muster-in rolls. The object
the communication is chiefly to exonerate Ii.
CLARK, and show his connection with the petition
The writer, after stating that T. a. II. must
have had some improper motive in forwarding a
copy of the petition for publication, says, of the
,urigia of the petition
What gave rise to it? The question as to
when our time of service commenced has occa.
STONED great discussion throughout the brigade !;
and our friends at home appear to be quite as
much in the fog as We All supposed when they
enlisted, and the enlistment papers specify the
fact, that coming as we did in lieu of drafted men,
our nine months would begin on the day of the
draft, or possibly day approximating the dates
of the organizations of Companies. However,
our muster in rolls were rot dated back to that
timt, but few believed these rolls fixed our time
of service. They reasoned, ave are in lieu of
drafted men; the government can only draft for
nine months. Now, if it can keep US one month
over that time, it can six with equal propriety."
Hence they infer that the government has no L.
r0J right to retain us longer than nine months
from tne day of the draft Certain parties, repre-
rsenting the l2th 18th and 14th regiments, believ
ING that the question was not authoritatively de.
IL. Il &c ,bn
the contrary notwithstanding the Lieut.. Govern
or had expressed different opnion-unted in
requesting Lieut. Clark of the 18th, to draw up
petition embodying the views Of the brigade, ask
ing Gov Iobrook to solicit at the War Depart
rnent discharge for US that will do US Justice, ac
cording to our enlistment" as an act OF policy as
welI as right.
. Our correspondent then gives the reasons for the
miscarriage Of the petition. lie says:
The above being facts, why did the petition
gascarry? The reason is obvious Some be-
lieved it would effect nothing Others believed
il would be msinterpreted, while designing indi-
2iduas,-many of whom, on account of their high
salaries, can afford to be, OF Seem patriotic, while
we remain safe within the defeuSes of Washing
Gon,' opposed it on the ground that it would be
misunderstood and SQUAD unpatriotic and unman-
lAted, Co. B, of the l3h one of the most patriot
=: and intelligent companies in the regiment, il
adsrstes the opinions entertained of the petition
iutrnscally Seventy-two of its members signed
it. 90. a, Of the 18th signed it almost unan-
rnously, also. Are they less sc,Esacrifcing than
others VINO did not sign it ? BY no means. The
above ere the reasons of its failure.
Jhe writer then vindicates 1t. Clark from hay.
iag any bit the best motives in writing the petit
zion, Doing it by request, having himself no desire
20 Gpit the service. OF the " marginal notes on
toe petition, our correspondent says
Bot what makes the matter more censurabIe
Lhe author gives publicity to a m iserable fling,
81 g base SANDER, a scurri lous libel written by a
meCa Der Of Co. ian enemy as Irresponsible as he
Its coreemptiblo. Tie attack was so abusive that
she Orderly of Co, X, was gentemanly enough
20 withdraw it from circulation, and return 1t to
Lieut. Clark. But your correspondent not daring
10 make such language his own. effects his pur-
pose equally well BY giving it in the words of
Gpothsr
This, We believe, comprises all the letter that is
nnatvral to the questions fairly raised by the letter
epf ct. A. H."