Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-08-28
A Talk with "Quiet Men. :,
August 25th. 1868.

You, friend, who stay at home "about
your business two elections out of three
VIC mean you. You don't think it necessary
to turn out on election day, because there are
enough else to GO; because Vermont is all
right; because one vote will make no differ
once; and because You are "a quiet man -
not intensely excited over any thing, and
certainly not over a little election in this
little State of Vermont
Yes, you are quiet man, and perhaps
just a trihe LAYOUT let that 60. You are
not asked to rush round and break things
You are only reminded that it your dutyto
20 and rote-to step up as quietly as you do
other things, and deposit the - ballot, which
drops as light as snow-fakes fall upon the
sod You thought of staying at home,
about your business, oh? But it happens that
your business calls you from home on election
day. 1t is your business to 90 and rote, and
no other bnsiness-not a matter Of life and
dcath-can properly interfere with it. You
are an American citizen-an American SOP
erayn' One day out of three hundred and
sixty-fvc you are called upon to exercise the
main act Of your sovcreignty-to indicate the
man You desire 10 WELD the Executive pow
er Of the State in this most important time
the man you choose to represent you on the
floor of Congress, and who, speaking and
voting in your stead, shall say how the ire
mendous questions Of national import to come
before the next Congress shall be decided
the men who are to lcgislate for you at
Montpelier, and administer Justice at home.
Can you have more important business than
this?
But there are enough else to attend to it -
All indeed Why not let your neighbors
do all the rest Of your duties, as well as this
cultivate your farm, raise and educate
your family, eat your breakfast for you?
If there is any thing another man cannot do
for you, it is to vote for you. But hour do !
you knor there are enough else? You wish |
the war carried on to triumphant close,
and to hold up the hands-of the AdmiHistra-
ton in all necessary andproper means to that
end. But there are men, and not a few
Of them, even in Vermont, who do not
wish any thing Of the kind-men
who, having lost the Federal Offices
which they held, as they assumed, by divine
right, hate with perfect hatred the President
who turned them out, and all his support
rather than this Administration
should have the honor and glory Of closing the
war triumphautly. would gladly see the rebel
lion successful, and the Southern Confeder-
acy permanently established on the ruins of
the Union; who in their heart of hearts
would prefer JEFF. Davis to Abraham Lin
coin for President; and for that matter,
whose chance of political advancement and
profit would be much better at Richmond
than at Washington, to-day. These men are I
this year in Vermont, with unu- {
'ual energy. Their tickets are in the field, {
md by raking in all the dishonest and dis {
'fiected' they hope to cast a vote that shall q
count and be worth counting. They do not q
'xpect to elect their candidates, though they
night for all you, if you stay away from the
they know that seven or eight i
housand firm supporters of the Government I
re absent in the army-they expect that t
GU, and several thousand quiet men like a
on, viii not take the trouble to vote.-and &
bus, out of little increase of their own t
ote, and a considerable diminution of the L
Inion vote, they expect to raise the wind u
Or cry that the Administration is breaking
own, even in the house of its frmest friends, r,
nd that even VERMONT has uttered her re- Il
IKE against the continuation of this =" I'M il
oily war "a cry that shall reach and en- Of
,urage the rebels in Richmond, and tell for Il
symour, Davis, & Co. in the next cam fir
aign. You can render; then, gentlemen, Of
our drop of aid and comfort by remaining e'
Iietly at home on Tuesday next-do you an
oppose to do 1t? .--...t--- III
" But Vermont election is Of little eonse- br
lence, any way" All, who told you SO? sh