Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1863-04-17
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PAPERS ON The WAR-No. |.
ny AN OLD GENTLEMAN.
TJTE CRISIS

I years, and perhaps his character and condi-
| ton for life depended upon single, and Of
tsntimes, on an apparently unimportant event
4 A slight cause may create huctuation in the
market, which may decide the fate Of mer-
chant, whether he is to realize fortune
from his speculations or become a bankrupt.
The decision which young man may make
when invited for the first time TO visit the
haunts Of vice, may fix his character for life.
Nations are but an aggregate Of individuals,
and in their corporate existence seem to be
governed by the same law which rules in the
lives of individuals. The result of a single
battle has sometimes decided the question Of
the prosnerity or the degradation OF a nation.
and in some instances has changed the histo-
" Of the world. A single campaign may
sometimes suffice to determine the fate of a
nation, but more often it depends upon the
courage, patience, perseverance and pat
riotsm OF an entire generation TO carry ma
ton through great crisis and fix its cond-
tion TOR future ages. Had Xerxes succeeded
in his attempt to conquer Greece, had he not
encountered the seli-sacrifcing courage Of
Sparta and Athens at Thermopylc and Mara
thon, the world would have lost the light Of
Grecian art and genius. Had Hannibal
marched to Rome after the battle Of Canne,
Rome would probably have been subdued,
the scat Of empire transferred from the Nor
thern to the Southern shore of the Ne iiier-
ranean, and Africa might now hold to Europe
that Europe now holds to Africa.
1t required the perseverance and unparal
lelled sacrifice Of the Dutch for an entire
generation to establish the independence Of
their country against the power Of Spain
But if during that war the Spanish armada
had obtained the command Of the sea for
month, and the Duke of Parma had been
able to cross the English channel with his
army, the Protestant religion would probably
nave disappeared from Christendom, or re-
maiued only to a despised and prosecuted
sect. II our revolutionary fathers had con
cuded il was cheaper to pay a tax Of penny
on pound Of tea, rather than peril their
" lives and fortunes" in an uncertain contest,
the claim Of the English Parliament "to
bind the colonies in all cases. would have
been established, and America would have
been crushed to the earth under the weight
of taxes imposed by that government. His
tory contains many such great examples
But perhaps the annals of the world do not
present a crisis so important as the events Of
our present day. On the men Of this genera
NlNh III huleNlid IfetH Aut iNo Hpn0AplAAll VI
deciding these great questions, whether our
country is to be one and undivided, or TO be
split into two or more separate and hostile
nations; whether liberty or slavery is to be
the law OF the land whether or not constitu-
tions and laws have any binding force
whether, in fact, man is really capable OF self
government; or. whether a nation is safe.
only when under the rule OF a master.
W. epgarod in strapvo and fearful
war nation, considered the most peaceful,
and the most devoted to industrial pursuits
of any in the civilized world, has suddenly
become the most warike, and has sent mil
lion of soldiers to the field nation re-
preached for its devotion to the dollar, now
incurs an annual expenditure, which would
be considered heavy national debt for a
wealthy and powerful people. What has
wrought this mighty change. nation does
not thus change its habits from peaceful to
a wailike people from slight cause +: Gov
erned as we have been, by politicians and par
ty leaders, it cannot be said that they had
the power to effect such work. 1t must
be some mighty cause that could thus in
huence the conduct Of nation.
II we look back to the events which pre-
ceded the present war, we shall find causes
and provocations sufficient to call forth the
energies Of any people that would maintain
the character Of civilized people.
Early in November, 1860, the people Of
South Carolina announced their determination
to secede, or withdraw from the Union, and
was called, which pretended to
annul or repeal the act of a convention OF the
same State in l7sS adopting the Constitution
of the United States, and uniting in perpet-
ual union with the other States.
This bad example was followed with alacri-
IS by some States, and with reluctance by
others, until eleven Of the save-holding
States pretended to secede from the Union,
and TO establish a government of their own.
No real cause was assigned for this strange
No invasion of their rights was
Of. Nothing was alleged, except
that a President was constitutlonally elected
whose opinions on the subject of slavery they
and who was not the candidate
of their choice No regard was paid TO the
wishes Of the other States Of the Union. No
question was raised as to the effect this act
OF secession might have on the interests of
the other States, except that tie malicious
hope was INDUCED that this act of secession
would throw the other States into discord
and rretrevable ruin. This act OF secession
was followed by the Immediate seizure Of all
the forts, arsenals ships and treasures of the
United States within their power.
Not satisfied with actually commencing
war against the United States, by the attack
on Fort Sumter, forces were raised for the
avowed purpose of seizing on Washington
and breaking up the organization Of the Gov
ernment Of the Union by force Of arms.
BY these acts Of the secession government,
not only were the rights Of the other States
assaulted, but blow was struck at all free
republican governments and an example set
which, if tolerated, might tend to a series of
secessions and divisions, until all law was
overlhrown, all rights of property disregard
ed, and all security lost in general anarchy
And not content with their attack upon the
Government Of the Union, the seeding States
must assail the rights of man, and by spe-
cial provision Of their constitution consign a
portion of the human race to perpetual
bondage, and declare human slavery to be the
cornerstone Of their government. Such was
the issue which the seGeders presented TO US
and to the world.
Now let us look at the means they adopted
to carry out their plans. Armies were raised
by the seeding government not only for the
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