The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1864-09-09
Letter from Boston


BOsToN, Aug. -, 1864.
FRIEND STONE: The editorial notice Of
your county convention, in the columns of
your last issue, is we'll calculated to inspire
confidence in the ranks of all friends to the
country and the government. Ii is pleasant
to see 50 many srong men from the opposl-
ton, coming up manfully, to do battle for
liberty and Union, irrespective of party ties,
and the conviction attending the honest and
fearless discharge of duty, will afford them
more satisfaction for all coming time, than
place and power under the servile influence
of shareholders, in their best estate, would
do.
Among the many patriotic and well writ
ten discourses delivered upon the occasion
of our late national fast, few, if any. possess
ed stronger claims to the attention Of the
community, than that OF the Rev. J. NJ.
Manning, at the Old South. After a bret
allusion to the occasion, and the historic rec
objections of the place, he preached a most
| excellent sermon from the conduct of the
Israeites, at kadesh barnea, after leaving
their state of bondage murmuring against
Muses., and saying, let US choose US a cap
tain, and return into Egypt" He enumerat-
! 1 ba ~; IL.
the commencement of the war, reviewed It's
progress, and summed up with an appeal to
/ and as he had been there for many months
and had suffered much and long from sick
ness contracted on the tented field" his re-
marks were received with manifest interest
10y his large audience. \ lady of our ac-
! quaintance remarked that during the morn
ing, and while attending the usual prayer
meeting at fremont Temple, her feelings
had been unusually despondent but that the
cheering view Of actual progress in the right
direction, completely revolutionlzed her feel
ings, and such no doubt was the case with
many others.
1t would seem really astonishing, did not
that feeling imply ignorance of human ma
ture, to notice the tallacy of many of the ar
guments Of those who oppose the govern
ment, ard of course the prosecution Of the
war. The other day, in my hearing, a gen
tl9man ventilated his spleen in exceedingly
bitter language, and closed by stating that
he never had any sympathy with the fire
eaters, North or South, and consequently he
could wash his hands Of all interest in the
matter-ne was neutral a mere spectator
Now had his splendid house been on fire
and the people were to excuse themselves
from any agency in extinguishing the flames
because they never had any sympathy with
those who had done the mischief, he would
no doubt have considered it as exceedingly
bad logic, and that their neutrality might
prove a serious calamity in his case.
Again, many do immense injury by assum
ing to BE- governed by an excessive degree
of candor in the matter, ignoring entirel
the questions of freedom ard humanity. L
iilustrate-a year or two since a young lad,
of this city was returning from the annivel
3 saries in the western part Of the state, an
was seated by the side of an elegantly dress
> ed lady. In the course of conversation, tn
latter referred, in a somewhat sneering mar
ner, to some other ladies' in the same ca
, who ap >eared to De knitting or enga i
some other useful employment, remarkin
that they were "probably at work for tt
soldiers" adding, with great magnanimit
that she was willing they should be care
for, when sick or wounded, bat that they ha
t, no right to interfere with the rights of CT
~ ers.' Are you Southern lady ?" aske
| our young friend, in tone indicative of su
n prise. NO" was the answer, "are you
Yes" was born in Vicksburg, and reside
r. there until twelve years of age" but am fr
at to say, that cordially wish success to Il
tn cause of the Union, and sympatnize with t
ID soldiers in their trials" The critic SCENE
We satisfied to let the subject drop. In a sire
v ! car, to-day. in my hearing, one gentlem
We was telling another about his son, who was
er prisoner, and probably an officer. If we
rt to make an effort to have him exchange
of said he, my son would say, " father, let the
tn who have been prisoners the longest be {
air changed, and bad as the fare is, l will su
Id nit to it." He stated that when he |
n wounded, in kind of piazza, richly DIRE
of ed lady came along, and with look of SEQ.
he said, 81 am glad to see you here-I shot
or, like to see your limbs cut off one by on
i'm He was carried to the hospital, and had
g. not been for a steward, who washed his |
IN it would have rot,ed otf-such was the n
las lee. of the surgeons. The lady sent h
1e- word that she was sorry to hear that he v
he getting well, she had hoped he would di
ful Such is Southern chivalry. | hope ev
ed voter will go for his country, and the rec