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

FOR VICE PRESIDENT,
ANDREW JOHNSON, of Tennessee.
How the Soldiers Feel About Peace.
Gen. Burnside was up to Lake Winnie
piseogee, the other day, on a short leave
of absence. and in answer to large crowd
of people at Centre Harbor, he made a
brief speech. In the course of his remarks
he said:
81 have the fullest confidence in the
ability of the Government to crush out
this wicked rebellion | feel that the day
is not far distant when the dependency
which now prevails will totally disappear,
and the people in the North will see that
the end is at hand. Only united effort Is
needed to enable the Government to move
still more quickly. | refer to this because
| have lately witnessed this dependency.
and been surprised at ii. Why, l have
heard more grumbling at the North i'll
three days than heard III our whole cam
paign from the Rapidan to Petersburg"
We quote the above paragraph prlnci-
pally for the sake of the last sentence
"Why, | have heard more grumbling in
the North in three days than ! heard in
our whole campaign from the Rapidan to
Petersburg :" Could not Gen. Burnside
have said the same if he had travelled
through Vermont instead of New Hamp-
shire? Is it not the fact that the people
here are far behind the soldiers in their
faith in the Government We know it
is so and it is shame that such is the
fact.
Only a fortnight ago we were talking
with an officer of the old Vt. Brigade
one who had gone in at the beginning OF
the war, and done his duty faithfully tie
full three years. He said he was aston
tOnished at the taint-heartedness of men
here at home. When he went away they
were all for crushing the rebellion and re-
storing the Union now "A large number
were talking about peace. and still more
had apparently lost their faith in the
cause for which SO many of our young
men had suffered and died. lie said he
could hardly believe his ears or control
his actions when he heard men here in
Vermont say that we never could conquer
the rebellion; and he had almost wished
there was such a despotism here at the
North as they have at the South then
men would Mt dare utter such sentiments
and they would be compelled to take theil
gun and help put down the rebellion.
In conversation with another officer
within a week, Of the same regiment
who has served his full three years ant
has enlisted for another three-he express
ed the same surprise and Indignation tina
there were here at home copperheads, I,
he called them, who did all they could t
discourage enlistments-talked about tn
enormous taXeS-the great sacrifices tina
were being made, and how that thes,
Southern gentleman could never be con
quered. lie further said that he knew
the temper of the veterans of the arm
OF the Potomac and should such calam
lty bctall our country aS to elect a pcac
President next November, and should h
make dishonorablc oycrttrcs to the ,Ie
Davis Contederacy, the soldiers of til
Union army would be the first to cntt
and destroy Washington and Law I'll
White House in ashes.
Now what does all this show!
shows us just this, that we are doing on
brave men i'll the field great INJUSTICE b
distressing the power of a great and fire
people to qucll secession and rebellio
within their borders; and that they fe
wronged and justly indignant at sue
treatment You touch tender spot
the returned soldier when vou talk abol
any other peace than a peace conqucre,
lou insult the memory OF the long list
martyrs who have given up home an
friends and their life even that this I'nio
might be restored. If their blood do,
not cry out from the ground, there will |
Union voice from our brave defender
in the field demonstrating against any co,
SESSIONS to rebels in arms. They ha,
already endured and suffered too much
give up now when the end is almost !
view.
Copperheads and Gold.