Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-04-18

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had right to shout, over the success, which hi,
t5ht arm had Immediately or remotely helped
TO win. II was, from one end Of the naliono
domain to the other, sponnne1 US, irrepressibe
Ju0ant outPonrng OF the gAdness of demon.
slratve peoples and the third and tenth Of
April 1855 will stand hereafter in our calendar
al days when whole nation, by the Inspiration Of
the mighty achievements Of It's heroic mer.
bIossomed WIKI llgs, resoundad with the elad
chimes Of happy bells, and broke into shouting
and singing pens of deliyer4uco and victory.
But demonslratye and excitabe as the Amer.
can people are they yet seldom shout and sing IN.
ess they understand the events which hu, excite
their emotions. They recognized in Richmond
the entrenched capital OF the rebellion thew knew
that Lee and his army were the right arm of lrea.
|aon. Charleston was more offensive to the North
Than Richmond or any other southern city, yet
Tue news OF Ils occupation by our forces was not
received with demonstrations Of joy approaching
n magnitude tho enthusi4sn Of Monday, Bu,
Charleston, although the foul nest Of rebellion.
was not necessary support of the main oonspira.
Icy Of JEFF. DAVIS. Richmond, however, by the
common consent Of traitors and loyal men, bad
lcome to be considered the tower aud citadel oftbe
war upon our nationality. It's defence BY Gen
Lee and LIS army had been heroic ia its endurance
unceasng in It's watchfuinsss, almost sublime IN
Is devotion to wicked and falling cause. The
campaigns against H. from the first Bull Run,
through all the disastrous and sad record of the
Peninsula, pope's campaign, Fredericksburg and
UhaneelorGye, have drenched The soil Of Virgin.
a with the best blood Of the nation, and in them
our colors and their noble bearers have again and
|iglin been turned back il not 10 defeat vet with
cut victory from the bristng entertainments and
he fierce fire Of rel el foes. The fiery Kearney
the heroic Stevens, the nobs Richardson. the lion
hearted Sedgwick, with tens Of thousands. almost
huu dreds Of thousands, as gallant soldiers a.
ever carried musket have laid down their live,
Ito purchase Richmond and as their suferings
and their blood consecrated forever to The Unpn
the soil on which they died, the nation had taken
a solemn oath that Richmond should fall. And
yet they had waited They saw With an al
most trembling hope be terrible path Of fire and
death through which the army Of the Potomac
marched from the Rapidan to Petersburg, and
they bsgan almost to despair as from time 10 time
our brave army in vain essayed to break the bris.-
ing flaming breastwofks, which environed Peters
burg and Richmond. AsSbermln 10 bis mngnih-
cent clmpaign, with genius more brilliant than
any other which the war has made prominent,
seemed closing upon the rear Of the rebel capita,
hearts we're again inspired with hope; but 1t was
still feared that Lee could retreat with but Sigh.
damage and Richmond would fall barren con.
guest into our hands. And il Is not too much 10
Say, that the los. brilliant stroke of Grants militia
ry genius, cnvelopiog in bis strategic combinations
the army Of Lee, and striking this chief defence
of treason the heaviest and most fatal blows, was
a surprise to the watching aud expec.ant North,
aud contributed in no slight deg-ee 70 the enlhu-
siasm which burned all over the loyal states. And
while these victories we're thus received as fitting
contamination u the hopes Of tie people, as a
grand aud splendid triumph Of ur arms as the
brilliant close Of a clmpaisn which has had in his
Tory Do parallel Tor its heroic endurance its iea,s
If arms, its lar-reaching military strategy, and its
fearful loss Of iifr,-Whi.e Richmond captured and
Lees army broken felled shattered, surren-
dsrod, throws he Light Of victory over the valley
OF death from the Rapdsn 10 Petersburg-the
events have in hem sti'l more ofmater for thanks.
syjrg aud joy, because they bring Ii, nearer peace.
And the people Of me United States rejoice a,
this contamination, and utter their songs Of praise
that they Can nov see in The uesr future the other
shore of the terrible sea Of blood through which
our path ior the last four years has broush, US.
The victories are triumph, they are more, they
are peaee,-,he peace tina, follows, and no. that
shich is purchased, the peace which is to be bull.
upon sure and lasting foundations.