Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1865-07-21


adopted at the meeting in Faneuil Hall on
the 2lst ult. -
To The People Of The United States -
In pursuance Of the custom Of the Amer-
can people to confer freely with one another
in times of civil emergency, and the examples
Of our own ancestors to speak to their fellow
citizens from this place. we have been com
missioned by the citizens this day assembled
in Fsneuil Hall to address you upon the state
Of public affairs.
We claim no peculiar right to be heard,
even by reason of the sscredness Of the spot
from which we speak but the greatness Of
the exigency, the critical questions your rep
resentatives in Congress will soon be required
to meet, and the singular unanimity which
appears among the patriotic people in this
portion OF our land, lead us to hope for your
attention and consideration.
To remove distractions which we know
may be artfully thrown in the way, we wish
to say to you in advances matter Of hon
or between citizens-that this meeting and
this address have not been prompted by any
organization, or by any purpose of party or
personal politics. They are the spontaneous
expression of the convictions of men in earn
est, who have differed much in times past,
and may be separated again in their political
action, but who are forced to common opin-
ion en- the present exigency OF affairs.
That we may wisely consider our rights
and duties, understand whom and what we
have to deal with, and the probabilities Of the
future, we must ask you TO review with Us
the ground, however familiar it may seem to
be.
FOR thirty years and more, Southern soci-
ETY. has been moving steadily in an opposite
direction from our own, until its entire sys-
tenn, and-lfwe may call it so-its civilization,
has become hostile to, and, at last, inconsis-
tent with our own. In their progress, the
southern people had reached a position where
/ it may be said to have become their settled
doctrine, social aud political, that the people
of color are--not by accident and temporari-
ly, but by nature and forever--unds for any
other condition than that of absolute slaves
On several millions OF such persons, not all
negroes, but in whom is much white blood,
with often but quarter or an eighth OF the
African-their social fabric rested. When
not aggressive, their system was intrenched
behind State institutions, where no national
authority could reach it. From this condi-
tion Of things, there followed consequences OF
the utmost social and political Importance to
the government and people of the Republic
Slavery, with its effects on what would other
wise have been the lsboring class of whites,
resulted in system which is substantially
oligsrchal. 1t gave to the masters the advsn-
tages Of oligsrchy, and trained them PERSONAL
ly in its habits, sentiments and passions
Slavery and oligarchy do not rest on polti-
cal economy, but have their sources IN the
pride and passions of men. They are, there
r - III ekan,
ever-present danger. The Southern people
came to consider themselves as moulded, by
their training and position, into a master race,
not only over their slaves, but in their rela-
tions with their fellow citizens Of the free
States, whose political equality and free labor
they had come to despise. To support their
system. in national politics, they invented and
used, as a most effectusl weapon, the dogma
of State Supremacy, which they disguised un-
der the name of State Rights. 1t may, there
fore, be fairly said that three ideas had com
pete possession of Southern society, y,-Slave-
~, Aristocracy and State supremacy. Upon
these, thew carried on their political warfare,
until 1860. On these, they founded their
empire in 1861. On these, and for these,
thsy have waged against the Republic for four
years, a war Of stupendoas proportions.
That we may understand the character of
this antag onistic force, with which we have
now to deal politically, we ask you to remem-
Der what they accomplished. They made no
insurreciion of professed citizens for redress
Of grievances. They made no revolution or
civil war within an admitted sovereignty
they set up a distinct and independent SOW
ereignty, within the territory of the Republic.
This extended over eleven States, and we
hardly saved our capital while in the States
Of Maryland, Kentucky and Missouri, the
most the nation obtained at FIRST, was dec
laration Of sovereign neutrality. Looking at
the fact, and not at right or law, we must re-
member that the rebellion drove out from it's
usurped borders every representative and OBJ
liberated every sign of Federal authority, pos
sessed every foot of ground, and established
and pu, in operation a central government.
completed in all its parts, legislative, execu-
tive and Judicial. 1t is true, the rebels pre-
served the form Of republic, but they might
have made their government monarchy
They did as they chose. 1t happened that
they preserved their State lines, and made
few changes in their State constitutions; but
they might have obliterated both, and resolv-
ed themselves into consolidated empire
They did as they saw fit. They then deman-
ded recognition of US, and of the rest Of the
world, raised armies and a navy, and forced
the issues of war. We had only to decline
the issue OF war, and the rebel government
would have stood forth, completed, recog-
nized empire.
In the course OF u war OF four years, for
the restoration Of the Republic, we must not
forget that not one place surrendered from
political considerations. There we're individ-
ual deserters, but not regiment laid down
its arms from motives Of returning loyalty.
They fought to the last,-as bitterly at last
as ever,- and were surrendered by their
commanders only when there was no other
resource 1t was by force, that their gov
, ernment was broken down. 1t is by force
that the territory they held is now in our mil
itary occupation. They admit themselves
ovefpowered by superior numbers and material
resources, but we are not aware that the ad'
mission extends any further. Military organ
izations against the Republic are not practic'
able; but they are seeking TO open, and with
, the least possible delay, the avenues to theil
old fields OF political contest and ascendancy