Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1865-07-07
SPEECHES AT THE UNION CON-
VENTION.

OF the speeches. Mr.. Clark was unable to
give us a copy in season, and we therefore use
his report for the Times.
Hon. F. K. Woodbridge, Of vergennes,
was called upon for speech, amid much ap-
plause, and he said be was not going to make
one, but he did, and an eloquent one too.-
He had just come from New York, not stop
ping at home, but when this convention was
done he was going back, stopping at the old
est city in Vermont, just long enough to give
his wife one rousing kiss and five babies,
(lsugh,er) and must not stop here except to
give one passing word OF congratulation on
having arrived to see the day when our Union
is saved, and slavery dead. applause.
He proceeded TO pay an eloquent tribute
to the Vermont troops, complimenling in
particular Maj. Gen. Stsnnard, who, he said,
was always found where he ought not to be,
in the front, land not in the rear, where he
ought to be safe,) calling to his brave troops
not to go, but to come (Applsuse.)
He claimed that our government was now
the strongest as well as the best government
on earth, and believed that if all its people
were like Vermonters, there could be no
doubt but that it would Last forever But we
have great deal yet to do, but there are
stout men to do the work He believed he
could see at least one such in this convention,
who, he hoped, would follow him and make a
spe' ch.
He paid an eloquent tribute to the memory
Of our martyred President and followed with
an argument showing that no circums tance
was better calculated to show the stability OF
our government than the fact that the shock
ing event Of his death did not in the least
disturb our stocks in the market, nor in
any other manner disturb the confidence Of
the people.
He paid high compliment to President
Johnson, and believed him reliable. He closed
amid repeated calls to go on, and throughout
his speech was greeted with frequent and
hearty applause.
Hon. Justin s. Morrill, was called out, and
declined making set speech, but would en-
deavor to touch upon some few OF the " hard
points" that his esteemed colleague had omit
ted to notice.
We have put down the rebellion and abol-
ished slavery, but we are now to see to 1t
that what our soldiers have achieved ia not
to be lost; we are TO see to it that what we
have won by blood shall not be lost by apa-
thy. or by allowing ourselves to be outgen-
rallied by those who now penitently pretend
loyalty.
We are sometimes doubtful Of some Of the
pTetensions that we occasionally hear now a.
days, and history explains the reason; we
are 20 see TO it that suspicious shall not
be realized and our country's liberties lost,
when we know that they can be saved by the
simple process of trusting in peace those dus-
ky forms that stood by us in war. (Applause.
We ought,to exclude from suffrage the men
who had done most to bring on the war,
and ought to extend it to those who, as much
as any ether, did all they could to end the
war. (Applause.) He believed the Presi-
dent was to be trusted, and hoped that like
his glorious predecessor, he would lay his
hand upon the popular pulse aud act as the
cOuntry's heart shall beat He said the Presi
dent feeling his way along and taking
his soundngs, and he believed he would be
ready to adopt such policy as the loyal peo-
pie shall point out.
He went on at length with arguments of
figures and logic in favor of negro suffrage,
and against trusting entirely to the pretended
reconstructed rebels of the South. He said
that in a recent trip South, he had found that
the whites had not all given up slavery
They wanted its power. if they could not
have it's property, and would seek such re-
construction would give them most Of that
He said. with regard to the punishment Of
thirsty, but that some of the leading rebels
ought to suffer the extreme penalty of the
law. Tremendous spplause.) In this con-
neotion he related the story OF man who
whipped dead dog, and gave as his reason
therefor that he wanted to teach all other
sheep-stealing dogs that there Was punish
ment after death. daughter and applause. }
He then followed with bitter and scath-
ing rebuke to that shirking class of men who
blocked the wheels of the Government dur
ing the war but who now, that we have peace,
we're jumping to be the foremost to express
honied words Of jubilee, congratulstion, and
sympathy for our soldiers. But they could
not blot out their record. They could not
deceive the soldiers, nor make their preten-
sions Of loyalty believed
But spite of them, we have achieved the
victory, and having faith in our government
we will stand oy it, and having faith in God,
we will endeavor TO be true to His eternal
principles He paid eloquent tribute to
the soldiers, and wished that they might be
remembered with gratitude and aid through
life, and immortalized in history, in stone and
bronze, in death.
He was often applauded, and closed with
cries of "go on"
Hon. S. r. Colby, Register Of the u. s..
Treasury, being in the house, was called out,
and he responded with a charsctsristically
beautiful and eloquent speech. He spoke OF
his state pride on witnessing the review of the
9th corps in Washington, recently, when the
glorious Vermonters we're received with such
rousing cheers.
He proceeded to the discussion of the pres
ent great question Of the country. He be-
lieyed that the man whom Providence had
called TO the Presidential Chair was foremost
at the present time in fully sustaining the
great principle that all men are created equal,
and Notwithstanding some recent criticisms,
he satisfied that Andy Johnson was tho
man who was to do most towards elevating
to true liberty and to favor the heretofore en-
shaved Africans.
He then discussed reconstruction, and
considered that the rebel states had not sue
ceeded in secession, and were therefore still
in the Union. Ifstill in the Union, they have
constitutions, and the President cannot alter
them more than he can ours.
He said the Democratic masses must