Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1865-12-01
For the Journal
A VOICE FROM THE ARMY.
HEADQUARTERS, 9rH VI. Vols.
portsmouth Va Nov 16 1868

HEADQUARTERS, 9TH vi. Vols.
Portsmouth, Va. Nov. l6, 1865.
Mr.. Edtor.-lt is not often that trespass
upon sn editors patience to pore over dry
and tedious manuscript on my account, or
compel him to cast into the flames or under
his table lengthy and unimportant scribbling
of mine 1t is not now because have an at
tack Of cdcoethes scribeRdi that | inflct upon
you few words, neither is 1t because may
have formerly belonged to the army Of sctib.
blers who left their sanctum to join the army
Of Uncle Sam. l begin to fear that a teten-
ton in the army until the eleventh hour will
be the means of not keeping pace with fast
passing events. We do not miss, however,
a single day of devouring the contents of some
Northern paper and although the result OF
the recent elections was meat and drink to
our souls, there is one thing spread daily be-
/ fore us that CRATES harshly upon soldiers
ears. Without compelling you to wsllow
1 through lengthy preface, will come to the
/ point and state that refer to the multifatious
I petitions from certain quarters for the uRcoH-
| ditional pardon of J,6. Ddvis l am not OF
those whu think thatPresident johnson needs
any advice as to the disposal Of this distin-
| guished traitor, but do claim that soldiers
are entitled to hearing well as the wives
and daughte Of dissatisfied aud discom6ted
semi. converted rebels We expected to hear
loud calls from rebedom for leniency--we ex-
p,cted they would come imploringly to the
feet Of the President and cry for PARDON
yea, we expected that Northern copperhesds
would howl for mercy to be vouchsafed TO
heir aged protege-but had not looked for
ponderous petitions rom women of loyal
State begging for such streach Of the pardon
ing power to turn the very head If the de-
luuct Confederacy loose without bringing him
to trial Does any one suppose single one
Of these women have had a son or brother
killed or died in the army Ten to one every
gentle dame Of them sympathized with rebels
all through the war,-now they sing dolorous
notes for absolute and uureseryed pardon.
JEFF. Davis is an old man he has gray
hairs; he has been smart rnoa he has fg-
ured in our country's history for quarter Of
century all these do we acknowledge OF
him, and more. he has bred discomfort
he has cursed the best government the world
ever knew be has Withdrawn from our halls
of legislation and lent his aid to estab ish a
government that God knows and he knew was
founded upon principle that could not stand
the test Of an outraged and free people his
ambition, his duplicity, or his deprsviiy,
placed him at the head OF this rash expert
ment; 1t is he who encouraged and fattered
the deluded Southern people until they be-
Came terribly in earnest for their seeded ter
ntory. Amy intimation that their labor was
useless was spurned by him until the very
last hour. Four years Ct blood told nothing
upon his hardened heart Think you, women
Of Baltimore, that soldiers ears are gladdened
at reading your pathetic appeals for mercy
Shades Of Libby, Castle Thunder, and Ander-
sonyille forbid The very inmates Of every
grave that enriehes Sou hern soil call for JUS
tice to be visited upon the gull Heaven
Itself demands restitution for The wrongs and
iuhumanities committed the last four years
Let it be jeff Davis in all the wisdom he may
have possessed, or let it be the deludedWiIz in
all his intamy Gray hairs and little children
should be respected-so, likewise, should the
memory of slain Union soldiers, their widows
and orphans. Fiat juStitia ruat coet,'m c.
PLAIN TALK Handel Cossham, one OF
our recent English visitors, sailed IN the last
steamer from Boston, after an extensive tour
through the country, and an interview with
the President and Mr. Seward at Washington.
While in New York, be made at the Cooper
Institute speech, from which we copy these
strong words:
"All men are equal, and you bear it glori-
ously on your fig. If you are prepared to
put the suffrage in The hands OF those who
pulled down the flag, and yet keep it away
from those who fought for it, why, then, God
help you
Then, again, after warning us that " the
South will want either to repudia,e our deb,
or tack hers at the end Of il" he says, with
the same plainness:
" If you don't weed out the cause of your
late war, you'll have another one. Don't leave
the string behind. You must make these
men free, You must give them the sufffage
an educational one, if you prefer, but, if that
make 1t applicable to a white as well as
black man. | don't propose to interfere in
your affairs, and dare say you think that an
Engishman has no business to speak Of these
things at all. But, my friends, who rel oict
your greatness and glory sorrow and grievs
over your mistakes and follies. | love you
and your nation, great and good and power.
] full as she is and trust in God her future
will be as wondrous in its progress as are its
possibilities"
Speaking at the New York Union. League
Club Supper, he said:
"No Englishman who had not seen Amer
conception of the magnitude of her resources
the rapidlty of her progress, or the great pow
er she welded as nation. He was not dis
posed to make small beer OF his native land,
for he would be an unworthy son If he did
but he had TO acknowledge that America was
far ahead Of England in her resources and her
territory. He thought that If americans only
developed heir country's resource, IN the future,
/ as Englishmen had Great Britain's, their futHrr
couid be great indeed
The very essence of truth,--the sum of the
law of economy which underlies the wealth
of nations How did Englishmen, with the
harmonious legislation of their Parliament
ever seconding their efforts, {" develop the re-
sources of Great Britain " BY protecting
/ the domestic manufactures Of their island
against foreign competition for centuries to-
/ gelher, without suspension or relaxation, by
every device that lawyers could frame, and
I practical spinnefs, smelters. and weayers,
could suggest. When this persistent policy
! Of protection was crowned With the success at