Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-10-03
Chr @rtfman,
MONTPELIER, VT,
Morning, October, 3, 1865
The Pistsb urg Convention.

3AONA Z cLAL1S, w.,
Wednesday MorninR, October, 3, 1860
The PittsbuTg Convention.
The Convention of soldiers which assembled
at Pittsburgh, Penn, the 25th ult, was spen-
| did success. There were1 from 5000 to 90
coo delegates present. They were welcomed
| to Pittsburg with great enthusiasm, and the
contrast between their reception and that Civ
en- to the President was decidedly marked
The city was radiant with flags, and everything
had been done that the most thoughtful hosp;-
tality could suggest for the pleasure OF the
g Boys in Blue,'' who had assembled to give
great majority of the soldiers and sailors of the
Union. A correspondent thus describes the
| PLACE OF MEETING.
The Union Repub Headquarters, at the
| City Hall, in which the Convention met was
beautifully decorated from end to end with
flags and flowers and evergreens. At the end
of the hall facing the entrance was raeed d.i-
| extending nearly The entire width In the
oentsr ia a canopy of artisticaly arranged flags
surrounded by gilt eagle, and two handsome
/ = . " H..
depending from each side either hand at
the Edge OF the dais, stood tripod formed of
regimental flags with vase of flowers beneath.
On the right were grouped the implements of
| war-a small cannon, with shells stacked, mus
kets, an anchor, etc. To the left the emblems
| of peace-a plOw, stack of wheat and Indian
corn. supported by agricultural i'm plement and
capped by ripe fruits. The dais was beautiful
ly decorated with colors, and evergreens, and
dotted.with flowers in every form, and minia-
ture American flags. On the wall behind
were recorded The labors of the Pittsbui G
Subsistence Committee, from which it appears
that $50 1913 soldiers were by them furnished
with meals during the war, and 6S.42 wound
ed cared for. To the right was the following
inscription The principles of constitutional
freedom which our gallant soldiers and sailors
| conseCrated with their blood, prove to be the
nations richest inheritance. May they be
peacefully dlfused throughout the land until
every human being shall partake OF the bless
ing ~ To the left was the following from Sir
William Jones
| - What constitutes a State
Not high raised oattIement labored mound,
Thick wall or moatet gate
SGs eit's. proud with spires anaI,urTsts crowned
| Not starred and spangisd courts
| No men, high minded men,
Menswho their duties know,
But know their rights, know dare N snta in
Prevent The long aimed blow,
And crush the tyrants while they rend the chain,
These, constitute a state,
| And sovereign Law, that states collected will,
o'er thrones and globes eate,
| sits empires, cfovnng good REFRESHING iIL''
At the extreme right and left, on tue wall,
were two shields, one bearing the word "Wash-
, ington," the other, d" Lincoln Along the
sides of the hall, which we're arched and fes-
tooned the entire length with evergreens deck
ed with red, white, and blue ribbons were p
ovals OF evergreen inclosing corps emblems,
| &c. Inc inner door drsped with hags
Above It was the inscription, " Through Trials
| 10 Triumph, IN 8 scroll Of evergreen, support
ing lrI-colored shield with the legend
|" Union, 81 Nox Popuh, Vox Del" To the
right Of the door WAS placed the inscription,
t. The Volunteer Soldiers and Sailors, IN peace
| the bUlwark of law, in War the strong arm of
public defense" TO the lett, Honor to the
Heroes of liberty. humanity, and equa justice. +"
| Along the front OF the gallery, over the door i,
between the festoonlng evergreeus, were the
words I" There can be no lasting eace while
the flag of our Union can not wave unmolested
over the graves of our fallen comrades
Above all the words The loyal ladies' of the
United States tney gave their hearts richie St
Jewels, prayers, and united purposes to the
lcountry during the war, and do not desert it
now" The ceiling, the windows, the chande.
liers-in fact, every available spot-boomed
| with evidences of the estimation in which the
ladies' hold their brave defenders, set on fresh ,
and everything green, TO denote It's evera ting
lcontinuance.
During the recess new placard was posted
in conspicuous place. 1t read thus " When
ever you tnd anywhere prating about
the Constitution of the United States, spo,
him, for he is a traitor.-.4ndre,o Johnson's
speech at .Nashrale, Sept. 1861"
1t was noticeable fact that every delesa-
ton carried flag that had been carried into
battle. And most Of the delegates wore their
and army OF the United States, thus showing
that it is truly e" Soldiers Convention"
L. Edwin Dudley, a private of the - h
Massachusetts Regiment, was chosen tsmpora
Try president, with tremendous cheering, anc
the following letter from him to Secretary
McCulloch was read
| WASHINGTON, ID. c., Sept. 20.
| SIR: Having been refused leave OF absence
which l asked to enable me to attend Nationa
Convention of Soldiers and Sailors, to be helC
at Pttsburg. Pa, on Sept. rs, 1866, hereby
tender my resignation of my clerkship in thi
office. | desire TO remark IN this connection
| tndt Tue tliHe iol WHicu dpplieu was Dut lNt
days, with permission to three days, du,
me on former leave, from which l returned
before its expiration. | feel no hesitation il
taking this action, for | deem il pleasure an(
honor to make any sacrifice fer the principle
which l believe are right. and upon the vindt
cation Of which | believe the safety of th
Republic depends. feel too, that to deser
the Union party which sustained the countr,
in her hour of peril, would place in tn
same light as if l had deserted the Union ar
my and Joined the rebels-a contingency no
to be entertained, until | have lost my recoi
lection Of the sacrifices which l was permitted
to make while serving my country as soldier
l should feel that had proved recreant TO m
comrades who lie buried where they fell, o
where voluntarily starved by those hends IL
human shape to whom it Is now proposed tc
make and administer laws for Union men.
shall attend the Pistsburg Convention, becaus
believe that by so doing can do some little
good toward securing the final triumph of thos
principles for which so many of my comrade
have died, and which We have right to expec
had been secured by our terrible sacrificed
Hoping that you will accept my resignation,
l am, very respectfully, your ob't serv't,
l.. EDWIN DUDLEY.
Hon. HUGH MCCULLoCH, Secy Treas.
Gen. Wells was chosen as temporary Secre
tary from Vermont, and Col. Redfield Procto
and VIM. Y. w. Ripley we're the Vernon
members of the Committee on permanent or