Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-11-21

Deiirered before the GenernL assembly, Oot.
24th. 1866.

Delirered before the GenernL assembly, Oot
24h. 1866.
Mr.. President and gentlemen ofthe Legisla-
tuIe Let ne first tender TO you my grateful
ackuowied su,ent. gentlemen, for the distin-
zushed honor which Vermont, through your
action has conferred upon me, In electIng
as one OF her United States Senators for six
wears from the fourth of March next. The
position, If one OF honor, Is also of great
responsibilities snow more than ever-requir-
ing an amplitude OF resources equal TO the Ca
pacity Of any man, and much beyond what l
can hope TO contribute. y ct assured by your
suuDOrJ, | shall in due time, and with due dIfh-
Genr-, accept the trust, confident only IN a sa-
cred purpose TO discharge every duty that may
devolv- upon with unfInchlng fidelity to
our common country ard the State, and II l
should 90 nothing more, this | niay premise,
10 make II my high endeavor 10 bring no stain
upon my native State.
To be elected as one of ffty-two Senators,
or of seventy-two, IN a great country like our
own, With thirty y-ive millions Of people, Ia az
all times a proud mark Of distinction, for the
Senate Of The Uuited States is believed to be
the foremost ,egis stve assembly III the world,
but in that body 10 have The privilege OF, IN
part, Representing he 800 900 peo PIE OF Yer
mont-so noteG Tor ali their public and private
vrtues-lacking in nothing that ennobies a
State-is 20 be priced more Gea'ly than the
privilege of Tepreseuting much larger numbers
elsewhere, backed by no such record. and hav-
ing less Of thai symmetry anc Le1uly which
ought ALWAYS 70 GGorn the Character OF Re
puDl.c State.
Gentlemen have reason to tender TO you
my grateful thanks
And here i might pause and Tetire but thai
| know you are expecting something more:
Even after the able address OF my colleague, L
presume you may not be, you ought 10 be,
quite satisfied, but, considering that there is
another equally distinguished gentleman to
foliow me, feel that /, least, shall best con-
sulr your taste by practicipg upon the ancient
poet Idea
Man wants little here below,
Nor wants that lItIle long :"
As the time approaches for the solution OF
poHUcal questions, they are often seen 10 De
magnIii5d, and II must be admitted that Amer
ican politicians are by no means strangers t"
the art of exaggeration, but this error Is not
greater than That of jubiiant statesmen who
sleep when it Ihunders, and who notwlths tano-
ing all their schemes are shipwrecked, are
hopeful IL the wide waste Of waters, that they
rest il the mountains Of 4 rarat, although the
dove returns 10 The ark witt out even a single
olive leaf IN It's beak. But now Crisis looms
up before the eyes of all men, and 1t needs no
predict its advent or TO measure Its
proportions. Our martial heroes have triumph
ed and utterly vanquished rebellion IN The
hed and now shall viIian,-wlthout mtrac
ulous virtues, certainly Go mmano, eaivanize
aud nurse the III nster into lite again Shall
We have peace or anarchy Shall Liberty be
cultivated forever, or shall Slavery, whether
back or toned down TO butlernut hue, rtas-
sert its dominance ? Ii the issues row pend
ing have dimensions such have Indicated
aud in my Judgment they have no less, then
gentlemen the crisis is grave that Il cehes
e1aggeraton.
Every patriot feels that this is q condition o.
affairs which ought not now TO col onfronI oui
people. Every loyal heart feels that conquer
ed traitors could have been properly, Without
malice or vengeance, curbed and RESTRAIN &c
from the exercise Of powers fraueht with mis-
chiet and danger 10 cur country. Every true
soldier, responsive TO the flag OF his country
and that here they we're responsive polntn2
10 the tattered flags that hung in tie Hall
these sacred emblems will forever TESTIFY =
every true oder, say, feels that ne has bet
ter entitled himself to be trusted-oe pension
ed, II Iced be, and at all events TO be honoTeo
than those whom he for tour ears met as eager
Toes or armed robbers and assessing.
During any prolonged war, however just
however brilliantly led and however magnih
ly supported, so wice and wasting are It's de
mands, there will be mistakes IN Legislation
errors IN the Cabinet and bIunders In the hel'
and unwilling tax payers and Wiling stay
homes easily exci a mutny IN their Owl
breasts aud hope in the :cearts OF demagougu
against the existing administration. Tne oirel
who cries peace even when there is no peace
will fnd sn sudie nee always waiting to be en-
ehsLted. Even the copperhead seeks to fas
eIna1e, prone on the belly, by he idea OF
Truce, amnesty and pardon.
Under such circumstances it does not appea
strange that party should rise up against 'h'
Union party of IS6l-the war party-but 1t
wonderful that that party, though having tn
prestige OF Lincoln, $50 clear in his great office,
should be able not only to retain but to increas
the Confidence OF the people in its high purpose
The war was long bloody and expensive. lake