Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-10-23


tudo with deferred hope Of something more
explicit and positive and the immediate ef.
feet Of some Of its more eloquent passages was
impressive beyond all power Of description.
Dwelling on the wantonnesa and infamy that
would provincialise Mount Vernon. aud give
this Capitol over to desolation, at the very
moment when the dome is rising over our
heads that was to be crowned with the statue
OF Liberty he declared that no petty con-
lederacy" following the United States could
"prolong or even renew the majestic drama Of
national progress" Then he added "per-
haps It is to be arrested because its subIimity
is incapable Of continuance" Starting back,
with extended hands, he exclaimed Let il
be SO, if we have, indeed, become degenerate"
Then, in thrilling tones slowly raising his still
ouistretched hands higher aud higher with
each couplet Of heroic names, he continued
" After Washington and the inaexible Adams,
after Henry and the peerless Hamilton, after
Jefferson aud the majestic Clay, after Web
stcr aud the acute Calhoun. after Jack sou and
the modest Taylor, after Scott, who rises in
greatness under the burden Of years, and
Franklin, and Fulton, and Whitney, and Morse
nave all performed their parts hero he
stood erect, with bis uplifted hands high above
his head. As he uttered then the words 'let
the curtain fall :" he slowly dropped his hands,
still outstretched, and bowed forward his head
aud form until his hands almost touched the
floor. IL seemed as if a thousand hearts stood
still IN the brief pause he made in this posi-
ton As he raised bmself erect once more,
a breath, sigh almost a sob came as from
fhn fhopaspI ltt- lat.aI l. Al.
most effective exhibit Of dramatic power 10
oratory have ever been privileged to wit
ness.
At the close Of Mr.. Stewards speech the
Senate adjourned, and the crowd separated
with less Of hope than it gathered for the
last possibility Of relief had failed, aud war
seemed now inevitable. That speech could
not but prove a disappointment, since it was
only speech, Whatever had been said, the
dread realities Of the hour remained None
had really expected help from this new utter
auce; but many had hoped and more had
logged for it. Words could no longer avail
| for our country. The time for heroic action
had come But, somehow, until Seward had
spoken men would hope against hope that
Seward would say something that no man
]
been done by him, and he had said, with sup
erhuman authority, to the winds and waves Of
national dscord Peace, be still !" be must
have fallen below the standardo of their anxious
ougngs, if not their expectation. As | walk.
ed away from the Capitol with a prominent
Nirguian, who not long after had a share in
active efforts to destroy the Union, he said to
the, sadly " | was disappointed in MIR. Se-
wards speech. | hoped ne wond show US
some way out Of this. But he really gave us
no light Aud many others felt similarly
and the cry TO God that night was earnest
from aching, heavy hearts throughout the
land :" live us help from trouble, for vain
is the help Of man"
Speeches we're soon forgotten in the crash
of arms. Men of deeds took the place of men
of words. The interest which had centered in
the debates Of the Senate Chamber was remov-
ed to the high places Of the bloody field.
Little thought remains of those anxious days
Of the winter of secession in comparison
with the memories Of subsequent battles, the
fame of which is worldwide but now, when
all the nation freshly mourns the death Of one
of its foremost statesmen, the remembrance
comes vlvidly back Of time when multitudes
in that nation turned for the hour to William
II. Seward, saying to him, almost despairing-
ly II thou canst do anything, have CON-
passion on US and help u.s."