Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-04-05
For the Frsc Press and Times.
The Long Ago.


1t must be intensely interesting to the old
soldier, even long after the end of the war,
crowned with victory, to look back upon the
scenes of toll and battle. Nor does it matter
what the nature of the conflict was, if so be,
in his mind, it was in behalf of the Right.
lie likes to tell the story, as well as to enjoy
his memories. especially if he is inclined to
be garrulcus 1t is with some such feelings
that the writer Of this paper recalls the CAM
paign through which he has been permitted
to pass to a glorious triumph. He cannot
remember the time when he did not have
perfect adherence of slavery, and an equally
complete, almost idolstrous, love Of Free
dom. His grandfather was butchered by
IN infamous gang Of Tories and noble
red men" at the fearful massacre at Wilkes
barre, Pa. His grandmother, with four
little boys, one of whom was not yet born,
with other widowed wives and fatherless
children, after the slaughter, guided by two
young men, passed through the wilderness,
and arrived safely in New England. This
story, repeated with great interest by the
cbild's father,-a somewhat stern. but hon.
est, Industrious. conscientious and brave
Christian man, who had felt the iron
in his own soul. having been left an
orphan and in poverty in consequence OF the
treachery and cruelty of the enemies of
Liberty made a deep impression upon the
boys nature. No apology for slavery or
any other encroachment upon human rights
could fer momen: be permitted admittance
to consideration. He hated oppression, but,
almost strangely, perhaps, never hated the
oppressor At the age of sixteen be entered
the University, and while there became init
mate with his cousin, Rev. Joseph Hurlburt,
then pastor of the Congregational church in
Williston, a sincere, eloquent. and enthusi.
astic friend of the aggressive, though not at
all political, movement of the noble anti
slavery men of the times, such as CARR
son, Murray, May, Miller, and others. Mr..
Hurlburt gave tho boy "Jay's Inquiry" and
the work was done. His whole nature was
on fire. In his Sophomore year, when, Of
course, all college boys are wiser than they
will ever be again, be was invited to deliver
a lecture in North Ferrisburgh, which was
then, and probably is now. a nest Of pestif-
erous fellows, who would go for the right and
and the true, though the heavens fall.
The boy student felt nightly lifted
up BY that invitation. An opportunity
was given to enter the field for the
oppressed, to do something, as he thought,
for his cruelty wronged fellow-men, and to
rid his country of the foulest blot that ever
blackened the history of nation. His CO
laborers were few. and fearfully unpopular,
but they knew they were right, and there
was an understandable joy in being permitted
to enter their pure and valiant ranks. None
of them, then, had any political aspirations.
Indeed they revoited at the very thought Of
political organization to effect the object
they sought, with all the zeal and devotion
that honest, human hearts are capable Of.
Moral suasion was the great and the only
lever they proposed to employ. So clear and
positive were their convictions of the Justice
of their cause, that they thought men needed
only TO have their attention called to it. to
be at once moved to enter their uncrowded
ranks. To a man. they loved the white
men of the South, in spite of their crimes,
as well as the colored men they thought
the welfare of both demanded emancipation !;
and, with Gods help, they anticipated
success. They knew how corrupt and sell |
fish the politicians and political parties |
were but tho rank and file were human,
and in spite of the selfish and am
bilious, they fancied they could per-
suade the people, North and South, to aban-
don the wrong and go for the right. Such |
were the men to whom the young enthusiast |
was attracted by kind Of inbred or natural
affinity. which never lost its power, one tie |
of which was never broken. To fight the |
South, to control or in any way interfere |
with State rights or constitutional obliga-
tions, did not enter the hearts or minds of
those noble men and women who were called
abolitionists Wings and Democrats hated
them almost alike. because they apprehend- |
ed, what afterwards came to pass, that the |
anti-slavery sentiment might disturb party |
and perhaps endanger the Union
of the States 1t is only just, however. to
state that the hatred and opposition Of the
Wings was less bitter and virulent than that
of the Democrats. Perhaps it seems so to
me because was born Wing, and came as
near worshipping Henry Clay as Mortal ever
did. cannot but love him still, and the
State that cherished him, naughty as she has
been since. Perhaps the difference was
owing to the fact that the bulk of the De-
mocracy lay south of Masons and DiIon's