Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-06-11

EditOr PhuHir From the report which
the sapient editor Of the Reformer gave Of
the camp fire" in the G. A. Il. hall on the
evening of Decoration-day, l seem to have
touched him on tender spot his political
sympathics. Had he honestly reported what
l dd say, | should find no fault; but one
naturally enough dslikes, without any oppor-
tunity given for the public to judge, to be
represented rs having spoken of a subject Of
which one is quite ignorant.
In self.defence | would like to say a word
through your columns. In the first place.
what was the head and front of my offend.
ing? l am charged with "luggng in a little
politics. plead guilty to being ignorant
Of the rules and regulations of the G. 4. r.
But whatever be the rules guiding the utter
anccs Of the members, they could not apply
to me- for | am no member. And when |
was invited to be present to say something at
the camp fire, T." no mention was made Of any
subject being prescribed. From Il remark
made by IA previous speaker that he supposed
he must not say anything about politics. |
was led to ask myself whether indeed poll
ties was n theme forbidden. But | well knew
it was public meeting, and rules which
might be considered binding on members,
and in a prjrdtc meeting, could not be con
sidercd rs extending to any person who
might be present.
SO much for the information given to the
public that "lugged" in politics. But alas.
it seems according to the sstute editor, like
most clergymen when they deal with such
subjects | was las much out of my element
as u fish out of water" | am old enough to
have heard that observation before. II used
1 Al l. r II. Z
politicians in the old days. whenever minis
tiers dared to utter word on the question Of
burning interest which brought on the late
war | do not claim TO be as wise in such
matters rs the editor Of the Reformer
sumes to be; but it does not require great
deal of wisdom to know that If anything can
be learned from the history of the past thirty
years, this can be lcarued-that it would be
great disaster to have the government of
these states fall into the hands of the men
who instigatod the Rebellion. No Republi-
can guns were shotted against the unity Of
the Republic. but only Democratic guns.
The men who planned aud sought to carry
out that base attempt to destroy the integrity
of the nation are hardly the men TO play int o
the hands Of am old enough to remembe r
that u Democratic Secretary Of War drew pay
from his nation, while he was secretly con-
veying arms and munitions of war, at the ma.
tons expense, into the hands of rebels to be
leveled at the heads and hearts of loyal men !;
nor have | forgotten that there were Dem o.
Gratis enough in the North ready to excuse it
| ALL or tamely shut their mouths.
In my remarks at the late meeting | said,
what have we reason to expect from the
men, to battle and defeat whom, the war was
undertaken What was the last move re-
ported from Washington: This, that the
Democratic House had voted to remove the
obstacle to pensioning the old soldiers of the
Mexican war although they had been in the
| rebel army and fighting against their coun-
try. Aud | suppose the next move will be
to pension all rebel soldiers, and assume the
rebel debt, and then repudiate the debt in
Cured TO put down the rebellion
In the eyes Of the wcll-read editor of the
Reformer this reveals my great ignorance.
For, says he, would he read the amend
ments to the constitution he would see that
to pension the rebel soldiers is made forever
| impossible. Yes O most wise editor, for
| ever impossible with Republican ma jOrity
among the people but let the democrac y
| get the upper hand, and, true to their histo-
| ry, and their instincts. they would soon be at
the bidding of their former Southern mas
ters and constitutionally % reverse all that
| has been gained Just far as it would serve
| their interests. | wonder how many Demo
cratic votes were given in favor of the legis-
lation which looks to stigmatizing rebel Of
Tending: 1t is not well to let the rising gen
Grafton remain in ignorance of the fact that
the Democracy of the North were always the
willing tools Of the slave oligarchy, and but
for tue encouragement given to the South by
the degenerate disciples of the heroic General
Jackson, it is doubtful if the war of rebellion
would ever have been undertaken. No
amount of whitewashng can ever obliterate
the fact that the party against which the saw
tours of their country found themselves in
battle array, is the party which is seeking to
wrest the reins of government from Republi-
| can hands. Yours, J. b. GREEN.