Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1911-06-09

diAAl PoiutturhN ahohb tue rouAhcth
leaders, as they realized that it was due
to dissensiOu among themselves. What
they failed to realize MSS the tremen-
dous sentiment in favor of the Union.
This failure constitutes the one awful
blunder of the South. All that they
saw was that "Black Republican, 10y
a minority vote. was president elect.
Then began movement that for
swiftness aud daring of execution is
unique. Within sixty days the most
sudden aud significant change in public
opinion known in our history took
place. BY skilIful manipulation aud
impassioned appeal to sectional loyaly
the leader overcame the sentiment ex-
pressed in the vote of November 6, aud
presented solid South opposed to a
"Black Republican for president. On
December 30, South Carolina attempted
to secede. Mississippi, Florida, Ala
bama, Georgia aud louisiana followed
in quick succession, aud February 4,
l86l-three months after the election
OF Lincoln-delegates assembled at
Montgomery, Ala, formed the South
Confederscy, elected jefferson Davis
president and Alex Stevens vice presi-
dent. The black sullen clouds were
massing low down on the southern sky
line.
But Lincoln, under the Con stitution,
had been elected president. He accept
ed the situation with all that it implied.
Away in the little town on the prairie
he was quietly and intently watching
the clouds on the southern skyline and
studying the atmospheric conditions in
the North. On the morning Of Dec EN-
Der 81, when the telegram is handed
him announcing the secession OF South
Carolina, he turns to his desk and writes
the following to his friend at Washing
ton please tell General Scott | shall
be obliged to him to be as well pre-
pared as he can to either hold or retake
the forts as the case may require at and
after the Inauguration. On February
II he starts for Washington, and or
March 4, with Douglas holding his hat
Scott commanding the troops and Chief
Justice fancy administering the oath
he solemnly VOWS with his hand on the
Bible, "to preserve, protect and defenC
the government. Clouds have gathered
low down on the northern skyline
Would the two masses of clouds seattle
or creep up into the sky and clash
Then followed an act of aggression
In the grey dawn of April II, an age'
man from Virginia, With white lock
streaming in the wind, deliberately tool
aim, and fired the shot that riddled tn
Stars and Stripes above the ramparts o
Fort Sumpter. The clouds had com
together, and the fire of the gun wa
the fash of tightening that announces
the bursting of the storm. Then cam
the call for troops, $4,000 for thre
months. Then the battle of Bull Ru
on July 20 with the Confederate arm
approaching Washington.
, What would Lincoln do? A startle,
= and dased North awakened to the fac
that eleven states were in rebellion
= A rebellion, the greatest known in hi
, tory. What would Lincoln do ? Horac
> Greedy said it could not be put down
100000 people and more than mil
{ lion able to bear muskets. But Liucol
did not agree with Horace Greedy. [
leadership Lincoln lowered above JEFF
erson Davis as a mountain towers abov
hill. In soldiers aud money he coul
more than match every man and dollar
I But what about generals ? The Cor
E tederacy had in Lee, the Johnstons an
: Longstreet the most brilliant quartet
of generals ever placed in command q
the outset of war. And this was wa
I Armies were to be organized and NOV
down valleys, scale precipitous cliff
t wade through swamps, ford river
h climb mountains, tread forests, swee
Q across plains, lie behind breastwork
j. engage in 1890 combats, fight AS in
n portant battles and suffer and bleed al
Is die by the tens of thousands and hui
o dreds of thousands. Could he find Il
n generals to command them You kno
e the sad and humiliating story. Gener
t. succeeding general, one giving way
" another, laundering and blunderin
1t while all the world wondered. At Icing
e, after three years of waiting the Nor
,e cries out for man.
re And now having considered the co
d ditions that made Grant possible ii
i. question arises, how came Grant to me
10 the conditions? 1t is interesting
D. note that the two great men OF the "
In were its two great surprises.
r. A year before the war no one ev
r. thought Lincoln would be president.
Of year after the outbreak of the war
,e one thought Grant would be the col
er handing general. Yet both may
a. explained. AS was true of Lincoln,
!, | If Erant ba ,,o, N oroo,o. -. ,ou -