St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1914-04-29
(Sig)
SIMON CAMERON,

vice.
SIMON CAMERON,
Sec War
The telegram is in the handwrit
| ing of Edward A. Walker, for many
years employed at the scale Office
and now a resident of Pasadena, Cal.
Within eight days Gov. Fairbanks
had a special session of the Legisla-
ture convened to meet the crisis. In
one of his Memorial Day addresses in
referring to this incident the late
Horace w. Bailey said, mo man ever
rose to an occasion fraught with ter
rible forebodings with more ability
and patriotism than Vermont's first
war Governor. His address to the
Legislature was a mastery and COM
prehensive resume of the times and
events incident to the first stages of
a great rebellion" 1t would occupy
nearly two columns in this paper, but
is given in full in Miss Hemenway's
Gazetteer and is we'll worth reading
by young and old.
In that Legislature was Vermont's
old war horse, Gen. Stephen Thomas
of West Fairlee, and when the COM
mittee on military affairs reported
bill apprOpriating 100000 to defray
the expenses of the war he shouted
make it a Million And the bill
amended to a million dollars was I'M
animOusly passed, though the night
before several members had planned
to resist all war measures. In his
speech on this bill Gen. Thomas said,
Until this rebellion shall have
been put down 1 have no friends to
reward and no enemies to punish
and | trust that the whole strength
and power of Vermont, both of men
and money, will be put into the field
to sustain the Government"
Our fathers in that Legislature were
better patriots than they were music
ians, for when some one proposed
that they rise and sing '"The Star
Spangled Banner" everybody was on
their feet, but as no one could start
the tune there was nothing DOING
and the SOlOns all sat down. This
was too homogeneous for such a pat
riotic gathering and in the evening
there was a choir of 25 singers in
the gallery, each provided with the
flag, This chorus started the song
and the members of the House heart
lily Joined in on the chorus.
On April 26, Act No. 2 was passed
of II sections authorizing the or
ganization without delay of two regi-
ments and giving the Governor dis
cretionary powers to organize four
more If the eXigencies of the war
demanded it. Though the Legislature
was in session only four days it acted
so promptly that Vermont had the
honor of placing the first troops in
the service in response to President
Lincoln's call. Commenting upon the
legislation of that extraordinary ses-
sion the New York World said at the
time:
vermont has a population of
about 800, 200, mostly farmers, and
yet has made an appropriation of not
less than 5 100000 to aid in main
tanning the Stars and Stripes. Many
of our states have done nobly, but
none, resources considered, have
equalled this. Vermonters, too, are
organizing in all parts of the state.
and there will be no more formidable
men in the field. The pure atmos-
phere of the mountains develops the
sternest breed of patriots
1t is of course unnecessary to state
that meetings were held all over the
state and that patriotic citizens gave
generously of their money to help |
on incidental expenses, but is especi- |
ally interesting to note that 80 days
after Fort Sumter surrendered word |
reached California by pony express
OF the nations peril and that Hon. |
Trenor w. Park of Bennington, then |
resident Of that state, sent his |
check of $1,000 to Gov. Fairbanks to |
help in the good cause.
The First Regiment rendezvoused |
at Rutland, with Capt John w. |
Phelps of Brattleboro as Colonel and |
Peter I. Washburn of Woodstock. /
Lieutenant Colonel. Gov. Fairbanks |
was there on May and presented to |
the regiment the regimentaI stand |
ard and the flag. The latter was of |
silk, while the standard was painted /
on white silk and was five by six |
feet in dimensions. The design was |
the state arms, with military sur
roundlngs, flags, flowers and other
suitable accomplishments of rich /
scroll work in gilt, etc. In presenting t
the nag to Col. Phelps the Governor
said, among other things,
These privates and these COM
pahy ofhcers are not hired mercena-
RES, but citizen soldiers, esteemed /
ana beloved by their fellow citizens,
and worthy of the confidence and
Patriotic and fearless, they will fol-
low where you shall lead them; they
will go where you may send them.
But, Sir, 1 charge you to re-
member that this flag represents but
one star in that other flag which 1
now have the honor of presenting
you, bearing the national emblem,
the Stars and Stripes. Vermont