St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1914-04-29
HOW THE CIVIL WAR BEGAN
(Continued from page p

partly equipped and ready for ser
vice. This represented ten compan-
les, with most of them having less
than so and making little attempt
to fill the ranks. 1t is probable that
none of them expected war, but when
ii came there was no question about
their patriotism.
That Gov. Fairbanks did not con-
slider nc s-lE i1,s -Gnse TO his order
,-. o, -" 80 upon the patriotism
10 ieiiow citizens, is evidenced by
his letter to Capt. Peter 7. Wash
burn of Woodstock, and the rare
modesty of the commandments
appears in the signature of his let
ter as Your obedient servant" The
letter here follows:
Reply 10 Order No. 10.
State of Vermont,
Executive Department.
st. Johnsbury, VT, Feb. IS, 1861.
Capt. Peter T. Washburn, Sir: |
have the pleasure of acknowledging
the receipt of your letter of the 18th
inst, communicating the patriotic re-
Spouse of your company to General
Order No. 10. Patriotism is defined
to be 1.-The characteristic of a good
citizen,-the noblest passion that
animates a man in the character of a
citizen" The history of Vermont
early developed this element in the
character of her citizens, and it is
gratifying to see, in this response of
your gallant company, that the spirit
of Allen and Warren still lives in the
hearts and actuates the will of Yer
monters. 1t is devoutly to be hoped
that the wicked conspiracy which
threatens the overthrow of our Gov
~ lferv,1s f.cr-r ont r
our happy Union, may be fOiled, with
out a resort to arms; but should the
conflict come, feel assured that, in
our country's peril, Vermont, ever
loyal to the Union, will nobly heed
her country's call.
l am, Sir, respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
ERASTUS FAIRBANKS,
Commander-in-Ch
In the month of February, as our
older readers know, the Legislature
of Virginia called a Peace Congress
at Washington. Vermont joined with
20 other states in sending delegates
to this convention where seven slave
state were represented. EX-Gov. Hi
land Hall headed the delegation of
five that represented Vermont and
that debated without any results for
"a days with more or less acrimoni-
Gus discussion. 1t was Gov. Fair
banks desire to appoint our Con-
gressional delegation to this cOnven-
ton, but they wisely declined on the
ground that they did not want to
leave the halls of Congress during
the perilous times that were almost
upon us. Gov. Fairbanks was free
ly criticised at the time for the Of
fetal participation of the state in
this convention, and in reply to his
critics he wrote a letter to the Bos-
ton Journal of March 6, 1861, of
which the following is the closing
paragraph:
eff | am correct in the opinion
that the prompt action of the Free
States, and especially of the New
England States, in responding to the
invitation of Virginia, has tended to
allay the excitement in the border
slave states, and to secure delay, and
finally to thWart essentially the plans
of secession leaders in these states,
then it seems to me that the actions
of the executives of the three states
whose legislatures were not in ses-
sion should be justified and defended
before the community. | we'll knew
that in assuming the responsibility
| did l should expose myself to the
animadversiOns of a portion of my
fellow citizens, who could not under
stand the necessity of the measure,
but grasping the subject in all it's
relations and consequences, 1 divest-
ed myself of all personal considera-
tions, and acted solely with reference
to my country's welfare"
The attitude of Virginia, represent
ing the most powerful of the Border
states, was facetiously expressed by
the following skit, which appeared
during the sessions of this Congress
in the New York Commercial Adver-
tiser:
Thus speaks the Sovereign Old Do
minion
To Northern states her frank opin-
ion:
Move not a finger; it's coercion,
The signal for our prompt disper-
sion.
Wait till l make my full decision,
BE it for union or division.
If | declare my ultimatum,
Accept my terms as l shall state EN-.
Then I'll remain while I'm inclined
to,
Seeding when 1 have a mind to.
All this time Gov. Fairbanks, APP
preciating the critical situation, was
taking counsel with other wise men.
The first week of the year he wrote
Governor Buckingham OF Connect
cut as follows:
Should the plans of the secession
lists in South Carolina and other cot
ton states be perseved in, and cul-
inmate in the design TO seize upon
the National Capital, will it be prud-
ent to delay a demonstration on the
part of the free states assuring the
General Government of their united
cooperation in putting down rebel
ion and sustaining the Constitution
and the dignity of the United States?''
While writing this letter he re-