Year: 1864

self sufficiently familiar with and respect
ed by the Departments to have been able,
in any case to have afforded any efficient
aid to a Vermouter in the service, it has
not gratifed the object of that assistance
more than it has Mr.. Baxter himself


1t was always an honor to represent
Vermont in Congress-Vermont, the ear
liest independent sovereignty on this con-
tineut, bred as'she was to self reliance
and educated in self-government, skilled
in self-defence and living independent and
alone outside British protection, and in
defiance Of Royal New York Go,ernorl
before the first chords of libe. " had been
Struck in the Continental Congress by Ad-
ans. Henry Or Otis Yes, it was always
an honor to, represent Vermont, rich in
her earlier heroic history, but how much
more honorable to- day than three years
ago-to day, when Bennington and Ii
conderoga seem but brief and fitting
preface of the full record of those latter
fields of glory in which our Vermont
Brigade, seconded by the other scattering
regiments of the State, have rivalled the
gallantry and devotion Of the brave Six
Hundred at Balaklava. We need not
read history so far back as Antietam Or
Charlottesville, not so far back az Port
Hudson or Gettysburgh The record
since Grants advance commenced, Lot
quite thirty days ago, of those Vermont.
ers, our loved friends and brothers. not
yet cold in their graves, who stood when
others fed, meeting death bravely and
afraid of nothing but dishonor-that rec
ord has illustrated our history with a
chapter of heroism, and given our little
State title to the respect and admiration
of all brave and good men, that makes
the position of your representative doub-
ly honorable.


No.man feels all this more than he
whom you have chosen this day. No
mans heart more. than his warns with
pride 70, the State, or interest in the cause.
or sorrows more deeply for the fallen.


In thanking you on Mr.. Baxters be-
half for the renewed honor you this day
do him. and in accepting for him the re-
sponsibilities to which nomination by
you always leads am very glad that his
political faith is SO clear, we'll defined and
perfectly understood.


He is for the Union and opposed to
such Union men" as lend encourage
ment to disunion by their opposition or
indifference.


He is for the Constitution and opposed
to those who love it so we'll as to endeav-
or to compel it to otrauglc itself.


He is for the enforcement Of the Laws
substantially and in their spirit, and op-
posed to that artificial Interpretation by
which rogues and traitors escape justice.


He is for peace, and for war till our
victories give it to US, and he is opposed
to those peace men who would be a super.
fetal policy make war perpetual.


He is for freedom and that true liberty
which is the God-given right of every
human creature, and opposed to that
strange kind Of freedom which is typifed
by the whip and blood hound, by lynch
law in South Caroline or mob law in New
York.


He is for the administration which un-
der the guidance; of Abraham Lincoln,
has reared our tremendous army and ma
Wy, and governed the country with firm
ness. To the general principles, as well
as the more immediate service of his con,
stituents. whether at home or in Virgin
ia hospital, he stands fully pledged and
committed by his past record and his pres
ent feeling. s o


Permit me before closing, to express to
this Convention the gratitude Of Orleans
County for the generous and cordial man
ner in which you have for the third time
honored our county by nominating
one Of our favorite citizens for Congress.


In this young, growing, ambitious dis


trict, extending from the sources Of the


Connecticut on the east to the Champlain


on the west, comprising so much of the