The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-11-04
For the Voice of Freedom.


For the Voice of Freedom.
Mr.. ED1roR:--I have been deeply impressed
with the Importance of giving encouragement to
industrial enterprise, believing that such enterprises
lie at the basis of all substantial prosperity. Moth
ing, in my view, has more decided and salutary
tendency to develop the resources Of nature as well
rs Of art, than the encouragement given to artisans
and agroulturists by appeals to spirit of proper
and honorable competition and rivalry. What has
once been achieved in spirit Of emulation and
der its onnpotent Influences, rising above the ex-
perience Of the past raises the standard oroxcecnce
to 4 elevation and what is at first achieved by
the ossduous labor ingenuity and skill of the skill
full and ingenious, soon comes to be the habual
standard of all thus constantly eovating con-
stanuy progressing. Some bold spirit, leaving his
less daring Or less en.erprising companions rushes
forward into new and uncxplored fields finds them
accessible, fertile and productve returns exhibiting
tho rich fruit of his researches, and then his COM
panons will not only dare, but be compelled to fol-
low in his footsteps.
1t is in this view that have regarded the asso-
Citations that are now becoming rife and prevalent,
not only in this State, but elsewhere; tending by
annual exhibitions of agricultural and mechanical
products to ufusc spirit OF enterprise and emula-
ton into the community, ominently worthy Of
both public and private countenance and encourage
ment Nothing, however, not even dissolution itself,
can be more disastrous in its consequences to such
a society, than a failure 70 inspire the community
with confidence in the purity, justice and impartial
l4l,,L
on! all the details of its objects and operations.
The community looks to the ovardS Of its various
Committees, especially for examples of fairness and
mpartiaty, as well as skill, discrimination and
judgment. Those awards are the Judgment Of the
tribunal TO whose arbitrament are committed the
products of the skil and the enterprisng, forcom-
parson and such conmendation and preference as
they merit; and that judgment goes upon the
record and the people read it and are satisfied
Satisfied because 1t is the highest cvidence-satscd
because they are bound to be satisfied.
Eut it is possible the records may not always ex-
hibit the whole truth and when they do not, II is
duo, well to the community, as to those who are
more Immediately interested, that the truth should
be exhibited, rs the lawyers say, dchors the re-
cord.
If it had been my misfortune not to be present al
the late Annual Fair of your County Society, /
could ros have remained ignorant to this day Of Il
fact that appears to me eminsntly suggestive OF
those reflections. The enquiry is upon the tongue
Of every orc, chow does It happen that the most
magnificent artificial structure that was exhibited
on that occasion was passed over in silence by the
Committee 2" refer, and so does this enquiry, to
the Clocb invented and exhibited by Mr.. BENNETT
| Of RmJand. This was n Torn Clock, constructed
for the Cont House, in that place, and the Arcat0,
and Builder Of it had entered it for premiums; and
At much trouble and expense had erected staging
for the more complete exhibition Of its structure
and operation. lis sim?licity,-its li!c-like move
mont, and the perfection and finish Of its mechanism
could not fail to make it the object of much atten.
ton and admiration. The ingenious diminutiolr Of
its friction, the Il. and beautiful adaptation of It.
parts and its strong ard puncual action suggested
the thought that Natare might have mistaken It:
perfection for her own workmanship and invested
it with the motion of her own mysterious impulses.
1t would be needless md beyond the object d
this communication FOR me to point out the par.icu
lar Improvements and advantages that this inycn
ton claims over all former conriyances for keeping
peJIic record Of tho "courso of time;' it is su0
cent 10 say that among all who examined it, (an(
they were not q ftwD on that day, there was bu
one opinion, and tha was, that the clock in question
possessed decided and obvous superiority over it
predecessors that it was AZ invention en1nently
worthy of the most favorable remark; tina
promised from its cheapnoss, simplicity and dura
bHty to place a public clock within the reach o
every village and one that reflected high credit up
on the enterprise and ingenuity of the inventor.
Perhaps it is not saying too much to claim that i
was the chief attraction among the numerous at
fractions at the Fair, always excepting those who
50 worthily bore the namc of the occasion-THI
TAIRD But where Was tho Committee, whose DIT,
i. WAS to take some notice of this affair? Alas
there are some mon who C. take no noto of timc."-
To believe that it escaped the notice of the Commit
tee, would indeed be charitable, if we could homo,
such draft upon our creIuty! WHAT'S that sa.h.
erins yonder around that staging? What has drawn
thai crowd together? What is the object of theil
curiosity? What have the found there that seems
to elicit so much of their admiration? Why this
gathering there from morning till night? IH$H il
the attraction? Can the Discretionary Committee
answer? Oh no. Tho Committee has seen nc
gathering therei really it has not observed that
staging was erected, or that any kind of machinery
was in operation there must 30 some mistake
Sir, there is realyno such thing there; so Ear as the
Committee have been able to obsorve Well Sir,
can tell you what is there, and so can every man.
woman and child ofthe hundreds assembled here 20.