Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1850-11-21
From the Windbam County Democrat.
The Old Vermont Spirit.

Every body knows how Vermont was first set
tied. Men of all characters and descriptions
came from every quarter, with the hope to bet
ter their condition in wilderness, where land
was cheap and fertile and law was rather feeble.
Of course they brought their opinions with them,
and as the outbreak of the Revolution approach
ed, these opinions gained strength and bitterness
until the people became divided into two very
distinct classes, neither by any means friendly
to the other. The one class consisted of those
who possessed considerable property, held COM
missions under His Majesty, or were connected
with some of the old families in the neighboring
States. These were loyalists, tories, conserva'
tives, friends of law and order, and thought al
most any evil preferable to that of violating the
existing law or treating Its functionarles with
disrespect. The other class was made up of
small farmers and aspiring young men, with
those of still humber rank, who, having less at
risk, seemed to be of opinion that laws were
not worth much if they furnished no protection
against oppression, and that little reverence was
due to men who derived gain from administer
ing bad law, and would take no pains 10 make
them better In short, they, like beasts g. birds
in the forests around, were rather in favor, OF
somewhat latittudnous freedom. Both parties
soon came to blows, and the first battle was
fought not without bloodshed, at Westminster
in the old court house, which stood on the brow
of the hill which led fIom the more elevated
plain to the lower. The friends of law and or
der had finally the worst ofthe contest, and were
obliged to succumb. Some fled to foreign parts
others very judiciously changed their opinions,
or prudently suppressed them, and waited for
better times and in this way a new state Of
thngs was established, under which harmony
was restored and old feuds were, to all appear
ance, forgotten.
Those wdo, in late years, have had the happi-
ness or misfortune, Just as they choose to con
slider it, to make stop in that village, must have
been struck by the very quiet, unostentatous
character of its inhabitants and the beauty ofits
situation. Resting In the valley OF the Connect
icut upon two level plateaus, each about mile
in diameter, the southern being considerably
more elevated than the northern, and both inter-
sected near the middle by broad continuous
street running from northeast to southwest,
it appears now to be almost wholly peoped by a
generation of farmers, whose only business is
to raise good crops and give good education
to their children. But at the time to which we
have referred, it was quite bustling town, and
the tavern, kept by Esquire Norton. a two story
house, still standing on the northern fiat, was
place of famous resort. The old, squire, who
has long since, full of years and honor, gone to
his rests, somehow contrived, through the troub.
les of the times, to be all things to all men, and
with the help ofhis bar and larder, and sometimes
his purse, made himself quite agreeable 10 both
parties. 1t was not uncommon for the conserv-
atives to hold secret counsel in his house one
week, and for old Ethan" to make it bis head
quarters on the next. After the Revolution was