Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1854-02-24
FEILow-CITIzENs OF VERMONT !:

Inc Executive Committee of the Bonninr-
ton Battle Monument Association have
thought best to address you respecting the oh
lcct they have undertaken to accomplish At
their meeting at Rutland, on the 18th instant.
it was decided to solicit contributions from
every man IN the State. and TO receive from no
person II larger sum than ten dollars. II was
thought that s,ll-respect would appeal with
sufficient force to every citizen Of the State
to raise the requisite sum to secure the anrro.
priation made hy the Legislature And when
We look at the state with two hundred and
forty towns and more than fOrtv-tve thousand
men exercising the right of elective franchise
We cannot but believe that much larger sum
than seven thousand dollars will he realized
Looking at the fact that if five individuals in
each Of two hundred towns should contribute
hlty dollars, if would amount to ten thousand
dollars; leaving forty-four thousand freemcn
whose contributions will be solicited. can we
fail to raise ut least fifty thousand dollars
The committee are confident that the citizens
ot the State do not wish this monument
erected by few wealthy individuals. but that
every man when he looks upon it, or speaks
OF 1t to his children, shall be able to say. IL
helped to build 1t with my own free contribu-
tons The 3lst Of May next has been ap-
pointed for a meeting Of the Association. to
learn the result OF our proposed effort The
committee hope TO see at least one thousand
corporate members at that meeting, and to
lay before them such design for a monument as
they may have obtained. We trust that the
result as there represented, will authorize
the Association to 90 forward and Law the
corner stone by the 10th of August next. as
the Act Of incorporation requires. Then the
sons oi Nerin0nt, at home or abroad, whether
in the cities of our own or other countries in
2 he vol lay Of . ha -,
gold upon the Pacific may be solicited to
send an offering Of patriotism, pledge of
lasting veneration for those noble men who
bore 81 important part in the revolutionary
struggle. and by whose wisdom and frnness.
vermont became Il sovereign State. The
committee cannot believe that monument
costing less than twenty thousand dollars,
with the most prudent outlay of money.
would satisfy the wishes of the patriotic sons
Of this Commonwealth.
Fellow citizens, let US look a moment at
the Importance Of the battle Of Bennington.
in the achievement of our National lndepen-
dencc. His EXcellency, the Governor of New /
York has recently said. at the dedication of
the monument erected to the memory of the ,
captors of Major Andre. that the surrender of !
Gen. Burgoyne. was the means of the Colo |
mics etlecting treaty with France-and # /
II had not been made, we should not have
gained our Independence. Let us inquire |
how much the battle of Bennington contrib |
uted to the surrender of Burgovnel 4 large /
detachment OF his army vanquished, one thou !
sand of his men killed, wounded and taken ,
prisoners ; his force further weakened hy de- |
sertion Of Tories ana Indians, the remainder /
OF his detachment escaping by flight return
ing to tell that those whom they had been
taught to call - rebel dogs, came to the fight .
with unburnished arms, souched hats, and .
without shoes but they came with fearless
hearts, with steady aim, and that their fire
was death. As night was gathering over the
field of blood, our victorious soldiers return
ing from pun Isuing the flying foe, gathered
around the brave Stark and Warner. and sent
to Heaven the shout of victory, (which was
the first note of rejoicing heard in the north
ern department of the American army for
more than twelve months. 1t was a voice Of .
cheer to the American heart and gave
strength to her arms in the hour of conflict
W no will say that the Battle of Bennington
was Of less consequence in the great issue,
than the Battle of Bunker Hill Add to this,
tina: many of those brave men were the same
that, for more than twenty years, had de-
Tended, with their lives, the New HAMPSHIRE
Grants ; and think Of the days and nights of
peril through which they passed before Yer,
mont felt the first pulsation of organic life
w Ill not, then, voice come from all Yer
nOnt-irom all her sOns-whether ut home or
4 lhroad-Ld The Monument rise--let the
names of those noble men he written where
-hr memorial shall be imperishahle as the
oity mountains which ever remain the Land.
marks of the home Of the GREEN NOUN
TAIN BOYS.