Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1859-04-02
SPEECH OF HON. JACOB C0LLAMER,
AT THE RECENT FESTIVAL OF THE SONS OF YER
MONT IN BOSTON.

AT THE RECENT FESTIVAL OF THE SONS OF YER
MONT IN BOSTON.
The following sentiment
Permont-A model Commonwealth, distinguished
for intelligence and freedom love of liberty aud re-
spcct Tor law; with patriotism ms pure us her noun
tam preezes and prosperity secured because hers Is
the thrift that docs not follow awnng.
having been proposed, Hon. Jacob Collamer
rose to respond, and was received with enthu-
siastic cheering. He spoke as follows:
Mr.. President and GenHemen: 1t is a great
qualification to me to have the opportunity of
meeting so many of my brethren not forgetting
our yankee cousins; for think that those who
are sons of sister States must certainly be
cousins. Laughter and applause.) But |
cannot go on to make any remarks upon the
topics on which | propose to speak without
making little echo from memory to the stan
zas which have just been read. perceive they
were the production of our former Chief Jus
tee, Royal Tyler. (Applause) Now, there
are extant in the memory of Vermonters many
of the productions of that man, and will re-
cite to you couple of stanzas from a certain
ballad known as "The Vermont Worthless"
We had at this time among our distinguished
men of the State, one by the name of Gideon
Olin, whose son is now the honored representa-
tive of the Troy District n. Y, in the Congress
of the United States. We had, also, Ira Allen
Surveyor General and State Treasurer, but ex-
cecdlngly dilatory in making up his accounts
We had another distinguished man, Lewis r.
Morris, and another man in particular, who ul-
timately became Governor of the State Isaac
1ichenor. These men were altogether on
certain occasion to celebrate the election of Mr..
Morris as Brigadier General, and this produc-
ton was brought forward. will give you a
couple of stanzas:
Here's to cagle-cyed Gideon,
Who keeps his eye steady on
The public amount;
And here's To Treasurer.
And exc our land measurer-
May the Lord give him leisure
10 close his account.
Here's to noble Brgader.
BY whom were invited here
TO partake Of this treat:
Ard here's 30 friend 'Tichenor
Who has long been itching for,
Aud this year is hitchng for
The Govcrnor.s scat.
loud laughter and applause.)
have always thought that the earliest fact
worthy of attention in relation to the develop
the Centurion said to Paul. Are YOU Roman man
citizenP" 81 am" "With a great sum OBJ
tanned / this freedom" said the Centurion.-
To which Paul replied, IL was free born, and
never was in subjecton to any man." SO Vcr-
mont was Stree born; !" she never was colony.
Other colonies, with a great sum obtained
this liberty Vermont was free born she
never was colony and she never was under
territorial government she never was in a
state of su6jection to any government on earth.
They took their grounds from New Hnmp-
shire, and paid for them into the royal excheq-
ucr; and when it was decided by act of Coun-
Gil, that they originally belonged to New York,
Vermont cared very little about il ; but when
New York undertook to set up their title to the
land, and compel our people to pay for it a sec
ond time, they insisted that they had paid for it
once into the royal oxchequcr, and would not
pay for it again. Then commenced the strug-
gle of Ethan Allen and his associates, to which
the President has alluded.
Early in its history did the love of indepen-
dence develope itself, and it stamped charge
ter upon the State which l believe has descend
ed to the present generation and now marks its
character But regard Vermont as marked
with physical features which give character to
the people. They have done so the world
over; and in mentioning some Of these fea-
lures, l mention those very things which con-
stitute objections to the State in the eyes of
strangers and the people of other countries
For instance, while we are sitting here, with
the rain falling freely out of DOORS large part
of Vermont is covered with snow two feet deep,
and believe there is fair chance of their hav-
ing the usual ,six weeks sleghing in the month
of March," Uaughter.)
1t is said, sir, that Vermont is severe coun-
try in point of climate. Perhaps, in some
measure that is true. But the very severity of
the climate makes the character of the people.
Have freemen ever prospered and grown and
developed their manhood in the tropics In
country where a half acre of banana will feed
a hundred men year, the people always live in
idlenessj they are always barbarians. There
may be, countries, to be sure, countries so ex-
tremely cold that men will suffer from that
causei but it is in the northern regions of the
temperate zone that mankind is more fully de-
veloped. Those habits that grow out of the
necessity of mans condition, that care and pru-
dence which is called out by the necessity of
preparation for the coming winter, mould his
character and that of his children after him.
The very severity of the weather shutting out
men from their customary employment, causes
them to flock around the hearth-stone to enjoy
the comforts of that home which their industry
and forethought had provided There they
cherish the moralities of home, there they fos-
ter those domestic virtues which mark them as
people. If you 60 among the Businesses of
Vermont wherever you find smoke curling up
blue from the chimney, you Will find the people,
with their children gathered around them, in
the full enjoyment of those fruits which their
own industry has won. They cannot find
amusement in theatres and other places, of en-
tertainment; they cannot gather in crowds
But they meet together in families about the
hearth-stone, and there they converse, and ex-
change thoughts with each other. Nor are
shut out from all communion with their friends
for with their noble Morgan horses they can
plow their way through the snow from house to
house, or village to village. (Applause.) 1
can only say of winter in the language of Cow
per;
81 crown YOU King of intimate delights,
Fireside enjoyment, and home-born happiness
And al the comforts which the lowly roof
or undisturbed retirement and the joys
Which long uninterrupted evening knows"
But it is said Vermont is hilly and noun
famous country. This is indeed true. Have
you never observed, that, in the history of the
human race, certain independence Of charac-
ter has ALWAYS marked the people of the noun