Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-10-26

was the same man who land the 1ounuaulOn
of French dominionin Canada-the father,
as he has well been called, OF New
France the same man who planned and
introduced the system for extending that
dominion which led to the brilliant career
of discovery in the West of which l have
lust been speaking man who must have
known that the valley OF this lake was
continuous with another which led by a
large. navgable river to the seas of the
South and that its occupation would be
the most important service which he could
possibly render to his country. Yet, al
though our lake bears the name Of its
original discovercr, and will doubtless per-
petuatc it to the latest generations-al-
| though it was claimed for more than a
hun red years as being as much a French
possession as any other on this continent,
although the French names first given
to its rivers. headands and islands, are
still retained, and although French
seignieuries, actually mapped cut,
granted and named after their respective
proprietors, covered the borders of this
] lake, occupying all the eligible spots on
| both sides of it as far to the South as Ii
conderoga,-vet who ever heard Of the
! Frenchman who ventured to make his title
! valid by actual occupation, or OF single
missionary or commercial post maintained
: even for any great length Of time on any
part Of this lake now included within the
United States
1t will be my object to explain this SIN
gular fact and | know Of no better way
Of doing it than BY giving the whole his
tory Of the transaction, by which the lake
was discovered, and at the same time the
French were shut out Of it forever.
This noble sheet ofmlani water was first
discovered to the civilized world by Samuel
Champaign in the year 1909, about three
quarters of a century after the French
had entered the st. Lawrence. Cham
plain, by his own account was man Of
some family distinction in his native coun-
try lie had seen service for two or three
years as naval officer in the West Inlies,
and his conduct having met with the ap-
probation of the King, he was living at
court on pension, when, hearing Ola pro-
iect to establish colony Of his country
men in this part of the world, he inquired
into the business and becoming interested
in the object proposed, asked and obtained
leave Of the king to take an active part
himself in the enterprise. On his first
voyage, he sailed up the St. Lawrence as
Cartier had gone, and still beyond. Moth
ing was accomplished at this time, when
j Champlain acted merely as subordinate
under the immediate direction of his supe-
riors. Afterwards he was employed on
an undertaking which required no common
degree of skill, vigilance and intrepidity
in order to its successful prosecution, that
of exploring the most irregular and DANCE
( rous portion of the Eastern coast of
America, the coast Of Maine, then entirely
unknown.
In accomplishing this task the great
qualities of Champlain which SO eminently
fitted him for the still more important one
\ in which he was soon to engage, were fully
| called forth He proved himself TO be
bold. and daring in the highest degree; a
man who seemed rat her to court
than to avoid danger. yet never
so eager for adventure, a for a moment to
peril his grand object. He was close
and curious observer Of nature in all the
new aspects which she presented in TIN,
!, fresh portion of her domain, as yet un.
marred by the hand Of man. He was the
first of the French navigi tors who thought
it worth while to inquire minutely into
the character of the savage tribes OF TIM
country into their several modes OF llt'
and their relations to each other. His IN
vesticati ms on this subject seem to have
proceeded not more from curiosity thar
from foresight of the advantage whlcl
thorough knowledge Of the native tri5'
must give to the founder of 4 new colon,
among them.
In studying the character and condition
p of these tribes. it Is said that Champlau
r was not governed altogether by the seIlsI
p end of employing them merely as instru
e ments to promote the French dominion Oh
, this continent. He felt an interest, from
the beginning, in their social and religion
Il Improvement. He believed them to b
susceptible Of culture but he believe
also that this culture could only come t
y them through christianity.
And thus much may fairly be allowed
Champlain had at heart the goo
of the Indian race. But we nee
not 90 farther and with a protestant write
~ of our own country, cchoing the praises
=, lavishly bestowed by Charlevoiz, repre-
sent him as a man Of ardent dsrot1o
and burning zeal, one who esteemed 18th