The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1864-07-15
GOV. FAIRBANKS WELCOME

GOV. FAIRBANKS WELCOME
At the opening of the meeting of the
Vermont Historical Society, Mt ST.
Johnsbury, on the 29th and 3Oth ult.
Ex-Gov. Fairbanks made an address
of welcome which we find reported
in the last Caledonioa and which we
gladly republish in our columns.
Mr.. PRESIDENT: In behalf Of the cit
liens of our village and town, | have
the honor of presenting to the mem
Der of the Vermont Historical Society
our cordial welcome, and of express
ing our qualification that you have
honored us with this special appoint
ment
Our citizens, and the citizens Of this
country, have known too little of your
society, and have perhaps been to lit
tie interested in the objects for which
it has been organized, This, l think,
has not resulted from our incapacity
to appreciate those objects, or to value
the interesting facts and incidents de-
veloped by the society; but from mat
tention and n limited acquaintance
with this medium Of research
| am happy. sir, to avail myself Of
this opportunity to introduce you and
your society to our community, and
1--WE hope for better acquaintance. -
Vermont has history, interesting
and instructive much of which has
never been published Valuable local
facts, and the biography of men emf
nently useful, are, in too many instan-
ccs, unknown or oblivious to the pub
lie 1t is not the Ethan Aliens and
the Warmers who alone represent our
great men and the worthless of past
generations. Many noble men, tai
ented and useful, have occupied pri-
yate and modest spheres, who, had
they been brough out by the force Of
circumstances, would now be mum
bered in the galaxy of statesmen and
public benefators The worth of such
men is often undervalued while living,
and we fail to realize their loss until
we look, and look in vain for others to
fill their places, and occupy their va
cant spheres OF usefulness.
1t is the mission Of your society, sir,
to supply in part, the biography Of
such men, to rescue from oblivion
their memory, and hold up their use
ful lives as patterns for the present
and future generations.
1t is true Vermont has its record, -
its published record of men and events,
alike honorable and interesting; and
to you, sir, are we indebted in no
small degree, for its history Still,
interesting and instructive as is the
history of the past, and however hon
orably associated with that of our
common country, it is from among our
contemporaries, the men of the present
time, that history will select its patri-
OTIS, its heroes and its statesmen.
In the present fearful national CON
+ hict, the blood and treasure of our cit
liens are freely sacrificed. Our young
men, with their heroic officers, are
found in fore front of the hottest bat
ties" Deeds of heroic valor and Of
self-sacrifcing devotion IN the cause
of our common country, are performed
by our Vermont soldiers. deeds which
should be known to posterity, but
which viii 60 unrecorded, unless some
friendly chronicler rescues them from
oblivion; and what agency SO appro-
prjatS for such work as the Vermont
Historical Society.
1t is not our high commanding Off
GERS who alone deserves this honor.
They, with few exceptions, have nobly
done their duty, and their achieve
ments together with the great events
of the war, will find their place in his
tory. But the humblest soldier in the
ranks is often as deserving, and his
services, not unfrequently, are as inn
portant in deciding the issues of bat
ties, as are those of his superior Off
GERS; and is it not the appropriate
mission of the Vermont Historical So
ciety to note and record the incidents
of the service and the personal achieve
ments of our own citizen soldiers,
that our descendants who will possess
the dear bought inheritances, rescued
and preserved from the barberous foe
by these our brethren, may read the
record and immortalize their memory
But, sir, it i'll becomes me to indi-
cate on the present occasion, the mis-
sion and duties of your society. am
reminded that the duty assigned me
at the present time is to welcome its
members, in behalf of our citizens, to
our quiet villages and homes.
We have anticipated this occasion
with pleasure. We cannot fail to be
instructed, while we are sure the occa-
sion will be one of enjoyment, essen
tally uhle duici; and if our visitors
shall in any degree enjoy the same
qualification, if the pleasure and profit
shall be, in any good degree mutual,
our highest wishes will be gratitied.
BsS- The amount of coal transported
by the Delaware Canal Company this