Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-01-10
New England Dinner.

lus NeW hnsianu society OF MILWAUKEE,
Wis, celebrated the anniversary of the Landing
Of the Pilgrims by dinner and festivities at
the NeWhall House IN that city, on the evening
Of December twenty-second. Hon. Mat. II.
Carpenter, formerly OF Waterbury, presided,
and made an elCquen! and felictous inaugural
address. We give below the excellent speech of
j, p. C. Cottrill, Esq, formerly of Montpelier
in response to the following toast
Varmont--the las, settled of the New Eng.
land States, she almost outslrIps her sisters in
patriotic lervor and devotion Her sons uphold
she flag on many bloody baItls-felds, and never
abandon it to the oe.
Mr.. Cotlrill said
MR pREslnENr y | regret n view Of the oc-
eason that has assembled us together, the audi
ence that IS here, and for the State in which |
had the honor to be born, that some person 9TH
er than myself, and better fitted to respond to
the sentiment just offered, has net been called
upon to speak for Vermont. | shall not, how
ever, decline to speak for my native State, for
no Vermonter could justly refuse to respond for
her here or eiso where, when she is called in her
| order.
Vermont, sir, has history peculiarly her own,
that oil the other states. Isolated in good de-
gree by her local situation, from states geo.
graphically her neighbors-abounding in bold
mountains aui heavy forests, and with great
difficulties Of nature for her population to con-
tend with-her people have, nevertheless, BY their
perseverance, their essentially manly qualities
and their energy OF character, overcome all OBJ
stacles and made her indeed garden, where the
artificial Improvement Of her soil blends charm
ngy with the grandeur Of her natural scenery.
And while her people have done this in re-
spect to her physical characteristics, they have
advanced none the less in Intellectual culture,
IN substantial prosperity, and in all the means
: that make State nLly great. In no other
State, as | believe, can there be found greater
4 proportion OF educated men, and refined, culti-
n yatod women, of general native intelligence, oi
IS true manly courage or a less degree OF pauper-
= ism and crime.
;. In the war Of the revolution she bravely bore
l. her part in the struggle with Great Britain, ac
n the historic battle fields of uubbarton aud Ben.
" nington, the memorable captures Of Crown
b, Point and riconderoga and the immortal namsi
It, OF Allen, stark and Warner, may FLY testify,
rs while she at th9 same time successfully main
IN tained her independence of large and power.
le ful province striving 10 subject her territory
er and people to its control. In the general war
sr she stood side by side with the very State she
1t was defending herself against and while bat
l. tling for the independence of the old colonies,
J. she also successfully accomplished her own
E She was the lrst State admitted into the Union
the act admitting her having been approved it
3 is true. after admitting Kentucky, but taking
effect at a date earlier than that admitting Ken
lucky. And as she was the first star added to
the origna galaxy, 50 will she be che very last
that shall be bl0ted therellom She fought for
the Union before she was in il she will never
leave 1t voluntarily, and If necessary she is pre-
pared to tight to retain her place IN il. She
will not ~ nor b. elt out IN the cold" She
remembers the cid struggle, ana as she protected
her border then, sho is able and ready to pro-
tect il now the presdsnts revocation Of Gem
ersl Dix's order to ths contrary notwithstanding.
The same spirit Of liberty plays now around her
mountains and through her valleys, that did in
the early days OF the Republic and until they
shall fade and waste away the same spirit will
animate her people.
The presence ot this spirit, never slumbering
even in time Of peace, has been abundsntly
manifested Ia the present unholy rebellion
against the Government of the United States
She has given OF her sons and her means freely,
nobly and patriotically. And while she has
thus given oil her children, she has not aban-
done1 them after they have gone TO the field.
She still cares tor them, and her agents attend
shem, seeing that they suffer Tor nothing in the
hospitals or tented field. She pays each of her
soldiers seven dollars per month in addition to
the Government pay, aud she cares tenderly Tor
their families lett behind She has q proud
record of the bravery aod courage OF her sonsi
and AS fifty expressed in the sentiment just given,
no regiment of hers hl. ever abandoned Us col
ors to, or suffered them to be captured by the
Zoe.
regret, sir, that the tins does not permit
me to speak further, as might and would be
glad to do, Ia tbs jsst praise Of Vermont.
am proud OF he and OF her history, as all her
sons may well be.
| give you, in closing, sentiment given by
one Ot Vsrmont's poets, at an agricultural fair
not sufficiently comprehensive in her praise,
but the best that nov occurs to me.
" The state Of lernout-rdmed for her mer,
her women, her maple sugar and her horses.
| The FIRST are strong the last are feet
| The second and third are exetdingiy sweet,
| And all are uncommony hard 10 bsaf.h