Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-10-24
Report Of the Librarian of the Yer
mont Historical society.

mont Historical society. l
The extent and value OF the donations
to the Vermont Historical Society VIII
be learned from the descriptive list
which we shall publish hereafter.
Among the donations will be found an
autograph letter OF John Quincy Adams,
dated Dec. Is, 1S4l, and one OF Washing
ton Irving, dated Oct. 80, lS4l, to Miss
Sophia watrous of Montpelier. They
acknowledge the receipt of the "gift,"
miscellaneous collection OF poems pub,
lished by Miss Watrous At Montpelier
In l84l. These letters show the kind.
ness OF heart of these two great men to-
wards an obscure authoress and the
pains they are willing to take to gratify
q writer of no remarkable poetic talent
by words of appreciation and sympathy.
There is also the original correspond.
ence between Capt. Joseph Brant and
President Wheelock in 1900, in regard
to Brant's two sons at Dartmouth.
These letters OF Brant (the Indian Chief
Thayendauga) show him to have been
we'll taught in all the culture OF the
schools. Their moral and pious tone Is
wholly variant from the character his.
tory has assigned to this butcher of
women and children in support OF Brit
ish invasion. $50 s....
We have also received the survey OF q
turnpike road under the direction of
committee of the Legislature in 1909
from "Moses Johnson's Store" In New.
burg to Canada line In Highgate, 10
miles. Each section of mile Is noted
and the residence of each inhabitant
upon the route. The line Is supposed to
| be that of the old military "Hazen Road"
Upon the paper upon which the survey
is protracted is the certificate OF General
Whitelaw, as follows:
RYEeArE, July 3lst, 1909.
~ hereby certify that the annexed
sketch OF the Boston and Montreal Turn.
"pike Road was truly protracted from
"the survey made under the direction of
''the committee appointed by the Legis.
s'lature to lay out said road, by me.
-u "JAMRs WHITRLAw."
Our society has thousands OF friends
who smile approvingly upon our ad-
dresses, our written papers and upon
the historical or pecuniary contributions
| VI OSuSiss IL GU euSJ hdNC nitucl VI given
US no other aid. Men out of the State
send in their contributions freely, and
Vermonters themselves are more ne
glectful OF their own noble history than
their neighbors.
Our society will only realize the OBJ.
ject of its formation when every book
and pamphlet printed that relates to
Vermont affairs, shall be Immediately
placed on its shelves. ....s
Whatever Vermonter neglects to do
this, as far as is in his power, is guilty
OF treason to the truth of Vermont his.
tory. George G. Benedict of Burlington
has well discharged his obligations to
this cause by publishing his Vermont
at Gettysburg" With this noticeable
exception Vermonters have disdained to
write out the record OF their own part
in the late war. We need few more
such efficient friends as Judge Cleveland
Of Brookield, who has already brought
in his valuable contributions. The first
volume of the Historical collections" of
| this Society is nearly ready for the press.
Its publication will make our society
uoSlVi huvun e.nu oppiS.iasou au lv...o
and abroad.
Very few of the early historical docu.
ments of Vermont are preserved in our
State archives. The fact is too apparent
from the meagre report of the contents
OF 1.-THE office of the Secretary OF State
which he will make to the General
Assembly this session. rgo5 ag1
This volume will, in some measure,
supply the deficiency Of State papers,
and the Society ought to be able to rely
upon the State for liberal subscription
to the volume il for no other aid.
And l must be excused for repeating
here former authoritative statement OF
this Society: 'That in 1912 the State
appropriated $4,000 towards the pub.
''lication OF SHADES State Papers, and re.
"ceived fifty copies of the work. This is
"the only sum Vermont ever paid for
printing it's early history; purpose
chat all other civilized communities
delighted to pursue, till the materials
"are exhausted"
Respectfully submitted,
CHARLES REED,
Librarian.
MONTPELIER Oct, Is 1857