Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-06-24

candidates of their parties, and not praise
their party friends and party acts with partl,
san partiality, nor condemn their political
adversaries with partisan unfalrness lie
| believed politics would be purified of its most
corrupt clements, and the country be put in
the hands of wiser and more honest legisla-
lures and executives, if party and its success
were reckoned of less account, and truth,
and righteousness, and Justice, and honesty,
in party friends as well as party foes, were
demanded with the solemn emphasis of an
outspoken, unselfsh, untrammeled, honest
press.
Mr.. Willard also touched, briefly, upon
! what he characterized as the eulogistic, and
often overdone, praise of officials, and of al
most everybody of whom our newspapers
have any occasion to make pleasant mention ;
and he hoped to see diminution, both in
degree and quantity, of the complimentary
their frequent use, applied to all sorts OF
persons, they should lose their power in
places where really deserved.
lie also condemned the too common habit
of putting everybody who advertises, or gets
job of work done, or distributes free tickets
to concerts, theatres, shows, clrcuses, and
the like Newspapers should never sell, for
any money or other consideration, an edito-
rial opinion which the editor is not ready
conscientiously, and with his most intimate
and intelligent friend, to stand by. He
should never defend bad cause for hire.
| The personalities, sometimes growing into
acrimony and bitterness, which all papers
are much too often guilty of, came in for a
share of the speakers censure. He depre-
Gated all of it. His own paper, he feared,
had not always been free from it, but he en-
deavored to make it a teacher and instructor
OF the public, and not weapon with which
to assault the person of any brother of the
craft. He hoped to see kindness and courte-
treatment which each member of the associa-
ton, through his paper, awarded to every
other member. Our contests should be for
the truth, and our victories triumphs over
ignorance and error,-for in that we all
ought to be engaged as in a common cause :;
but we should never shoot arrows, and espec-
tally poisoned arrows, at each other. The
law makes a mans house his castle, and
every editors person, his individuality, and
his household, ought to be secure from the
attacks of every brother of the profession.
In conclusion, the speaker expressed the
hope that the association would be the be
ginning of the good work of elevating the
character of the press of the State. 1t is,
probably, already superior to what may be
called the local papers of any State in the
Union. but it is by no means yet up to the
ideal of any member of the Convention.
Where we have hitherto done well we may
yet do infinitely better, and where we have
hitherto erred we have abundant leisure and
incentive to reform. If we will all put be
fore us the ideal newspaper, working for no
partisan, or selfish, or personal end, but for
the common veal. we shall immensely multi
ply the EDUCATING and elevating influences of
this mighty power which we too carelessly
WELD, and cause it to bless and beautify. and
enrich the land, like the sunshine, the rain
and the dew and we shall take from it all
the evil influences which, like the storm or
the malaria, carry desolation and death in
their march.
John Cain of the Rutland Courier, who
was appointed poet for the occasion. read the
following poem
THE PRESS.
From East and west-from south and North
From valleys green and mountains high
The sons of Franklin are come forth,
Natures own beauties to enjoy.
Our cares, our pen, our printing press,
Are left behind in devils charge,
Who IN his selfrighteousness,
VIII of his honesty enlarge.
Even though orr wives LEFT short for wood,
From home viii we be scarcely missed
Editors wives being all so good,
Forget-forgive-whenf ondly kissed.
SO lets enjoy life when we can,
And have happy time.
And filed with prose and rhyme
Just see the hills all clad in green
Behold the azure sky
On every side Gods works
To fill the world with JOY.
To NIemphremagog let's betake,
Though far from oceans tide
And on the - Lady of the Lake
Enjoy pleasure ride
How still and smooth these waters deep,
The scenery, how grand
The moon shines forth, the banks steep,
Like some enchanted land
Here, represented more or less
stand sentinel, Times and Free Press
The Herald, Standard and the dge,
We Register on the same page
This Household, too can well afford
The Phenir to put on Record
Our FreemdH'S Banner stretch afar,
\ Messenger to the North star.
independent Opinion we Express
And send Transcript of the Journals NelrS
To the Chronicle and UnioH's address,
As the Repository of our own views.
Away, to the far of Caledonian shore
y Our prond' Argaseyed Eagle is destined to soar,
And should any JerHi0Hter there need friend,
a Courier stands ready the bounty send
But let us change this festive lay
4 Let solemn facts minds incline,
And study this progressive day,
/ To drink a healthier, purer wine.
When GOD, amid the chaos deep which reignec,
Said-Let the light chase darkness from the earth
And when the morning stars, with joy unfcigned,
sung forth their praises at the dazzling birth
Then, when our globe of beauty uprearcd
| Man, in the image of his COP, appeared.
Breathed with his vital power, con gave man
thought
To scan the wondrous works which he had done
And man. amid the various wonders, sought
To utter praises to the Glorious One.
Thus, speech at once flowed from his hspng tongue,
In strains of an adoring, joyous song.
GOD said-and thus from Heavens hierarchy
Came language from its Maker down TO man;
GOD said-and man took up in ecstacy
The stars of mornings song-creation's plan.
/ So our Creator in the worlds youth,
Gave tongue TO man that he might speak the truth.
Next in the course Of COPS great gifts was given
| Urt with GODS finger in His throne in Heaven,
The power that man might thenceforth use pen
| Twas on Sinai's Mount, in mighty awe
! GOD gave the 'critten tablets of His law.
At length light more glorious burst the mist
That hung in thickness DER the of men:
Men-slaves in mind no more-the rod they kissed
Was broke and scattered from the moment, when
The art of Printing to bless the land
Another gift from the Almighty hand.
Now, a new DER the world was spread,
And knowledge issued from its pent-up stream;
Long shacked.nations from an age of dread,
Awoke in wonder from their bondage-dream-
And the strange lettered page to them became
The bulwark OF their nation and their name
! And from the moment of its mystic birth
The million minds recognition had;
The march of freedom travelled round the earth,
To guard fair liberty-inspire the sad.
Even inc i1"sin7 -.-t, nth scattered laavas,
Sowed seed which yielded ripened, yellow sheaves
Yes, Heaven born Printing man owes much to thee
For thou to him art guardian, teacher, friend;
Without thee he may 1--we; but is he free
| or can he knowledge to his race extend?
All, MOI without thee he is poor and lone,
For thou art wisdom's great memorial stone
And now wide streams of knowledge yearly How,
TO tighten minds which otherwise were dark
And bring from hearts, in toughest frames, glow
mat yet may light an intellectual spark
4 That long may dazzle mid the field of fame,
I And leave the man an honOred, endless name.
Well may pray this million branching light
| May blight the root of SINS foul Upas tree,
And raise yet darkened nations from their night
And aid to make man what he ought to be
| \ being-while the earth is his abode
Who seeks the good of all by serving GOD.
Let every nation-every tongue