Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-08-12
THE RUTLAND HERALD,
SATURDAY, AUGUST Z, 1869.

THE History of Vermont from its dis-
covery to it's admission into the Union
in 1901. By Hiland Hall: Joel Nun
sell, Albany, N. Y, 1868. . vo. PIP. OIL
We take the following notice of the ex.
cellent work of Gov Hall, from review
OF it published in tho New England His
toric Genealogical Register for July,
written by Rev. E. F. Slater. 1t is dis
and just review OF the
book and it will be pleasing to every YER
monter, to read this complimentary notice
of the labors of one of its most useful
and honored citizens:
OF the New England states, Vermont is
the youngest in settlement and organize
ton. 1t is now but little more than a
hundred years since the pioneers from
Massachusetts,, Connecticut and Rhode
Island penetrated the forests of the New
Hampshire grants. But while the young
est, none of the other New England States
has shown more zeal and enterprise in the
development of its history. DR.. Will
liams, Allen, Slade, Thompson, B. II.
Hall, and Miss Hemmenway, would seem
at first blush to have covered the whole
field, and to have left nothing undone.
But there is still wanting historian for
the period which Governor Hall has Sc
lected, who should be competent to deal
with the difficult and obstruse problems
involved. The whole period, from the is
sue of the charter of Bennington in 1749
to the admission of the State into the
Union in 1891, was one of bitter, persist
emit and relentless controversy. New
Hampshire, New York. the King of Eng
land, the land jobbers, and the settlers of
the grants had each an element of their
own to throw into the seething cauldron
In the progress of the controversy there
came to be a vast accumulation of docu-
ments bearing on the subject, arguments
carefully drawn by the ablest lawyers,
petitions, protests, letters and papers in
endless variety. Not only were all these
to be carefully Investigated and the wheat
separated from the chaff, the truth drawn
out of conflict and confusion, but, beyond
all these, there were nice as well as pro-
found questions of colonial law, of colon
ial boundaries, of charter rights and linn
itations, to be clearly defined and applied
to the points in controversy. 1t is OBJ
vious that historical tastes, learn
ing, and facility of style alone are
not adequate to such task as this.
Superadded to these there must be an
unusual balance, breadth, and capacity
of mind. We are happy to say that, in
our opinion, Gov. Hall has brought to the
task just those qualities which the ext
gencies of the work demanded. We know
not when we have read volume of his
tory, covering period where the staple
of material was altogether of controver-
sial character, in which the narrative and
the argument mingle and flow on togeth-
er, so clearly and smoothly, constantly re-
minding us of the crystal flow of those
beautiful streams in the valleys of Yer
mont, which we have watched in other
years with unalloyed satisfaction and de-
light.
Governor Halls ideal of the historians
Office is obvious, and we believe it to be
the true one. 1t is not to state his own
conclusions or convictions, as by a proper
statement of facts to force their inevita-
BILE deductions upon the reader. He has
apparently no personal object to attain,
but goes straight to the point where the
facts lead him He never attempts to
dispose of an inconvenient fact or theory
by the flourish of pretended indigna-
ton, by denunciations or personal abuse
But he -.ates with an apparent fairness
the facts on both sides of controverted
point, and accepts the conclusion dictated
by the preponderating evidence. We
have not space for even a brief analysis
of tn 5 work, but the author has stated so
clearly and concisely what he proposed
and what he thinks he has attained, that
we cannot do better than TO reproduce it
for the qualification of the reader.
"In his investigation. he has sought for
the original and most authentic sources of
information, and has endeavored to state
the facts of history in their true light.
He thinks it satisfactorily appears that
the early inhabitants of Vermont were
under the necessity of uniting together
in a separate and distinct community,
and in forming an independent State in
their property, and were fully justified in
their resistance to the oppressive inca s.
ures of New York, and in their revolt
against its authority; and that they con-
Quoted their public affairs, both against
New York and the common enemy, with
patriotic energy and eonsummate ability
that commanded the respect of their con-
temporaries, and which entities them to
honored remembrance of their posterity.''
In reading this volume we freely con-
fess that we have been forced to accept
the authors conclusions. But ii we have
been deceived, if he has succeeded in
making the worse appear the better
reason" then we freely accord to him a
skill and power in the use of language
and in the management of his subject,
which Mr.. Webster or Mr.. Choase, in the
palmy days of their career, might well
have coveted.
This work will be read with great in
terest and profit, not only by the citizens
of Vermont, but by all students of New
England history, as it gives the best &C
count of the settlement of colonial boun
daries. embracing New Hampshire, Con
necticut, Massachusetts and New ORR
which we have anywhere seen. 1t con
tains also in the appendix very valuable
biographical notices of the principal per-
sons mentioned in the volume.
E. F. s.