The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-10-18

per acre. There was also at that time
five hundred and scvunty-six miles oil
railroad in Vermont, and forty-four banks
doing business.
The local news Of the state was furn.
ishcd the people by thirty-six weekly
and sixteen daily papers. And the edu.
cational wants were supplied by three
colleges three medical schools, two theo.
logical scminaries, eighty eour academies,
294 select schools and 2,02S public
schools.
Every native of Vermont remembers
with pride the fact that no state acted
with more promptitude than did this lit
tie state at the opening Of the rebellion.
The Presidents proclamation for 49,
600 men was issued on the 10Th day of
April, 1861. Governor Hall Immediate
ly convened an extra session of the Leg
islature at Montpelier, and on the ODD
day of the month, seven days after the
Presidents proclamation, the Vermont
Legislature passed an appropriation of
one million dollars for military purposes,
and made arrangements for Immediately
equipping seven regiments for the SER
vice. On the 10th day of May, her first
regiment, under command of j. w.
Phelps, graduate of West Point, was
in New York. One tenth Of the men
in this regiment were graduates Of New
England colleges. Many were profess
'sional men Of high standing, and nearly
all were men of strictly temperate hab-
its.
During the war 2,7l0 men went into
the service from Vermont, and from the
beginning to the end Of the rebellion the
Green Mountain boys sustained the rep
utation of their ancestors, and were ac-
knowlcdgcd among the most brave and
very best of men, Of the eastern regiments
in the field.
During the past fifty years Vermont
has sent forth to the world many distin-
guishcd men, and she has done good
deal besides.
OF the six New England States, at the
census of 1850, .shc produced the most
horses, wool, sheep, butter, cheese, wheat,
oats, hops and maple sugar. But one
State, New York. makes more maple
sugar. Vermont, according to its
size, makes four times as much as New
York
The State is also celebrated for the pro-
duction Of an article found no where else
i'll the Union in such perfcction-the
beautiful white statuary marble, obtained in
Rutland, Addison and Bennington counties,
from which our marble workers carve the
elegant tombstoncs and monuments which
so beautifully adorn our cemeteries. AT
Shoreham is obtained also black mar
Bile, and at Roxbury, in the same State,
is obtained Il beautiful scrpcntinc marble
The State quarrics Of Gulford, West
Castleton and Poultney are also dis
tingushing product OF the State, giving
employment to hundreds of workmen.
The states manufactured here find their
way into the school rooms throughout the
entire country, and the stone is used for
roofing purposes in all parts of the United
States.
At the census Of 1850 there were 800
churches, or one church to every 524 in
habitants. Doubtless the remarkable
freedom from crime. which is character
istic of the state, may be largely attribut-
ed to the very generally prevailing relig-
ious influence thrown around the people.
Early trained to attendance upon divine
service, and partaking of the teachings Of
the Sunday school, the youth of Yer
mont come upon the stage of action pos.
sessed Of religion and habits of industry
and temperance, which make them good
and valuable citizens in after life, where
ever their lot may be cast.
State Prison statistics Of Vermont re.
veal the fact, that murder, robbery and
kindred crimes, compared with other
states, are very seldom committed
The Inhabitants Of the Green Mountain
State are pre-eminently social people
Nowhere else in the United States does
hospitality and good cheer more greatly
abound.
At maple sugar time there is many Il
grand gathering Of neighbors and friends
at various points in the neighborhood
and general sugaring off is the pro-
gramme of the occasion. As the season
advances May Day parties are abundant
and Fourth Of July celebrations are at
tended by all. General trainings have
ever been prominent holidays since the
revolution. Harvest parties are common
in all ncig h6orhoods, and the apple pear.
ings and husking bees are attended by
everybody in the fall.
Snow comes early, but with the great
diversity Of crops and means resorted to
by the Nermonter to get a living, he
feels like celebrating Thanksgiving, and
then there is general reunion of grand
parents, fathers mothers, sons, daughters,
grandchildren, uncles, aunts and cousins,
to feast of good things, such as is no.
where else more bountifally spread than
on the tables of the good housewives OF
Vermont. Three cheers were here given
for the Vermont housewives.
The winter is long and the snow is
deep; but the slcighing is excellent, and
the jingle Of sleigh bells before gaily
painted "cutters," conveying merry par.
ties to spelling and singing schools, make
the long evenings pass delightfully."- away;
and the round Of amusements and good
cheer the season through, make the
years come and 90 as happily to the Y er.
monters, as to the people on any portion
Of the globe.
For twenty years, however, the iron
bands of railway have been stretching
away West, on to more fertile land
where wealth could be obtained more cas-
lily and one after another have gone ou
from the state, until two hundred thous
and people from the State of Vermont
are estimated to be settled over the Wes
to-day.
The result is, the population of Yer
mont is no longer increasing. From
] I Al