Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1870-01-14
Judge POland's Speech.

The New England Society at Wash
ington celebrated Forefathers's Day, by
large company of ladies and gentle
men, and the following toast -"Nermoni
T a good State to reside in, as well as to
emigrate from"-Judge Poland OF this
State was called upon and made very
happy and interesting response, from
which we make the following extract:
"Mr. President, the lateness of the
hour admonishes me that | must not
dwell longer upon this theme, but be
fore | leave it, l want TO relate an incl
dent which came to me in a most anthem
tic way. 1t was told me by our late ex-
cellent Governor Fairbanks, who was
Governor of Vermont at the commence
ment of the war, and who had the story
from the foreign oficers's own mouth.
The "Old Vermont Brigade Cos it
was called was attached to the sixth
corps, and was under the command of
Gen. Sedgwick, up to the time of that
gallant officers lamented death. A dis
tinguished foreign officer, visiting the
army, was enquired of by Gen. Sedgwick
if he would like to see and review the
best brigade of soldiers in the world p
81 do not mean," said Gen. S, "the best
brigade Of soldiers in the army, or in
the armies of the United States, but |
mean literally what | say; the best brig
ade of soldiers on the face of the earth. "
The officer of course replied in the affir-
native, and was taken to see and review
the "Oid Vermont Brigade"
My distinguished friend from Maine,
Senator Hamlin, who responded so elo-
quently for his own State, has ventured
to prophesy in relation to its future
greatness. He told us that Maine was
shaped like fatiron, with her nose
sticking into her Majesty's Dominion,
but that he expected before long she
W uld cease to be border State. He
spoke also of her manufacturing and
commercial advantages, and predicted
that she is to become one of the greatest
of manufacturing and commercial States
and TO contain four millions of people.
Mr.. President, Vermont, though a
small State is not behind any of her sis
tiers in great expectations" Her terri
tory, too, is flatiron shaped. but her nose
is the other way, and her heels toward
her British Majesty When we have an
nexed all north of us to the north pole,
as we expect to do before very long,
though Maine will cease to be border
State, she will still be an outside State !;
while Vermont, when that happy day
arrives, expects to be about in the centre
of the Union and if this talk about re-
moving the Capital is kept up, we think
it highly probable that Vermont will be
found the best place for it. We do not
expect to become exactly seaboard
State, but we do expect to have the
greatest harbor on our shores, at least, of
any New England State Whether the
British Provinces to the north of us
shall be annexed to the United States,
or become an independent government
by themselves, or remain colonial depen-
denotes of the home government, as now
we expect to have ship canal built from
the St. Lawrence River into Lake Cham
plain, so that vessels of any class which
navigate the great lakes of the West,
may come from the farthest nayigable
water of the whole chain with unbroken
cargo into Lake Champlain is to become
one vast harbor, into which the mighty
commerce and products of the unbound
ed West are TO gather. Our principal
fear has been that there were not gaps
enough IN our mountain ranges through
which to build railroads from the Lake
to Underwater, sufficient to carry away the
thus accumulated freight.
Time would fail me 10 enumerate all
our high hopes for the future; those /
have named are only some of the most
moderate.
Mr.. President on occasions of this kind
1T is usual to dwell upon and glorify our
peculiar New England institutions. The
Common School generally, and perhaps
| may say very properly, gets the ''lion's
share" of praise. quite agree to all
that has ever been said, or that can be
said, in favor of their wide benefcence.
but shall say nothing myself in their
behalf. shall leave that to my learn
ed friend, Senator Patterson, who has re-
sponded SO eloquently to "the granite
and the graduates of New Hampshire.
and to others like him, who can discuss
the subject with the advantages of COM
parlson and contrast with the higher
grade of educational institutions which
mere common school graduates" like
myself, do not possess.
But, Sir, there is New England in
! stitution about which I want IN Gov, n