The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-10-18
Vermonters in the West--TaIking Over
the Days Lang Syne.

vermOnters in the West--TaIking Over
the Days Lang syne.
A large gathering Of Vermontcrs at
Aurora. ILL.,, at picnic on the 29th ult.,
paid handsome tribute to the i" home of
their childhood" celebrating the
occasion with sumptuous Vermont
dinner, and with complimentary toasts
and speeches. In report of the pro-
ceedings in the Aurora Herald we find
the names Of the following participants in
the exercises of the occasion Rev. Mr..
Clark, VIM. F. Dickinson, Thomas +.
Hill, H. s. Wells, Eugene Garfield, Mr..
Miles, p. Y. Bliss, DR.. S. b. Hawley,
DR.. Kilbourn, Prof. Hazeltine and let
ters from DR.. Ira A. w. Buck, Judge
Hibbard and |. S. Garfield.
The following toasts were offered and
heartily responded to:
|, vermont, the home of our child.
hood, green and fresh as thy hills are thy
memories in our hearts,"
9, "To the memory of the Revolution.
airy heroes of Ncrmont-Stark, Allen and
others"
3, 1.-THE Judiciary of Vermont repre-
sented by S. Adds, Richard Skinner,
Samuel Prentice, Stephen Royce, Jonas
Galusha and Others"
4, "Honor to the school masters and
school marms of Vermont"
>, ITO the memory of the early Gov
ernors of Vermont"
6, "The Literary Institutions of YER
mont"
I, Ncrmont-Thc Green Mountain
State Home Of the Green Mountain
Boys Of '76 Peace to their ashes
May their descendants become as numcr-
Gus as the autumn leaves, scattered in
every land, exhibiting in their lives the
patriotism, honesty, industry, philanthro-
ply and prudent legislation of their pro-
genitors, until all nations shall adopt
the government of their Fatherland !"
In response to the first toast Thomas
Z. Hill, Esq, of the Aurora Herald, gave
the following descriptive sketch of Ver-
mont, which all Vcrmonters will read
with interest.
Ladies and Commemorative State of
Vermont has greater claim upon our
respect and esteem than most people sup
pose. A very general impression pre-
walls, that while Vermont may be good
State to be born in, it is muc!. better
State to emigrate from. And people
without investigating its resources, are
likely thus from cursory view, to un-
dervalue its productions.
Though mountainous region, large
proportion of its land is suitable for til
ling and grazing purposes. The result
is, though the State embraces a small
amount of territory comparatively within
its limits, in many departments Of hus-
bandry it surpasses, in quality and guam
tity Of productions, every other New
England State. For the purpose of ac-
quainting those who may not be aware of
that fact, and refreshing the memory of
those Vermonters present with the advan-
ages afforded by their native State,
will briefly allude to its resources and
give an outline of its history.
Accompanied by party of Algonquin
Indians, three French officers named
Champlain, Dupont and Chauvin, discov-
cred this State and traversed portion of
its territory in 16O9-two hundred and
sixty-one years ago
For a century afterwards however, it
was only the battle ground Of the Algop-
quin tribes and the Iroquois Of New
York, no white settlers locating in the
territory until 1921, when the first white
settlement was made by the erection of
Fort Dummer, in the southeast corner of
the present town of Brattleboro. That
was LAG years ago.
The fertile lands of the upper Con-
necticut and Otter Creek attracted the
attention of the soldiers, when sent
against the French, in the French war
Of l745, and the tide of migration be-
gan to set in in l76S One hundred and
two years ago 13S ovnships had been
granted within the present limits of the
State by the Governor of New Hamp-
shire.
The territory west Of New Hampshire
now comprising the State Of Vermont,
was known at that time, as New Hamp-
shire grants.
In December, 1863, the Governor OF
New York made proclamation claim
ing all this territory under the grants
from Charles ii. to the Duke of York,
and ordered the sheriff to report the
names Of all those who had settled west
Of the Connecticut river, under titles de-
rived from New Hampshire.
New Hampshire made counter proc
amation, declaring the claim obsolete.
New York then appealed to the crown,
representing that it was the wish of the
settlers upon these grants, that the terri
tory be annexed to New York.
On the strength of these representa-.
tons, the King granted New York juris-
diction over the territory now known as
Vermont, and the government Of the
State then commenced the attempt to
eject the settlers and dispossess them OF
their lands.
Naturally this reused spirit Of resist.
ancc on the part OF the settlers who or
ganized themselves under the leadership
of Ethan Allen Seth Warner and Other
brave men, who were determined to pro.
tect themselves against the oppression o.
the New York Government.
Every officer who made his appearance
against the people, was stripped and tied
to tree and thoroughly whipped, unit
finally no officer could be found to serve
writs on these settlers.
At length, out of patience with these
Vermonters, the government Of New
York issued a proclamation commanding
Ethan Allen, Warner and other noted
leaders to surrender themselves within &c
days, under pain Of conviction of felony
and death, without benefit of clergy. Ii
addition to this, the government offered q
-o,uo.l - E1En a,,,ol a.