Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-05-26
MADISON. Wis. May 10. 1870.

MADISON, Wis, May 10, 1870.
Rutland was my birthplace, and there
lie buried most of my kindred. Though I
have travelled very far from it, still bear
an untraveled heart. I know not whether
others are like me,-but in all the conti-
nents whenever am perplexed about the
points of the compass, always instinct
lively orienteer myself, by thinking which
way used to turn for north in my native
village. Accordingly, every new scene /
have ever surveyed has been associated
with the Oldest of Rutland streets,-that
from the old North Church to the old
Court House.
1t was not till I had wandered through
more than one realm that I really under
stood the magnifcence of Rutland scene
~. It's mountain forms and skY-lines,
scalloped. then pyramidical, were early
photographed on my memory, and some
one of their features has REQUIRED to me
when my eyes have rested on its counter
part in Switzerland, Italy, Greece, Pales-
tine, California and the Sandwich Islands.
The physique of Rutland resembles Atti-
ca, not only in the quarries of Pentelican
marble, but in many other salient points,
which I wish I could desceibe.
1t would be extravagant to hope that
Rutland-or any modern city-can rival
the intellectual originality of Athens
though it might have wrought this mir
acle, had it been founded first, yet l can
not fail TO note some anology the
en15grdti01l0I tendencies between the two
places. The Athenian boys in the temple
of Agraulos took an oath to hold wheat,
barley, vines, and olives, as the boundar-
les of Attica,-thOugh its geographical
extent was no more than six hundred
square miles. Their meaning was that
they would reckon as their home all re-
gions where these things grew, and north
ward, southward, eastward, Westward
wherever these things could De best pro
cured, would fly like birds of passage and
spread themselves abroad as pervasively
as the spring-time, which leaves no corner
of the earth untouched. The Rutland
boys would seem to have sworn a similar
oath. OF all whose dawning time was
there with me, 1 cannot recall half a
dozen who still sit in the old nest. And yet
of all Vermont towns, Rutland, -waked
to newness of life, yes to double life by
railroads and marble,-has long held her
children in their native seats most firmly,
and with the most golden chains. Accord
ingly, other Green Mountain boys have
initiated the Attic cosmopolities even
more than the Rutlanders.
This view is confirmed by statistics. In
1860 there were living in Vermont 1921
children under ten years d,-and yet
during the last ten years the increase of
Vermont population had amounted to less
than one single thousand. Evidently the
emigration beyond her borders was heavy.
Its percentage has probably been as great
during the decade now closing, although
that has doubtless witnessed no small ad-
vance in the number of resident Vermont
ers.
But how have the myriads, who in 1860
were two-thirds of the now emigrants,
Jared, who have left their mountain
home? As rule, well,-beyond doubt,
or they would have forced their passage
back again-for 'if they had been mind
full of that country from whence they
came out, they might have had opportu-
nifty to have returned" They went out
usually poor in purse, but rich in push
and pluck, in education or mother-wit, or
both, and have everywhere made their
mark, and "cut their bigness." Most of
them have gone west, and there becoming
and others than if they had remained
where they were born. Remaining, they
would have been tenants or farm-laborers,
or at most small freeholders; removing.
they till their own land, and that easier
as well as in tracts larger and better than
they could have secured at home. As a
man can lift more at the end of a long
than of short lever, SO he will accom-
plish more on land that is virgin, album
dant and fertile, than on that which lacks
these characteristics.
As some persons are better satisfied
with mathematical than with rhetorical
figures, will add few of these, to the
same purpose. The average wealth of the
inhabitants of Iowa is to-day as great as
that of Vermonters According to the
Rutland HERALD, the total valuation of
Vermont, including both real and person.
al estate, is little over ninety-three mil.
lions (93 1856, 293) That Of Iowa is up
wards of two hundred and ninety-four
millions go, 532 ,252) The inhabitants
of Iowa are little more than million
Q,040, $40 in 1869, and their. average as
sessment for taxation is no whit less than
that of Vermonters, unless those YER
monters now number less than three hum