Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-09-20
A Letter from the Founder of ths Free
Press
BONE "REMINISCENCES OF THIS PAPER. AND OF
SOME OF THE BURLIsoTos MES CT HALF
CENTURY AGO.

with your indul gerce, Inc paternity OF INT NHA
Press. which under more propitious auspicef
has now become 50 reputable jOurnAD SENDS
YOU the enclosed, from the Charlotte Repubi'-
can, September C, 1872, written b his oTn
trembling pen; and requests you to rsPubiiih it
II Won have any waste rooa, and itE sentiments
are oonrenial with your OWL and those Of you-
patriotic reader
With voursef be has not the homer o. se-
ou.intance: bat the late George VI. Benedict he
knew and respected. He has alto in fresh re-
usmhranee seeing little son Of hiS, more than
forty yezrs ago, II Mics Bliss' infant school,
marching in : review at the head Of column
Of Burlington infantry, Email in ttsine oui all
true granny deArs. which he led into the teid
with an apparently happy ccDtciOuaness Of The
responsibilities and honor Of high position
Historically, the FREE FREss commenced its
existence At time when the neceiiity ioF II wss
Anzioutly ieit by the thinking zen Of Baring-
ton, who were desirous Of paper which would
give voice. Il not direction, 70 tho political Fen
tinsnts they entertained in accordance (not
with the nHrrow. selfish, higoted. serTile spirit
Of party but IN unisou with these which AM
mated the founders Of CIR political institutions,
and inspired their minds in the crest work Ct
lsviur the broad foundation Ct rational. elevated
Gnd enduring liherty-s work for which the po
Htical history Of the world furnished them 10
very perfect model, ana consequently demanded
he profound study Of ancient lsvgiverf, and Of
the nature and necessities Of mHn as member
Of civil society. II which alone his roeial hsppi
nest and dignity could be most successfully al
tIiasd. For II their dsy born or Eelf-,aueht
Solons. Iycurguses and Numss were not 50 plen-
IT uer so much admired az 81 this more enlight-
easd age Of the world. Nor have the common
school or the printing ofice graduated many
philosophers and ststesmtn II their own eoneeit
whose '.nEmes"
Then flied The squsakinE trump o. zane i'
The mind Of Vermont, politically, in 1872,
was mol little propitious 70 the accomplishment
Of the object 50 much desired. For party spirit
anu party iisaensious hld II degree eeasei 20
array beg citizens IL Aninosiiy against esch
otne-. Party recrimirEuon was Tesried Of
the imuutstous e French Jsoohln and Britiah
Gdr7. which having 60 long besa the staple CON
modify aud most conclusive arguments Of poiii-
ical controversy. had exhautted themselves ard
become powurlesz. il vas discovered that We
were not French subjects OF British sutjeots
ou, American citizens AND the men Of the
Gree Mountains feli taller By head o. two IN
calling themselves Nsionsl Republican,
name far more grateful 70 patriots than the old
PARTY denomination. which hal been prosutuiei
100 long 70 the selfish ard vile purposes of mere
dem1gogues.
In this awakening 30 true nationality, The 20
hueuca and example Of Tichenor. GaiusuS AID
Butler were controlling, powerfully seconded 80
they were rs men Of kindred uiuds, rspreieuf-
ise the s.s.c IN Conrress AM a, home-tas
supporters Ct Monroe, John Quincy Adams.Clsy
AID Webt.s-. il wss the influence and example
Of men Of ihii character which were the char;
and couua-r tv which the FEEz PEEls. al i.s
first we rairc anchor. Ta-eat to steer us pol.u-
ca course over the rough Sec j., proposed 20
sal
r.nc- tt-c character already indicated tie
r.ua. hal never before. except in limited
VIZ az dr hiisf period. enjoyed
Tie ost.bliahmsu. Of ons he'd o1i little er-
cour.Fement, IN any respect. 70 individual eu-
terprisa, aai its m1s, suur6i reward Wal
poverty. an the shipTreck C.. a. the hope
an uros1ectT @ pecuniary Independence an
Respectable posit.ou, when stimulate ez1Eiior
At the eutrauce upon the struggle C life OF
c5urte. there was about nobody 60 destitute Of
oriinsry prudence. As t. VOLUNTEER Ia suaH
rervioa The wise KID The calculating thought
uothinr q j.; or If they did, IL vas uuly 90 70
gard it az AZ undertaking not mu-h more zen
atlc 10 thli- reckoning, than deliberate SUI
eide Bur three c- four WLo felt moS- fenti-
big the necessity, favored the attempt And
lh.- snail numDsr were wiling 20 sisis, by
worls ST lest, IN launching the verse;, and
equAy willing to leave it, 10 pursue is perilous
voyage as Fortune might direct Wheihe- Il
would ever reach its port IN safety. CT go o.
Dsvy Jones locker. are questions uusuEEerel
To This day. for they were never GsEel.
Ire hsg, which waved Al the mast head Of the
bark. bore il brave espitllf '' BURLINGTON
FEzr Pans The tiguiaeSnce Of tbess words
wSs lef. for every che TO interpret to suit he
owl taste; bat, he in command never under
stood them as importing anything more than biz
personal freedom and Independence II sailing
the chip however roughly ard ruie'y mariies'-
Cd. For. he felt that be breIthed the pure. frse,
hrGcing air Of the Green Mountains ; AID fully
received g. enjoy his birh-rirht 70 is fullest
extea:.
One Of the three c. four spoken Of, his Law
Partner, being Of romantic turn, ia a. fsl
hour proposed to loan the outfit fer the voyage.
and look to the returns for paymeuL Fer thia,
Of eourte. IN the end. be received ar assignment
Of the yesrel and csrro. sails and rigging. rama
ture and at. With tie Deiinqu5at suhsori-
hers. without '5ecourEo, q precLut1u,
which shs assignee, In hif dry way. remarked
would sbs.e nothing irlm the vGlue received 1
The rhort Of the story, then. il that your illus /
trious Pr1ee-.-o-, &; the end O: > SIX or seven +
yeari cruife. found himself, Ike g thipWreckei F.
ssil1r. varhel .rhore ny the kind waves; and .
getting upaa his feet, vended be Wy. with
lighter hear. ard most redundantly light .
pocket Bot tbs result dosf not. however, make T
the remembrance df those Vhose gel Vishel .
srd friendship chcarsd him On, ANY iha loss pisa-
SAINT although a." iise the music Of Carroll, s. .
iI at the zane time " m0uruful to the soul
For ASS VINO Of then Eurvive
Charles Adams. Seneca Austin. Harry Brad
ley, Alvsn Foote. Timothy Follett, William a.
srisEold Samuel Hiekok, Luther LOOMS, Hor-
ice LOOMS. George Moore, Doctor Pomeroy.
Ohm h Pomeroy. Doctor John PEG, George
Robinson. Lucius sawyer, G.msliel Z ssEyrr,
Andrew Thompson and John C. Thompson, al
ne before him. with faces speaking kindness
rom hearts that felt IT
They were all in political purpose right mind
d men. and frmest snd foremost in the time Of
.ciion Like the Spartan Phslsn1 they we're
lwsys in the front, where the battle ragged tie
iottest
And it does an old heart good, a. it nov looks
oEn through the vists Of near hslf = century,
ipou " The Old GUARD IN line sgan.-not
or Waterloo defeat, bnt for victory
During al absence Of forty year, my eye has
eve- rested upon the FREE Press without 81
molten Of regard And when saw the late
gorge W. Bsneiic; succeed to its editorial eEalr,
be event WAS most gratifying. For he brought
b il qualifications and virtues, which were
ure guarantees Of high snd abiding respscts-
ility Allow me to Say then 70 the FREE
RES, in parting Esto pcrpsfua. N cei0,
lngC, iongf, scrissime redeas.