Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-10-16
Vermont Historical Society.


Barnet, Oramel H. Smith aud Daniel p,
Thompson, Of Montpelier. The charter re.
qurcd the Library and Cabinet to be kept at
Barnet. In 1858, this provision was repeal.
ed. and the historical collection, 40 far ms wss
agreeable to Mr., Stevens was put in the old |
State House aud consumed at the time Of its |
conaaeratiou. The Society was reorganizcd
at that time under the Presidency of Gov. |
uilond Hall. He infused new life into it. In.
teresicd our public men in its objects and be.
gan to administer it, il connection with his
admirable associates, for the interest Of the
State. n1sj9, the General Assembly grant
ed the room, No. 9, in the State House, for
the use Of the Society. The Society has now
large collection Of books and docRhess sd
manuscripts, pertaining to the early history
Of the State, and large miscellaneous collec-
ton, and bepibs to be Strengthened for room
for its Library aud Cabinet In 1869, the
State, by virtue Of certain aid granted to the
Society, was constituted its heir at law and
legally entitled to all Of its effects in case of
It's dissolution.
Aided in part by the State, to whose ad.
vantage the labors Of the society really inure,
two very valuable volumes Of historical COL
leciions have already been published. The
first volume contains the documents pertain.
ing to the history Of Vermont under the
Committee Of Safety aud the Conventions
that established it as an Independent State.
Also, it rcpublishes the history Of Vermont
by Ira Allen, which was entirely out Of print,
and which is by far the most yalNlfgoluYe
pertaining to the early period Of qhe sac
The second volume contains the cAebg., 4
lHaldi1and papers, which give a complete ac-
count Of the difficulties which enyironed Yer.
mont in its carly struggle for independent cx'
isteuce, agains, the Vaccinations Of the Brit
Iish government and the devices of New York
These letters unfold the secret history Of tn,
f negotiations which finally resulted in the re
coguition Of Vermont as an Independent State
and cover the most romantic period in our his
tory. These volumes have all the fascination
of romance combine with all the accurat
details aud materials Of history. We know
, Of no finer contribution to the history of
State than this society has given to Yer
! mont, in the collection aud publication Of tn
d varied and interesting materials Of these iw
o volumes.
= But we believe the work Of the Society
e not yet done. There are materials for othe
9 equally valuable volumes, which ought to b
gathered and classified and published, tina
the documents for history of our State, frol
If the time of its settlement to the present ma
/. be put on record, in permanent form, and be
II You'd the possibility Of destruction. Such
II work as that really belongs to the State to d,
is Thus far it has been done by the loving au
# uurequited services of the members of III
Historical Society. Governor Hall, Hoi
- Il. p. Walton, and Hon. Charles Reed, al
G. the efficient prosecutors Of the work so far 1
it has been carried. Nor should it be left
IN anguish for want of material aid. The al
~ nual fees of the members are most cheerful
Y. paid by them, to aid in prosecuting the mob
re enterprise Of the Society but they are ina,
te equate to this extended aud important wor
= The State, it seems to us, should lend i
et help to these voluntary workers in rescuir
from oblivion or anarchy, the materials of
history, aud placing them among its iwpe
is shable records Whatever concerns the hon
c. or the history OF our State conee{ps US al
re and to guard aud preserve the dept its Of Il
at past as the Inheritance of the fuy.re, is Il
~ sacred duty Of the State. 1t would be but
I, / small thing for the Legislature to provide
lie law for the publication of the collections
l. the Society. 1t would be a wise thing to d
e, for it is almost impossible for SO useful al
IL large an undertaking to be carried on mu
further by the individual euergies and cont
Ii buttons of the Society. If the members
ry this body furnish the material, do the wo
a Of collecting arranging, classifying and e.
OF ting these admirable volumes, the State migl
5 ; at least, provide the means requisite to the
es publication in permanent form.