The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-10-16

Even Yankee, rs 1t would seem-busy rs
we all arc with our farms and Our mcr.
chandisc, our bargains, Our projects and
our gains, present and prospectiye-nay
safely stop, and ought to stop as often as
once in fifty or hundred years to review
the past as 1t stands connected with the
present, to call to mind the names and the
services of those upon whose domains and
into whose labors VIC have entered t.
think of the inen who fclled our forests and
prepared our lands for cultivation who
laid out our roads who bridged our rivers
who built our mills who introduced the
mechanical arts, and started into life tho
various trades and professions which, to-
geihcr constitute the we'll ordered and well
furnished community Of to-day. And we
are to think of these men as at the same
time laying the foundations Of our social,
educational and religious institutions.
Abraham jackson may not have been very
social when his family was the only one
in town bit / have no doubt he was
often visited By his Tinmouth neghhors,
who would extend to him the right hand of
fellowship, furnish him with seed corn,
"clange works" in the doing of jobs which
one man could not do alone, and in every
possible way encourage him in the very
difficult and dishcaricnng work Of making
| Otter Creek lands inhabitablc. And when
more people came into town 60 struggle
with these same difficulties, all traditions
agree in assuring us that each one was q
neighbor TO every other, in the true scrip
tuial sensc--uone being left to struggle on
alone. uncarcd for, and unaidod; but each
by kind offices encouraging and cheering
every other And the raisings, and husk-
ings, and cuttings Of those early day have
been described 90 some Of lis Ivy those who
| participated in them, in language which
showed how well they were enjoyed.
Mutual hclpfulness and sympathy, high
enjoyment of each others society. and
generous hospitality constitute the fonnda-
lions Of true social life. We may rest ns-
surcd that those foundations Norc well
lultls ANhl Wa NthNtlNfil W. tNN tl'0N
men who built for themselves nuts. which
afterwards grew into nice Farm houses,
in this valley, and upon the hills on either
side, who were ' famous according as
they had lifted Up axes upon the thicii
trees" were not ignorant men, nor were
they willing TO have then children grow
up in Ignorance. School houses were built
amid the very beginning of things, and
schools established And the laws enacted
in some Of Their school meetings, tie
records OF which are still preserved, such
as the laying of taxes, and forbidding
children afflicted with certain contagious
diseases from attending school, show that
they claimed and actually maintained in
each of these little portions of territory the
authority Of a sovereign state. Nor were
these men In the midst of all their cares TN
mindful Of their religious obligations and
necessities Within seven or eight years
of the first settlement we find them form
ing christian church and providing for
| religious services which have been pcrpc-
tuated to our day. And the record Of 4
town meeting, held only a few years later,
shows that they actually taxed themselves,
for building a house Of worship. seven and
onc-half per cent. on ,hcir property,
which as we now make up our list, would
be seven hundred and fifty per cent. on the
lis,
| Now, these are the men OF whom we are TO
! hear during the progress of these festivities.
| This work Of thiers in converting the VII
lerncss into fruitful fields, and in establish
ing institutions which have made US what
we are. and which VIC cllim as our birth
right-thcir tolls and self-den.als through
which all this has been accomplished arc
to be dcineated to lis during the two days
of our social gathering, as time may per-
nit And in inviting people Of neighborss
ing towns, and especially natives and for
mer residents OF our own town, to paitici-
pate with us in our efforts thus TO revive
| the memories of the past-to recall our OBJ
| legations TO those who have preceded us and
| 10 hcnor to their memories. we have only
| lone whit the proprieties OF the case re-
| auired of us. Such "reminiscences beft the
occasion, and the occasion calls for such
"reminiscences. And in accepting our inyi-
tation and showing yourselves here to-day,
you have done no more than 1t was your
| ,luty to do. We welcome YOU, and We
trust you will welcome us to a common
participation in these festivities. Together
we will examine the relics Of the past,
which careful hearts have preserved and
careful hands have brought hithor and a.
ranged for our inspection, Together, when
the proper time comes, we will listen to
those who arc SO capable of telling us wha,
is most worthy to he told of the century'S
history. And thus We may all hope &c
learn something of what we owe to these
who have gone before us. while we join r
tho reverence due to TIER memories, Ant
may the whole occasion be OF so much in
tercst and profit TO us that il any Of III
should live till the time comes for the mex
centennial celebration of the settlement o
our town, we shall he ready to 90 into i
heart and hand, with the feeling that W,
are young again.
After the address the band played
"IIail Columbia Mr.. Joseph Illskins
an aged veteran Of ninety-four, then step
ped forward upon the platform aud sang
, by request, an old masonic song, entitle,
liking Solomon" with wonderful fore
: and yigor. The audience cheercd this en-
{ Enthusiastically, after which the presidcn
| announced that the articles contained il
E Floral HALL and Centennial Hall coul
3 now be examined. These exhibitions al
| t,a,tol ,nuch attention thn fnrnpr fran