St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1875-04-30

river where the old bridge stood in
no. The town accepted the legacy
built the bridge, and employed Daniel
French to prepare statue t" be erected
on the specified spot. Meanwhile Con
gress at WASHINGTON gave to the town
bronze cannouS to furnish the artist
with material to complete his work
His statue is before YOU ii was approv-
Ell by the town, and. to-day. il speak, k,
for itself, The sculptor has rightly con
celved the proper emblemS of the pat
rlotIc farmer who at the morning alarm.
left his plow to grasp his gun. he has
quit no dome over his work, believing
that the blue sky makes The best back
ground. The statue is the first serious
work of our Young townsnran. who is
now in Italy to pursue his profession.
We had many enemies aud man,
friends i'll England, but our one
ben"f;tctor was King George the Third
he time had arrived for the political
severance of America, til 1t it might
play its part Ill the history of this glnh,.
and the WAY of Divine Providence to
do 1t was to give an insane king to Eng
land. In the resistance of the colonies
"t force. England was So dear to us
that the colonies could only he abso-
lutelN united by violence from England.
and only one man could compel resort
to Violence. The king became insane
PaI lament Wavcrcd. all the ministers
WaNcrcd, Lord North wavrrcd. hut the
king had the insanity of one idea. He
was lmmoNahlc. he insisted ON the i'm
possible, SO the army WIS sent. Amer-
lea was instantly united and the nation
born. On the 18TH of April $40 soldiers.
with hostile intent We're sent hithcr
from Boston. Nature itself put ON a
new face that day. lou see the nude
fields of this morning. but on the same
day of the year l71j Il rare torwardmcSs
OF spring Is recorded. 1t appeal, the
patriotism of the people WAS 80 hot that
1t melted the SNOW and the rye waved
on the l"tn of April. We see gladly
around lis. to-day, the representatives
of Acton, Bedford. Lincoln and Carlisle.
once included in ouI town limits. aud
who were mindful of THEN mother. aud
rlSked thciI lives for her ON th.. nrn"-
Iahle day We celebrate Isaac Davis Of
Acton WAS the first MARTYR.
In all noble actions We SAY It's onl,
the first step thai costs. Who will
carry ont the rule "i right must take
his life in his hand We have. no need
Ia magnify the facts. only three ot our
men were killed at this bridge. and Il
few others wounded but here. the Bit
ISL army WAS first tIontcd and driven
back. and If only three men or only one
man, had been slain. il WAS til, first
victory. Ih" rhundcIholt falls on an
inch Of ground, bul the light of it fills
the horizon. The British instantly Ie-
treated. We had II" electric telegram.
but the news OF this triumph over the
kings troops sped Though the country
10 New \ ork. t" Philadelphia To Ken
turkN. Ia the CdI"llmas. with speed un-
known before. and lipcncd the colonies
To iurN table decision.
This sharp beginning of real war Was
followed. sixty days later. Toy the battle
of Bunker Hill. then hl Gen. Wash
imgtom'~ arrival in Cambridge. and his
rrd"uhts oil Dorchester Hight>. In one,
wear and twelve DAYS from the death ui
isaac Davis and Ahncr IIo>mer. l3O
vessels. loaded with Gcu. Howe and his
amy. 5000 men and all their effects.
sailed out "t Boston hmhur. never to-
return. lis Il proud and tender story .
| ch:ilicnG" any lover of Massachusetts
T." read the sixteenth chapter ut Ban
'I"tt : history without >hrddin- t,.i> "i
10y