Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1876-07-12

rs any Gay OIL "lilou W 0o'''''''"'~'''>
our one hundred years of indepen'
dence. Independence!
"What treasures untold,
Reside in that glorious word.'
Its principle is one that takes care OF
itself. Like every blade of grass, its
life depends upon what God has Or
dained to support it. How simple
and natural. Every one has his rights
and the activities to lay hold of them.
And the Union has been making prep
aration for years to pay homage to
this principle by her best and greatest
possible exhibition of six months du-
ration, within the very city where a
century ago next Tuesday the 81 sigh
ers of "Jeherson's Declaration of In
dependence" made themselves immor-
tai in the cause ofllberty
And while our states and territories
by voluntary delegations from all
parts of the Union, are concentrating
their displays, the remainder, the
masses, indeed, for comparatively few
can attend the national gathering)
may be doing the same at home; tor
the same spirit is everywhere, and like
the plants of our soil is seeing to itself
instinctively, and bursting forth with
its own foliage and blossoms, in every
town, village and hamlet. Here, in
this crevice Of the Gleen Mountains,
where the stream and the railway
peacefully divide the narrow space
Here, where brain and industry have
conquered the rough wilderness, in
whose recesses, a few years ago, the
bear hibernated, the panther growled
over his prey, wolves prowled in herds
and the fox dug his hole unscared.
Here we meet the hoppiest results of
independence and Of that enterprisng
foresight rarely found under freedoms
banner, even. Few minds would
have thought to husband these Gid
ing waters as we see; guiding their
forces to the production of wealth to
the State, co-working with our great
Central Railroad. - the proudest
achievement of our commonwealth
until we witness wholesome, indus.
trial community, walked up to the i'm
mense national interests Of America
adding their need of praise to the
eliminating glor.es of our national
centennial season.
Should we ask, "To whom are We
indebted for the transformation Of this
wild region into the present envlablt
condition of enterprise and thrift ?
3 The answer lies at the top of oul
= memories. Not child to be fount
g who could not, in this case. answe
\ the question in the catechism, wh'
was the first man? For thirty year
his name has been as a bold and sue
g cessful protector of hazardous schemes
= If we are indebted for this railroad Il
= Charles Paine. so are we, as the chief
e and we might say, as the sole founde
d of several important villages upon i
;, to Daniel Tarbell And how like hin
= it seems to hold fortlfa week of centen
t nial praise, here under his own vim
a and fig tree with his employees, an
e such of his friends around, far an
D near, who gladly JON, auxiliary to tn
= vast 1874 days Of national jubilee
e How delightful this opportunity. HOY
e resplendent the occasion.
q "The centennial year rushes on to our view.
" The closing of the United States firs
e century, is replete with interest to a
e classes. Our oldest men, like ancier
j. Simon exclaim, "Now lettest thou tn
l.. servant depart in peace" The youn
}, are glad to start in life with the SCI
} ond century. The middle-aged te'
! very well with the idea OF spanning
Is portion of each, and they fancy, thu
'e before they die they will be able
l. compare the efforts as successes OF tn
" two centuries, If so, they will pro-
as ably ascertain that the labor of tt
rs next generation will not consist
e. much IN developing new ideas, as
We refining and perfecting those alread
ur suggested. We can hardly expe
v that our number of states will increa!
y the next hundred years as i'll the las
as or that the inhabitants will keep tt
% former ratio of increase good If the
it should, our states will number oil
er hundred and twenty, and our inhabl
C, ants four hundred and fifty million
the year of our Lord 1876, The o
century began with thirteen states ar
closes with 3s began with thr
oh million inhabitants, closes with tor