Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-06-02

hesd's Statue Of Ethan Allen ct Washington
ITS RTcIPTIoN BY CONGRESS.
At the evening session Of the House Of
Representatives, May 18th. Hon. George
W. Hendee, of the Third Congressional Dis
trict of Vermont, offered the following reso-
luton
| Resolved BY the Senate and House Of Representa-
Congress bs presented to the Governor and through
him to the people Of the State Of Vermont, for the
statue Of Ethan Allen, whose name Is 80 honorably
identified with our revolutionary history that this
work Of art Is accepted in the name Of the nation
and assigned place in the old hall Of the House Of
Representatives already set aside by Congress for
this resolution, signed by the President Of the Sen
ate and the Speaker Of the House of
be transmitted to the Governor Of the State OF Yer
mont.
Mr.. Hendee followed with an interesting
historical speech. mentioning the principal
events in Vermont's early struggles. and
in the revolutionary period, describing
Ethan Aliens connection with those stir
ring times and giving sketch of his event.
full life The facts so narrated are so famil
lar to most OF our readers that We need not
copy this portion of Mr.. Hendee's speech.
The closing portion was as follows:
Mr.. Speaker, we of to-day know each
other by being associated together officially
and socially. We Judge the world and the
times and the great men of the age BY what
we observe and know. and we judge with
commendsble accuracy; but as to men of
the heroic age. We must appeal to history.
Allen was of that age, and from its his
tory we are justified in saying that be was
one of the pioneers of liberty and msnfully
welded his powers and weapons in hew-
ing the way for the progress, happiness,
and independence of these United States.
He helped to found the colonies from which
the States sprsng and to plant IN their soil
the scions from which has grown this great
country with its institutions. its prosperity,
and its model free government.
Yes. Mr.. Speaker, Vermont honors the
name of Ethan Allen. by placing his statue
in the Old Hall of this Capitol, which, to-
day. floats the flag of free and united
country. for which he Tough. and under
which he led his little band of - Green
Mountain Boys" to victory. In that hall
among others are the statues OF Washing
ton, Greene. Roger Williams, Lincoln.
Sherman, Trumbull. and Winthrop. the
fathers and defenders Of this magnificent
repdblic, and now Vermont contributes to
that group a fit companion, a monumental
representation of one whose memory and
deeds it will ever cherish with that endur-
ing regard and affection which has no COM
mon limit.
Allen was man Of spirit. power, indOm-
table will and courage, and yet was kind.
just, and remarkable for his anxiety and
efforts for any in trouble. lie was
terrible foe to traitors, and his hatred for
those who would abridge the rights and
liberty of the American citizen had no limit;
and let me say that Vermont has love for
the name Of Ethan Allen which approaches
near to reverence. Her sons o! to-day par
take of the same sentiment, patriotism. and
courage which filled the breast cf Ethan
Allen and the Government which he fought
to create the Green Mountain Boys of to-
day, if need be, will fight to protect and
perpetuste. He taught lesson and lived
q life which has been read and reread until
every true Vermonter Is led to exciaim,
" Let no man speak i'll of Ethan Allen"
Mr. Speaker, Colonel Allen fought for
principle-the equality of all men before
the laws With his copatriots he helped to
secure and make fast that principle, and to
establish that independence in this broad
land, which has been recognized by all gov
ernments for full century. Yes. Sir, Ethan
Allen was present at our national birth, OF
which this is the Centennial year, and every
Vermonter, yes, every American citizen,
will recognize the appropriateness OF the
time sought by my people to make this pre-
sentation of his statue TO this great Govern
ment One hundred years ago Allen was
one of Vermont's most honored and de-
voted citizens. and at that time was giving
aplS nd haraia fnr har
lection, with faithfulness, with zeal, and
with an unselfsh patriotism known only
TO that age. When Allen was tghting to
establish free government. and to give it
the ensign Of liberty. the g stars and
stripes" little did he think that in less than
a century the grandson and great-grandsons
of the men who fought by his side would
strike at the life of his and their country,
and ignominiously trail that ensign In the
dust He did not once think. Sir. that any
generation that should follow his of Amer
lean birth could produce people that
would, without cause. attempt TO destroy
the noble work of their fathers but such
is history. And may be psrdoned for say
ing here, | think (ss the historian has long
since truthfully recorded). that the Green
Mountain Boys of 1861 carried into the
battles, for the preservation OF the Union,
the same spirit, the same courage. the same
faith in just Providence. and the same
patriotism that did the Green Mountain
Bows of l7.6 into the Revolutionary war for
the creation of this magnificent and per-
msnent free government, snd the establish
ment of liberty throughout our entire
domain.
Mr.. Speaker, the green hills and rich
valleys of Vermont are to-day inhabited by
men and women, whose sires and grandsires
were the original settlers and pioneers OF
the New Hampshire grants, and might say
MANY of them are the direct descendants of
the historic Allen family. And what are
they? answer, an intelligent. industrious,
sober, honest, and brave people, who know
but one allegiance, that to their native
country but one flag, that the - stars and
stripes" and but one God and that the God
of their fathers.
Mr. Speaker, on the l4th of May. l11S,
Congress recognized Colonel Aliens ser
vices, and honored him by passing .resolu-
tion, granting him q breyet commission OF
lieutensnt-colonel in reward Of his tortItude,
frmness, and zeal in the cause OF his country,
and now let the American Congress honor
his memory and that Of the Green Mountain
Boys, who stood side by side with him in
the country's peril, by the unanimous adop-
tion of this resolution.
Col. c. Ii. Joyce. of the FIRST District,
followed with q sketch Of Aliens life and
services, going over substantially the same
ground as Mr.. Hendee. lie closed As fol-
lows:
In the wealth and abundance of YER
mont's great names and glowing examples
can but feel that the selection made BY the
people OF my State of the men to represent
them in that mute but eloquent group Is
peculiarly apt and fortunate. While Ethan
Allen nobly represented one extreme Of Ver-
mont character and reputation, Jacob Col
lsmer as fully and worthiiy represented the
other; and together they embodied and COM
bined the patriotism, learning, culture, dar-
ing, intelligence, pluck, advancement. and
civilization of the people of that State dur
ing the first century OF their political ex-
istence.
The statue is certainly one Of the boldest
designs and finest specimens of art produced
by American genius and skill. Ii repre-
sents the hero at the moment when standing
upon the staircase with his left arm thrown
across his breast and his right hand grasp
ing bis huge blade. he announced to the
sstonished and aHfrighted Laplsce the high
authority BY which he demanded the imme-
date surrender of the fort. The people Of
Vermont prize this statue. not only because
it is q true and vivid representation of their
early champion and patron saint, but be-
cause it was conceived and executed by one
| of her own talented and worthy sons.
"The sculptor's chisel cannot delineate
his qualities of mind and heart" or pro-
| duce that voice which, amid gloom and de-
spsir, echoed from Maine to Georgia as it
called the men OF the Green Mountains to
arms in the cause Of freedom and indepen-
dence, but it will, at least, remind the OBJ
server of one whose life was made illustrious
| by distinguished services rendered in the
dark day which ushered our nation into
being"
Vermont presents this noble efhgy Of her
son as worthy the compsnionship of the
most illustrious dead BY which it will be
surrounded, and as her rich Offering to the
nations sacred treasure. In the name OF
that gallant people we bring it here and
| nlsce IL beside those of the men who knew