Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-06-23

Worthy Brother Our friends have again
surprised me by their repeated expression Of
their kind regard and friendly feeling toward
me. From the time when we first com.
menced our labors together feeble band
until the present happy hour, when our mum.
bers are no longer counted by tens but by
hundreds, they have constantly manifested
degree Of kindness and good will toward me
that has been no less remarkable than il has
been gratifying Nor is this the first in.
stance in which their kindness and their
generosity has assumed q material form. To
be the recipient Of so valuable present
from them, at this time is a token Of esteem
which | hardly dare think is merited by
aught | may have done. In accepting il at
your hands l feel sense Of gratitude too
great to be expressed by any words at my
command. BE assured l shall ever prize il
highly, not only for its intrinsic value, and
its ornamental WORTH but far more highly
shall l prize II as a memento of kind friends.
And II 1t be true that it is more blessed to
give than to receive, then surely the donors
must be happy, indeed.
You refer, Brother, to the early days Of
our existence as grange, and to my admin
istraticn as master, during its infancy and
its youth. Well do l remember how often
il was predicted that 1t would never come
to maturity-that it would soon die, and we
should become mourners at its funeral Re-
alizing that the laboring man bears more Of
the burdens, and enjoys less Of the privileges
than the non-producing class, and believing
| that no nnlv naodo al ID,
ton to enable him to make proper use OF
the privileges within his reach, and believ.
ing that the principles upon which our order
is founded, if properly understood and car
ried out, would not only protect his rights
butstrengthcn his hands, espoused the cause
But it was not without great distrust of my
own ability to properly and acceptably dis.
charge its duties that first reluctantly con-
scented toIassume the responsibilities of the
office. And although, as you we'll say, our
growth and our success and our achievements
have been truly wonderful, yet 1 beg you tC
bear in mind that it has not been so much
the result Of my own labor, as of the high
aims and noble purposes which have actuated
your members The growth and prosperity
Of your grange have been the direct result o.
their labor, Of their constanoy and Of theil
devotion to its principles. From a mere
handful at first, Kissed by the whole mer
camille community, hated by rings and mo
nopoies, scoffed and jeered by politicians
aud wire-workers, courted and almost seduceC
by Office seekers, you have come to occupy I
position of honor and influence in community
commanding alike the respect of your enc
mics and the admiration of your friends
With no thought of personal notOriety and
without the most distant idea of any recog
milton Of my services or Of any reward ex
cept that Of an approving conscience, hav'
zealously labored for the promotion of thos,
principles upon which the happiness and tn,
prosperity Of the laboring man so largel,
depend. And if have done aught to sus
tain eur noble order, or to advance its prin
ciples, or in any way to benefit even ont
telling brother, theE am amply rewarded
That your grange may continue to prosper ii
days to come, as in days past, is the SINGER
wish Of your late master. That it will 81
continue depends not so much upon you
master as upon your members themselves
While accept this gift with deep gratitude
| beg you to bear to your brothers and sis
tiers my cordial good will aud my heartfelt
thanks