Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-08-24

lISl. Plant as Reeds, whence streams oil
Freedom glide: firm as the Hills, to stem
Oppression Tide Westminster, Printed
by Judah Paddock Spooner and Timothy
Green" | will state its contents, and first
the class most profitable to tho publishers
the advertisements; there are four, VIZ:
notice of an application for meeting oil
the proprietorS of the town OF Dorset;
commissioners notice a promise OF reward
for settlers in the town of killington (now
Sherburnel and the standing advertise
ment in every Vermont newspaper for many
years, Of cash given for any kind OF Cot
ton and Linen Rags" Next, turn to the
editorial, eight lines in all, announcing an
adjourned session of the general court at
Windsor, meaning the legislature, to con-
slider proposed union of large part OF
New Hampshire with Vermont and a re-
port of the capture of General Arnold with
all his troops. And now for the news
two columns and half are given To revC-
lutiOnary war news, and three columns to
foreign news the last being more than can
he found ordinarily in any number OF a
Vermont newspaper at the present Gay. On
the fourth page is II "Parwassian Packet
containing an ode on charity and | com
plete the list of contents by noticing a well
written political article by contributor,
the first OF a series against tho annexation
Of part of New York to Vermont, which
was then proposed in Western Vermont, as
a balance to the New Hampshire territory
that was coveted by Eastern Vermont. And
this reminds me of a prominent feature in
the early newspapers OF Vermont to which
| will barely advert. The editors, Matthew
Lyon excepted, paid little attention to
political matters, leaving these to their con-
trihntnres hn, ho oh1
in the State-Alens, Chipmans, Bradleys
and Robinsons: and in both politics and
literature contributions were frequent from
Nathaniel Niles, Chief Justice Tyler,
James Elliot, Thomas Green Fessenden. the
poet, and, probably. on rare occasions. from
Chief Jurtice Prentice, who was an asset
ate and friend of Fessenden. This list of
contributors could be considerably extended.
providing that the best minds in the State
were jealous for the public good. and some
OF them, doubtless, for their own.
Another remarkable feature in the early
Vermont newspapers growing partly out of
the lack of other matter, was the republi
cation in full of official reports and other
public documents, and vOluminOus polti-
cal works. Among these remember one
on American politics. by Anne James
Robert, by Turgot. an eminent statesman
of France. written TO the Rev. DR.. Richard
Price, of England, who was also very emin-
ent as political writer, and 50 much es-
teemed that Congress invited him to become
a citizen OF this country. TurgotsS pamphlet
provoked volume by John Adams. in
defence of the American constitution, q
fact which amply proves that the early Yer
mont printers were exhibiting very strong
light to the people. They permitted the
ablest writers to speak for themselves, and
feeding them with strong meat rather than
milk for babes. ! have really doubted
whether the old and comparatively small
newspapers of Vermont we're not, for the
two peculiarities which have named, bet
ter teachers in public matters than the far
more pretentious papers of our own day.
The prevailing fashion now is to filter
everything through the editor brain and
if the water be crystal, and the brain foul
what? suggest. therefore, to the edi
tors before me, whether an occasional ex-
change of editorials for selections of a solid
sort, will not give better bread and wine to
your hungry patrons, and real relief to your
over worked brains. Right over against the
inclination of most editors. high and hum
bic, TO fill their columns with original mat
ter, put this prOverb "Seest thou man
that is hasty in his words? there is more
hope of fool than OF him." Certainly |
believe that VIC can often show more wisdom
BY selecting the words of others than by
multiplying our own.
To Connecticut is Vermont indebted for
the first Governor, the first most eminent
jurist, the first printers, and the newspa-
per and to Massachusetts for the second
Governor and newspaper, and for the Con
necticut printers who first came to Yer
mont. Timothy Green. the third, of New
London, Conn, was a descendant of Sam
uel Green. of Cambridge. Mass, who was
the immediate successor to the first printer
in New England, and the ancestor of a
long line OF printers and publishers. To
thii Timothy Green is due the honor OF
originating the first printing office and
newspaper in Vermont. although he was
never a citizen of the State, but sent his
brothers n-law, Judah Paddock Spoonor
and Alden Spooner, to run the Office. The
Spooners were descendants of William
Spooner, who was indeDtured as an APP
prentice to John Holmes, gentleman, at
New Plymouth tnow Plymouth. Mass
IN March, 1857; so that, if Connecticut
was our mother, the good old Bay State
was our prolific grandmother. Prolific |
say. for among her descendants in YER
Westminster, Windsor and Fairhaven :;
Alden Spooner. of Windsor; Jeduthan
| Spooner, OF Burlington and st. Adams; ,
Wyman Spooner. of Royalton and Chelsea,
| who has recently been honored as Lieuten-
| ant-Governor of Wisconsin; Anthony Has
we'll, OF Bennington, and pretty long list
of graduates from the Office of Isaiah
Thomas, of Worcester. Mass. These and
others of the early printers and publishers
of Vermont we're all useful men in their
day-lights in the little circles in which
| they dwel,, several OF them honored by the
people, notably Matthew Lyon and two of
the Spooners, and doubtless all OF them
were worthy of higher honors and richer
| rewards than usually fall to the craft, even
in this day of greater light, deeper culture
and higher civilization. But let us not
complain it is honor enough for any man
to be good editor or good printer, since
the profession has the widest of all fields OF
honorable labor. and the nOblest OF all ends
that OF doing good.