Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-08-24

storm was a blessed providenee-a voice 7,
from the skies proclnming to tho conven-
ton a duty higher even than the personal
protection of family and home. And so
Vermont received her christening and be-
came a State, though for II time after, UNI
der the anomalous administration of n
Council of Safety, aud, until March 4, 1871,
fourteen wears, existed rs an independents
sovereignty, with all the attributes and
functions of sovereignty, when she was al,
mitted as an equal member of the Federal
Union. In the meantime the American
Revolution had been closed in declared
peace. The confederation Of the United
States lad been formed aud dissolved, and
the United States Constitulio had made OF
the United States government. In thls
construction OF confederation and constitu-
ton Vermont had not been allowed to take
part, but during all these fourteen years
She had stood apart among her mountains,
in stern INDEPENDENCE, defending herself
against States cOntending for her lands and
then disowned by Congress, and having for
years on her borders the common enemy
10 fight with the weapons aud the fneSSe oil
war. In all this she did her work bravely
and we'll. and we do well to-day by COM
memoraling these labors of the fathers 100
years ago. This Constitution of HI was
more than declaration of independence
and frame of government. II was char
ter of human liberty also. Thus the Dec
laration of the Rights of the Inhabitants OF
the State Of Vermont" starts off with the
broader declaration "that all men are born
equally free and independent, aud have
certain natural, inherent and inAlienable
rights, amongst which are the enjoying
aud defending life and liberty, ac-
uuiring, possessing and protecting proper
ly and pursuing and obtaining happiness
and safety" Therefore ii is 10 this the log
ic leads-"No male person, born in this
country or brought from over the sea,
ought to he holden by the law 10 serve any
person as a servant, slave or apprentice af-
ter lie arrives to the age of q years, nor fe-
male in like manner, after she arrives at
the age of Is years, unless they are bound
by their own consent, afler they arrive TO
such an age"
Thus reviewing cursorily the early his
tory of this State We may safely say that
none has a history more romantic in its in
cidenls or more illustrious for the heroism
and sagaCity Of its chief men; nor more
marked for the sturdy Independence and
honesty OF lis people, for their energy, per-
sistence, will indOmitable to defend their
rights, and readiness TO accord like rights
TO others. 1t we of to-day have become
spindling and weak, 1t is not the fault of
the fathers. True, we have not had their
personal experience and training in the
hardships OF pioneer life, TO teach that prac-
teal sagacity which comes of necessity (:
nor yet that schooling of a whole people in
civil rights and law and craftsmanship,
which their long controversy with New
York, New Hampshire, Great Britain and
Congress gave them, during the years OF
that great awak ening of thought which pre-
Ceded, accompanied and followed the
American Revolution, and made of plain
men shrewd thinkers and wise judges. But
they have left us their thoughts, their spir-
/. l,.sH
those little democracies where all the in
habitants, assembled in common meeting,
discuss and decide all matters of local gov
eminent. 1t is question which presses
upon us, whether the State in its subse-
quent development has proved itself worthy
its origin, and whether we of to-day de-
serve such ancestry bow far the spirit and
tho times of a hundred years ago have i'm
| pressed themselves upon the century, and
made its history what it has been, and the
| people what they are. In the way of par
| lia answer to such questonings. it may be
| truthfully said, that the age has not passed
| beyond the impulse which first set in mo-
| ton the State and its Institutions; that the
temper aud spirit of the fathers are yet
| traceable In The moral lineaments of their
| posterity; that the principles upon which
| they founded the Slate lie under it to-day,
! undisturbed in place upon the bedrock OF
| truth, untouched by decay. Thus, upon
| all uucSliOus Vi uuulhll llbtTlN, HsDeClniIN
| in the fierce conflicts which have since been
waged between the absolute right and the
| eXpedient wrong, between the doctrine OF
| human equality and the wild fantasy oil
property in man, Vermont has ever been
true 10 her early declaration, aud fixed as
her mounains-eXhbit even an ag-
gressive zeal for liberty and holy anger
against slavery, contemptuous Of all excuse
| or apology for such invasion of human
| rights. If we consider the part taken by
| Nermoners in the wars which have arisen
sineA iila 70 SolYiiaa,g DE .s,lai pela.l AZ
memories of the men who took Ticondero-
| "a and conquered at Bennington. Thus
Lake Champlain. and Plattsburg cheered
the rush of the Vermont farmers to repel
| the British invasion of 1914. So in 1861,
| the gun fired on Sumter was heard in ey-
cry hamlet in Vermont The spirits OF
the Green Mountain Boys of "ihe Grants, -
| slumbering in the caves of their noun
tains, seemed To arouse to a quickened life,
and Allen, Warner and their compeers
| once more TO walk the earth. Every heart
was stirred with divine anger, and from
every valley, hillside and mountain ton
echoed back the responsive cry, "Since
| you will have ii so, so be it,--aud God de-
| iend the right" And 80 Vermont sent
forth 10 the fray some "a 900 Of her sons,
| with her gift of blessing, and armor OF
| the spirit of the fathers, and they so fought
as TO make the name of Vermont and the
| Vermont Brigade historic glory, and so
| died, To the number of 5000 in the shock
| Of battle, as only heroes know how to die
| Thus far, in 81. irit of freedom and self
| sacrifice, in patriotic devotion and heroic
| courage, | note no degeneracy. We are TO
| bear in mind that ii is the times and their
| necessities that search out the before un-
| discovered man for the times that the on
| portunity creates the man for The oppor-
| iunity; and the great occasion makes the
great for the slim I,,
| such stress, would have seemed but COM
man clay, and have died without giving
| sign of the greatness that was potential in
| him. But as there were brave men before
Agamemnon, 50, as think, Vermont has
bad heroes since Ethan Allen and Seth
| warner; wise governors since Thomas
Ctittenden; accomplished diplomatists
since Ira Allen; able statesmen, legislators
and jurists since Nathaniel Chipman. If
not as great as he. Those improved means
of Intercourse among men and reader in
accommodation OF thought and knowl.
edge, the result Of novel inventions and
new applications of science which have
marked the present century and affected
the civilization OF the world, have not pass-
ed Vermont by, and her people have there.
by become less provincial, more cosmo-
poiitan, less peculiar people than our
fathers were. And yet, being largely an
agricultural people, with no Very large
towns or cities, with few millionaires and
few very poor, aud little chance 10 become
rich by, specuaIions, we have not been
tempted to stray very far from our faith.
er's ways OF Industry, economy, simplicity
OF living and providence for the future.
And, since we are gathered here about the
old hearthstone, we may be allowed, in
the freedom and confidence of the family
circle, to ielicilate ourselves as Vernon
tiers, not only for what our fathers were.
for their heroic lives and historic deeds and
the institutions they created and transmit
ted to us, but that their poslerity have so
faithfully guarded, preserved aud wisely
improved them, and have so well kent
alive the spirit of those institutions and Tie
temDer of that hnrnic nnn .-lhni nlnnnIi -.