Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-05-18

to you that the Legislature at its last session |
passed an act Incorporating the Bennington |
Battle Monument Association and directed |
it to take measures to secure at Bennington
during the week of the 10Th of Aug, 1877. |
an appropriate Centennial celebration of the |
Battle of Bennington. and also the recOgni-
ton of the year 1877 as the Tooth year of
the existence of the State as an independent
State. In pursuance of this act the AssO-
citation has established the Vermont Cen
tennial Commission to carry out the special
provisions of its 9th section. The Commits
sion held its first meeting at Bennington on
the 4th day OF April last, and elected as Its
President the Hon. Edward j. Phelps, of
Burlington, who has accepted the pos itiOn
and Is heartily enlisted in the necessary du-
ties of his high office. For its Vice presi-
dents it selected fifteen well known citizens.
ten of whom have been Governors of the
State, the namel Of the venerable ex-GOv.
Hiland Hall standing at the head Of the
list 1t also chose secretary, treasurer
and an executive committee of five members.
1t will be observed that two distinct and
separate events are to be cOmmemOrated
during the week Of the 10th of August
next, one being an important battle-the
other the birth of the State-tho connection
between the two being simply a fortuitous
and not necessary one. Recognizing this
fact the Association has set apart the 18th
of August as Vermonts day, day in which
the events of the first convention at West
minister, the 81 and 81 at Windsor, all
occurring IN the year III, will receive
prominent notice; and to this celebra
ton the Association has. invited,
through His Exccllency the Governor,
President of the Association, the President
and Vice President of the United States, the
IL. 4. IL
of the several States. As this is the first
celebration of the kind in the history of the
goyernment-the centennial of the birth of
State never yet having been commence
ra;ed-the Commission are extremely solic
itious that the occasion shall in every re-
spect be worthy of the great event the cele
bratiOn IL intended to signalizs. The
people Of Vermont take an honest ipriie in
the Green Mountain State and though
reasons multiply why they do so, they
simply say,
'They love their land because 1t i, their own
And >corn to give aught other reasons why
While. however, they would not claim
for it perfection, except the perfection
of beauty of landscape. they consider
it, and rightly, too. the model State of
the Union, the best exemplifcatiOn of free
government u be found on the face of the
earth. Born of a civil contest that taxed
the resources of political management of
the highest order; held at distance by the
general government for nearly score of
years the land claimants of neigh5Oring
States making its territory their fighting
ground, and England during the revolution
trying through Canada to cajOle, wheede
and bride her, Vermont held her
steadfast course, turning neither to the
right hand nor the lett, as firm as her hills,
developing those principles of self-goyern-
ment which have stood her in good stead
for full century, which have given her o
place In the galaxy of States more than
commensurate with her population and
wealth which have enabled her citizens
widely scattered over the world to impress
her influence and her laws in new cOmmu
mites and new States, and which, through
a long line of her sons, eminent in charac-
ter, skilful in legislation, and wise in
craftsmanship. have constantly maintained
for her proud position in the councils OF
the natiJn.
The commemoration of an event so marked
in the nations history as State Centen
nisl, is certain alone to bring to our Dor
ders large concourse of people from all
parts of the country. A moments retiec
ton will suffice for this; and it is q point in
which 1t is unnecessary for the Commission
to enlarge IN presenting the subject to the
people of the State. It's proper, however,
to impress upon them the necessity of max
ing ample preparations for so important an
occurrence. and especially of urging them
to keep constantly in view its high and
worthy object.
On the 10th of August, 1871. the Centen-
NAL anniversary of the battle of Benning-
ton will occur. For ninety and nine years
the town of Bennington has observed the
annual occurrence OF this day. Gen. Stark
in sending some trophies of the battle to
Massachusetts speaks OF it as "a glorious
victory" which fought to be kept in mem
DRY and handed down to futuritY as a last
ing and laudable example for tie sons and
daughters of the victors." This Injunction
has been faithfully obeyed in Bennington,
the scene of the hero's greatest achieve
ments. Thirty -nine years after the battle
Bennington committee wrote a letter to
Stark informing him that! every year since
his victory his name had been remembered
by public celebration in that town; and
every year since some public notice has been
made of the day there; and now Vermont |
herself has sent greeting to New Hamp- |
shire and Massachusetts proposing to crown |
the century by celebration that shall |
wOrthily honor not only the memory Of the |
hero who so thoughtfully enjOined it, but |
also the States and the people which shall |
participate in It.
Particularly must Vermont be careful |
that the State takes no detriment, through |
any negligence on her part to make ample |
preparation for this great event. On this |
occasion she ,acts the host; all others are
her guests. Massachusetts has already,
through her Government and her Legisla-
ture. accepted her invitation as such; and
New Hampshire, whose leadership in the
events which shaped the battle, and In the
battle itself are matters of history, will, |
when her Legislature conyenes, doubtless not
be behind her sister State. The guests which
have been invited to the. celebration of Yer
mOnt's Centennial have also been invited to
the Centennial of the Battle of Bennington.
Military organizations in very great num-
bers in all parts of the country, are anxious
to participate in the festivities of the Occa-
sion. The Soldiers Reunion of our own
State; .the Editors and Publishers As
ISOLATION of Vermont and the Vermont His
torlcal Society have arranged to have their
annual or biennial gatherings there during
centennial week :; and while for many of
these organizations the commission do not
feel the same degree of responsibility that.is
laid upon them by the law OF the State in
regard TO the two celebrations OF the 18th
and the 10th, still their presence here, while
they add to the dignity and character of the
celebration adds to the burdens OF the Com
mission also. These burdens the commission
cannot eyade nor can the people of Yer
mont and it Is to the people of Vermont
that the Commission would most earnestly
appeal. The State has appropriated u small
sum to carry out the work it has set US to
do. The most prudent estimates make not
less than so ,0OO-and some reach SIS 600
As the sum needed in addition to the States
necessary for Vermont to
the dignity of host on the impor-
tant occasion. That the people Of Vermont
will cordially respond to this earnest appeal
Of the Commission for aid in carrying for
ward its noble object cannot for moment
be doubted. While these lines are passing
through the press, its executive committee
is visiting the more prominent towns
and villages of the State engaged in secur-
ing tho aid and cooperation of all our
citizens in carrying forward their own and
the people work. There must be no failure
in our attempts to celebrate the great
events of a century ago, the one the birth
Of State the other the events of battle
which turned the tide of war to the side of
the American arms and thus decided the
contest for independence As Concord and
Lexington and Bunker Hill, the beginning
Of the struggle for liberty in IT'S have been
vorthily cOmmemoratcd in 1875, as the
signing of the immortal Declaration at
Philadelphia in l716 has been iittingly hon
,red in 1876. so let the no less important
went of Stark'S victory in III. which has
made his own name famous and that of
historic, be kept in memory
md handed down to maturity a. lasting
md laudable example for the sons and
daughters of the NictOr>' by com I
in 1877 which shall he
like worthy of the memory OF the
men of III and their sons and daughters
If 1877. Let both occasions, Vermont's
Centennial and the Centennial of the Battle
If Bennington be suitably honored as be-
'Omes the occasions themselves and the )
lignity of our noble State
Burlington, VT. May IA. 1877.
HENRY q. KOor / FIX. Com.
1,Ip A MFRHIII / off TIN.