The Bennington daily banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1877-1877, 1877-08-16

strangers-tO the distinguished guests
that grace this occasion with their
presence--to all the children of Yer
mont who from near aud far-from ma
ny homes-have gathered to honor the
centennial birthday Of their native
State, / am charged on her behalf TO
extend a kindly, cordial, generous
welcome [applause] Larger and rich
err States might offer You more splendid
hospitalities-more imposing ceremo-
nies-a more magnificent display-ours
are plain and simple,such as befit the
habits of our people and the character
of those institutions whose origin we
now celebrate This day is consecrated
to the past All the history-all the
memories of the century that is now
closing upon our commonwealth-its
early struggles-its Nicissltudes-its
hopes-its fears its steadfast march
= theglory of its wars-the set
renity of its peace-all throng upon us
to-day and are the appropriate topic
of the hour.
Especially is this day sacred to the
memory of those men who laid broad
and deep in the early days the founda-
ton of those institutions under which
we live, and not only do we remefn-
Der at time like this those distin-
guished leaders whose names are as
household words among, us but none
the less do we honor the rank and file,
the whole noble generation ofmen, who
all the days OF their lives and through
all the avocalion of their lives gave tothe
service and welfare of the state, theiI
state, the best they had. Unnamed
unheralded, for the most part. they
stand out against the horizon OF our his.
tory like the stately trees DC the-1ssime.
val forest, which like them, has passed
away (applause) and without their virtue
their patriotism and their efforts, the
master spirits would have planned and
toied in vain. And we are to remem-
Der that if there is anything in our insli-
tutions that is worthy ofbeing cherished,
if there is anything in these traditions
which are stronger than institutions, and
on which the life of institutions depend,
it is not our achievement it is our inner
itance from them. (Applause.)
They have all passed away, that noble
race, some Of their immediate descend
ants are here among OUR most welcome
guests to-day, but the last of them has
long ago been gathered to his Father.
Few monuments mark their resting
place, few vestiges oftheir individual life
remain, but all around and about US, in
the salutary laws that protect liberty,
and the enlightened liberty that upholds
the law, in everything that is compre-
hended to us under the beloved name of
Vermont, is to be found their monument
more durable than marble, more beauti.
full than gold, and if the business Of this
day has any significance, if the memo
ries we are here to recall have any value,
or serve to point any moral, it is in
teaching us that if we would preserve
the inheritance we have received, we
must perpetuate likewise in our people,
the character Of the men from whom we
received it. Applause.
all fares that land, to fastening ills a
Where wealth accumulates. but men
decay"
If we are to preserve our institutions,
we must maintain the old landmarks and
stand fast by the old traditions. And
now as we pause on the threshold Of the
coming century and review the lives and
character and the labors ofthat first gen.
Grafton of Vermonters, let us take to
heart, as the great lesson of the hour,
that if we are to achieve the salvation Of
our country, our institutions, we must do
it by emulatipg theiv virtues, and initial
ing their example [Applause.
Mr.. Phelps was heartily applauded and
closed by introducing the orator of the day,
Hon. Daniel Roberts of Burlington. who de-
liyered the following able and interesting
address.
Sons of Vermont-My Brothers.
Around this, her ancient hearth-stOna our
mother State has called her children together
to celebrate her hnndredth birth day. It is
well, The call stands justified by the Occa-
sion, and the place Of our gathering best
BELTS both,
The founding of State is a great event in
the worlds history. forming an epoch in the
social, civil and governmental reckoning OF
nations. The names of the founders of States
are the great names of history. The names
of the founders Of free States demand rever-
ence and special hOnors for of States free
created, the number is but small, and the
names of the founders Of such shine but here
and there in solitary brillancy, too few and
too scattered { form consultations in the
heavens of history. Since the formation of
the American Union, the new States, from
time to time added, have, for the most part. |
been but ordinary accessions to the family Of
States, without special throe of birth. These, |
born to an inheritance of freedom, received /
through infancy and adolescence, mothers
and care, and emerged into free |
through the regular process |
of growth,--the infant became of age, Not
so Vermont, which was rather free created
than thus free born or, may say developed |
into organized life and form from the germ
inal principle of iudividua! freedom and lib
erty of free choice. NOmOther's care graded |
or nuTtured it, but. rocked by storm and tenn
pest and nurtured of the clements. this child
of the forest and the mountains won for it
self place, and took it, as o free State, not |
only independent of all" but in defiance of I
all, save the mercies of GOdp In this regard,
its case is quite exceptional among The
American States ;-made so through the great
sagacity and indomltable will Of race Of
heroes, as wise as they were brave. Thus
created free State. aud having so lived and
fourished for O hundred years, it is well that
her children Of to-day mark the event and
il.
1t is well, too, that we meet here for our
festival there in Bennington, the namesake
)f the Royal Governor of New Hampshire
who granted this town its charter, the first
IF the one hundred and thirty of tho New
Hampshire Grants Here was the earlieat
principal settlement of the then wilderness.
Here more than elsewhere, occurred the
stirring events of our colonial life pregnant
IT the future State. Here was the States
,radle, and her early hearth=stone, Here
the heroes of that day, the demi-
gods Of this, in Council Of Safety, and of
Var, for defence against the common enemy
# the infant nation, aud agaiust the special
snemiee of the hardy settlers Of "the Grants,D
those land jobbers and free hooters along
he Hudson. toward whom the oatamoun4
rom Landlord Fay's tavern sign grinned
Ingry defiance. Here, early in MAY, 1775,
that patriot band whose ears had /
nut just caught the echo of the first shot at
lexington, and from here they went forth
Inder the leadership of Ethan Allen, ''in the
lamo Of the 0Feat Iehoyeh,p to the capture
4 Fort TioORderOgai aud from here MARCH !
d Stark, with his braves and the Green 1
fountain Boys, Just across the border, where {
hey made the 10th Of August immortal and |