The Bennington daily banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1877-1877, 1877-08-17

strangers-to the distinguished guests
that grace this occasion with their
presence-to all the children of Yer
mont who from near and far-from ma
ny homes-have gathered to honor the
centennial birthday of their native
State, am charged on her behalf to
extend kindly, a cordial, a generous
welcome [applause]. Larger and rich, |
er 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
early struggles-its vicissitudes-its
hopes-its tears-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 tounda-
ton Of those institutions under which
we live, and not only do we remem-
Der at a 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 of men, who
all the days OF their lives and through
all the avocation of their lives gave to the
service and welfare of the state, their
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 of the prime
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
toiled in vain. And we are to remem-
Der that il there is anything in our lnsti-
buttons that is worthy of being 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
1 Vermont, is to be found their monument
more durable than marble, more beauti.
ful 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, 1t 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 meu
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 tc
heart, as the great lesson of the hour
that IL we are TO achieve the salvation o
, our country, our institutions, we must de
: it by emulating their virtues, and initial
ing their example. Applause.
Mr.. Phelps was heartily applauded ant
closed by introducing the orator of the day
Hon. Daniel Roberts of Burlington. who de
livered the following able and interesting
, address
Sons Of VermOnt-My Brothers.
Around this her ancient hearth=stOne on
mother State has palledheT children tOgethe
to celebrate her hundTedth birth day. Ii j
well. The call stands justified by the occa
sion, and the place OF our gathering bes
BELTS both.
The founding of a State is great event il
the worlds history, forming an epoch in tn
social, civil and governmental reckoning o
nations. The names of the founders of State
, are the great names of history. The name
of the founders of free States demand rever
ence and special honors for OF states re
created, the number is but small, and tn
names Of the founders Of such shine but her
, and there in solitary bTillancy, too few AM
too scattered b. form constitutions in tn
J heavens Of history. Since the formation o
the American Union, the new States, iron
: time to time added, have, for the most part
, been but ordinary acces9Ons to the family o
States, without special throe of birth. these
] born to an inheritance of freedom, receives
through infancy aud adolescence, Il mother
nOurlshment aud Gaze, and emerged into fire.
self-gOvernment through the regular proeees
Of growth.--the infant beGlme of age, No
; so Vermont, which was rather free creates
than thus free born; or, | may say developed
l into organized life and form from the germ
inal principle Of iudividua! freedom and lib
erty of free choice NOmOthers care cradlet
or nurturel il, but. rocked by storm and TEN
pest and nurtnred of the elements. this chill,
Of the forest and the Hountal9s won for 1t
, self place and took u, Qs p free State, no
l only "independentOf dlp but ip defiance o
all, save the mercies OF God" in this regard
its case is quite exceptional among tn
[ American States ;--made so through the grea
saRacity and indomtable will of n race o
!, heroes, as wise as they were brave. Thu
created frae State, and having so lived an,
fiOuFisbed for . hundred years, 1t Is well tina
/: her children Of to-day mark ting event an
celebrate II.
1t is well, too, that we meet here for on
festival here IN Bennington, the panlesak
of the ROYAL Governor of New Hampshire
who granted this town its charter, the frs
r of the one hundred and thirty Of the NeI
Hampshire Grants. Here was the earliea
principal settlement of the then wilderness
Here, more than elsewhere, occurred til
stirring events of Qua COLONIAL life pregnan
9 of the future State, Here was the State
0 cradle, and her early bearth-stOne, Her
a gathered the heroes Of that day, the demi
Z gods of this, in Council Of Safety, and o
; War, for defence gainst the common enem
{ of the infaBt nati IN, and against the specia
: enemies Of the hhfdy settlers of ''the Grants,
those land jobbers and fFee-bOOters alon
+ the Hudson. toward whom the patamOun
e from Landlord Fay's tavern sign CRIME
I'd angyy dsjapce. Here early in May, III,
y mustered that ,PstFi0t band whose ears ha
but Just caught the echo of the first Shot q
g Lexington, and from here they went fort
d uudeF the leadership Of Ethan Allen. s'in tn