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


now FOR The news. Two columns aud one
hall are given to Revolutionary war news
and three columns of foreign news. the last
being moro than can be found ordinarily in
any number of q Vermont newspaper of the
present day. On the fourth page is a Par
wassian Paeketg containing an ode on char
/ ity; and / complete the list of contents by
noticing n well written political article by a
contributor, the first of series against the an
nexation of part Of New York to Vermont.
which was then proposed in Western YER
mont, as a balance to the New Hampshire
territory that was coveted by Eastern Yer
mont. And this reminds me of n prominent
| feature in the early newspapers of Vermont,
to which / will briefly advert. The editors
Matthew Lyon being an exception, | think,
to the general rule-paid little attention to
political matters, leaving this to their con-
tributors, among whom were the ablest men
in the State. the Lyons, Chipmans, Bradleys
and Robinsons; and in both politics and lit
eratnre contributions were frequent from
chief justice Taylor, Thomas Green Fessen-
den, the poet, and probably from chief JUS
tice Prentiss, who was an associate with
feesenden, and an intimate friend. This
list of contributors could be considerably ex-
rended. proving that the best minds in the
State were Jealous for the public good and
and some of them doubtless for their own.
Another remarkable feature in the carly
Vermont newspapers, growing partly out Of
the lack OF other matter, was the publication
Ia full OF Official public reports and other
documents, aud other yOluminOus political
works. Among these | remember one on
American politics. by TurRot, an eminent
statesman of France, written to Rev. DR.
Richard Price, OF England, who WAS also
very eminent as a political : writer.
and so much esteemed that Congress
invited him to become a citizen Of thisieouns
try. 1urgot's pamphlet provoked volume.
by John Adams. in defence Of the American
constitution fact which amply proves that
the early Vermont publishers and printers
were exhibiting very strong light to the
people, feeding them with strong meat rath-
er than milk for babes. They permitted the
ablest writers to speak for themselves, and
have really doubted whether the old and
comparatively small newspapers Of Vermont
were not for these two peculiaritIes | have
named, better teachers in public matters
than the far more pTetentious papers Of our
own day. The prevailing fashion now is to
hitter everything through the EDITORS brain
and If the wsters be crystal, aud the brain
foul what therefore suggest to the edi-
tors before me, by no means intending to
hint that your brains are foul, whether an
occasional exchange of editorials for selec
tiOns of n solid sort, will not give better
bread and wine to your hungry patrons, aud
real relief to your Over-wOrked brains
Right over against the inclination of most
editors. high or humble. to fill their columns
with original matter, ] put this proverb:
Seest thou man that IS hasty in his
words there IS more hope of n fool than of
him." Certainly, | believe, that We can often
show more wisdom by selecting the words of
others, than by multiplying our own.
10 Connecticut Is Vermont indebted for
the first governor, the first most eminent
jurist, the first printers, and the first newspd
per; and to Massachusetts for the secOna |
governor, the second newspaper, and for the
Connecticut printers who first came to Yer
mont Timothy Green, the third, Of New
London, Conn. was descendants of Samuel
Green, of Cambridge, Mass who was the jm- |
mediate successor of tue first printer ia New
England, and the ancestor of long line of |
priuters and publishers. To this Timothy |
Greon is due the honor OF originating the |
first printing office and newspaper in Yer
mont, although he was never a citizen of
the State, but sent his brOthers-in-law, Ju- |
dab Paddock SpOoner, and Alden Spooner,
tn rnu the Office. The SpOoners were de- !
scendnnts of William SpOOner, who was in |
dcntnred as an apprentice to john HOlmeS
Rent!enan. at New Plymouth lnOw Plym
Outhl, Mass, in March, 1857, 80 that, il Con-
necticut was our mother. the good old Bay
State was our prolific grandmother. Prolific.
say, for among her descendants in Vermont
were Judah Paddock SpoOner, of Westmin-
ster, Windsor, and Fairhaveu; Alden Spoon
eSr, OF windsor; .Jeduthan Spooner, OF Bur.
jngton and st. Adams; Wyman SpOoner, of
Royalton and Chelsea, who has recently been
hOnOred as ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS of Wiscon-
sin; Anthony Haswell, of Bennington, and a
pretty long list of graduates from the office
of Isaiah Thomas, Of Worcester, Mass. These
and others of the early printers aud publish
ers of Vermont were all useful men
in their day - lights in the little
circles in which they dwelt. several Of them
hOnOred by the people, notably Matthew
Lyon and two of the SpOOners, and doubtless
all of them were worthy of higher hOnoTs
and richer rewards than usually fall TO the
craft, even in this day of greater lights,
deeper culture and higher civilization. But
let us not complain it is honor enough for
any man to be q . good editor, or a good
printer, since these professions have the
widest of all fields of honorable labor. and
the nOblest of all ends-that Of dong good.
The poem by Rev. o. G. Wheeler, of
Grand Isle, if not as finished as some of the
productions of his pen, had yet many happy
hits and much merit
The following officers were elected for the
ensing year:
Pres ident, Hon. L, p. Walton. of Montpel
Ter.
First vice President. a. N. Swain. of Bel
lows Falls.
Second Vice President, Luther o. Green, of
Woodstock.
Third Vice President, Henry Clark, of Rut- |
land.
Recording Secretary, S B Pettepgill, of
Rutland. tts rss.t
Corresponding Secretary, H A HuSe. of
Montpelier, .....
b Treasurer, C NJ Stone, of St JOhnsbury. II
Executive Committee, G G Benedict, Of
Burlington; Joseph Poland, of Montpelier
II Nj Mott, of Brandon.