Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-01-19
The Bennington Centennial.
BENNINGTON, VT. Jan. 18th, Isl
o the Editor of the FREQ rrcss and Time.

~ VI tue EEet lItss anu LINUS
The formal procee dings of the first meet
ing of the corporators of the Bennington
Battle Monument Association have been
duly chr0nicled in the newspapers, but
the real work which this organization is ex-
pected to perform may not be 80 generally
understood.
The corporatOrs. when they found them
selves face to facs With the work srt them
to do by the act ct Legislature passed at
the recent session, saw ut once thar that
work resolved itself into two parts-tnc cree
ton OF a monument, and the organ eng aud
carrying out Programme for i centennial
celebration of the Battle of Bennington, and
also OF the Tooth year of the independent
existence of Vermont as a State. Natural
ly the celebration was uppermOst IN their
minds, as this work was close at hand and
the project Tor monument was as yet so
little matured that that could DO postponed
until the work for the celebration was laid
out. 1t was suggested in view of the two
fold character of the work to be done that a
separate and distinct organization be ere
ated-power to do which was fully given in
their charter-to be called the State Cen
tennial Commission. whose duty it should
BIO to organize the forces necessary to secure
suitable celebration during the week of
the 18th Of August next. at Bennington
On looking the ground over and discover
ing what was to be done on that occasion,
it was found that the work had already
been well started by the different organize
tions throughout the State. The Vermont
Historical Society had marked out a pro-
gramme which would take one day to carry
out. The Soldiers Reunion had put in
their claim for another. The Vermont Mi
litia had said that they must not be LETT out,
Tor their annual encampment ID to be here
that week. The sentiment of the wide
awake people who delight in q military
spectacle, had more than year ago AS
serted that their wishes must be gratihed
in seeing the Battle of Bennington fought
over again on tho old battlefield. which
would take one day more; and of course
there must be n day for the Grafton, pJom,
the banquet and the ceremony of breaking
ground for the monument. Five days were
thus certain to be occupied, and the wonder
was, low could it all be done with the lin
tied amount Of money the State have seen
fit to place at the disposal of the commits
sion. But done it must DC, aud will be
substantially as here delineated if not in de-
tail-and to this work the association now
addresses itself with the full confidence of
the earnest support Of the people of YER
is the Vermont STATE Centennial that IL in
preparation, and every citizen will take
patriotic pride in seeing 1t made an occasion
credtable to the State and TO all who take
part in it. The importance of the work to
be done is fully comprehended by the Asso-
citation, and there is no shrinking on their
part from the duty assigned them by the
State.
The project for erecting a monument is
a. yet SO little matured that it is felt to be
too early to take active measures towards
building it. The State by its legislative
action has directed the Governor TO invite
New Hamushire and Massachusetts, to CO.
operate with Vermont in raising monu-
ment hero. These invitations will in due
time no doubt be given, and when they are
it will be the duty of this association to set
forth to these States the position OF YER
mont in the matter.
Vermont does not ask tho aid Of Massa-
chusetts and New Hampshire to build her a
monument. We simply forbear to build one
ourselves until those who co-operated with |
us in winning the victory of August 10th, |
III. shall have had an opportunity to act
with US now, if they shall choose to do so. |
Vermont waits for the action of Massachu-
sets and New Hsmpsh ire simply as an act |
of courtesy. The State does not even take |
the responsibility of saying how much a
suitable monument shall cost. leaving that |
question open for the other two States to |
come in and aid in deciding. Nor does it |
say what it shall be. There is only this, |
that the place where it must stand invites |
q high structure. like the Scott monument |
at Eiinborough, the Arc Etoile at Paris. or
the Trojan column of the Roman Forum.
Such monument could be seen for miles |
around, while one like the ordinary soldiers
OF the country could be seen
only by tho few who would care to visit it.
So much, and so much only. seems to be fixed.
and by circumstances which must control
any commission. The place is settled BY
failure to capture it. The top
Of Benning ton Hill was the objective point
Of Bsum's expedition. Here were the stores
which the Hessian trooper thought so easy
TO get. and which if got would have carried
his superior officer through his campaign,
enabled him to form junction with de-
Howe's army at or near Albany.
and thus cut of New England from tine rest
Of tho country. The place thus settled, the
character OF the monument is settled by the
place. 1t must be u structure rising above
The top of the surrounding buildings and
trees. 40 as to be seen all through the vailey.
On this spot column or shaft can be
raised with comparatively little cost, and
still be a work of art, if the same economy
is practced in the further prosecution OF
its work that has attended its incipient
stages. A judicious exercise of ordinary
common sense, with no disposition to make
. show. coupled with competent knowl-
edge of the principles of art, will erect
suitable monument here at no very extrav-
agant cos. to the three States which it il
70 be hoped will undertake the work.
VERMONT.