Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1877-05-18
Address of the Vermont Centennial Com.
mission.
To the People of Kermnnt

To the People of Vermont
FELLow.OITIzENs 1T IS doubtless knew,
J 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
ON appropriate Centennial celebration of tn,
! Battle of Bennington, and also the rocogni
: ton ofthe year 1877 as the year Of the ex
lsteace o. the state as an independent state
In pursuance Of this act the Association ha.
established TIE Vermont Centennial Com
mission to carry out the special provisions o
its sixth section. The Commission held it,
first meeting at Bennington on the 4th DAY
OF april last, and elected as its president
tae Hon. Edward j. Phelps of Burlington
who has accepted the position and is heart.
lily enlisted in the necessary duties of his
high office. For its vice presidents il selected
well-known citizens, ten of whom have beer
governors OF the state, the name Of the veneer.
able ex.Gov. Harland Hale standing at the
head of the list. 1t also choose secretary
a treasurer and an executive committee of
five members.
IL will be observed that two distinct and
separate events are to be commemorated dur
ing the week Of the 10th of August next,
one being an important battle--the other the
birth OF the state-the connection between
the two being simply fortuitous and not a
necessary one. Recognizing this fact the
Association has set apart the 18th of Au.
gust as vormont's day, day in which the
events OF the first convention at Westminster,
the I'd and Sd at Windsor, all occurring in
the year 1877, will receive prominent notice !;
and to this celebration the Association has
invited, through His Excelency, the Cover.
nor, president of the association, the presi-
dent and the president of the United
States, the members of the cabinet and the
governors OF the several states. As this is
the first celebration Of this kind in the his.
tory OF the government-the Centennial of
the birth ola state never yet having been COM
memorated-tha Commission are extremely
sollcitous that the occasion shall in every re-
spect be worthy Of the great event the cele.
bration is intended to signalize. The PEG.
pie OF Vermont take an honest pride in the
Green Mountain state and though reasons
multiply why they do so, they simply say,
'They love their land because IL Is their own
And scorn 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, aud rightly
too, the model state of the Union, the best
exemplihcation of free government to be
found on the face Of the earth. Born of a
| civil contest that taxed the resources of a
political management of the highest order
held at distance by the general govern
ment for nearly score of years; the land
claimants of neighboring states making its
territory their fighting ground, and England
during the revolution trying through Canada
to cajole, wheedle and bride her, Vermont
held her steadiast course, turning neither to
the right hand nor the left, as firm as her
hills, developing those principles Of self.gov-
ernment which have stood her in good stead
Tor full century, which have given her
place in the galaxy Of states more than COM
mensurate with her population and wealth
which have enabled her citizens widely
scattered over the world to impress her ill.,
fuonce upon her communities and now states.
and which, through long line Of her sons,
eminent in character, skillful in legislation,
and wise in craftsmanship, have constantly
maintained for her proud position in the
councils of the nation.
The commemoration Of an event so marked
in the nations history us state Centennial,
is certain alone to bring to our borders a
large concourse Of people from all parts of
the country. A moments reflection will suf.
fec for this; aud it is point in which it is
unnecessary for the Commission to enlarge
in presenting the subject to the people of the
state. 1t is proper, however, TO impress
the necessity Of making ample prepar-
ations 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, 1877, the Cen
tennial anniversary of the battle Of Benning-
ton will occur. For ninety and nine years
the town of Bennington has observed the an.
nual occurrence Of this day. Gen. Stark in
sending some trophies Of the battle to Mas.
sachusetts speaks Of it as ga glorious vic
tory" which sought to be kept in memory
and handed down to futurity as a lasting
and laudablo example for the sons and
daughters Of the yictors." This Injunction
has been faithfully obeyed in Bennington,
the scene Of the hero's greatest achievements.
u
nington committee wrote letter to Stark
informing HIM that every year since his VIC
tory his name had been remembered by a
public celebration in that town and every
year since some public notice has been made
of the day there aud now Vermont herself
has sent greeting to New Hampshire and
Massachusetts proposing to crown the CEN
tury by celebration that shall worthily
honor not only the memory of the hero who
80 thoughtfully enjoined it, but also the
states aud 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 legislature, |
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 convenes, doubtless not be behind !
her sister state. The guests which have
been invited to the celebration Of Vermont's |
Centennial have also been invited to the
Centennial Of the battle of Bennington.
Military organizations in very great numbers
in all parts Of the country, are anxious to
participate in the festivities of the occasion.
The soldiers reunion of our own state the
editors aud publishers association of Yer
mont and the Vermont historical society
have arranged to have their annual or bien-
NAL gatherings here during centennial week
and while for many of these organizations
the commission do not feel the same of re.
sponsibility that is laid upon them by the
law of the state in regard to the two cee-
brations of the 18th and 10th, still their
presence here, while they add to the dignity