Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-05-16
Address of the Vermont Centennial COM
mission.
To The Pcoplo Of Kelnl0nt:

Fr,1ow.C ,rIzrNs:- 1t is doubles
known TO Won that the Legislature at Il
last session passed an act lneoIPoi" Oai,
the Bennington Battle Monument Ass 50 =,
ton and directed it to take measures " y, 7,
cnre at Bennington during the week OF III
18th of Aug, 1877, an appropriate 0eL
tennial celebration of the Battle OF pen
nincton. and also the recognition OF III
! wear 1877 as the Tooth year of the exlsIeh {
If the State as IN independent olate' l
, pursuance of this act the Association I, I'D
established the Vermont Centennial Com
mission to carry out the special ptoVlSlo VI
of its 9Th section. The Commission h1i
, It's first meeting at Bennington on the ri
dav of April last. and elected as Its fTeS
dent the Hon. Edward j. Phelps OF bul
linpton, who has accepted the position an
, is Heartily enlisted in the necessary dutle
If his hiSb office. For its Vice President
if selected fifteen well-known citizens 10
of whom have been Governors oil I'll
State, the name of the venerable ex-G tN
Inland Hall standing ut the head Oh III
list. It also chose IL secretary, treasure
and an executive committee OF hVe hleln
bers. r.;uo
II will also be observed that two dlstlnc
and separate events arc to he comllleihoI"'
ed during the week Of the 10th OF Angus
next, one being an important battle-tn
other the birth of the State the connectlol
between the two being simply iortultGu
and not necessary one. Recognizing UNI
fact the Association has set apart the lou
of August as Vcrmont's day, DAY Il
which the events of the first convention u
Westminster, the % and Sd at Windsor
all occurring in the year 1877, will recelV
prominent notice; and to this celeDraClol
the Association has invited, through LIN
Excellency the Governor, President OF Il'
Association, the President and Vlce-fresl
dent of the United States, the members 0
the cabinet and the governors of the sever
al States. As this is the first celebration
of The kind in the history of the govern
ment-the centennial of the birth OF
State never vet having been commemorat
ed-the Commission are extremely Sole
itious that the occasion shall in every re-
spect be worthy of the great event the
celebration is intended to signalze. Int
people of Vermont take an honest PRIDE II
the Green Mountain State and though
reasons multiply why they do So they
simply say,
a. They love their land because it is their own
And scorn to give aught others reasons why"
While, however, they would not claim
for it perfection, except the perfection oil
beauty of landscape, they consider 1t, and
rightly, too, the model State of the Union
the best exempIiication of free govern
ment to be found on the face of the earth,
Born of civil contest that taxed the re-
sources of political management oil the
highest order; held at distance by The
general government for nearly n score Of
years; the land claimants of neighborlng
States making its territory their fighting
ground, and England during the revolution
trying through Canada to cajole, wheedlt
and hribe her, Vermont held her steadfaS
course, turning neither to the right hanc
nor the left, as firm rs her hills, develop
ing those principles of self-government
which have stood her in good stead for 8
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 bel
influence and her laws in new commune
ties and new States, and which, though 9
long line of her sons, eminent in charac
ter, skilful in legislation, and wise it
craftsmanship, have constantly maintained
for her proud position in the councils o
the nation.
The commemoraton Of an event SC
marked in the nations history rs n STATE
Centennial, is certain alone to bring to oul
borders large concourse of people from
all parts of the country. A moments re-
Election will suffice for this; and it is ;
point in which it is unnecessary for the
Commission to enlarge in presenting the
subject to the people of the State. 1t i,
proper, however, to impress upon then
the necessity of making ample preparation
for SO important an occurrence, and espe'
cially 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 Ben
nington will occur. For ninety and mint
years the town of Bennington has observ
ed the annual occurrence of this day. Gen
Stark in sending some trophies of the bat
tie to Massachusetts speaks Of it as 90
glorious victory, which ought to be KEEP
in memory and handed down to futuriN
as lasting and laudable example for the
sons and daughters of the victors." Thi
injunction has been faithfully obcyed il
. | IN WI w ,,ft In . -
est achievements. Thirty-nine years afe
the battle Bennington committee wrote
u letter TO Stark informing him that every
year since his victory his name had beer
remembered by public celebration il
that town; and every year since some pub
lie notice has been made of the day there
and now Vermont herself has sent greet
ing TO New Hampshire and Massachusetts
proposing TO crown the century by cele
bration that shall worlhily honor not onl,
the memory of tie hero who so thought
fully enjOined it, but also the States anC
the people which shall participate in it,
Particularly must Vermont be careful
that the State takes no detriment, through
any negligence on her ptrt to make ample
preparation for this great event. On thi
occasion she acts the host all others ar
her guests. Massachusetts has already
r through her Government and her Legisl;t
ture, accepted her invitation us such; ant
New Hampshire, whose leadership in tn
events which shaped the battle, and in tn
battle itself are matters Of history, will
when her Legislature convenes, doubles
not be behind her sister State. The guest
which have been Invited to tho celebration
f OF Vermonts Centennial have also beef
invited 10 the Centennial of the Battle o
Bennington. Military organizations il
very great numbers in all parts of tn
country, are anxious to participate in tn
f festivities Of the occasion. The Soldiers
Reunion of our own State; the Editors
and Publishers Association of Vernon
and the Vermont Historical Society hay,
arranged to have their annual or 6cnnia
gathering here during the centennia
week; and while for many of these or
CARNATIONS the commission do not feel tn,
same degree of responsibility that is lai,
upon them by the law of the State in re-
gard to the two celebrations of the 15tI
and the 10th, still their presence here
while they add to the dignity and charac
ter OF the celebration adds to the burden
r OF the Commission also. These burdens rhe
Commission cannot evade nor can the peo
PIE OF Vermont; and it is to the people of
: Vermont that the Commission would mos,
earnestly appeal. The State has ammo
prlaled small sum to carry out the worl
II has set us to do. The most prudent os
Inmates make not less than $l0,OOO-an,
some reach Sl5,000-as the sum needed II
addition to the States appropriation nee
esSarY for Nnrmnnt To nnnintai,, Ivy