Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-01-11
NUMBER 20.
Inc Bennington Battle Monument.

The Bennington Monument Association
has recently published, in pamphlet form, a
statement Of its plans and purposes. This
says that the centennial celebrations of last
August cost "sOme Sl3, ,000," of which the
State paid $4,000, the remainder being con-
tributed by citizens of Vermont That ocea-
sion past, the next work for the Association,
and the one for which it was created, is the
erection OF a monument to commemorate the
victory Of August IL, III. For this, Yer
mont has appropriated SIS 200, conditioned
on the raising of $4,000 more for the pur-
pose by yprivate subscription; Massachusetts,
$500, conditioned on the approval of the
plans for the monument by the Governor of
Massachusetts, and the providing of funds
sufficient to complete it on such plans; and
New Hampshire $4,000, on like conditions.
These sums aggregate So, 500. The Associ-
alton, however, do not propose to be limited
BY that sum; but will endeavor to raise at
least $50 900, and more, if possible They
or at least the president and secretary, who
sign the statement-propose, as We are glad
to see, to make the structure true work Of
art, if such thing is possible. The state
ment says:
The Association has not ye. adopted or
considered any plan or design for monu-
ment, nor will it officially consider any ex-
Al IL 4
New Hampshire and Massachusetts,. 1t is
not yet at all certain how much money the
Association will have at its disposal for mon
umental purposes, and until that time ar
riyes designs are premature. Suffice it to say
that it is the deliberate opinion of this Asso-
citation that no attempt should be made at
erecting a monument until the Association
has collected and has in its possession sum
sufficient to erect and maintain a monument
which shall be by its size, its artistic charac-
ter and imposing effect, worthy of the three
States which have so properly taken the in
itiative in its erection. worthy of the nation
whose ultimate independence was here made
sure, and capabe-So far az mOfdig?? "a art
is capable OF commemorating the great
event it is designed to signalize.
The Association, in setting forth the work
to be done at Bennington, cannot omit to
mention that the erection of & monument Is
but part of it, although for the rest it is
not responsible. Already has beginning
been made; the site of the Catamoun;
Tavern-the headquarters of Ethan Allen
and his Green Mountain Boys, and of the
Council OF Safety, Vernont's provisional
government at the time of the Battle of
Bennington-was on the 10th August, 1876,
marked by placing in position with appro-
pirate ceremonies the pedestal of mOnu-
ment, granite block Of seven tons weight,
to be surmounted with a catamount in
bronze. The bronze is committed to the
sculptor T. II. Bartlett, a native of Benning-
ton county, now residing in Paris, for execu-
ton. 1t is contemplated to likewise mark
all the historic localities in and about Ben
nington, particularly the battlefield with
the places of its two engagements, the site
of Parson Dewey's "bleet'n House" the
house where Col. Baum died, the spot where
General Stark made his famous hconic
speech-a score or more in all.
of course, there are two ways Of going to
work in this matter. One-and it seems to
US clearly the better ways that indicated |
in the statement, to raise sum sufficient |
for generous and artistic thing, and then
to procure design appropriate Tor the pur-
pose and for such limit of expense. The
other way would be to secure what the |
Association considers to be a suitable design
and then 90 to work ard raise the money to
build it, be the same m0re or less.
The local majority of the Association, If at
first they approved the first way, as the
statement seems to Indicate, appear now to
have changed their views. At any rate, at
a meeting held at Bennington, Saturday,
Dec. 20. such majority supported the follow
ing resolution:
Resolrsd That the Board OF Directors be in
strueted to receive plans and proposals FOR the
Bennington Battle Monument. and submit recon-
M mendations relating to the building o. the same to
this Association as soon as practicable.
This resolution was stoutly opposed by
the Secretary of the Association, Charles NJ.
Bliss, Esq, as being inconsistent with their
statement" put forth to the world; prema-
ture and not likely to result in procuring
a truly y artistic and mastery design, or the
money needed to embody it. lie insisted
that method other than the common "conl-
mercial method must be adopted to secure
4 true work OF art, and suggested the ad-
Of commanding the aid of gentle
men of known culture and taste, by means
Df an Advisory Board, to consist of men like
Hon. E. j. Phelps, ex-Gov. Stewart, Presi
lent Buck ham, the Governors of the three
States, and others named and who might be
named in and out of Vermont
While the discussion was entirely good ma
tured, Mr.. Bliss secured but a vote or two in
opposition to ;he resolution and unless, on
different cOunsels shall prevail in
he Board, We suppose it will be carried
nto effect