Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-01-29
Chr FIREMAN.
Vermont,
Gy REV. II. II. HOWARD, A. NJ.
No. !

Iris 4 rough land of rock and stone and tree,
Where breathes no castlei lord or cabined slave,
But thoughts, and hands, and tongues are free"
Anon.
1t is Stephen a. Douglas, we believe,
native of the state, to whom is attri buted
the well known saying that Vermont is an
excellent place 10 emigrate from. Ver-
monters generally, however, are Of the
opinion that far more appropriate motto
for their rock-ribhed, yet plucky and en-
ierprising state is:
1--WE BUILD sCHoOL-HoUsEs, AND RAISE
MEN,"
Lying between 423, A N. L.. and be-
tween 50. 81. and 80, "a Z. l.. from
Washington, and omprehending the ter
ritory between the Connecticut River and
Lake Champlain, n territory formerly
known by the name Of the New Hamp-
shire Grants, Vermont constitutes the
northwestern part of that section of the
United States known as New England.
The length Of the state from north to
south is one hundred and fifty-seven and
one-half miles. The average width is
about fifty-seven miles, and the whole sur
face of tho state about nine thousand
square miles.
The face of the country is generally
uneven, and the central parts mountainous.
The range of Green Mountains. which
rive name to the state, and which extends
quite through the state from south to
north, keeping nearly middle course be-
tween Connecticut River and Lake Cham
plain, are found to rise, in several places,
to height not less than four thousand
feet. The loftiest of these, Mansfield,
Camel's Hump, Shrewsbury and Killington
peaks, lifting up their blue heads among
the clouds, and clad with the perpetual
verdure Of their hardy evergreens even to
their towering SUBMITS, command the at
tantion, and by their sublmity. inspire
and impress the observer throughout al
most the whole extent of the state.
The principal streams of Vermont, ris-
ing among these mountains and, following
the several declivties, finding their way
into the Connecticut River, on the east, or
into Lake Champlain on the west are
West River, Black, Ottaquechee, White,
Wells and Passumpsc; and Otter Creek,
Winooski or Onion, Lpmoille and Missis-
co. Black, Barton and Clyde Rivers run
norlherly into Lake Memphremagog. All
these are quite considerable streams, are
well stored with fish, and withal abound
in falls and rapids capable Of affordng
water-powcr for propelling machinery to
almost any extent.
The history of the state of Vermont is
interesting from u variety of considera
tions. The simple fact that, within sim
gle century, such a marvellous transforma-
ton has taken place in the general aspect
of things rs that developed on this terrific
nv, and that so considerable II common
wealth rs ours has meantime been raised
up here, cannot but render the record of
this transformation and development sim
gularly interesting.
"Whcre peepel the hat the palace towers
Where skinned the bark, the war ship lowers;
Joy gaily carols where was silence rude,
And cultured thousands throng the solitude"
When first visited by Europeans, about
Il hundred years ago, we are assured this
whole tract Of country was an unbroken
wilderness. At that period, rs another
has well said, The hand of industry had
no where laid bare the soil to the genial
influence OF the summers sun. Where now
we behold smiling villages, thronged by
the busy multitudcs, and cultivated farms
Welding the peaceful fruits Of regulated
industry, then were seen naught but dark
and gloomy forests, and the pyres erected
in their midst for the immoation Of those
whom the fortunes of war had thrown into
the hands of an enemy. Where now from
our fields aud hamlets the hum Of bust
uess daily ascends, save when exchanged
for the sound of the church-g going bell
and hushed for the rational and solemn
worship of Almighty God-then wer
heard only the war -whoop and death son:
of the savagc-the commingled strains
ferceness and exutation-the horri
shrek of cruelty and death" Wher
now the iron steed comes snorting up from
his smoky stable, or with smoking aXl
hot with speed" devours the distance be
fore him, waking the echoes from al
mountain sides, then there extended or
every hand the flvorite hunting-groun'
of the native the moose, the deer, tn
bear, the wolf otter and beaver, freel
roving up and down these valleys, o
along the margin of these lakes ;-succes
sve generations Of red men, meantime
having hero from time immemorial pur
sued the chase-vying in tleetness will
the passing wind, and free as the mountain
air which he inhaled.
Again. The sturdy and resolute charac
ter Of the ycomanry who subdued theS
forests, brought all this fine domain unde
cultivation, and defended their possession
so steadfastly and heroically, not onl
against the wiley and blood thirsty savage
but, moreover, against the unjust ana al
bitrary claims of their neiShbors on eilhe
hand, naturally awakens in the MIND
sentiment of admiration that invests tn
story of the tolls of these men-the stor
of their vicissiludes, conflicts and flna
trumphs-with signal interest. 1t nee
hardly be said that changes so lmportAo
and auspicious as those to which relerenc
has just been made could not well nav
been effected without the most patent an
perseverng loil-lhbors and dltlcuIIle
and dangers, indeed, to which the presef
inhabitants of this highly favored state
surrounded as they are, by their conVet
fences and comforts, must, in the yer
nature of the case, be utter strangers
,i,o uf the country, tIl