Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-12-26
The Yorktown M:nument and Celebration.


were dcsultory Los,ilili,a on land and sea
between the contcndinr forces Of the United
States and Grcai Britain Tor months after the
l9lh of October. 14S1: but the surrender Of
Cornwallis ON that day as truly ended the
war as did the Surrender Of Lee at Appomat-
tox. Ten dayaattcr the victory Of the allied
arms Of the United States and France. the
American Congress voted that monument
should be erected TO commemorate an event
which was then filling the heart Of every
American patriot with cXultant joy. But our
people were poor enough when the eight years
war for National independence ended, and
the monument was never erected The ap-
proach Of the centennial anniversary Of the
surrender Of Cornwallis has revived the pa
riotic purpose of the fathers Of the Repub-
lie, and there is now fair prospect that
worthy monument viii soon rise at York
town, which shall serve 10 commemorate,
not only the estaJ.ishmen,of our nationality,
but its full restoration after the rude shaltcr-
ing of its ties by rebellion and civil war.
The Governor of Virginia. las; Summer,
suggested meeting Of the Governors of the
old thirteen States, to consider the subject
of the erection of a monument and the prop
er celebration Of the centennial anniversary
of the event. The Governors accordingly
met ION the invitation of the Governor of
PENNSYLVANIA at Independence Hall in Phil
adelphia, on the 18th of October last. The
meeting was a Harmonious and enthusiastic
one Its sense was that the LESSONS Of his
tory are enforced upon the risin: generation
innomore effective way than by such cclebra-
tious as began Il; Concord, Mass, in 1870,
and will end at Yorktown in 1SSl;-in
which widely s.parated and hitherto es-
traugcd representative citizens of our coun-
try are brought face to face, and where they
may renew their p'e;lgcs Of devotion 10 the
principles which are the corner stone Of our
Republic. The Governors accorlirTly pass
ell a resolution recommending the people Of
the United States 10 organize such u ccle-
bration of the centennial anniversary
of the surrender ot Ccrnwulis at
Yorktown rs shall hcdi the historical
significance Of that event, and the present
srcatncss Of the Nation. Further, that
committee Of one from each State in the
Union be appointed by the several Governors
with tn. Governor of Virginia rs chairman
to make the proper arrangements. The
Governor Of Vermont appointed Gen. J. l..
Earstow of this city as the committee On the
part of Vermont and ndsini.arexcellent appoint
nents have been lor soon will bc} announced
from the other States In the meantime Con
gress has taken action looking to the assunp-
ton by the National Legislature OF the duty
entrusted to the committee. On the lth ofthis
month. the House of Representatives unan-
imously adopted the following preamble and
resolutions. introduced ly Mr. Goodt, the
member from the Yorktown district:
WHEREAS on Monday. the e9;h dly Of October,
Isl IL was resolved '-!Id the niici Siaies ~ con
rre5 assembled VIII cause 10 hc erected Al York,
IN virginia Il marble column, adorned win EN-
blems Of the alliance between the niie'l STATES anu
his most Christian majesty. ami Inscribed win i
surcmCt narrative of the SURRENDER OF Edfl corn
wallis 10 his cxcellency General Washington. COM
maudrr-iI-chcf of the cuihhlnet llr'S ui America
and France. his cNcclieury the tIunt dr Enrhain-
neau commanding tine auxiliary troops of MS most
| Christian majesty IN America. and his cNcrllcncN
the Count c ,irl~se commanding IN chief the naval
| army IN France IN Che-lp. cake: aid whereas thar
resolution has unf been r-..ri iup effect and the
wears ago remains yc. ua1u...-Ji; and whereas IL
s ,mnrUiiy proper tia; te centennial iiilN rf~ify
of Tie decisive victory achieved "y washington AMI
the Continental army WIN tit i-,l-lthtr "i lh'f
French allies at Yorktown. srnI.i be- appropriately
celebrated by the American e"p!eu on the spot where
\ it occurred : Therefore.
APPOINTED hy the Speaker. whose duty It shall he to
nailirr iutothr expelency pi upprppraing suit
III s,i,, IN , ey.u,ird Ilgcr the direction of the
Secretary Of'Ndr IN erecting ~ Yorktown in N
gnI the monument referred 20 IN ihc aforesaid re-
SOLUTION OF Congress aul Of making 5Ar necessary
arrangements. IN conjunction with the Authorities
Of thr STATE of Virginia Tor Jpprop-iii" rnrhrd-
iion hy the American p-onr On me I!i ''.H 90 W
tobrr ~>i. Tor the surrender ui ij" British iHf'ts
under Lord CORVALLIS: and iILi -aid committee
| have leave to report h. h.l "- Otherwise l. any
| time.
The object contemplated in this action Of
Congress must. it seems 10 Us commend it.
| self to every man vino las u particle of pairi-
otic feeling. 1t also seems to us that Congress
is the proper body to provide the funds and
make the necessary arrangements. We there
fore trust that if the select committee report,
as they may be expected to, proper bill 10
that end, our Vermont Representative in
Congress will give 1t their hearty support
We think We cannot be mistaken in cur
| opinion that the people of Vermont Will cor-
daily sustain them in such action For
no one can doubt that such Il worthy COM
memoration of great event of the past viii
serve powerfully to cement the bonds o!
| the Union in the future