Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-01-28
Green Mountain BOYS In Chicago.

Associated Sons of Vermont was held a
the Grand Pacific Hotel, mt Chicago, Fri
day evening, January 1G. The following
account of it is condensed from the full
report in the Chicago Tribune: The
gathering was even more successful thar
either of its predecessors, the attendance
being greater and the character OF the
entertainment being fully up to the higl
standard adopted at the inaugural reunion
There were nearly 500 people present, ant
these were representatives from the better
classes of the city and the country, moi
only in Illinois, but in other states. The
guests commenced TO assemble atan early
hour, and long before O'Clock the par
lors were filled, rs well rs the grand
corridors. The grand march was execu
ted bv Ponds full orchestra at about half
past s o'clock, and the company formed
in line and marched, two by two, into the
which was lighted by the
new electric lamps. which Illuminated the
entire room as brilliantly as could have
been done by the sun itself. The menu
II substantial banquet, with
quite enough of the fancy to crafty all
tastes. The tables were decorated with
maple leaves from Vermont, and Vermont
cider filled the glasses.
The officers of the association were near
ly all resent,-Prof. George N. Board
man, president; Elbridge G. Keith, o. S
A. Sprague, the Hon. Eugene Garfield. Of
Aurora, vice presidents; Frank b. Will
Jams, secretary and librarian; II. Ii
Nash, treasurer; executive committee
John Hills, Henry G. Mutt, Homer N. Hib
bard. Lewis l.. Coburn, and Norman
Williams.
The reception committee consisted o.
the following gentlemen: d. X. Pearsons
Stephen f. Brown, Franklin Denison, E
b. Sherman, Edward A. Jnwett, Jewett
Wilcox, John NJ. Thatcher, l. N. Camp
C. N. Pratt, S. w. Bassett, II. II
Thomas and Charles A. Tinker. The
reception committee wore blue and gold
badges, and the executive committee
wore white and gold,
After the guests had all seated them
selves, the president requested them tc
rise, while the Rev. d. S. Phillips, rector
of St. Paul's church at Kankakee, asked a
blessing upon the feast. This duty per-
formed, all resumed their seats and fell tt
work in earnest.
PRESIDENTS SPEECH.
At 10 o'clock, eX president d. X. Pear
sons arose, and having secured attention
by using the gavel, addressed the gather
ing as follows:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: - Your mrs
president (Gurdon S. IubbarD was one
of the first, if not the first, 10 leave hi!
native hills for this new country, even be-
fore Grecley's advice was given to &c
west. Your second president was stal
wart honest lawyer, graduate of the
Vermont University, and now one of ii!
honored trustees. May his shadow never
grow less! Your third president was 5
granger. | have now the pleasure of in
Producing your fourth president, u teacher
of the doctrines brought over in the May
flower, and the doctrines which have made
Vermont the nursery of Just such womer
and men as ! now see before me. have
the pleasure of introducing the Rev. DR.
Boardman, president of the Chicago Theu
logical Seminary.
President Boartman was applauded ,anC
said in criticism of the ex, presidents in
PRODUCTION, that he asked the audience to
hold him IPearsonsJ responsible for his
description of his Ohe spraker's) theology
They were not in want of II good subjec
to talk about. lie supposed no name of ;
state in the union brought forward Sc
clear cut and distinct IN idea as that o
Vermont. There were larger and richer
states, but none more distinctly and per.
fectlv known, This arose from the fac
that tine state itself began with an act o.
will, and developed its resources under
difficulties. Yet it seemed us if the mount
aims were determined to divide the state
into as many fragments as possible, as j
separation aud exclusion one from another
and not society, was the source of civilxa
ton. And yet the mountain-builder knew
what He was doing when He made Yer
mont. He made Just such u state as was
needed in this country TO furnish not th,
Syracuse salt, but the salt OF society. |
was larger than any town,--a person by
itself, it lived in every part of the state
Its positive character had brought thos,
present together. Vermont had pla<ti,
hand. 1t made all her sons alike. Ii
some respects they knew each other AM
Vermont as person, had a characte
which could be defined. II was Stat,
with backbone as clear and distinct a
the Green Mountain ridge. Vermont ha,
Il brain. He didn't claim that the stat'
was perfect There were some jails an,
some convicts, and, or n few occasions
there was IL call for II galiows, although
generally he believed, to suspend people
who came from outside. Laughter Oh
The whole, it was IN honest, contcntet
state. knowing its own duties and its owl
business. She had continually reserve
force in her 300 small towns which coult
outweigh and overbalnnce every evil in
hucnce. Vermont hal head and wis
dom, ANA was therefore called old. Sh
had been called the star that never sci, -
certainly not the largest of the eonstella
lion, but il gave clear and steady ligh
which, if not followed always, it ought t,
be. Vermont was Il state that adhered t.
traditions. "A state that loved the old an,
left experiments TO other people, fcelin!
that the old WAS the better. Applause
TU.rrEpc nE 1,lSnPEr