Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-01-28
Are the nightingales singing there yet?
Are the roses still bright on the calm Benden

"And so | doubt not when you think Of
Vermont you wonder, Are the homes still
pure and happy? Are the schools flourish
| ing? Are the churches maintained ? Fol
you have doubtless heard the prophets OF
evil who have told you and still tell you that
the native population of Vermont is all
dying out, that the little school-houses are
deserted, that the little churches are going
to decay, and that it won't be long before
| the little remnant of Vermonters left will be
wailing, like the shah of Persia Shall bar
barisns have these fair fields of ours !?
| Now, brethren and friends, in order to know
how many genuine, true-hearted Vermonters
there are left in the old state, there must
come some great crisis which will call for
the earnest sacrifice Of good men and good
women. At the outbreak of the war, when
George p Marsh, reaching the very climax
of his enthusiasm, said Vermont must raise
five regiments, we thought that, for once,
our cool, cear-headed, representative man
had lost his head. The idea of Vermont
raising five regiments-fve thousand men
seemed piece of extravaganza. Well, we
raised twenty regiments, and, if the worst
had come to the worst, we could have raised
twenty more. And so | say to-day, if you
want to find how many true-hearted men
there are, don't send the census-taker, for he
cannot find them, but let there come danger
from violence, domestic or foreign, aud |
tell you Vermonters will start up from places
where it is now supposed there are no Yer
monters, Just like Roderick Dhu's men did
on the side of the mountain. Sometimes,
you know, in order to get at the manhood
there is in country, you have to weigh as
we'll as count. | take it that Vermont
l.. Al.u.. Al
United States. The reason why Vermont
can furnish any number of men that the
occasion requires, however great the occa-
sion is, is because Vermont keeps the insti-
tutions, the habits, the ideas, the principles
which make men and women great and keep
them so. Up in Vermont they have pure
and simple democratic constitution. Up in
Vermont they fear God. Up in Vermont
they keep fifty-two Sundays every year, and
in some very good years they keep fifty
three. And you know what the Vermont
Sunday was. 1t was not the Connecticut
blue-law Sunday it was not the Partisan
Sunday, and, thank God, it never will be.
They believe, up in Vermont, in the plain,
old-fashioned homely virtues, and | hope
that you do in Chicago.
When it was known that | was coming
to Chicago great many people said to me,
You just give our love TO all the boys and
girls in Chicago That is what | have
come for-to bring the love of genuine Yer
monters at home to unspoiled Vermonters in
Chicago. But they will ask me great
many questions when | get back. They
will want to know, What our boys and girls
out there mainly set their hearts on? We
know they are very smart out there. We
know that they have miles and miles of
palatial residences and stores, but what have
they set their hearts on Or, as it was put
once in the olden time, If that which is rep
resented by these magnificent hotels and
shops and offices stands for thirteen, while
that which is represented by the little
schools in Vermont and the little missionary
churches and the quiet, humble homes and
firesides-if all these stand for only twelve
then you are not true Vermonters. But
hope and expect when / go back to be able
TO say that found our boys and girls out
here Just as simpleminded and Just as true
hearted in all their splendor and the gran.
deur of their achievements as they were in
the old days when they drove the cows TO
the pasture, whistling as they went, and
when the young heart that throbbed under
the smock frock didn't even dream of the
splendors that are your daily fare here now.
| want TO carry back something from
Chicago. You never heard of college
president who went anywhere that he
didn't want to carry back something with
him. But perhaps | was not thinking
of the same thing that you were at that
time. would like to carry back little
of your energy and enthusiasm, a little of
your push, to the old state. ! should like,
think, TO carry baL6 something that would
increase the pulses of Vermonters about five
in minute. | don't think it would hurt
them any. | hope that all you owe her for
her history, aud for her training of you, you
will pay back in your affection and your de-
votion TO her interests. Mr.. Chairman, [
will close with the sentiment with which
you introduced me- The old State of Yer
mont, God bless her. may
The love of all her sons encompass her,
The love OF all her daughters cherish her"
President Buckham was followed by Rev.
w. II. Alger upon "The cultivation aud ex-
preston Of public spirit great want in
America" the annual poem, +" A rhyme OF
the district school," by Mr.. Norman G. Per-
kins Vermonters at home and abroad"
by Colonel A. N. Waterman and Chicago,
our adopted home, and its mayor" by his
honor the mayor, Carter H. Harrison. These
most enjoyable and instructive exercises
were brought to a close in true Vermont
style, by the Vermont glee club leading in
the singing OF the Doxology, aud the bene-
di ;tion by Rv. w. G. Hopkins of Cham
paign county, illinois.