Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-03-22
Fragments.

Mr.. Editor -" Gather up the fragments that
nothing be lost, was the Injunction Of the Galilean
teacher How many fragments Of fact, history
and incident personal and local, are there floating
about which 1t would be exceedingly interesting
to read II they could be gathered up and put in
proper form, and how valuable to preserve. Just
now am thinking Of fragments relating TO the
glorious old liberty party, the men who composed
II in Vermont the ends for which they labored
with such sincerity and zeal and the reward which
has 80 soon come 10 them. | need not say that
my thoughts have been Immediately directed to
this matter by the recent "gong hence" Of our
lamented friend Garnett, and by the illusions
which you and Brother Swain Of the Bellows Falls
Times have made to him in your papers | cannot
now, Of course, begin to write 1.-THE OF the things
that come to my mind in connection with the
brief history Of that best and purest Of all polit
ical parties. can do no more now than to name
some OF our prominent members. These were,
then, our honored and longtime candidate for
governor, Hon Lawrence Branerd of st. Adams,
Hon Titus Hutchinson Of Woodstock, Hon Ry-
land Fletcher Of Cavendish Hon. W.R shafter of
Townshend and Oscar l.. Shaiter his son. Hon.
William NJ. Pngrey of Perkinsville, Colonel J. p.
Miller and Zenas Wood Of Montpelier, Theron
Howard Of Danvlle, Joseph Rowell, Esq, Of
Waterville and his talented SON. A. Judson Row
ell, Esq, of North Troy, Daniel Roberts, Esq, Of
Manchester, r r. Thrall, Esq, Of Rutland, Rod
ney V. Marsh Esq and Dr. Josiah W. Hale Of
Brandon, Austin Beecher of TInesburgh, William
II. French of Williston, Mr.. Bigeow and c. c.
Briggs of Burlington, Charles FELTON, Of Franklin,
Colonel Samuel Kendall Of Enosburgh Falls, Al
win II. Baker of Enosburgh Center, Captain Com
ings and Nathan Hamilton Of East Berkshire,
Benjamin Comings of Greensboro, Rev. f. j.
Comings Of Montpelier, b. II. Fuller, Esq, Deacon
Stillman Bingham and Daniel Lothian Of Stowe,
Deacon Chandler Of Randolph Denslow Upham
Of Warren. Benson Aldrich Of West Topsham,
NJ. NJ. Davis Of Norwich, Bella Hall Of Royalton,
Oliver wincbell of stockbridge t9), Madison
Stafford of Cambridge and many Others equally
true and noble men well remember the pleas
ure that felt in young Davis of Norwich and
Lothian Of Stowe, cultured enough apparently to
associate with the most conservative and intel
| lgent Of Webster wings, they were, nevertheless,
attached to the humble craft Of the little party Of
freedom, and maintained lively alliance with it
in Its work. To "gather up all the fragments -
relating to these men and their organized Ia
bors in the interest Of liberty, would be savory
work. and not only serve the pleasure of us who
survive, but would also serve the interest of fu-
ture readers of history in state whose legend is
Freedom and Unity" Time is working great
changes. The men who were factors in the little
party of forty years ago and later are fast pass
ing away. You and /, to whom the " field was
then the world" so full of fair promises, are old
and gray headed" II anybody shall attempt to
write up the fragmentary history OF events at the
time Of which speak, 1910 to 1917, it is painfully
evident it will have to be done soon. HDH