The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-10-10

quarters after the surrender of CORVALLIS,
will close the grand procession of the
great events which led to the independ-
ence of America.
The public assemblages and solemn OBJ
servances, the recurrence to the historic
past, the imposing pageants, the anthems,
the eulogies, and all that patriotism has de-
vised and art or literature contributed to
commemorate the heroic deeds and honor
the illustrious patriots of the Revolution
have made of this centennial period
school of patriotism and freedom, and the
people of the world have been the pu-
pills. The lesson of self-government has
been Welcomed. Much of the ameliora-
ton of the condition of mankind in all
civilized countries, in the past and to
come, may be credited to the effective
teachings of America. But the weightier
consideration for Americans is the bear
ing these centennial observances have had
upon Americans themselves and particu.
larry upon the youth of America. No
American can appreciate, in any reason
able degree, the value of the institutions
under which he lives, who is ignorant of
the history of the times in which these
institutions were formed. There is not
unfounded apprehension that the youth
of the present generation are too little
familiar with the men and events of the
revolution with the conflicts and discus
sions out of which were evolved the
political principles for the maintenance of
which the fathers of the Nation pledged
"their lives, their fortunes and their
sacred honor" with the trials, the hard.
ships, the dangers through which they
bore to final triumph the beaming symbol
of those principles. To the general reader
of American history, the spectacular
events of the Revolution, the 10Th of
April, the Fourth of July, the Ticon-
derogas and Bunker Hills are better
known than the deep current of serious
and less conspicuous events which flowed
through those years of war and which
gave to the result the distinctive charac.
ter which it bore. The dangers met and
vanquished during the two years in which
the army lay in idleness on the Hudson,
waiting the issue of the negotiations for
peace, are not so we'll known, or so often
recalled, as the flight of the army across
New Jersey, the dismal winter at Valley
Forge, the retreat through the Carolinas,
the treason of Arnold; but at Newburg,
during the idle hours of 1882 and 1888,
were encountered enemies more insidi-
Gus and dangers more threatening than
British duplicity or the British military
power. The influence and wisdom of
Washington were never more sigually dis
played than, during this time, in dealing
with the discomfort and ferments of suffer.
ing soldiers, smarting and restless under
wrongs and injuries. This quiet centenary
of the peace which brought independence
with the ceasing of the horrors of war is
perhaps suggestive, more than its impos.
ing predecessors with their stately cere.
monials, of lively, if not an adequate,
sense of the obligation that is due, for the
imperfectly appreciated blessings of Amer.
lean citizenship, to the calm wisdom OF
Washington, to the forbearance and self.
control, under infinite provocation, of the
patriot army. In the full light of the his
tory of the trying months Immediately
preceding the proclamation of peace, nc
eulogy of the great commander could be
extravagant, no expression of gratitude to
the army, of admiration for it, conduct
or of sympathy for its suffsrings could be
too fervent.
The revolution is the classic period Of
American history. Ancient story, in
vested by the lapse of time with the en-
chantment which distance lends, has not
with all the glory which poetic fancy and
genius have surrounded it, the claim upon
the honest, unperverted tastes of the Amer
lean student that the early history Of
their own country possesses. Still, as has
been said, it is doubtless true that the
schooled youth of America know more Of
the myths and traditions celebrated in
ancient classical literature than of the
men and events distinguished in the civil
and military annals of the colonies that
deied the power of England. The ele
ments of the character of the true Amer
lean citizen must be formed by we'll
grounded knowledge of American history
81 was born an American, 1 live an Amer
lean, and l shall die an American" was
Webster's patriotic boast, at the laying Of
the cornerstone of the monument which
was to commemorate the first great battle
of the Revolution. That address and
those other efforts which have made his
name immortal, which have become Amer
lean classics, were built upon broad
foundation of knowledge of the early his
tory of his country and of fervent sym
pathy for the sufferinps and sacrifice.