The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-09-03
To the People.

The citizens of the French Republic
commemorated the one hundredth ami
versary of the independence of the United
States by proposing to erect, at their
own cost, colossal bronze statue of
Liberty Eulightening the World" upon
a pedestal Of suitable proportions, to be
built by private subscriptions, upon one
of the islands belonging to the United
States in the harbor of New York. By
resolution congress has set apart Fort
Wood and Bedloe's Island, at the entrance
of the harbor of the metropolis of the
nation, for the statue of liberty, and has
covenanted to provide for its permanent
preservation and maintenance as beacon
and memorial of the ancient and contin.
ued good will of the great nation which
so materially aided us in our struggle for
freedom. This is an equivalent on the
part of our government to q donation
(including the maintenance of powerful
electric light in the hand of the statue)
of more than s1,5OO,OOO; leaving it to
the people of the United States to pro-
vide about one.fifth of that sum for the
foundation and pedestal. The whole
structure, whom completed, will exceed
height of three hundred feet, and become
fitting monument to the grandeur of
free government. The cost of the statue
more than $250,000-was contributed
by one hundred and eighty-one cities,
towns and precincts in the republic of
France, in appreciation of the blessings
of government "by the people, for
the people such as exists in the United
States of America, with a liberty that
enlightens the world gracefully remind.
ing US of the sympathy and help of their
ancestors in our struggle to obtain it.
The American committee having in
charge the raising of funds for the com.
pletion of the pedestal are unable, from
the very nature of the case, to organize
subcommittee throughout the country
for that purpose; therefore they conf.
IDENTIFY appeal to influential and patriotic
citizens of every locality, to chambers of
commerce, boards of trade, exchanges
and societies, to aid them in this national
monument by forming subcommittee for
the purpose of gathering the remainder
of the needed funds. The statue is fin
ished, and has recently been formally
presented to Mr.. Morton, our minister to
France, and will be ready for transporta-
tion to our shores in French national
vessel as soon as the pedestal shall be
ready to receive it. More than half of
the sum required for its completion has
been contributed-chieay by New York
and its immediate vicinity. The work is
we'll under way, and ought not to be
stopped by the indifference or apathy of
the people. The committee feel confident
that it will not be, when the object of
this international sentiment of friend
ship and love of liberty is fully com.
pretended. In circular setting forth
these things the American committee,
through its president, Hon. William M.
Evarts, appeals to the people of this
nation for funds to complete the pedestal.
The committee say:
Hitherto it has been misrepresented and
misunderstood. 1t is in no way a private en-
terprise Tor personal or sectional Qualification
1t Is the gift Of the people of France to the
people of the United Statesl THE grandest
monument ever dreamed of as a recognition of
the blessings Of liberty. 1t Is fitting that its
pedestal should be constructed by the contr-
buttons OF many and not of a few. No North
no South, no East, no West; but throughout
this glorious land. More than 1925, 900 will be
required to complete the pedestal of the statue,
preparatory to It's Inauguration, as set forth in
the resolution Of congress. The funds of the
committee are nearly exhausted; the work
must stop within thirty days unless public
spirit and patriotism is widely aroused to finish
1t. Indifference 20 1t Is tantamount to national
ingratitude and humiliation. All checks should
be drawn to the order OF H. +. Spaulding.
treasurer, % Liberty street, New York"