Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1891-03-20
THE vERMONTERS AT MlNNEAP-
OILS.

MINNEAPOLIs, Mimi, March, 8, 1891.
Editor Of the Register Last evening
the Nermonters of Minnesota to the
number of upwards of 300 met around
the tables of the West Hotel In this city
to celebrate in a becoming manner the
l0lst birthday of their State, and that
State cannot object to the manner of the
ushering in of its second century if all
her sons and daughters now scattered
over the Union remembered her as well
and observed the day as enthusiastically
and Loyalty as did those of this State.
At an early hour the parlors and halls
of the holel were well filled with an an
mated crowd. About 80 o'clock the
tall emigrant from New Haven lead the
way to the dining room. Rev. Mr.
Spcare, who occupied the pulpit of the
old white Westinghouse in Middebury
during the SOS, invoked Gods blessing
upon those present as well AS on those
near and dear to them in their old home.
The president of the association, Gen.
L. A. Grant, assistant secretary of war,
being absent from the State, the chair
was occupied by ex-senator Robert b.
Langdon, who was master of ceremonies.
lie read two kilograms that he had re-
ceived- one from the governor of Ner-
mont and one, believe, from the Yer
mont association in New York, sending
Us their greeting.
When the dinner was over our eX-
senator introduced as the orator of the
occasion a man who, he said, had lived
in Vermont great many years ago
and knew all about Vermont and would
tell US all about it-Col. r. c. Benton.
The colonel admitted that he was very
old and somewhat shattered, but not
nearly so old as the man who had in
troduced him. We were disposed to
accept as truth whatever either of them
said and should had the other one been
away; but Langdon had the advantage
he had shed his only evidence of age
Ga bald pate never changes COLOR -whlt
Benton's remained intact. The spright
ly old commander of the ragged Yer
mont 18th resumed his early calling
that of a pedagogue-and proceeded tC
teach us history. If any of his old pu.
pills were present they must have OBJ
served how like himself their former in
structor was, and if they were not prouC
of him in the days of old, they wer,
proud of him at the banquet. We al
were. He laid down history to us as h,
would the law, and we belieyed every
word of it. He told us of the time whel
neither Indians nor white men could liv
in Vermont because of the constant war
fare between the English and the French
of the struggles the early settlers ha,
under Parson Dewey and the Aliens, o
the New Hampshire Grant, of the earl,
means of communication, of the stage
and stage roads going "below"; but h
didn't say word about the taverns
He remembered the tin pedler, the az
pie pairing, the husking bees, the suga
bush, the old implanted houses, the card
ing machine, the weaving loom, tn
flannel gowns, home made; he remenl
bered the girls that carded, spun an
wove them. He named many of tn
2 noted judges and statesmen of the earl
times and some of the more recent one
, Solomon Foot of Cornwall, SIla
Wright of Weybridge, Stephen a. Doug
l.; -,
Brigham Young. whose birth in Fran
ingham and early removal therefor
, enabled him to control fifty wives
t Judge Phelps, whose old home was i
Cornwall (now MiddleJury); Chester
- Arthur, Levi p. Morton, whom Shore
ham claims, and lots of other prominer
o men. If Vermont had still left as niue
good timber as she has sent out, tn
! safety of the ship of State would be as
/ sured. Col. Benton evidently has nc
3, forgotten his old home, and we VIII
I idea that that old home has forgotte
p him. Judge A. Ii. Young was dow
0 for a short address. He said he was OF
liged to admit that he was not born
Vermont, but insisted that he was NJ
q to blame for it and did not wish I'll
State to be held responsible for i
President Langdon assured him that til
u State would accept the situation wit
thanks; and if the applause indicate
anything, the assembly sustained til
chair Judge Young, being an outsider
:, could properly recount the noble recoI
q that Vermont had made and told |
# what great country this would
when the good influences of Vernon
should permeate its whole domain. 4
!. this point in the programme the write
being somewhat aged and not accuston
g to keeping late hours, luctantly wit
drew. 1t was something after midnigh
:. Several speechs and songs were yet
follow, and they were undoubted
Il good. Among the, several singers WI