The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-02-19
The monumen, Meetings To-day

was not able to be present.
The Monument Meetings To-day.
The early hour at which VIC go to press
and the fact that all of the meetings have
not ad iOurncd makes our report shorter
than il otherwise would have been.
The early trains brought Gov C. S.
Page, Lieut.-Gov. Fletcher, Treas. Field,
See. of State Brownell, Speaker Mann,
Gen. Gilmore, Judge Henry, Col. Col
burn, Prof. Perry, II. w. SpatfOrd and
other prominent gentlemen to town.
| They were met at the depot by Col. Alb
bott, Maj. Valentine, Maj. Coifey, l. E.
Gibson and others, and drove to the
Monument, thence to the Soldiers Home,
and to the Park Block where the meet
I ings were held.
At noon Col. Abbott dined the distin-
guished guests at his hospitable home
on Pleasant street. Gov. Pages daugh
ter accompanied him and was the guest
of Mrs. Abbott. The Governor and
daughter will remain over night the
guest of Major Coffey proceeding to
Boston in the morning, while the Others
depart on the afternoon trains.
The historical society's meeting was
presided over by the Hon. Geo. w. Har-
man. Gov Page was elected president
pro tempOre of the Monument Associa
ton and presided. Over thirty members
were present. After discussion Major
| Valentine introduced q resolution which
was adopted, unanimously, providing for
the transfer of the Battle Monument to
the State of Vermont, agreeable to the
statute, and also authorizing aud empOw-
ering Hon. Geo. W. Hartman, and APP
pointing him agent to make said trans
fer. This was the special object of the
meeting. From reports it is not prOba-
bic that the Lebanon Springs Railroad
will be in condition to build the proposed
spur railroad this year.
An Advisory Committee was appointed
on behalf of the Association to confer
with the State Committee on celebration
in August next as follows: Mcssrs. Val
entine, Abbott, Scott, Shurtletf, Batchel
der, Bennett and G. +. Dewey. This com
completed the business of the ASSOcia
ton. The meeting of great interest to the
public was that of the State Committee
on celebration, consisting of the Gov
crnOr, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of
State, Treasurer and Speaker of the
House. This committee met in con
nectiOn with the others and dnring the
discussion Maj. Valentine offered val
liable suggestions, which will probably
form the basis Of the action taken this
afternoon relative to the celebration
next summer We give Maj. Valentines
ideas somewhat at length as follows:
The dedication of the Monument and
celebration of the Tooth anniversary of
the admission of Vermont TO the Union
being matter of State action, it should,
in its general management, be managed
by the State, and whatever aid may be
given by private citizens, the State itself,
through its officials, should have all of
the glory and all of the responsibility.
In furtherance of this idea, III my
opinion, nothing but State officers, civil
and military Except in case of visiting
military oflicers), should appear on that
day as directors and managers of the
procession,
In the same line OF action, would
haze a general officer of the military de-
partment of the State, the Commander
mot Marshal, but General i'm com
mandy of all organized bodies present;
the b. b. NJ. Association and every other
organization, civil and military, subordi-
nate to him, the Governor, OF course, rs
Commander in Chief of all; he 1.-THE Gov
cmor) to introduce the President of the
! Dav.
Sill further in the same line, would
have him ("General in COmmand'D, for
his staff and assistants, make detail from
| the forty commissioned officers of the
! regiment Zone from each company and
two from the field, and such cOmpli-
mentary details from visiting military
organizations as circumstances should
suggest. Details from our own regiment
should be considered as on military duty
and be held responsible for the discharge
of their duties, and, in case of neglect, be
subject to the same penalties as though
/ on duty with their regiment.
| In fact. | would make the whole affair,
so far as parade and its collaterals are
concerned, purely and absolutely under
military guidance,
Such, i'm brief, would be the pro-
gramme | would advise. OF course much
labor must devolve on the b. b. N. AssO-
Citations and the citizens of Bennington
and prominent citizens elsewhere. Al
ready inquiries are made by whole regi-
ments in New York, about camping
grounds, and the practicability of their
marching from Troy, and going into
camp for a week. My idea is, that what
would amount to a regiment of regular
United States Infantry and Battery, and
a Company of Calvary, will be present.
The President with many United
States officials will be here, and will no
doubt, be well escorted. | believe New
Hampshire will send 1000 men of its
State military organizations; Massachu-
sets as many more; Connecticut will be
well represented, and as for New York,
| should not be surprised il as many
military organizations came from there
as from all others besides. And then
come the Masons, and Odd Fellows, and
/ kindred Orders, who are even now max
/ ing arrangements to turn out in force in
full uniform. There will be thousands
represented in Grand Army organiza-
tons, Sons of Veterans, and Sons of the
American Revolution.
The occasion can hardly fail 20 be the
largest and finest display of military and
semi-military organizations ever together
in New England, with the possible ex-
ception of similar gatherings at Boston
IL is fortunate for the committee ap-
pointed by our Legislature with full
powers, that the Military Department of
Vermont, TO which the charge of the
parade naturally belongs, Is an organiza-
ton fully equipped and well qualified
for such duty. II takes from the com
mittee a load of responsibility, and at
the same time assures successful
parade.
These suggestions met with favor and
the distinguished committee passed the
afternoon in the discussion Of details.
II Is proposed to have a procession TO
form at . n. m. of August 10TH and to
move at $3.50. Then to proceed to the
monument site arriving at noon. The
dedicatory exercises and Grafton TO take