The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-08-26

To the memory of Stark, however, is
due the candid admission that his won.
derful forced march across the noun
tains and his admirable management of
the fight were more important factors
in the success of the day than physical
bravery could have been under any cir.
cumstances.
Comment on Mr.. Phelps graphic and
truthful sketch of the early history of
the state would be superhuous. The
story was told in way that could not
fail to kindle the enthusiasm of those
who knew it as well as of those TO W HON
it was like new chapter of romance.
1t is worth while, however, to recur to
one or two sentences in which he speaks
of the original constitution of the state
That first constitution of Vermont"
he says, cannot be read without admi-
ration. pity the man who, in view
of the time and the circumstances of
its composition, can read it without
sensibility." Words like these, uttered
by one of the most cultured gentlemen
of his generation, in regard to the con-
stitutional instrument of a rude frontier
people, over hundred years after that
instrument had been written, are no
slight compliment. AS was said in an
other place in the grafton, in referring
to this early history, "we find it diff
cult, at first, in trying to understand it,
to raise ourselves to its plane and to
view it in the light of its own time,
rather than of ours. We do
not rightly comprehend what they did
until we come gradually to realize the
absolutely unselfish devotion, the gen.
uine and unalloyed patriotism, the ar
dent love of liberty, of those plain,
unassuming, upright, resolute, God-fear-
ing men, who were striving to the utter
most, not for place or distinction or
wealth or power, but to achieve self
government, to establish homes, to cre-
ate civil institutions that should be
truly free, sautary and enduring. The
more closely we study their lives and
their works, the greater is our admira-
ton for their character and their ca.
pacity."
Warm and eloquent were the periods
in which Mr.. Phelps referred to the
States splendid record of a century of
devotion to the Union into which she
came at last. The theme was too in
spring for anything but the Hottest
sentiment to be expected from the gifted
speaker. His expressions of hope for
the future, however, have more of in
terest to the living, progressive men of
Vermont to-day. Mr.. Phelps looks for
a community of people whose love for
the natural beauty of their hills will
not cease-a community in which the
great principles of civil and religious
liberty will work themselves out to ma
turity-a community in which prosperity
will diffuse itself more widely among
the people, and in which civilization
will steadily advance. We do not be.
lieve he was INDUCING in mere flight
of fancy when he uttered those words.
Surely, the future of Vermont can be
all that he pictures if the best brain and
heart of the state are periodically de-
voted to the solution of vexed questions
as they arise. The real good of celebra-
ton like that of last week is in quicken
ing the patriotic impulses of the peo-
pie, and Mr.. Phelps has certainly done
his share in contributing to that result.