St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-08-20
PHELPS ELOQUENCE.
The Able Orator Does Full Justice
to His Theme.

to HIS meme.
BEyETvGTox. Vt. Aug. 19.-After
the acceptance of the monument by the
state Gen. Veazey came forward, lead
ing the distinguished scholar diplomat
and orator. Hon. Edward j. Phelps. A
roar OF applause greeted their appear
ance and when the last muTmur had
died away Mr.. Phelps delivered the
Grafton of the day. He spoke subStan-
TALLY in these words:
Vermont cOusecra1es to-day her first his
t0riC monument But not here alone. New
Hampshire and Massachusetts, who fought
with her and for her in BennInTrO1- have
iOIued IN erecting this memorial OF their com
mon history And iley are here by splen-
did represeuta1iOu TO share in The triumph OF
lis completion and 20 give TO the occasion Dy
The distinction Of their presence llgnef
dignitr q more generous grace The day mas
slIlI larger significance IL is rreblE FORUM
ate Il marks not only the anniversary or the
battle ana the happy coDsumm1uon III ms
structure Of the eXert1Ous OF nrJeen years
but likewise the centennial OF the entrance
OF Vermont into the federal union. II uuIIes
in lis suggestions the great memories ana
The great hope IN the life Of our com
mouwealth. the expiring century ana me
Iimiuess future il is III that We
should slCnauZe sucn an OCCASION
It is 5aDDrOprlaIe ana gratifying that the
chief magistrate of the nation should be az
such time our most hOnOrad guest In this
scene party differences are forgotten we
are oulv Americans and in loyalty TO that
great Office ana respect rOr the Incumbent
who llls il so well, we are all this dag on l1e
presidents side.
History is full of battles. All its pages are
stained with blood IL would be well 1Or IT'S
history II their memory could perish But
there have been battles. nevertheless, whose
smoke went ND Ike incense COnsecraled IN
the sight of heaven by the cause they NAM
tanned such was that Tor which this smart
shall hencef0rth stand. IL was on our side
the peoples fight 10 government directed
OF supplied il; no regular force was
/ concerned: II was q part OF no or
gaDiZeQ campaign New hampshire sent
her hastily embodied militia. not the
/ less volunteers. In FermCnt ana Massa-
I chuse-ts il was the spontaneous uprising OF
/ a rural and peace-lCTlng population 10 resist
invasion. to defend their homes. TO VlnGICaIe
their right of selt-gOVerumenL Lexington
and Bunker Hill were III this respect It's only
/ parallels IL the Revolutionary war.
I The march of Burg0yne from Canada TO
I The Hudson mad been Till then CONTINUOUS
I victory. He was q brave and skIlltul soldier.
Z leading q WeliaDpOIuted ana powerful army.
/ Tic0n0erOga. the KEY ana stronghold or the
/ Northern frontier. had fallen unexpectedly
/ without a blow The FermOn1ers reIreatIug
I thence had been OyeTtakeu ana utterly de-
! faated at Hub1ardtOn. The advance OF the
/ British TO saltwater nad been almost unOp-
I posed and there was as yet no promise
/ of etfeeuai resistance Even washing
J ton. sUeel-prOO1 against despair. wrote
{ that ne saw not how BurgOvue S
/ march TO Albany could be checked
] The situation of the Inhabitants OF the
I Hampshire Grants was most critical. They
/ called upon God first IN @ day OF fasting and
! PRAYER. appointed by their convention and
/ not only appointed. but sOlemnlv kept. And
/ then they called upon New hampshire ana
/ John stark. New HAMPSHIRE. ablaze with
I patriotic feeling. issued instant orders Tor
/ her militia TO march. Stark reply was
I brief for he was not q nan or words ~ am
/ on the way, said ne. with all the men L can
Win the eve Of q born soldier. he saw that
/ fhe TermOu1ers were right when they de-
I elared that there could be no frontier but
{ frontier Of armed meu-thGT the hampshire
] Grants must be held. because no enemy
! could be resisted 10 whom the yates OF the
I country were thus thrown open; and thar
/ the efectuaI blow against BurgOyue must
/ be struck On his flank OF The stores that had
/ been previously gathered aJ bennington,
I much has been said and but little Is known.
I Their importance has probably been eZagger-
I ated That BUrgOyne needed them. such as
I they we're ana desired still more TO deprive
{ his enemy of them. Is undOubJed. But they
were by no means the principal object Of The
I expedition he sent out. altogether QIsprOpOr-
! toned tOisOismau q matter. He saw as clearly
{ as stark did that that his LETT was the dan
I ger01s Quarter. Ii was not the feeble resist
I auce before him that he was atsald OF, which
{ had not vet fired an eHecCusi shot. 1t was
! what he well called "th6 gathering storm
/ that was on MS left" He perceived that he
I must strike q blow in that quarter which
/ would put down opposition and max safe his
4 flank aud rear The troops ne sent out we're
Z therefore choice ana well commanded ana
/ followed bF q strong support aud their or
/ ders were not merely to capture Bennington,
I but TO cross the country 10 hOck4ngnaIn- anO
/ thence march TO Albany.
: That conflict was the last hope OF the
Z Hampshire Grants. They were nghung Tor
: all thev mad on earth. whether OF possessions
I OF OF rights They could not 90 nome de-
! teateQ, for they would have ned no nOmes 70
90 10. The desolate land that BurgOyne
would have left New York would nave
taken. Not man was on the field by COM
nuIsiCn OF upon the slightest expectation OF
personal advantage OF reward. lle sDirlI
which made the QaV possible W6s shown N
{ that stephen EaV Of Bennington. VINO had
{ five sons ID the light When the hrsU-bOrn
was brought home to him dead Il thank
/ God. 80 he said that had a son willing 10
I give MS life for his country"
Such. in merest and briefest outline. was
I Bennington. It's story, mpertecty pre-
I served. comes down TO US only IL flashes, Dul
/ they are flashes OF glorious light Its cOnse
/ 0ueuces were immediate and Threading il
( was the first success OF the Revolution which
bore any fruits It's guns sounded the first
! notes IN the Enell which announced that the
/ power OF Great Britain over the colonies she
had created and had sacuhced was passing
away. Burgoyue heard It. and knew what il
meant Washington heard it and hearing
I took heart again. Confidence replaced
despair. Gates succeeded Schuyler in com
/ mand at Saratoga. and the militia poured
! into his camp. The lnVInc1bllIty OF the
I British commander was gone. He fought
( desperately. but IN vain. On the 18th OF Oc
! tOber he surrendered
TnJulv following constitution was ratified
and at the first election held under 1t Thomas
f-r- -r%frl -91~r ms
constitution OF Vermont cannot be read with
OUT admiration. I pity the man who, il
view of the time ana the circumstances o
It's composition. can read it without sensi
bility. Framed by q rural people, IN hardship