The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-08-26

other neiehbors and dear friends, whose
verv memories are fragrant with love.
There. in the quiet Of that Gods acre, re-
pose four generations OF my family. Thither
/ have followed a loving mother, dear
father and three sisters, the youngest of
whom died in my arms. The eldest was
known to many of you for her kind heart and
useful life. From these quiet scenes | went
out a boy into the active life of the busy
world. Now, having passed the three-score-
and-ten years allotted to man, | have come
back to these scenes OF my childhood to
take part in this interesting tribute to my
ancestors and TO renew the earliest friend
ships of my life. Is 1t strange that in such
an hour thoughts crowd upon my heart and
mind which cannot express?
"In the brevity to which l am limited /
have only time for two suggestions. | re-
member a wiliston boy some years my
junior, born to poverty and strict integrity.
From the old Red School-house he went
out into the world to seek his own fortune.
He became eminent as an engineer. He
invented the cable railroad. He acquired
wealth and reputation, and then, true YER
monter as he was, he came back to the
home OF his childhood to give the land upon
which this monument stands, and to con-
meet his name inseparably with its erection
No honor should be withheld from the name
of Horny Root, a worthy son OF Wiliston
and OF the Green Mountains.
Fellow-citizens, why was Thomas Chit
tenden so loved in his life-time2 Why was
he the president of the Council of Safety,
and governor until his death in 1897? And
why are you here to-day inaugurating a
monument to his memory? The answer to
these questions is the refutation of the teach
ing OF those false prophets who tell our
young men that the integrity of our ances-
tors has lost its value; that moral principles
no longer influence or control men or COM
munities. In this my last visit to the home
OF my nativity, let this my last counsel to
my fellow-townsmen be to discard these
false notions and to remember the lesson
taught by the lives of Thomas Chittenden
and his contemporaries. Stand fast by the
principles of your ancestors. Be true to
the example of him whose monument you
unveil to-day, and then Vermont will be in
the future, as she has been in the past the
mother Of statesmen. Every hamlet in her
mountains shall be the nursery of soldiers
true to the flag OF their country, and other
centennials shall know her as the one state
who was always true to herself to the re-
public and to mankind"
Rev. A. D. Barber Of Williston, in
behalf of the citizens of Williston, re-
turned grateful acknowledgements to
Henry Root of San Francisco, to He
ratio Johnson of Williston and to all
others who had assisted to make the
day 80 much of success. The band
led in the singing of America" and
the exercises were at an end.
The monument stands on lot pre-
scented by Henry Root and is hand
some structure from the quarries of
Mari q Gordon, Barre. Its dimensions
are as follows: The base is 8 feet 4
inches by s feet 4 2 5 inches in height.
This base is beveled so as to receive
second base-the plinth proper of 7
feet and Is inch by 5 feet II 5-S
inches and l foot inches in height.
This plinth is finely wrought in o. G.
mouldings. Upon it rises the die,
cubical block 5 feet rs inches by 4
feet 6 3.S inches and feet inches in
height. The die is paneled on its four
upright sides, the panels being sunk
into the face from rs of an inch to 2
inches, according TO the inscription on
them. On the front in large raised
letters is