Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-02-20
THE "OLD NORTH STATE. "
ANNUAL REUNION OF SONS AND
DAUGHTERS OF VERMONT.
An Enjoyable Occasion Speeches by Gov.
Lippitt, Congressman Powers. Colonel
Albert Clarke and Others at tho
Meeting OF tho Rhode Island
Association.

The sons and daughters of the "old
North State" who have left the rock
ribbed hills Of Vermont for the land of
Rogers Williams, met in reunion Friday
night for the ninth time to renew the
memories of the Green Mountains, and the
Providence Journal speaks of the events
as follows
About 100 members of the association
with their guests, which included a num-
Der of the women for which the State has
long been famous, enjoyed the annual ban
quet at Tillinghast's assembly rooms,
and listened to speakers from the old
State who sang Its praises so persistently
that Col. John c. wyman remarked that
he must have been suffering through
lifetime of misfortune in not having been
born in Vermont.
From $3.50 to O'Clock the members re-
newed acquaintance and welcomed the
guests. The reception committee included
Fred 1. Marcy, George French, George
Sabre, DR.. William r. White, Jerome j.
Perry and Rev. S. II. Webb Music was
rendered during the reception and banquet
by Langstaff's orchestra Covers were laid
for 100, the tables being decorated with
growing plants. The prominent guests
and speakers were Hon. II. Henry Powers,
member of Congress from the first district
of Vermont; Col. Albert Clarke, secretary
of the Home Market club of Boston; Gov.
Lippitt and John G. Wyman of this State.
A1ter an elOQuenl welcome by lTeSluenI
Charles A. Catlin, the blessing was asked
by Rev George A. Smith, pastor of the
Roger Williams Free Baptist church. In
commencing the post prandial exercises
President Catlin referred to the valentine
the association annually offered the Old
North State in the shape of these gather
ings. He said that Vermonters love the
old State for the simplicity of the home
life Of tho hills, and referred happily to
some of the old laws OF the State and the
Green Mountain boys of history, her-
tage to every Vermonter with other noble
products of the old State He declared
that while cherishing the memories of the
association did not neglect their foster
mother, and are proud of her prominence
In the affairs of the nation
He then introduced Gov Lippitt, who
referred to the emotions he felt when a
boy on reading in his school reader the
poem which tod of the valor of the men
of Vermont, and their readiness to stand
against the world. He used to wonder
how they could make such a stand and
how they could thus defy everyone. "Ver-
mont" he said, from its connection with
the history of America, and the character
of its citizens, is pre-eminently an Ameri-
can State, 1t is an agricultural
State, an employment on which the
country relies. 1t comes nearer to the
condition of our forefathers than a manu-
featuring State, where there is such a
1ecllnB OF unrest, a 1eellnR winch is liable
TO break out at any moment"
Gov. Lippitt then gave q large number
of statistics regarding the products of the
State. and compared them with the similar
items produced in this and other States
Returning to the citizenship of the State
he said: "Those who moved into the State
have always been typical American citi-
gens. During the civil war the State sent
5000 men to the front, showing that the
citizens were willing to defend them
selves" He said that he was glad TO find
that there were so many people of good
Vermont stock in Rhode Island. I'VE are
all better able TO work out the destiny of
the State" he said, "if you are with u.s.
1T is not only a pleasure to welcome you
but / hope that you will induce all you
can to leave Vermont and come here"
Congressman Powers said that he bore
TO the members of the association the
greetings Of the "old folks at home"
He said: ITO those of us who have re-
manned at home and kept alive on tho
old hearthstone the fires of patriotism
there Is nothing so inspiring as such
gatherings as these of the sons and daugh-
tiers of the old State. You cannot find a
Nermonter anywhere who does not think
that there is, after all, no place like home.
This must be due to our scenery our
rich land, our rigorous climate, and our
wonderful citizenship. Our best blood
runs away from us. Douglass left for
ILLINOIS, ana Col. Clarke mad to go to Mas
sachusetts. Not only our climate, but our
soil, has much to do with the conditions
OF the Old State, for the statistics of the
department of agriculture show that our
agricultural products are surpassed by
few States. This precedence in every
thing explains the fact that the boys and
girls who go away always become prom
inent in the States to which they go.
When the world wants anything done it
puts the Vermonter ahead and let's the
others follow"
Judge Powers then reviewed the history
of the long fight of &c years between the
men of Vermont against the colonial gov
ernor of New York on the one hand and
the men of New Hampshire on the other,
and said that no Vermoner had reason to
be ashamed of the part his ancestors had
taken in that contest. They had a legal
as well as moral right in the fight.
In referring to the citizenship of the
early Vermontefs, he said that at one
time when laws were baing adopted for
the government OF the State they were so
harassed that they had not time to com
plete the work. Many of them had com
from Connecticut, and in this emergency
they adopted a resolution, Resolved Tina
the laws of God and Connecticut be adopt ed
as the laws of this State until we have
time to frame better ones" Apparently
they neved had this time for the law thug