Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-09-29
A GREAT ACQUISITION.
Hon. l.. T.. Chittenden's Unique Collec-
tion of Vermont Books secured For the
Library of the University of Nermnnt.

ol his life collecting books and pamphlets
relating to his native state. His collec-
ton, as We suppose, comprises more YER |
montana than can be found In any pri-
v1tc library WITH possibly, single cX-
ccption, and more than can be found in
any public library except the British Mu-
scum Among them are hundreds OF utles
not in the Vermont state library or IN
the library of the Vermont Historical So
cety. Mr.. Chttenden said of them III
recent letter:
My opinion is naturally partial TO
collection to which | have given more
than fifty years of watchfuncss, ana an
amount of money which might seem eX-
travagant My rule has been when
found Il really rare Vermont book to buy
1t at almost any cost. one hundred dol
lars seems a great price for an original
copy of the first constitution of July "a,
Ill q thin pamphlet of less than ~
PAGES, but it Is one of the important po-
litiCal documents of tho century ana TINS
Is the only copy | have met with in Sixty
year, | do not know where $1,000 would
buy another. Ncr is this ~ solitary case.
Some of the Allen pamphlets and early
serials are equally rare. There are more
than 80 numbers In my list Whicn arc
now beyond the reach of collectors. Ma
terials now exist for supplying many de-
iiCipnCics III early Vermont history Which
have not hitherto existed. The Allen PAM
phlcts prove that the grantees would
have acquiesccd in the claims Of New
York had that colony not demanded that
they should again buy their lands of its
officers. SO also, we now have the PROOF
that the negotiations of Ira Allen with
llaldimand had the approval of Washing
ton. Other documents make clear tho
trcachcry of st. Clair in the evacuation Of
| TiConderoga in july III, which caused
our defeat at tubbardton and the loss of
SO many noble lives. Tho documents al
20 show that undcscrNcd ccnsurc has been
visited upon GOV. Martin Chittenden, who
! encouraged volunteering for Pittsburgh,
| while he denied the right of tho federal
/ authorities to order the state militia out
! side of the state. In fact the historical
subjects. on which this collection forms
! the authority, are too numerous and inn
| portant to be discussed in u note.
! How many Nermontcrs are aware that
In 1870 Il ma gazinc was published in Rut-
land, very nearly as large as IIarper's?
Yet the two volumes of the Rural Maga-
zine are filled with historical materials,
and one of them contains Thomas Raw
J ley's famous invitation to the Workers to
/ leave their pateroons and come and set
/ tie on our good lands" poem almost as
interesting as Whittiers Song of the
| NcrmonterS."
! The interest of our fathers in education
set Up printing presses at an early date in
/ i'm some of the small mountain towns, as
in Barnard, VT, where Joseph Dix printed
a life of Washington, Hubbard's geo
grapny and other books, as carly as 1870.
Those who esteem governors messages
and legislative reports of little value may
/ lie referred to the preface TO the able
monograph on taxation. prepared by MIR,
Frederick a. Wood, who says my chief
reliance has been upon the statutes. the
journals II the Legislature, the court de-
Csons, official reports, particularly those
of the tax commissioners and the council
of censors, and the governors messages;
and to Hon l.. f.. Chitteuden Of New
York, I am indebted for the use OF his
invaluable library on Vermont in every
phase of It's past"
The Americana in my collection COM
prise many titles of rare books which are
not out of place in a Vermont library.
The Champlain of 1882 the complete
works of Champlain in six parts quarto;
"A fine Loscarbot of 1911; CharlevoiX In six
volumes; the first edition Of Hennepln;
Audubon's birds and Audubon's and Bach
mans Quadrupeds. 10 volumes, and many
others.
! The collection of engravinGs comprises
many rarities and owes much of its inter
est to the invaluable assistance of Hon.
George 7. Marsh"
Prof j. II. Goodrich says: TOO much OF
the material needed by the future histo-
rian has already been taken outside OF
Vermont, and is irrecoverable. Mr. Chit
tenders collection should encourage some
son Of Vermont to rewrite the story OF
the early struggles and the founding of
Vermont with fuller and more accurate
knowledge; while others may be moved &c
set forth the lives Of the Robinsons. thC
Fays. the Aliens: Of Thomas Chlttenden
Seth Warner. Samuel Stafford, Remember
Bakcr, Captains Joseph Bowker JOIN
= Fassctt and Lcmucl Bradley, Gen. Wal
bridge, ard others
THAT thorough reworl,ing of the who''
early period is greatly needed. and tina
such fresh treatment Of the facts ant
characters of the formative period in Yer
mont history would be to the honor o.
the State and of the fathers. Is the
unanimous opinion of all who are at al
conversant with the early documents. W.
. have hope that another generation vii
! not pass without doing justice to th'
deeds and the memories of those who, II
: founding tho State of Vermont gave I,
> tine world the very first example in his
. tory of free government by the peopl
= and for the people. This work can ncve
be properly done, unless the early docu
y mcnts are kept, and kept together
- 1t was Mr.. Chlttendcn's intention t.
n give his collection to the University o
t Vermont. But rcverscs and obligation
y which came to him in recent years, com
peeled him to forego this purpose. His de
f sire that the University should possess hi
Vermont books, however, RENAME
g strong. and he recently made known hi
Willingness to sell the collection to tn
University for $780, which he considere
c to he much less than tho books woul
bring under the hammer His offer wa
y made known to some friends of his an
!, OF the University. Two of them headed
subscription for the purpose of purchas
IL ing and presenting the books to the Uni
vcrsity with $500 each. Others gave sum
nearly as large A generous alumni
n agreed to mako good any final deficiency
The required amount was raised, and III
n books will soon be on the shelves of tn
billings Library. 1t Is presumed tina
they will be kept substantially together
l. forming an ample Vermont alcove in tn
library. AS recently catalogucd by Nj
D. Chittenden his collection comprises;
:, Vermont books Observation-Disclosures.
= | Books relating to America ............. 4;
: Scrap books records, etc................
= Manuscripts and books on engravings..
Total ,".. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 26
y Engravings on copper steel and wood II
Vormonters everywhere viii rejoo
T. that these books are to come to Vernon
9 and that they will be placed where the
will be carefully preserved, and be reat
n ily accessible to Vermont historians an
scholars. We congratulate Mr., Glitter
den on the fact that his books will not b
n disncrsed under the auctioneer's hamme