Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-11-03
The Subject of a Scholarly
Address Before the Vermont
Historical Society.
A CHARACTER SKETCH.
Public Meeting Held In Representatives
Hall and Largely Attended society
shows n Gratifying Gain In Mem
bcrship-Additiona Facilities
For Studying VT. History.
Orrom our Staff CorrcspondcutD

QTrom Our Staff CorrcspondcutO
Montpelier. Nov. "A public meeting OF
the Vermont Historical Society was held
this evening in Representatives Han at
the Capitol. The large room was filled
with cultured audience which had gath
cred to hear the address Of Edward :.
Isham of Chicago, on ETHAN AIlen--A
Study in Civil Life"
The meeting was called to orler by
Hon. G. q. benedict of Burlington, presi-
dent of the society. and prayer offered 10y
Rev. Alonzo y. Lewis, chaplain of the
society. In introducing the speaker Pres
idcnt Benedict said the society could con-
Eiatulatc itself on the constant growth it
interest in the meetings of the society,
growth in membership and growth in IA
Cliities for studying the early history of
Vermont. He mentioned as an important
contribution to resources for investigation
the collection of photo-lithogruph'c pic
lures Of early documents, treating Of YER
mont history, gathered by b. +. Stevens
from the archives OF London. also of the
pamphlets. books and documents of Hon.
l.. E.Chittendcn treating so fully upon early
Vermont history which had lately been
secured for public use, ana expressed tn"
hope that some one would soon take up
the work of writing u suitable history IF
Vermont.
The address of Mr.. Isham was Il schol-
ariy one. worded in the finished manner
OF literary man and portrayed the quail
ties of "A man of deep thought and thor
ough study. 1t was an address which
must be heard or read in full to give the
public Just apprecia ton Of its worth
fe first called attention to the fact that
the form of civl government developed
by the carly settlers OF New England was
an entirely unlocked for development, but
was the product OF the spirit OF indcpend- =
ence which existed among the people
Tie reviewed the history of the struggles
over boundaries between various New
England colonies and contrasted the fixed
principles which distinguished the settle
ment of each New England colony from
the settlement of New York which was
made from a spirit of adventure. After
showing how the idea of independence
was not compatible with the idea of gov
ernment represented by the Mass 1chu-
sctts clergy and breaking away from it
by mgrdtionS to different parts of New
England he showed how the idea Of inde-
pendence was already engraftcd in the
people who migrated from Connecticut to
the New Hampshire Grants.
Among these people rude fierce and in
dependent who were descended from Eng
liSh blood. we get the first view of Ethan
Allen. After referring to the struggle be-
tween these people and New York he
showed how they were persons of good
taste, wealth and refinement, equal to
that which existed among the people Of
older New England colonies, and sudden
ly faced with the condition of paying spec
ulaturs for their homes. being ban
iShcd from them or resisting the
claims of these alleged new pro-
prietors. We find them here with
out any form of government but those
crude ORGANIZATIONS known as committees
called by somebody councils of safety, or
ganized by nobody knows whom; and
from them is developed the Independent
State of Vermont, which successfully re-
sisted England, aided other colonies in the
struggle fog freedom and then refused 70
treat with them until IL could do 50 as
an independent government In through
all this We ind and see the form and work
of Ethan Allen as the foremost figure, the
colossal leader Of his time.
Tie latter part Of the lecture was given
more to n defence of Allen from those his
torans who have pictured him as un-
couth and irrevcrNlt and showing a spirit
which tends to dstract from his dignity
After giving some incidents which might
justify the epithet Robin Hood of Vcr-
mont" he said this did not itly repre-
sent him ana by comparison with men OF
his time who lived near the great Conters
/ showed that he was "A man with ability
equal to theirs. He was a man of cduca-
tion. self acquired education, and wide
reading. Uis arguments in reply to let
ters FROM those with whom the State was
then m contention showed n force of ar
sumcnt, He gave Washington a testl
mony of his ability and devotion to the
pubic cause he had espoused and his ut
ter disregard Of advantages thus giver
/ for personal gain.
| In speaking Of his capture of TicOnder'
oga and the tiCht at Westminster against
the sheriff from New York the speaker
referred To the statement that the Jew:
became the chosen people becaus,
they wrote books and said that Bos
ton wrote books concerning the rcvolu
these events would have been more prom
incnt in American history. In giving 6
| short obituary, Mr. Isham referred to the
( tact that Ethan Allen was citizen ol
/ Vermont but never a citizen of the Uni
| ted States and referred in Il touchinl
manner to his poverty after the close o
the war Of the revolution,
! In closing he quoted from the Contennia
poem of Mrs, DOrr, read at Bennington
and told Of the pleasure 1t was to him a'
/ - man reared i'm the town where Ethar
| Allen had lived his brave and generous
life to attempt in some measure to vim
dicate the nobility Of such a hero a:
ethan Alien. on motion of Hon. B. +
F'ihcld vote of thanks was extended tC
the speaker and the meeting was closed