Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-08-01

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John Fiske as Il Historian---His Mis-
statements About Vermont.
Since the death of John Fiskc the papers
and magazines have teemed with sketches
of him. Ills powers of mind and memory,
his devouring industry, his attachments an
philosopher, his gifts Us writer have
been set forth in terms Of high eu(ogy.
Much of this has no DOUBT been well de-
served; but when his eulogists praise him
as a painstalking and trustworthy histor
ian, many will demur Mr.. Fiske was 100
careless n student of contemporary docu-
ments, too apt to jump to conclusions. too
unwilling to let any story suffer at all in
the telling, to be an accurate historian
These defects are somewhat strliingly IL
Illustrated in his account of the controversy
between New York and the New Hamp-
shire Grants in the chapter entitled: Drift
ing Toward Anarchy" in his Critical
Period of American History" The very
title of the chapter is sensational and mis-
leading. The United States were not drift
ing toward anarchy-quite the contrary.
The account contains as many errors as
it has paragraphs and almost as many as
it has sentences.
Mr. Fishe says: 1.-THE dispute between
New York and New Uampshire for the
possession of the Green Mountains
was closely connected with the intrigues
against Gen. Schuyler and thus more re-
motolv with the treason of Arnold"
This was not So. SCHUYLER sided with the
Green Mountain povs in their demand for
Independence of New York and put him
self on record in their favor in letters to
General Washington. The Green Mount in
Boys under the circumstances would not
have been likely to Join in any intrigues
against Schuyler and there Is no reason
to suppose that they did so. Nor did their
contest with New York have the remot est
connection with Arnold's treason
Fiske describes Ncrmont's first governor
Thomas Chittendcn, as ~ man of rough
manners but very considerable abil-
iti a farmer and innkeeper" This is an
inaccurate and inadcuuate charact riz-
at ion. Thomas Chittcnden was a farmer but
have been the most courtlv but
he sustained himself on all pub.
lie occasions during his eighteen
years of able and sd gacious service as gov
ernor with true dignity and success He
was man of remarkabl ability and pow
crfIl influence. If Mr. Fisko could say no
more for him than he did it would have
han bot
gether.
/ Abiding to the New HAMPSHIRE towns
along the east bank of the Connecticut,
from Cornish north to Lisbon which for
less than two years. 1889. were. at tn ir
own desire annexed to Vermont. Mr..
Fiske says that those towns "preferrod to
belong TO Vermont because Vermont was
not in the Union and accordinslv not liza
bic to reouisitions of taxes from the Com
tincntal Compress" Without tolin, sna,e
to argue or quote authorities we NAV saw
that we do not understand that tbis wa @
the reason that the New Jamnsbira top.ns
in question wished to ioin Vermont. MIR.
Fiske goes on to say that later the towns
on both sides of the river tried to organ
lie themselves into a middle state to he
called New Connecticit." Here Mr.. Fiske
appears to have GOT things badly mixed.
The convention which first adupted the
name of New Concentration changed
to Nermont-for the indenendent state to
he formed of the New uamnshire Grants
was held in January. III. fourteen months
before the New Hampshire towns nett
toned to be allowed to ioin Vermont. and
was composed wholly of delegates of
towns west of the Connecticut. There
was. il Is true, meeting" some time af-
ter, OF settlers on both sides of the river
having reference to an underlined projoc CT
to form what might be called middle
state between New Hampshire and YER
mont, but that was a long way from be.
ing the convention which adopted thu
Further on in the chapter Mr.. F'i5lte say:
tHat between tho spring OF l'S4 and tho
time IL 1901, when the cOntrON erSy was