Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-08-06
1.-The Republic Of Vermont


Under this title Mr. Mayo Williamson
Hazeltine, who is the literary editor of
the New York Sun, contributes to Har-
per's Magazine for the current month
a noteworthy review of the part of the
history Of Vermont relating to the
period when our State existed as an
Independent commonwealth.
In his Introductory paragraph he re-
marks that within the domain of the
United States there have been divers
independent republics, the very names of
three of which are known to but few.
How many Americans of to-day" he
asks, have heard of the commonwealth
of Watauga?" How many remember
the commonwealth of Transylvania?'
How many have heard of the short
lived State of Franklin. or Frankland?'
1t seems to us, with all respect to Mr..
liaseltine, that in CHASING the above
named fleeing organizations with Texas
and Vermont among the Independent
republics which have existed on the Am
erican continent, he sacrifices the proper
sense of historical proportion. in order
to make an effective opening of his
article The "Watauga Associa ton AS
it called itself, was if we read its his
tory Alright" a body of a few scattered
settlers in the wilderness along the head
quarters of the Tennessee river. who for
self protection, in 1771-2, effected an or
ganizaton, elected an executive commit
tee or court of thirteen members, which
enacted certain DEGREES and enforced them
by a sheriff or executive officer, and kept
up their organization for several years.
But it had no elements of permanency,
and disappeared in time, leaving appar-
emily but scanty records of its exist
ence.
SO in Kentucky. in 1775, about a hun
dred and fifty settlers organized com
pany, or alleged commonwealth which
had so-caled 'parlament" which pass
ed nine acts, of which no record except
the titles remains, and adjourned never
to meet again. 1t gave itself the high
sounding name of Trans lvania," which
was the original title of the colony of Ken
lucky; but it naturally occupies but a
small place in American history,
In like manner the transient so-callcd
State of Franklin or Frankland-its very
name being uncertain,-was organized in
1855 in a disputed region which finally,
became part of North Carolina, and chose
a legislature and governor, passed acts
making beaver and otter skins legal cur
rency, and dissolved in two or three
years.
If these associations or companies hold
LIT
known even by their names to many Am
orleans it is because they We're of such
small account, really no more worthy
to be digntied with the title of republics,
than some of the great land companies
on this continent, or than Shay's Rebel
lion. and not so much so as the Mormon
community Texas, which for nine years
maintained its independence in a repub-
lie, and the independent commonwealth
of Vermont with its written constitution,
completed organization, executive, leg
islative and judicial code of laws militia
postal system under IA postmaster gem
eral, coinage and paper currency of its
own enactment, etc, maintaining its eX-
istence against the powerful colonies
around it for fourteen years, and until
admitted as sovereign State of the
Union, belong in different category.
They really stand alone among the in
dependent republics worthy of the name.
which became integral parts in the Am
4 erican Union.
, We notice that adopting the error of
a previous historian, in his description
Of the capture of Ticonderoga, MIR.
; Hazeltino describes the fortress as one
: which had cost the British nation forty
!, million dollars and many lives" But,
e the Fortress of Ticonderoga was built
Y not by the British, but by the French,
and it never cost England much money,
though Abercrombies vain attempt to
: take il from the French cost many lives,
n Describing the first constitution of Yer
mont Mr.. Hazeltine speaks Of the provi-
a sion of a council Of censors, as unique
, so far as we know in modern times,
e and seemingly borrowed from the prac-
4 tice of the Roman republic" This is a
:. mistake. The provision of a council OF
$ censors in the Vermont constitution was
c not unique. 1t was borrowed bodily from
=" the constitution of Pennsylvania.
$ The applying the title of "counsellors
y to the twelve members of the council
;. in the article, may be a Typographical
q error. The title given to a member of the
y council, in the constitution, was council
: lor..
= Barring these and one or two othel
k adoptions of unauthentic statements made
o by other writers, the article in question
;. is a we'll written (of course). we'll group
J.. ed and highly interesting compilation o
the leading facts relating to the re
IT markable period Of the independence o
e Vermont. Mr.. Hazeltine does justice t.
t. the sturdy patriotism Of the Green Noun
W tain Boys, awards to Vermont the homo
o or having been the first American com
it monwealth to abolish and prohibit slav
d cry; notes the importance given to edu
o cation by the little commonwealth; criti
Is czes the compromise between religious
10 freedom and religious bigotry in the ties