Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-08-17


greeted him was one which bore these
lines:
''The fathers all peacefully sleep
Who gathered with thee to tho fight.
Their sons will eternaiiy keep
The tablet of memory bright"
It IL to assist In keeping bright that
tablet Of memory on which Is inscribed
tho name Of Ethan Allen that the statue
bearing his name stands In front of the
State House in Montpelier, that another
statue bearing his name stands In the
Memorial Hall OF the capitol in Wash.
ington, that the granite shaft bearing
his statue stands In Green Mount GENE.
terry, where nc was laid to his last rest,
and that the tower has been built upon
the rock which formed part Of the farm
which he owned and occupied at his
death.
Ethan Allen was born in Litchfeld.
Conn.,, on January q. 1882 The monu.
ment IN Green Mount cemetery states
the year of his birth as 1851. He stated
1t himself as 1889. He died on February
IL, 1859. being. therefore. nfty-two years
Of age. His parents may not have had
the gift OF prophecy when they named
him Ethan, but they could hardly have
chosen n more appropriate name. for
Ethan means strong and strong he was
"A tower Of strength through all his life.
He took up his permanent residence in
the New Hampshire Grants in 1863. His
life as a Vermonter, therefore, was n
period Of twenty years. It is that period
OF his life which should be kept clearly
and brightly inscribed upon the memory
tablets of all Vcrmontcrs.
The time is not sufficient for me to give
any general history Of those eventful
twenty years. can only call to your
minds some of the prominent events OF
those years, with which Ethan Athens
name is inscparably connected. by reason
Of tho public services rendered by him
to the State of Vermont. and to tho
United States.
Then followed an exhaustive narrative
| Of Ethan Aliens life. with accounts of the
active part he played in the stirring
| events of his time. Mr.. Benedict con-
cuded as follows:
shall not undertake to discuss the
character of Ethan Allen, could no,
hope to mako or find a better setting
forth of the principal traits Of his char.
actcr than the words Of Zadock Thomp
! son, who wrote of him:
'vrhe conspicuous and commendablt
traits on which his fame rests were hi.
unwavcring patriotism. his love of free
dom. his wisdom. holiness courage
energy. perseverance. his aptitude to com
mnnd. his ability to inspire those undo
him with respect and confidence: his higl
sense of honor, probity and justice. hi
generosity and kindness. and sympath.
in the Affections and sufferings of others
Opposed to these good qualities were hi
self-sufficiency. his personal vanity. hi
occasional rashness. and his sometime
harsh and vulgar language"
And I add that in JUDGING Of him, nc
count should always be taken of tn
times in which he lived and the peopl
OF whom nc was one. In a leader O
those turbulent sons Of freedom" a
General Stark called the Vermonter.
some dash of turbuency must be ex
pected. To have made him a leader /
that most active and rehellious race o
the Continent" as Burgoyne wrote c
them. those elements specified by Zadoc
Thompson must have been, and wer
prominent
The people of Vermont do we'll to homo
him. May the day never come when ne
people shall have so far deEenerat
ed frou, the race Of their fathers tha
they will allow his memory to lapse, q
that they will fail to feel thrill in theI
hearts blood at the mention Of hi
name.
VICE-PREMDENT FAIRBANKS.
, DIR. Holton remarked with good hume
t that. owing TO the lateness of the hou
tn hn
; would he limited TO Ave minutes and tn
l remarks of all Of the remaining speaker
! were brief. Vicc-Frcsdent Fairbanks
, who responded to "Amcrca." said thu
he could say, in the brief time allotted I
, him. but word on such a great them
, and his subject needed no word Of eulog,
for II there is power on the face OF tn
earth that speaks for itself it is America
, America stands foremost among the pow
ers Of the world. America is great I
magnanimity and great in her sense
. justice and the secret of her power lie
: in the hearts of her 5000. ono people. Go
l bless America. America the hope Of los
ers of liberty the world over.
GOVERNOR BELL
Governor Bell, in responding to "Vel
mont" said Vermont was all there
J In Congress except the President. tn
Vice-President and 'he secretary {
the interior. He paid warm tribu'
to Mr.. Van Patten and told a numbt
of good stories. saying In conclusio
that in 1928 years he hopcl that men
bers OF the assembled company woul
go to Indiana to erect there a mont
ment to one ~ that States either
who early in the Goth century was
President OF the United States.
GOVERNOR McLANE.
+ Governor McLane of New Hampehir
who responded for the New Hamfshil
EXECUTION SALE.