Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1905-03-17
Makers Of the Union.
IBarre Times.1

Vermont and Rhode Island had to come
In for a liberal amount of knocks from
senator's from the Western states during
the debate over the admission OF several
Western territories into the Union. YER
mont particularly appeared to be the
target for the oratorical guns OF those
who defended the petitioners. In the
course of the debate the small size Of the
Green Mountain state and Little Rhody
was brought UP, and Senator Spooner
came to the defence of Vermont and
Rhode Island by declaring "They did not
have to be admitted to the Union they
made the Union" This assertion calls
forth from a correspondent Of the SPRING
field Republican a sarcastic reference,
with the implication that Senator Spooner
did not know what he was talking about
when he declared that Rhode Island and
Vermont made the Union. II may be
thought that the senator allowed himself
a rather wide latitude In his statement
as neither Vermont nor Rhode, Island was
admitted to the Union until after the first
president was elected. But the student
Of history would not deny for a minute
that the two states in question did have
a part in the forming Of the nation, in fact,
that they were potent agencies in ''mak-
ing the Union. Rhode Island did not
take her place in the sisterhood of states
until after Washington had been chosen
to the position Of executive, but never
theless the little commonwealth did WELD
an influence in the early councils Of the
original 13 states. and il was Honly due
to a little offishness that she was not
actually a member OF the Union when the
first election was held.
OF the Vermont part In the building OF
the Union not so much can be said, but
the Independent republic" exerted more
than a moral influence in the struggle for
the independence of the greater republic
nnA NHaw \
were finally opened to her in 1891 she
stepped in and took the place for which
she had been asking for some time, a place
which not even the great Jealous state OF
New York could deny was her right.
OF Vermonts part in making the Union"
we quote the admirable defence by the
Springfield Republican,:
And there's glorious Vermont! Her
history Is unique among the original
states. But shall we rule her out OF the
circle OF the sister commemorative of
sacred memory that founded the nation
Vermont's claim to be regarded as one
Of the states that made the Union to
quote Senator Spooner's phrase, is unim-
peachable Vermont was not only in ex-
istence as a state when George Washing
ton was elected president, she had been
a separate commonwealth from the day.
in l7T7, when she declared her indepen-
dence.
As early as lftl the congress OF the
old federation offered to admit Vermont
to the existing Union II she would sur
render some of her territory and that
act was a recognition of Vermont's indie
pendent status The commonwealth was
defacto an independent republic from
1777 down to the constitution of the
States. Her first governor. Thomas
Chittenden, was chosen in IT'S; her first
constitution was adopted in 1777. Dur
ing the Revolutionary war Vermont,
under especially trying circumstances,
held fast to the Revolutionary cause; and
she contributed Ethan Allen and the
Green Mountain boys to the shining
American galaxy of Revolutionary heroes.
AS one OF the nation makers. in her time
and way Vermont aided In the foundation
OF the Union"