Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-01-18
Judge SYAFF0RD'S ADDRESS
poke on THE Making of ver-
mont" in Washington.
Ills Of It's Struggles for Freedom and
Indcpcntlcncc-Iius Been First in
Events.

The Free Press prints the address, "rhe
aking of Vermont" delivered by Judge
endall +. Stafford, associate justice,
istrct of Columbia Supreme Court, at
e annual meeting of the Vermont state
bciety of Washington. ID. c.. on the
'ening of Wednesday, January TO- at
C rooms of the Washington club Judge
afford said:
Vermont was an apt scholar, and she
hon had the Declaration of Independence
heart. Moreover, she had a practical
rn of mind and proceeded to apply it to
r own situation. Putting the governor
New York for Geo. III it seemed to
her case exactly. That is the dan
er of great truths. Announce one,
ledge yourself to n great principle, and
ou can never tell what selfish hold you
bay have to relax, what darling sin
ust be given up. Vermont had learned
spell freedom-she was learning to
bell the longer and harder word indie
endence 1t did not take her long. In
eptcmhor after the great Fourth OF
uly, she. too, passed measures towards
separate government, and in January.
~ unanimously declared: The peo-
lie of the New Hampshire Grants are
nd of right ought to be a free and in
ependent State"
Then she asked to be taken into the
Mon; and of course she met her old
nemy at the door. The Congress could
OF tell what to do. 1t was between two
! res If it took in Vermont it might lose
New York. of all the colonies the easiest
10 lose and in some respects the most
Important to hold.-stratogicallY their
Vulnerable point and the key to the coun-
|ry New York must be held fast. On
Inc other hand Vermont was the road
from Canada, and tie frontier of three
Etates. What she could do in a pinch
| lad been shown at Ticonderoga and
I'rown Point That justice was on her
lido looked plasuible. and that She was
| OF to be trifed with, her long OPPOSE
lion to New York bore witness. At least
Two of the leading spirits in Congress
Sam Adams and Roger Sherman-were
Sn her side Sam Adams. the man of
Ihe town meeting, who organized the
and met the will of King
Iieorge with an obstinacy as infeXiblc
rs his own-the fathorest sighted states
han of his time; Roger sherman, called
by his contemporaries the man or SUI
breme common scnse-of whom JEFFERSON
declared that he never said a foolish
hing in his life-Sherman, as our enem-
les themselves reported, plead our cause
with a zeal he had never shown in any
bther. Here again We see the limo of
10, l,ntu nrlrDPatiVp and nODl-
lar rights Adams and Sherman were
had been, tribunes of the people. SO
congress did the only thing it dared to
ho-nothing.
VERMONT DID SOMETHING.
But Vermont did something made her
constitutions; appointed a council of
afety, and put on the forms and pow.
RS of government. 1t was high time.
Burgoyne's magnificent army was COM
ns up the lake. Ticonderoga was aban-
aoned. and our forces put to flight at
She sent her call to New
and the Bay State, and they
answered. The Tories in her midst fled
10 the enemy and on the instant she
seized the goods they left and turned
hem into powder ana Dal. joining ncT
forces under Warner and Stark with the
New Hampshire and Massa chusetts boys
at Bennington, she helped fight the two
fights and win the double victory of that
day, we'll earning for her people the
proud title Burgoyne gave them when he
reported his disasters-"the most active
and rebellious race of the continent" In
a few short weeks her council of safety,
a handful of plain farmers, had develop
ed a foresight and skill in the conduct
of large affairs that would have shed
luster on the Oldest state.
VERMONT'S MISTAKE.
Then she made a mistake, almost her
first mistake. Sixteen towns on the other
side of the Connecticut river asked leave
to come in. They were said to be unani-
NOUS and New Hampshire willing Her
assembly voted to admit them. When
New Hampshire resented the act and the
true state of affairs became known Yer
mont drew back: but it was too late.
Bad blood had been brewed: and New
Hampshire that before had favored her
claim and virtually acknowledged her in
dependence became her enemy.
Now the plot thickens. New Hamp-
shire and New York strike hands, and
agree to divide the bone of contention