Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-02-11

,uro Of that long line of slcighs stretch
Ing along the great otter all the way
from Vergcnnes to Middlcbury as an es-
cort for the released patriot All this
and All else that they could do within
the law to show their resentment they
did bat no more Not a step fell over
the line marked by John Robinson In
his letter TO the Pilgrims.
on the contrary. when Kentucy ana
Virginia adopted the famous resolutions
drawn by jefferson and Madison asking
the "co-States" to unite in supprcssing
unconstitutional action of the general
povcrnmeut. all of the states north of
the Potomac based their refusal upon
their npproval Of tho act itself NC, mo-
all. All bat one. Vermont haty denied
tho conpact theory of government saying
in substance:
"1yo bava greater cause for compliant
than any other. our official representa-
tive has been humiliatcd and wronsiullN
punished We ne state have been IN
suited We have shown our opinion o.
t,c law. bat u e. tho law and we obey
Nor do We consider that the states nave
any right to attempt to annul statute
duly enacted by Congress. TN" ioo'''
alone through their chosen representa-
tives. are empowered 20 uphold or re
peal"
Hero again was made manifest cl"ar
conception Of the principles uNdcrlFln"
cur dual government, here again was ~
dicatcd a marvellous foresight OF prom
lens which wero bound to arise ana ava
arise ONLY tn he determined by TN" ar
hitrament Of the sword. How fitting II
vas that. three wears later. when Con-
-ress had hccn elected to repeal tho OBJ
noxious statute and the choice OF n
president dovolved upon the House nj
REPRESENTATIVES, Vermont was enabled
TO make that repeal certain by casting
tho ono deciding vote that sent Thomas
Jefferson to the White House instead of
Aaron Burr.
If time permitted. Instances 81 the so-
cacitv of tn older statesmen Of Vermont
might be adduced almost without num-
her. But 1t is not necessary. We Fno"
that she has never faltered. but has in
variahiv led the march OF progress, on
iIfrntonmcnt. Christianity and peace
sn,oar men. And WHOM she married the
union she married Il for all time. and
when tho great crisis came Size gave
freely more sons in proportion than an}
| other State-alnost a title of all he
people,
pitiahle. indeed, must be the 7riflt "'
| one rot nroud to own such common
wealth as his mother state. Seated hiGi
amonc the beautiful hills, she stills k"en'
alirht the torch Of liberty under IN" law
True as ST eel to the union she has proven
| True may She ever he, BIT is Is no
! without a thrill Of eXultation that W.
7 realize that the flag under which we 81
/ tonight Is her flag. the flag Of IN" ire
and independent republic Of Vermont
adonfr.l by the same convention thu
abolished slavery. the FIRST flag mad
in all TIE world that guaranteed unlver
sal freedom, tho Tag that was maintain"
for thirteen long yrars against odds the
might have dismaYo1 the heroes r
Sparta. the flag urtarnished, its blue an
gold a g pure as the cleaning snow whiC,
now rest lovingl" upon the verdant hills
the fruitful meadows and Ii" lttl
churchyards about which th"r" cluste
memories SO precious end So sacred thu
like the stored Zion 10 the TehroW sins
er Of old. her very dust to us is dear.