The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1909-11-04

Wearled with war; confused by con-
flicting jurisdictions, exasperated by
assumed authority, contending as a
colony and a State for Independent
existence she entered upon the work
of framing a constitution and organ
izing commonwealth. Recognizing
with an instinct peculiar to every
people who have established their
freedom with the sword the rights
and privileges upon which popular
government must rest, she turned to
the work performed by those who
under more fortunate circumstances
had completed the fabric she was
about to erect. Pennsylvania offered
her advice, and the constitution of
that State, framed probably by Frank
lin, was made the foundation of the
government of Vermont. From the
statute-book of Connecticut she sell
ected many of her most wholesome
laws She became familiar with the
bill of rights and the constitutional
provisions of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts. Before her lay the
laws of Virginia and the constitution
which John Locke had crowded for
the CarolizdS. She provided for re-
Joyous freedom, declaring that all
men have a natural and inalienable
right to worship Almight God accord
ing to the dictates of their own con-
Sciences" and ending with the injunc-
ton that every sect or denomination
of people ought to keep up
and support some of religious wor-
ship, which to them shall seem most
agreeable to the revealed will of
God" She asserted that "the people
have right to freedom of speech and
of writing and publishing their senti-
ments, therefore the freedom of the
press ought not to be restrained
and that 1.-The printing presses shall
be free to every person who under
takes to examine the proceedings OF
the Legislature or any part of the
Government" She declared that "a
firm adherence to justice, moderation
temperance, industry, and frugality
are absolutely necessary to preserve
the blessings of liberty and keep gov
eminent free. The people ought
therefore to pay particular attention
| IN N hn rhninn nf fl
GERS and representatives" and it was
therefore provided that no person
shall be capable of holding any civil
office in this State except he has &C.
quired and maintains good mora
character" She stipulated that al
elections, whether by the people OF
in General Assembly, shall be by bal
lot, free and voluntary; and any ell
ector who shall receive any gift OF
reward for his vote in meat, drink
moneys, or otherwise, shall forfeit his
right to elect at that time;" and an!
one who shall offer or give such re
wards shall thereby be rendered in
capable to serve for the ensuing
year." She set forth that, "as ever.
freeman to preserve his independence
if without sufficient estate) ough
to have some profession, calling
trade, or farm whereby he may hon
estly subsist, there can be no neces
sity for nor use in establishing office
of profit, the usual effects of whicl
are dependence and servility unbecon
ing freemen in the possessors or ex
pectants, and faction, contention, cor
: ruption, and disorder among the peo
ple." The penal code was stern an,
sweeping, Furnishing murder and tn
profanity of "high-handed blasphemy
alike with death.
1t has been said by her venerabl
historian that
THE natural freedom of man; tn
inference of power in the people; tn
establishment of government for tn
benefit of all; the purity of the ballot
box; the subserviency of private prop
erty to public uses; the trial by jury
the sacredness of hearth and home
the subordination of the military t
2 the civil power; the right of petitio
and emOnstance-these, and othe
5 principles equally noble, were assert
f ed with unaffected confidence in thi
: exposition of the moral. civil, and pc
e litical faith of the people of Vel
mont"
1 Organized on these principles, Vel
A mont applied for admission into tn
/, Union, and on the 18th of Februar.
r 1871, Congress by an act declare
that on the 4th day of March, 179
p the said State, by the name and styl
f of the State of Vermont" shall b
1 received and admitted into this Unto
= as new and entire member of tn
e United States of America" OF the me
t who thus created this Commonwealth
C and led her into the family of State
= the names of Thomas Chittendel
r Moses Robinson, Nathaniel Chipmal
: Stephen R. Bradley, Ira Allen, Eber
n ezer Allen, Jonathan Hunt, magi'
S trates, jurists, lawyers, men foremoi
C in their own generation, and many {
It whose descendants are foremost ]
~ OurS stand cOnsnicuOus and wOul