The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-08-17
Defeating OF THE.
SETH WARNER
MONUMENT
Formally Presented TOState BY
the Donor, Col. 0lin Scott.
ACCEPTED BY GOV. MEAD
Historical Address by Hon James X.
Ratcheder Of ArIlngton-Parade
Precedes Exercises

The monument to Col. Seth War
ner, captain of the Green Mountain
Boys, at Old Bennington, erected and
donated to the state by Col Olln
Scott, president of the Bennington
Battle Monument and Historical as.
ISOLATION, was formally dedicated on
Wednesday morning in the presence
of a large gathering of local people
and visitors.
The exercises were preceded by
parade composed of civic and social
organizations which marched through
the main streets of the village and
then on to Old Bennington where it
formed about the monument and the
stand which had been erected for the
accommodation of those who were to
take part in the exercises.
The parade was composed OF Mar
shall John Robinson and his aids, the
Bennington city band, the village po-
lice, Taft Commandery, Knights TEN
plar, Governor John A. Mead OF Rut-
land and two members of his stan,
and village officials in carriages. com
panies from the Bennington Fire De
partment, Mount Anthony lodge, f.
and A. NJ, Civil War veterans in
carriages, Catholic Order of Foresters
Bennington lodge of Elks the Citi-
zens band, Sons of Veterans,
Knights of Columbus and
Father Mathew Temperance and
Benevolent society, members of the
Canton and of Stark lodge, !. o. o. F.
Bennington Court, Foresters of Amer
lea and the local Boy Scouts.
Edward l.. Bates, secretary of the
Bennington Battle Monument and
Historical Association and chairman
of the committee of arrangements,
presided at the exercises. The inyo-
cation was delivered by Rev. Isaac
Jennings, pastor OF the Old First
church at Old Bennington who vivid
ly portrayed to the assembled people
the patriotic example afforded by the
life of Seth Warner
In making the presentation of the
monument the donor, Col. Olin Scott
made a brief but forceful reference
to the part played by Bennington in
the revolutionary war and cited a
number of incidents which were I'M
doubtedly new to many OF his hear
ers. He explained that he was in
duced to erect the monument to War
ner in order that the record OF the
great patriot might be commemorate
ed and preserved.
In accepting the monument in be-
half OF the state Governor Mead stat
ed that the occasion gave him partic-
ular pleasure in that il afforded him
an unusual opportunity for review OF
some of the stirring events in our
early history The time comes, in
the life of all, he said, when we like
TO live in the past, not only the
scenes of the early years of our own
lives but incidents connected with our
fathers, our grandfathers and their
forebears. From the careers of our
ancestors we draw lessons for our
own future conduct and occasions OF
this nature are particularly fitting
for that reason. Vermont is little
state but not one of his audience had
reason to blush for what she had &C
complished The governor placed
Seth Warner among the great patri
OTIS of history and stated that the hon
or conferred upon him through the
erection of the memorial was all the
more deserved because the captain
of the Green Mountain Boys was not
a native, but man from another
state who came to Vermont and gave
his adopted home the best years OF
his life. 1t gave him grea. pleasure
L.. a. 70 hntb
as a citizen OF Vermont and as its
governor
The historical address Of former
Speaker of the House of Representa-
tives James X. Batchelder was as fol
lows:
MR.. BATCHELpER'S ADDRESS
Fellow Citizens: are gathered
here. on the anniversary Of the Bat
tie OF Bennington, to dedicate this
beautiful monument, erected by th'
liberality OF Colonel Olin Scott, a cit
lien OF Bennington, to the memor!
of one Of the noblest men in the his
tory of this state, Seth Warner, an'
TO the Green Mountain Boys, whom HI
so long commanded: and In recognit
ion of their valor, and what they die
for Vermont and the cause Of Amer
lean Independence.
IL is we'll to recall at this tim
briefly. some of the events OF thos
early days, and how much they sui
fered and endured that we Nigh
have the liberty we all enjoy today.
The capture of Quebec by Genera
Wolfe In 1863. and OF Montreal In th
following year. brought to a close tn
long contest between the Englis
Colonies of North America and IN
French Possessions in Canada, an
by the treaty OF peace betwee
France and England the vast pos
essions. which the former elaine
and In part occupied, extending froi
the Allegheny mountains to the Mis-
isslppi, and from the Gulf OF Mexic
to the frigid zone, became a part
the British Empire, and the flag
France which had fioated for a hui
dred and fifty years over the Fortres
of Quebec. disappeared almost el
tlrely from the American continent
During those long colonial wars
which France and England were col
tending for the mastery Of the Ne
World, the territory of what Is no
- Vermont was the frontier for bot
the New England colonies and n