The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-07-02
LAFAYETTE IN VERMONT
Booklet Describing His Visit Here IN
1925

booklet "a Day with Lafayette
in Vermont by Jay Read Pember OF
Woodstock is just off the Elm Tree
Press of that town and is descriptive
of the tour of the French of1cer
across Vermont from Windsor to Bur
lington nearly fifty years after the
Declaration of independence. Inc
booklet is an interesting historical
document and of peculiar local inter
est is the following:
LAFAYETTE and suite with Cover
nor Van Ness and his aids were met
at Barre by the committee OF ar
rangements from Montpelier at about
8 o'clock in the evening and escorted
to Montpelier where they were re-
ceived by a military escort, the Wash
ineton Artillery company, Captain 10
seph Somerby, the Montpelier Llght
Infantry, Capt. Daniel Baldwin, the
Berlin Infantry, Captain Taplins and
a company of Montpelier boys, about
IA wears of age, Capt e. p. Walton, a
long time resident of Montpelier ana
a member of congress from vermont
"The BOYS were assigned To the
post of honor as body guards OF the
general and his suite and the arul-
lery company was organized and ser
we'd as body guard OF the governor
The guests of the evening were es-
corted to the Academy grounds and
back to State street and through
State street to the State House where
the general, the governor and ms
suite were presented at the balcony.
THE grounds in front OF the state
House and the windows and Dalcon-
les of many buildings were brilliant
w Illuminated the streets were
crowded, the military were paradlng,
and the air was charged with enthus-
iastic welcome. After some light re-
freshments there was an address OF
greeting by Hon. Elijah Paine, then
Judge of the United States court Tor
the District of Vermont. Judge
Paine said:
" The State of Vermont cannot
show you large towns and cities but
It can show you what is perhaps OF
as much consequence. II can show
YOU a sober, substantial, intelligent
and well informed yeomanry
General Lafayette in response al
luded to the victory of Bennington
and to Vermont as forming a most
important event and in closing re
Marked
&" Sir. have now accomplished
one of the greatest objects OF my lie;
| have visited the "a states of the
Union: | have been the happy wit
ness of the immense, rapid and ever
increasing results OF independence,
Republican institutions and self gov
eminent. And you, Sir, and all OF
YOU whom | have the pleasure to adj
dress. | most cordially congratulate
on the public and domestic happiness
which is enjoyed by the citizens OF
Vermont; and | beg you to accept
my affectionate and respectful
thanks
THE address and the reception in
Representatives han occurred at
about 10 o'clock in the evening
There was also a review OF the mil
itary companies and a banquet with
toasts az the dining hall OF the earl
Ter Pavilion then kept by solomon
Mann The following toast was Civ
en- by Lafayette
" Vermont. Montpelier and the
Green mountains. from which was
early echoed and yalaudy supported
the Republican cry FOR Independence
and Freedom May its happy results
be more and more enjoyed by the
sons of the Green Mountains
Upon the following morning June
%, the general was again escorted 10
the academy where the ladies of
Montpelier held a reception The
ladies were represented In an address
of welcome to the general by Mrs.
Erasms Watrous. On behalf Of the
ladies the general was greeted with
a cordial welcome TO our country, to
our homes and our hearts The gen
eral responded briefly. More greet
ings took place between the general
and old soldiers OF the revolution
with expressions of deep feeling on
the part of the distinguished visitor
with his numerous escort the
procession passing up the street to
the Onion river bridge and down
State street. the general left Mont
pelier amidst the waving of handker-
chiefs and the repeated adieus Of
the men.
One of the incidents related by Ad-
miral George Dewey, which is that
his father. julius Y Dewey then a
young man. used often to tell the
story of Lafayette's query of this or
that old soldier as the veterans were
introduced Are you married? Yes.
An, happy man And YOU my
friend, are you married. No Lucky
fellow. And this was many years
before Americans ever heard o Abra-
ham Lincoln of whom the same story
was often told
IN the corridor of the new Pavilion
az Montpelier may be seen a bronze
tablet In commemoration of the visit
OF Lafayette"