The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1915-08-19
WHERE WEBSTER SPOKE
Eight Hundred Persons at Dedication
Of Marker on Siralton Mountain


the total population Of the town o
Strat,on present, there was unveile,
and dedicated Tuesday In the presenc
Of 500 or more persons a natura
boulder and bronze tablet erected b.
the Strtatton Mountain Club to com
memorate the fact that Daniel Web
ster addressed Whig rally and con
venti0n there rs years ago, on July
and s, 1870, when about $4,000 per
sons were present. Tuesday was ;
memorable day in Stratton's history
in fact in the history Of Vermont, anC
IL Is not likely that in many years 81
many persons again will be gathered
within the borders of the town. De
lightful weather prevailed until after
the dedicatory exercises, and ever
then shower which came up wai
but of brief duration. Music by the
Londonderry Band, Julian b. johnson
leader, was pleasing part Of the eel
ebration.
The club, Of which Miss Ethel A,
Eddy Of Stratton is president and
which has done much to foster spirit
of cooperation in the town, is to be
congratulated upon the successful eul-
mina,ion of plans for this event, as
well as for its fortunate selection of
the day, which was the most suitable
with respect to weather conditions in
several weeks. Not the least pleas
ureable feature of the day was the
annual meeting and banquet of the
club in the evening
The spot chosen for the site of the
marker was on the side of the noun
tain on the direct road from Airing
ton TO Wardsboro, formerly a we'll
known stage road 1t is six miles
from West Wardsboro and three miles
from the Stratton Church, at an alti-
tude of 1000 feet above the sea. The
marker is placed few rods east of
the place where Webster stood in
making his great speech in the cam
paign for the election of William
Henry Harrison for president. Trees
are now growing on the exact spot
where the address was made, so the
marker was placed in clearing at
one side, facing south toward the
highway, where it may be seen by
all passers-by.
In the first so years Of Vermont's
history the Stratton convention was
the greatest public gathering held in
the state. People came from all over
southern Vermont and from New
Hampshire and Massachusetts. Two
or three persons who remembered the
occasion we'll were present Tuesday,
but so far as could be learned no one
who attended the meeting of lS4O was
present Tuesday. The occasion which
the marker commentaries was both q
rally and convention, as Hiland Hall
of Bennington was renominated for
Congress, and it lasted two days.
The speech Of Mr.. Webster occupied
two hours. The newspapers of that
time give many details of the conven-
ton, but the speech was not recorded,
Hiland Hall and A. l.. Miner Of Man
chester, also were speakers.
Promptly at 2 O'Clock, the hour set
for the exercises, the band rendered a
selection, after which Miss Eddy,
president of the Stratton Mountain
Club, took charge of the program.
Prayer was offered by Rev. E. w.
johnson of West Wardsboro. A song
entitled My Old Green Mountain Home,
expressive Of the determination of the
early settlers TO establish an inde-
pendent state, was sung by the en-
tire audience, led by W. A. Gilbert Of
Brattleboro and accompanied by the
band. The words were written by Roy
w. Lyman of Ware, Mass, native of :
Stratton, and were sung TO the tune of
Quilting Party. Another selection by ,
the band prefaced the historical adj
dress of the day by Hon. Frank f.
Howe OF Bennington, former lieuten-
ant governor. 7
The Historical Address J
Mr.. Howe reviewed to some extent
and in very interesting way the po-
Iitical situation at the tire Of the ,
meeting in ls40. William \
Henry Harrison was the Wing candS
late for president and Martin Van =
Buren was the Democratic candidate. I
The campaign was known as the log a
,abin and hard cider campaign and =
he Whig rallying cry was Tippecanoe
md Tyler too. II came at critical a
,eriod in the history of the country 9
md was the warmest campaign ever a
Snown in the United States. g
The Wings made special effort to 4
ret the country voters and the STRAIT ,
on meeting was part Of that effort. u
rhe plan was successful and Vermont is
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