The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-08-13
WEBSTER SITE MEMORIAL
Large Attendance at Tablet Dedica-
ton in Stratton.

and dedicated Tuesday in the pres
ence of 800 or more persons natur-
al bowder and bronze tablet erect
ed by the Stratton Mountain club to
commemorate the fact that Daniel
Webster addressed a Wing rally and
convention there rs years ago, on
July Z and s, 1910, when about $1,000
persons were present. Yesterday was
a memorable day in Stratton's his
tory, in fact in the history of Yer
mont, and it is not likely that in
many years so many persons again
will be gathered within the borders
of the town. Delightful weather pre-
vailed until after the dedicatory eXer-
cises, and even then a shower which
came up was but OF brief duration.
Music by the Londonderry band, Jul
ian b. Johnson leader, was pleas
ing part of the celebration.
The club, of which Miss Ethel A,
Eddy of Stratton is president and
which has done much 10 foster spir-
it of cooperation in the town, is to
be congratulated upon the successful
elimination of plans for this event.
as well as for its fortunate selection
of the day, which was the most suit
able with respect TO weather condi-
tiOns in several weeks. Not the least
pleasurable feature of the day was
the annual meeting and banquet of
the club in the evening.
The spot chosen or 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
altitude 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 campaign for the eleetion of VIII
liam 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
passersby.
In the first so years of Vermont's 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 yesterday.
but so far as could be learned no one
who attended the meeting of 1910
was present yesterday. The occasion
which the marker commentaries
was both rally and convention, as
.lliland Hall of Bennington was re-
nominated for Congress, and 1t lasted
two days
The speech by Mr.. Webster occupi-
ed two hours The newspapers of
that time give amny details of the
convention, but the speech was not
recorded Hiland Hall and a. H. Min
or of Manchester also were speakers,
Promptly at o'clock. the hour set
for the exercises, the band rendered
selection, after which Miss Eddy,
president OF the Stratton Mountain
club, took charge of the program.
Prayer was Offered by Rev. II. w.
johnson of West Wardsboro. A song
entitled My Old Green Mountain
Home, expressive of the determine
tion of the early settlers to establish
an Independent state, was sung by
the entire audience, led by w. a. Gil
,hert of lrattleboro and accompanied
by the band The words were writ
ten by Rev. w. Lyman OF Ware,
Mass, a native of Stratton, and were
sung to the tune of Quilting Party.
Another selection by the band prefac-
ed the historical address of the day
by Hon. Frank E, Howe of Bennins-
ton. former lieutenant governor,
Mr.. Howe reviewed TO some extent
and in very interesting way the po,
litical situation al the time of the
Webster meeting in 1910. William
Henry Harrison was the Wing candi.
date for president and Martin Van
Buren was the Democratic candidate
The campaign was known as the log
cabin and hard cider campaign apd
the Whig rallying cry was Tippecan
oe and Tyler too. 1t came at critical
period of the history of the country
and was the warmest campaign ever
known in the United States.
The Wings made a special effort tc
get the country voters and the STRAIT
ton meeting was part of that effort
The plan was successful and Yer
mont in particular returned large
majority for Harrison. The state has
been either Whig or Republican ever
since.
Mr.. Howe said he had been toC
| that there had been contest as tC
| where the Webster meeting shoult
| be held, as Bellows Falls BrattleborC
Bennington Manchester, and other
| places wanted it. so it was decided tC
| draw lines on the map diagonally COZ
: Meeting the places contestng for The
| meeting and to hold the convention
| at the place nearest to where tht
= lines crossed, which was Stratton
Webster's trip from Barre, Mass
was through Brattleboro and tn,
| place where he spoke was but a few