Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-03-09

ERMONT STATES ONE HUNDRED TWENTY FIFTH YEAR
Present world conditions favorable to the promotion
which the Green Mountain pioneers passed in evolving the
state OF Vermont On this one hundred and twen.G';;
179l it is fitting that consider the bearing Of develop
menT OF that period upon some problems of our me or;sb
tranquility home The pioneers of Vermont, however
could not enjoy the blessings of peace we 50 ze lhey
estS but also with constant succession of human enemies
Following warfare with the red who here wooed MS
French and English and eliminating in the Revolution
S" " n !" Ss~ a " snJ Scw Yo w neigh
The early vermonters knew the full meaning Of pre-
t They had shown the Mo how TO nc he
Vermones had declared their independence on January o
With the re OF e WSa as %9 has @ S
tie Serbia, the Green Mountain Boys entered into negoa
Vermont would become part Of Canada The Haman
respondence shows that the efforts of the Aliens and the
Fays and the Robinsons and Cittendn helped Yer
mont. When Congress would not admit Vermont to the
Union Vermont continued for fourteen years an indie
pendent republic.
Thus century and quarter the and daughters
of Vermont demonstrated the advantages of preparedness
in both peace and While Ethan Allen led III Ira
Allen ready to lead in the founding of university and
in the promotion of the arts of peace
Ethan Allen would have regarded a W. D. Bryan rac1si
of his day moycodde only he might have expressed
his contempt for weakng and not ready to defend his
hearhstone in even more vigorous language than heo
dore Roosevelt has made familiar in that connection
1t is only when we look far back to the beginnings of
commonwealth and the struggles which evolved this
State that we get true perspective as to war and its neces
well criminal prosecution at Others
No State is more firmly for to-day than Yet
Vermont not only ready to fight whenever forced to fight
for its existence but has been in the of those
ready to fight for The Union
This combination of characteristics is all the note
by Vermont in its efforts to gain admission to the Union of
States Here again Vermont paved the way for other States
sacred number and in unlucky.
Moreover, Vermont had been stormy petral for the
American colonies both in and peace and natural
that region which had caused much trouble for those
who tried to should the opportunity to get
back at it by keeping it out of the Union
Then host Of people shouting, Let well
enough alone They wanted to preserve the Union as 1t
gregation of which boast to-day We have only
to turn to Europe to-day to what might have been our
nen even our own land west of the Mississippi Vermont
was the first State to start the movement for the building Of
nation broader foundation and the wisdom of the
time in world affairs.
oacy by the fact that after Congress had considered
luton demanding that Vermont surrender part of its ter
mont really desired to become Brtsh province or whether
they ready the terms of the congressional
resolution and enter the Union.
Governor Chittenden on November H. 1881 replied to
Washington that while people the continent
attached Alta to the cause Of Aerca than the people of
the government Of New York.
On the first day of January, 1882 Washington wrote to
Governor Chtenden advising Vermont to Withdraw your
acknowledgment of independence and sovereignty under the
resolve of the August so much territory
not interfere with the established bounds of New
Hampshire, New York and Massachusetts * apt to
think this is the prevailing opinion of Congress-
Lack Of means of communication at that time can be
precated from the fact that when Vermont complied with
the advice of Washington Congress debating Vermonts
earlier refusal to comply with the resolution Congress
went so far to resolve that if Vermont did not comply
within month sch neglect and refusal would be regard
ed as indication of hostility to the United States
That was utmatum. When Vermont complied, how
Congress continued admit it the Union
various pretexts Its people became Disguised with Con-
and determined to Congress further their
right to confederation with the United States In order
be the side however, the Assembly October again
appointed agents with full powers to consummate such
union
In the meantime of the people in Windham county,
who favored New York and opposed Vermont independence
created disturbance. In the of 1888 Gen. Ethan
Allen directed to call out the militia to enforce the laws
Vermont He proceeded from Bennington with 100 Green
Mountain Boys and his arrival at Guord issued his fam
Gus procamaon a. Ethan Allen. declare that unless the
people Guord peaceaby submit to the authority of Yer
the shall be made desoate the cities
of Sodom and GOmorrah.
Clashes with residents favorng New York and oppos
ing Vermont government occurred also Rutland and Wind
counties. After much negotiation with both New York
Congress- accepted proposition to New