Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-08-05
A NEW HISTORY OF VERMONT

a NEW HISTORY OF VERMONT
Vermont has not a few written his
tories These are for the most part con-
fined to earlier Vermont or to special
periods or to particular subjects like
Bened!ct's history Of Vermont in tho
Civil War" Our thinking men have long
realized that our State needed a new
history that should not only be com.
nruheusive but should also bring the
record Of our commemorative Develop
thoroughly up to date
Mr.. Walter n. Croclcei has undertaken
the task Of preparing such = history az
that outlined. To th,s end he has gone
20 first authorities wherever possible.
Including tho Congressional library in
Washington. thr rich Canadian archives
at ottawa md ths comprehensive N.
=. State papers anc volumes at Albany
dealing with the eariios vsr1nont and
the do!ngs of tho fathers and mothers
Of our commonwealth. Ho D. going INTO
the work with creator detail; OF a ,ynois
than any previous writsr. He II asarr:h-
Ing through ali Of tho legislative acts
and governors ue:uages as well ~
reports of congressional proceedings for
the acts Of vermonts Senators and
Representatives in Congress. consult
ing the files Of Vermont newspapers and
much contemporary historical and bio
graphical literature that may contain
data and material relating directly or
indirectly to Vermont.
1t can readily be seen that the results
hensive work that will have tremendous
value for all students of history, as we'll
MS general interest for our people as a
whole. In prospectus Mr. Crockett shows
that the history he is preparing will
comprise four volumes Of about 4s0 pages
each attractively illustrated with many
valuable and interesting maps, charts
historic buildings, places and portraits,
some of which have never before been
published.
The first three volumes will be de-
voted to consecutive narrative history.
The fourth volume will deal with special
topics like legal and judicial history,
medicine education. religious denomina-
tons. finance industry, agriculture,
literature, art journalism and so on
For example it is stated that Judge
Frank L. Fish is writing the history
Of the bench and bar. DR.. H. C. Tink-
ham is bringing thoroughly up to date
the history Of the medical profession
in Vermont which the late and lamented
DR.. c. S. Caverly of Rutland prepared.
Special attention is TO be given to
the administration Of each governor of
Vermont from that Of Thomas Chit
tenden to that of Percival w. Clement.
All important periods like that of the
War of 1912, the Canadian rebellion, the
Civil War, the st. Adams raid. the visits
Of Lafayette and various presidents to
Lake Champaign Vermonts part in the
recent World War, Admiral Mayo as
nomination for the e-presidency
afford merely a suggestion Of the wide
range of the work and it's completeness
10 date.
The topics under the heading "Rise
Of Political Parties" from which we take
few illustrations indicate the intense
interest with which the work will be
invested. These deal with the period OF
the French Revolution and the negotia.
ton Of the Jay treaty; Matthew Lyons
stormy career, Ira Aliens trip abroad
seizure of the "Olive Branch" hi.
imprisonment, return and exile; en-
oargo, smuggling on the frontier
beginnings of anti-slavery sentiment
rise and growth of the protective
tariff idea; action of the Vermont Legis
lature asking for abolition in the Dis.
trict Of Columbia: a Vermonter in
Taylor's cabinet; rise OF the Republican
party: the Morrill, tariff; Lincon's
at the outbreak of the Civil War
Edmunds, Morrill, and Poland in the re-
contraction period; a Vermonter a.
president; Proctor and Vermont in the
Spanish-American war; Roosevelt al
Isle La Motto when Mckinley was shot
and so on at great length.
One of the earlier features OF Vermont
history, which has remained a CLOSED
book in Vermont histories has loca
interest. The commission on tn
boundary between Vermont and othe
States and Canada began its sessions ir
Burlington in May, 1878. william C
Bradley, one Of the most brilliant mer
Vermont ever produced, appeared
before the commission as agent OF thu
United States with a commission from
President Madison dated February 7. 1917
One of the commissioners was Cornelius
p. Van Ness, who subsequently, becam,
chief justice and governor and minister
to Spain under President Jackson, ant
left a name still familiar to Burlingt ton
DR. williams. the well known historian
and philosopher of Vermont was engages
by our state to help establish tn
correctness of tho boundary He reporte'
to the State that the old line cut of
moro than COO square miles Of Vermont
territory.