USA > Vermont > Washington County > Montpelier > Addresses delivered before the Vermont Historical Society and the Vermont Historical and Antiquarian Society > Part 3
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Scholars! Can you remember that Massachusetts has published scores of volumes to illustrate her history, -- that Connecticut, New - Hampshire, New York, and even Georgia have followed in her foot- steps, and blush not that we are behind them all?
Ye that have spoken of plads even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall -- that have chronicled every creeping thing that creep- eth upon the face of the earth -- can you pass by on the other side any memorial of the leaves in our history, as if tithing cummin were the weightiest of matters ?
Rich men! The British Aluseum has last year appropriated more than $20.000 to purchase books relating to America. Many of the rarest works on our local annals are led into captivity to London- materials, says one, for future Alison's to forge hes from. Will you only tighten your purse strings while men in deep poverty are strug- ling to secure for ourselves the documents which may be indispensi- ble for refuting the half-truths, equivalent to whale falsehoods, which will be propounded, regarding one annals, by the party, or prejudic- ed writers of England >
Let us leave our history to be written by foreigners and it will be the play of Hamlet with the part of Handlet omitted. The New York account of the taking of Ticonderoga is that " it was surprised by a detachment of provincials from Connecticut and Massachusetts Bay." as if there had no Vermonter raised a finger. The truth is, as we have seen, that the first measures for that capture originated in Ver- mont, and that all but one sixth of those engaged iu it were Vermon- tirs.
Our ancestors made themselves of no reputation for you who had
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done nothing for them. No debt can be more binding on you than to see to it that justice is done their memory.
Is there no hope of any further aid from the State? Shall not this State, like so many others, perfect its archives, or shall the only State that redeemed its revolutionary paper money at par neglect to finish . securing even its own laws and journal,, and the records of its courts?
It is not fitting for the State's money to be laid out to help a man travel in England ; but it is a shame to us that we have not sooner secured the services of a gentleman who had gained access to the correspondence during the most critical period of our history,-doc- uments which others had in vain begged leave to examine -- and who would have copied it cheaper and better than any other man. We have refused him hundreds though we might thus have procured a better reputation than we can now make of an aspersion which has beca cast on the fame of our fathers. Ragland is now lavishing thousands mpon the same man for his assistance in obtaining doen- ments in which she can feel comparatively but little interest.
Even Georgia has procured the copy ing of twenty folios regarding her history in British public offres.
The genins of our history says to us, all and each, that thou doest do quickly, like the sy bil to the ancient king, she year by year brings with her fewer and fewer antique records, but unlike the sybil de- mands for them an even increasing price.
I trust our Geological serntiny will meet with no interruption or delay, but were we to leave that scrutiny half unfinished, another generation may renew it, and suffer no evil from our neglect. Geo- logical records are always with us, everlasting as the hills, -- they are graven in the rock forever, we may read them when we will.
The records of our fathers have in part perished with them, - some of them live in the memories of patriarchs who still stand among us with eyes nudimned and natural force not abated, as if on purpose that such as hold the pen of the ready writer may still eni- balon their sayings. For this end let each of us build over against his own house and rely on himself as though he were the only laborer. Let us redeem the time, since if our old men pass away unquestion- ed, no buried Pompeii can be raised from the grave to enlighten our wilful ignorance. How we lack what we have lost irretrievably ! Many of you have stood in the Massachusetts Senate Chamber and seen suspended over the entrance, a gun, drum, sword and cap, tro- phies, not of Lexington, Concord, or Bunker Hill, but of Benning- ton. What would we not give to regain the similar relic, -" those
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bruised arms hung up for monuments," which we threw away as nothing worth. It is too late.
But let us be up and doing, each in his own order. Every fact hitherto undetected, we can glean and garner up by means of the art preservative of all arts, may be a monument more fasting than those trophies in Boston, or than any corruptible things, and what is more, vocal with speech that may be heard through all space and through all time.
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ACT OF INCORPORATION OF THE SOCIETY.
h is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont as follow : Ist. Henry Stevens, of Barnet, in the County of Caledonia, and Oramel li. Smith, Danict P'. Thompson, and George B. Mansur, of Montpelier, in the County of Washington,-and such other persons as have associated, and may bereadlei associate, themselves with them, for the purpose of collecting and preserving isa- terials for the civil and natural history of the State of Vermont, -are hereby ma lea body corporate and politie, hy the name of The Vermont Historical and Amteper ..... Society ; and, by that naise, they, and their successors, may sue and be soed, en .! shall be capable in law to take and hold in fee simple, or otherwise, lands, and ten- ements, and rents and hereditaments, not exceeding, in the whole, the yea. ly valor of $2000.00, exclusive of the building or buildings, which may be actually occupied for the purposes of the said Corporation ; and they shall also be capable, il I. v., to take, receive and hold, personal estate to an amount, the yearly valee of the h shall not exceed, the sum of $2000.00, exclusive of the Books, Papers, Memorial. and other articles, composing the Library and Cabinet of the said Corporation ; and shall also have power to sell, demise, exchange, or otherwise dispose of, all, cr part, of their lands, tenements, hereditaments, and other property, for the benefit o: said Corporation ; and shall also have a Common Seal, which they may aker at their pleasure ; and shall also have the power to make By-Laws, with sunable pen- alties, not repugnant to the Laws of this State.
24. The said Corporation shall have power, from time to time, as they may think fit, to elect a President, and such other officers as they shall judge necessary ; and at their first meeting, they shall agree upon the manner of calling future meetings, and proceed to execute all, or any, of the powers vested in them by this act.
3d. The Library and Cabiner of the said Corporation shall be kept in the Town of Barnet, in the County of Caledonia.
4th. The said Henry Stevens is authorized to notify the first meeting of the said Corporation, by an advertisement thereof, under his hand, for three weeks before snel meeting, in any newspaper printed in this State.
Approved Nov. 5, 1833.
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FIRST MEETING OF THE Vermont Historical and Antiquarian Society, OCTOBER, ISTO.
Parsaant to an Act of the Legislature of Vermont, incorporating The Vermont The. :orical and Antiquarian Society, and empowering Henry Stevens to call the first meel- ing of said Society, the said Stevens having given the notice by said Act required. the several persons, in said Act incorporated, met at Montpelier on the third Thurs- day of October, A. D. 1840, and elected-
HENRY STEVENS, of Barnet, President. The same, Librarian.
D. P. THOMPSON, GEO. B. MANSUR, S
Secretaries.
As officers of the said Society for the year ensuing ; and Silas Il. Jennison, E. A Stansbury, 1. F. Redfield, D. M. Camp, E. P. Walton, Daniel Baldwin, G. W Benedict, Solo. Stodard, and Norman Williams, associate members ; and adopted the following
CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS.
ARTICLE 1. There shall be a President and two Vice Presidents. It shall be the duty of the President, and, in his absence, one of the Vice Presidents, to preside in the meetings, and to regulate the debates of the Society and Council ; to call meetings of the Council, and extraordinary meetings of the Society, by advice of Council. The President, or presiding officer, shall vote in Council, and also have a casting vote. The Vice Presidents shall, ex-officio, be members of the Council.
ART. 2. There shall be seven Counsellors, exclusive of the President and Vice Presidents : any four of the whole number shall constitute a quorum. It shall be the duty of the Counsellors to direct the Corresponding Secretaries in the perform- ance of their duty ; to present to the Society, for their acceptance, such regulations and by-laws as, from time to time, shall be thought expedient ; to receive donations, and, with the President, to purchase, sell or lease, for the benefit of the Society, real or personal estate ; to draw orders on the Treasury for necessary monies, and, in general, to manage the prudential concerns of the Society. It shall be the duty of the Council to inquire concerning the characters of persons, living out of this State, proper to be elected Honorary Members.
ART. 3. There shall be one Recording Secretary, and two Corresponding Sec- retaries. The Recording Secretary shall be the keeper of the Seal of the Society. It shall be his duty to attend all meetings of the Society and Council, and to make and keep records of all their proceedings ; and shall keep on file all literary papers belonging to the Society, under direction of the Council.
It shall be the duty of the Corresponding Secretaries to receive and read all com- munications made to the Society, and to manage, under the direction of the Council, all the correspondence of the Society.
ART. 4. There shall be a Treasurer who shall give such security as the President and Council shall require for the faithful performance of his trust. It shall be his
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duty to receive and keep all monies and evidences of property belonging to the So- ciety ; to pay out to the order of the President and Council ; to keep a record of his receipts and payments ; exhibit the same to, and settle wich, a committee which shall be annually appointed for this purpose ; and he shall put the money of said So- ciety to interest under the direction of the President and Council.
ART. 5. There shall be a Librarian and Cabinet Keeper, who shall give bonds In the satisfaction of the President and Council for the faithin performance of his trust. He shall receive and have in his custody all Books, Papers, Productions of Nature, and Works of Art-the property of the Society. These he shall arrange in classes, and register in a book with a proper description of each article, with the donor's name, when the same shall be a present. No article shall der, va any occa- sion, be loaned or taken from the Museum ; nor shall any book or other astick In borrowed from the Library, except by a vote of the Council, and then the loan of such article shall be recorded, and a receipt given therefor by the borrower, engaging to return the same in four weeks, or pay a forfeiture, such as by a vote of the Council shall be affixed.
ART. 6. The stated meetings of the Society shall be-one in Barnet, on the 17th day of January, and, when the same shall fall on Sunday, then the Tuesday fol- loving ; one in Montpelier on the third Thursday in October, at such hours and pla- ces as shall be notified by the Secretary. At the amed me ting in Montpelier, in October, there shall be chosen, by ballot, all the officers of the Society to serve dur- ing the following year, and mutil others are chosen. At this meeting a public oration shall be delivered by some person to be appointed by the Council.
ARs. 7. All nominations for members shall hereafter be submitted to a commit- tee of three for their approbation ; and, if approved by said committee, the name: of the candidates, with the names of the members who proposed said candidates. shall be entered in the book of nominations, and the candidates may be ballotted for at the next meeting of the Society.
ART. 8. Each member shall annually pay into the hands of the Treasurer at the meeting, in October, $2,00 towards a fund. And every person who shall neglect to pay said annual tax, and shall suffer him or herself to be in arrear for three annual taxes, after having been called on by the Treasurer in person, or by writton order. shall be considered as having abdicated his interest in the Society, and no longer a member.
ART. 9. All meetings, standing or special, shall be notified by the Recording Secretary, under direction of the President and Council, in one newspaper, published in Montpelier, fourteen days previous to the day of the meeting, in which notification the hour and place of the meeting shall be designated.
ART. 10. In case of the death, resignation, or removal out of the State, of either of the Secretaries, or the Treasurer, or Librarian, the Council shall take charge of the official books, papers and effects belonging to the vacated office, giving receipts for the same, which books they may deliver to some person whom they may appoint to fill the office until the next meeting of the Society, when there shall be a choice.
ART. 11. This Constitution shall not be altered, or amended, except at the sta- ted meeting in October, and then only by the vote of three fourths of the members present.
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BY-LAWS.
Ist. The ballots for the election of officers, and the admission of members, shall be collected by a committee chosen by nomination, who shall assort and count the votes and make report to the presiding officer ; and he shall declare the result to the Society.
2d. Every member, who shall advance $20 to the funds shall be excused paying the annual tax of $2.
3J. Every new member shall be notified of his election by a printed letter signed by the Recording Secretary.
4th. The Secretary shall record, in a book for this purpose, the names of the members, and the times of their admission.
5th. All books and other articles, belonging to the Society, shall be appraised, and the price of each article shall be mentioned in the catalogue.
6th. A correct catalogne of the books, and other articles, shall be made out by the Librarian and Cabinet Keeper, or by a Committee chosen by the Society for this purpose, which copy shall be kept by the President for the time being ; and, as addi- tions are made to the Library and Museum, they shall be entered on the Catalogue and copy thereof.
7th. Every deed, to which the Common Seal of the Society is affixed, shall be passed and sealed in Council, signed by the President, and attested by the Secretary.
Sth. There shall be a temporary place of deposit in Montpelier, and in such other places as the Council shall hereafter direct, for the convenience of those who may be disposed to present to the Society any article for its Library and Museum. Every article so deposited, shall, as soon after as circumstances will permit, be forwarded to the Library and Museum in Barnet.
SEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING.
On the third Thursday of October, A. D. 1846, the Vermont Historical and Anti- quarian Society, agreeably to previous notice, held their seventh annual meeting at the Court House, in Montpelier ; when the meeting was called to order by the Pres- ident, and the following Officers of the Society were duly elected for the year co- euing, viz. :
HENRY STEVENS, President.
I. F. REDFIELD,
S. B. COLBY,
Vice do.
D. P. THOMPSON, Recording Secretary.
HENRY STEVENS, Librarian and Cabinet Keeper.
D. BALDWIN, Treasurer.
E. P. WALTON, )
S. H. JENNISON,
I. F. REDFIELD, Counsellors.
D. M. CAMP,
D. BALDWIN,
Alter which the Society adjourned to meet at the Brick Church, Oct. 16, to bear an Address from Rev. J. D. Butler.
D. P. THOMPSON, Secretary.
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October 16, 1816.
Society met, and, the Legislature adjourning for the purpose, the members thereof assembled at the Brick Church, at 3 o'clock, P. M., when, the President and Secre- tary in the chair, Rev. J. D. Butler delivered an interesting address, illustrating the importance of preserving the fragmentary and oupublished history of Vermont ; at the close of which Rev. J. Gridley offered a resolution of thanks to A . Butler for his address-requesting a copy for the press-which was adopted ; and the meeting adjourned.
The following declaration and accompanying papers were found by Mr. Stevens, at Washington among a mass of rubbish and were first published in the Burlington Free Press, the editor of which pa- per very justly remarks that the State is under great obligation to Mr. Steveus for his services in hunting up and arranging official papers and other testimony touching the origin, progress, and final consum- mation of the struggle, which resulted in giving to the American Switzerland the proud individuality of which we so justly boasts. We hope to see the State do justice to itself, and to Mr. Stevens, by pur- chasing these papers, and putting them in a shape to make them available to the community at large. When this is done, the world will be satisfied that the early settlers of Vermont were men of no comnou mould. For a mere handful of men to resist the combined efforts of New York on the one side, and New Hampshire on the other-to be repulsed, if not-rejected, by the home government, and menaced by a foreign foe, involved the exercise of no cominon sagac- ity, and an amount of nerve and energy, with which we are not fa- miliar. But so it was. While maintaining an open war with the neighboring states, they protected the whole line of our frontier, by keeping on terms with the common enemy, while at the same time they rendered more efficient aid to the government which discarded them than either of the States alluded to. The official correspond- ence with Washington-some of which is among these interesting papers-goes to demonstrate this, beyond a doubt.
It is due the honor of the State that something be done to sustain Mr. Stevens in his untiring efforts to bring to lighit the records of a State whose early history is more remarkable than that of any other State of the Union.
C. G. E.
Vermont Declaration of Independence.
" In Convention of the Representatives from the several counties and towns of the New Hampshire grants, holden at Westminster, January 15, 1777, by adjournment.
Whereas, the Honorable the Continental Congress did, on the 4th
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day of July last, declare the United Colonies in America to he nee and independent of the crown of Great Britain ; which declaration we most cordially acquiess in. And whereas by the said declaration, the arbitrary acts of the crown are null and void, in America. Con- sequently, the jurisdiction by said crown granted to New York gov- crument over the people of the New Hampshire grant ; is totally dis- solved.
We therefore, the inhabitants, on said tract of land, are at present without law or government, and may be truly said to be in a state of nature ; consequently a right remains to the people on said Grants, to form a Government best suited to secure their property well being and happiness. We the delegates from the several countries and towns on said tract of land, bounded as follows : South on the north line of Massachusetts Bay ; East, on Connectieat River ; North on Canada line; West as far as the New Hampshire Grants extends: After Rey- eral adjonraments for the purpose of forming ourselves into a distinct separate State, being assembled at Westminster, do make and publish the following DECLARATION, Viz :
" That we will at all times hereafter, consider ourselves as a free and independent State, capable of regulating our internal police, in all and every respect whatsoever. And that the people of said Granty have the sole and exclusive, and inherent right of ruling and govern- ing themselves, in such manner and form as in their own wisdom shall think proper, not ineon ,istent or repugnant to any resolve of the Honorable Continental Congress.
Furthermore, we declare by all the ties which are held sacred among men, that we will firmly stand by and support one another in this our declaration of a State, and endeavoring as much as in us lies to sup- press unlawful routs and disturbances whatever. Also we will en- deavor to secure to every individual his life, peace and property. against all unlawful invaders of the same.
Lastly, we hereby declare, that we are at all times ready, in con- junction with our brethren in the United States of America, to do our full proportion in maintaining and supporting the just war, against the tyrannical invasions of the ministerial fleets and armies, as well as any other foreign enemies, sent with express purpose to murder our fellow brethren, and with fire and sword to ravage our defence- less country.
The said State hereafter to be called by the name of New Connec- tient."
Extract from the minutes.
IRA ALLEN, Clerk.
In Convention of the Representatives from the several counties and towns in the New Hampshire Grants holden at Westminster, 15th January 1777, by adjourument, Voted nuanimously,
That it is the ardent wish of this Convention that each town in the District would send a Delegate or Delegates, to the next sitting of this Convention, those towns that have not chose any Delegates to choose and send. This Convention is adjourned to the first day of June next, to be held at the Meeting House in Windsor, at nine o'clock in the morning.
Extract from the minutes.
IRA ALLEN, Clerk
Von-residents that have a desire to attend the above Conven-
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tion, are hereby notified of the same, said Convention was formed to govern the Internal Police of said District, and if thought proper, to form said District into a State.
STATE OF VERMONT. ? In General Convention, Windsor, June 4, 1777. 5
Whereas, this Convention, did at their session in Westminster, the 15th day of January last, among other things, declare the district of land commonly called and known by the name of the New Hamp- shire Grants, to " be a free and independent Sude, capable of regn- lating their own internal police in all and every respect whatsoever, and that it should be known thereafter by the name of New Connecti- ent."
And whereas, by mere accident, or through mistake, the svid de- - claration alone, was published in the Connectient Courant, No. 634, dated March the 17th, 1777, without assigning the reasons which im- pelled the inhabitants to such separation.
And whereas, this Convention have been informed that a district of land lying on the Susquehanah River, has been heretofore and is now known by the name of New Connectiont, which was noknown to them until some time since the declaration at Westminster afore- said : and as it would be inconvenient in many respects for two sepa- rate districts on this contineat to bear the same name ;
Resolved, therefore, unanimously, that the said district described in the preamble to the declaration at Westminster, aforesaid, shall ever hereafter be called and known by the name of VERMONT.
And whereas, the whole body of members which compose this Convention, consisting of the following persons, viz: Captain Josiah Bowker, President ; Nathan Clarke, Esy., Mr. Simeon Hatheway, Mr. John Burnam, jun., Jonas Fay, Secretary ; Major Jeremiah Clark, Mr. Abel Olia, Captain Ebenezer Willoughly, Mr. Abel Benedict, Mr. Joseph Bradley, Mr. Ely. Bronson, Mr. Martin Pow- ell, Mr. Thomas Bull, Mr. Cephas Kent, Mr. Moses Robinson 2d., Dr. Gains Smith, Captain William Fitch, Captain Jonathan Wil- lard, Mr. Caleb Smith, Capt. Zebediah Dewey, Mr, Jesse Church- ill, Captain William Gage, Captain Ebenezer Allen, Benjamin Spen- cer, Esq. Mr. Whitefield Foster, Mr. Joseph Smith, Mr. Stephen Pince, Mr. John Southerland, Captain Jonathan Fassett, Captain Josiah Powers, Captain Jeremiah Powers, Mr. Gamaliel Painter, Captain Heman Allen, Captian Ira Allen, Colonel Thomas Cbitten- den, Mr. William Miller, Dr. William Hall, Col. Benjamin Car- peuter, Captain John Barnet, Mr. Isreal Smith, Mr. John Dyer, Mr. Dennis Locklin, Nathaniel Robinson, Esq., Mr. Joshua Webb, Dr. Reuben Jones, Mr. Jabez Scarjeants, Captain John Coffin, Captain William Udly, Mr. Ebenezer Hoisington, Captain William Curtiss, Major Joel Mathews, Captain William Gallop, Mr. Benjamin Em- mons, Mr. Stephen Tiden, Col. Joseph Marsh, Mr. John Troop, John W. Dana, Esq., Mr. Asa Whitcomb, Mr. Asa Chandler, Col. Peter Alcott, Major Thomas Murdock, Mr. Jacob Burton, Joel Marsh, Esq. Mr. Daniel Gilbert, Mr. Abner Chamberlain, Mr. Fred- erick Smith, Mr. Amos Woodworth, Mr. Amabiah Woodworth, Dr. Bildad Andress, Mr. Benjamin Baldwin, Mr. John G. D. Bailey, Captain Robert Johnston .- amounting to seventy-two in number, be- ing all convened at the town house in Windsor, aforesaid, and the motion being made and seconded, whether the house would pro-
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ceed to business on the former declaration made at Westmin-ter, in January, aforesaid, with this alteration only, that instead of New Connecticut, the said district should ever be known by the name of VERMONT ? That then the name of the representatives being dis- tinetly and severally called by the Secretary, seventy -one of them did answer in the words following, viz, " proceed to form ;" at which time and place the said seventy-one members did renew their pledg- es to each other by all the ties held saered among men, and resolve and declare that they were at all times ready in conjunction with their brethren in the United States, to contribute their full propor- tion towards maintaining the present just war against the fleets and urmies of Great Britain.
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