The Champlain tercentenary

by New York . Lake Champlain Tercentenary Commission; Henry Wayland Hill

Senators John Raines and Thomas F. Grady of New York, who were majority and minority leaders of the Senate when the project was given legislative sanction, did not live to see the Champlain memorials constructed. Senator Patrick H. McCarren of Brooklyn, who assisted in interesting the Representatives in Congress from the City of New York in the celebration, did not live to participate in it himself.

All these friends of the project in its initial and later stages will be remembered for their interest in this historical commemorative celebration, the results of which have been felt in both hemispheres in strengthening the amicable relations existing between the three great nations participating in the international festivities. Its scope in a measure was outlined in the presentation of the matter to the Legislative Committees, making the original and second appropriation, over which Senators William W. Armstrong and Jotham P. Allds in the Senate and Hon. Edwin A. Merritt, Jr., in the Assembly, presided.

II. BRIEF REVIEW OF THE WORK OF THE COMMISSION AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS IN APPRECIATION OF THE ASSISTANCE RENDERED BY THE REPRESENTATIVES OF FOREIGN NATIONS, MILITARY ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHERS.

An outline of the work of the Commission was embodied in the recommendations adopted at the conclusion of the investigation and deliberation of the Preliminary Commission, found at pages 21 to 40 of the First Report of this Commission. Some modifications in the original plan were found necessary as the preparation for the celebration took definite form, but in the main there was substantial adherence to the original recommendations of the Preliminary Commission as may be seen from an examination of the Tercentenary Exercises and the transactions of the Commission hereinbefore given in some detail which involved, in addition to the celebration, the construction of two memorials to Samuel Champlain in the Champlain valley. One of these was a joint memorial constructed by the Vermont and New York Commissions in co-operation from funds jointly contributed by the two Commissions. That is the Champlain memorial at Crown Point Forts. Without the friendly assistance and co-operation of the Vermont Tercentenary Commission in planning and in sharing the expense involved in the construction of the Crown Point memorial, it is not likely that two memorials would have been built. This Commission takes this occasion to make permanent record of the fact that the members of the Vermont Commission were quite as desirous of erecting a fitting memorial to Samuel Champlain as were the members of the New York Commission, notwithstanding the fact that it was apparent to them that the joint memorial was likely to be located within the confines of the State of New York, rather than in Vermont. Undoubtedly the character of the memorial in the form of a lighthouse and its location on a point projecting far into the waters of the lake where it may be seen quite as readily by the citizens of Vermont as by those of New York, had something to do in bringing about unanimity of sentiment in the action of the two Commissions in deciding to erect a joint memorial.

It is hoped that this memorial will stand for all time as a monument to the wisdom of the two Commissions in thus performing a public duty in the spirit of fairness to the people of both states and in grateful appreciation of the character and services to humanity of Samuel Champlain. It met with the hearty approval of the French delegation, who placed on it the Rodin bust, a work of art, selected by M. Hanotaux and others and purchased with funds contributed by His Excellency, Clément Armand Fallières, President of the Republic of France, M. Raymond Poincaré, President of the Council and Minister of Foreign Affairs, recently elected President of the Republic of France and many others, as the seal of the Republic of France. They spoke in commendation of its artistic proportions and of its unique symbolism of the diffusion of the light of civilization through the valley by Champlain and his followers, who sought to inculcate in the “untutored minds” of the savages in the region the humane principles and benign precepts of the Christian religion.

The Champlain Memorial Statue at Plattsburgh was erected by the New York Commission out of the funds appropriated solely by the Legislature of New York. It occupies a commanding position at the outlet of the Saranac river overlooking the lake. The bronze statue of Champlain, the crouching Indian at its base and the granite approach together constitute an unique memorial, artistic in outline and worthy the discoverer of the lake, which bears his name. This will stand comparison with any memorial of the kind in the country.

The Commission submits these two memorials to the considerate judgment of the people of the State in the confidence that they will meet with general approval.

The Commission has thus constructed two suitable permanent memorials to Samuel Champlain in the valley as it was authorized to do by Chapter 181 of the Laws of 1911. In this as in other matters the Commission has endeavored to carry out the spirit as well as the letter of the acts under which it performed its labors.

In addition to the building of the Champlain memorials, the Celebration with its varied literary, military and naval features was carried to a successful conclusion by the Lake Champlain Tercentenary Commissions of New York and Vermont with the co-operation of the Government of the United States and the attendance of the official representatives of France, Great Britain and Canada. The Dominion of Canada sent over the Governor-General’s Foot-Guards under Lieut. Colonel D. R. Street with twenty-two officers and three hundred and eleven enlisted men and also the Fifth Royal Canadian Highlanders under Lt. Colonel George S. Cantlie with twenty-eight officers and four hundred and thirty-eight men.