The Champlain tercentenary

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

In the month of November, 1906, a joint resolution for the appointment of a commission for the celebration of the three hundredth anniversary of the discovery of Lake Champlain was adopted by the senate and house of representatives of the State of Vermont, containing the recital that—

Whereas, The discovery of Lake Champlain was an event in history fully as important as many others that have been recognized by various states as well as by the National Government; and

Whereas, The three hundredth anniversary of such discovery will occur on July 4, 1909, it is hereby

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives, That this event should be observed in a fitting manner and bring about an observance commensurate with its importance, there is hereby provided a commission consisting of the governor, who shall be chairman ex-officio, and six other members to be appointed by the governor before January 1, 1907, one of whom shall act as secretary. Said commission is hereby empowered to adopt such measures as in its judgment may be reasonable or necessary to bring about the fitting observance of such event. And as the interests of the State of New York and of the Dominion of Canada are allied with those of Vermont in such observance, it is hereby recommended that said commission confer with the proper authorities of New York and Canada to ascertain what action they or either of them will take with Vermont in making the observance of this event successful and a credit to all, and that the commission report the result of such efforts, together with its recommendations, to the general assembly of 1908—

which resolution was approved by Governor Fletcher D. Proctor on November 15, 1906; and thereafter Governor Proctor appointed as members of such commission Walter E. Howard, of Middlebury; Horace W. Bailey, of Newbury; R. W. McCuen, of Vergennes; Lynn M. Hays, of Essex Junction; Walter H. Crockett, of St. Albans; M. D. McMahon, of Burlington; and thereafter, on April 15, 1907, on motion of Senator Henry W. Hill, of Buffalo, the senate of the State of New York adopted the following resolution, which was concurred in by the assembly on April 16, 1907:

Whereas the discovery of Lake Champlain by Samuel Champlain on July 4, 1609, antedates the discovery by the whites of any other portion of the territory now comprising the State of New York, and was an event worthy of commemoration in the annals of the State and nation; and

Whereas the State of Vermont in 1906 appointed a commission, consisting of the governor of that State and six other commissioners, to confer with commissioners to be appointed on the part of New York and the Dominion of Canada, to ascertain what action, if any, ought to be taken by such States and the Dominion of Canada for the observance of such tercentenary: Therefore

Resolved (if the Assembly concur), That a commission consisting of the governor, who shall be chairman ex-officio, two citizens to be designated by him, the lieutenant-governor, the speaker of the assembly, two senators to be designated by the lieutenant-governor, and two members of the assembly to be designated by the speaker, be appointed to represent the State of New York at such conference, with power to enter into negotiations with the commissioners representing the State of Vermont and those representing the Dominion of Canada for the observance of such tercentenary, and that such commission report the results of their negotiations, together with the recommendations thereon, to the legislature of 1908.

The New York commission appointed under the foregoing resolution consisted of Governor Charles E. Hughes, Lieutenant-Governor Lewis Stuyvesant Chanler, Senators Henry W. Hill, John C. R. Taylor, and Assemblyman James W. Wadsworth, jr., speaker of the assembly, Alonson T. Dominy, James A. Foley, and Frank S. Witherbee and John H. Booth.