Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-07-10
From the n. II. Patriot.
f. Il II AN ALLEN.

nc true character OF this distinguished
pioneer Of liberty and the wilderness is fast
fading away, like the light of the setting sun,
even from the aged Fashionable fanaticism,
in the exercise of its despotic power, has but
too successfully. attempted to cast dark
oblivous mantle over his bcncvoence and
philanthrophy as citizen, and his chivalric
achievements as a soldier. Memory should
not tire, nor national gratitude be withheld,
from our patriotic grandsres, by whose labor
and our Liberties made free from danger. or
Col. Allen, little is to be found in the death
less pages of our national story that gives
anything like fair picture of his true char
actcr. The numerous divcrging religious
sects in New England, regardless who con-
tributed to give them the sacred privilege to
worship their God, {" according to the die
talcs of their own conscicnces and reason"
seemed TO have joined in one grand chorus,
to chant the inlidelity of Ethan Allen. His
patriotic services for his country which pro-
cured the liberty to religious scctarianism to
eriSt, sby them written upon water, while all
his expression or lalth, differing from the
measure ofthcir several creeds, seem to have
been cngravcn upon brass and marble. AL
len was as bold and Independent as a moral
ist, as he was brave and daring as IA soldier,
which proves him to have possessed as much
honesty of heart, before his GOd, in the one,
as PATRIOTISM and courage before his country
i'll the exercise Of the other.
llcroism is not confined to deeds of chiv-
airy in war, or true courage exclusively to
the battle field. 1t required as much moral
courage for Thomas Jefferson to break over
the bounds Of illigitlmatc slavcry-to tram
pie under foot the political creeds of heart
| less dcspots, and to storm the strong fortress
cs by the declaration of Independence, as it
did for Ethan Allen, and without even the
authority of that declaration, to storm the
fortress of Tycondcroga, capture Grown
Point and the only British armed vessel up
on the lake. Where was Ethan Allen about
the break of day on the 9th of May, 1875,
two months, lacking five days, before indie
pendcncc was declared! He was at the
head of cighty-threc men close under the
guns of the British Fort Tycondcroga, adj
dressing his brave volunteers. 81 am going
(says hey to lead you forward. The attempt
is dcspcrate-l wish to urge no man against
his wl-.hoso who will follow, poisc fire
locks !" They were all poised. "Onward
my brave fellows" said Allen, and led the
way through the picket gate, passed the GOV.
cred way formed his men in the fort, and in.
stantly rushed into the quarters of De Ia
Place, the half dressed and terror struck
commanding ollicer,and percmptorily dcman
ded the instantaneous surrender of the fort
"In whose name do you demand it!' asked
the trembling De la Place. Git surely mus
have been at that time, undcr all the cncum
stances rather a hard question to answer.
s. In the name of the great Jehovah and thu
Continental Congress replied Allen
, Poor De la Place did not then know or care
much about the Continental Congress, bu
concluded that if the "Great Jehovah" hat
sent such desperate looking fellow at tia
l time in the morning to take the fort, he ha,
better give it up, and did accordingly. Hav
ing secured that important garrison to hi
5 country, he fastened onward and before tin
S brilliant sun of that day set took Crow
Point, and captured his Maesty's only arm
? ed vessel on Lake Champlain.
This was the first conquest our countr
ever presumed to call for herself, and thi
was the first acceptable offering upon the al
tar of liberty, at which, may it never be for
gotten, ETHAN ALLEN onicatcd as hig
priest. Ills after services and suilerngs i
the cause of his country, during the seve
, years war of the revolution, though but par
r tally known or appreciated, come not with
y in the limits Of this communication and ar
S passed over.
At the close Of the war, Col. Allen too
y up a large tract of land in Colchester, VT
d upon which he labored with great industr
and skill until he found himself in posses
y sion of bne of the largest and best farms fc
a that day in the State. His great barns wcr
II filled with good hay. HIS granarics wer
: Overlooking with wheat, rye, corn and oat
His mansion from cellar to garrett, was we
a stored with all the comfortable things tn
d country afforded.
d Mrs. Allen was benevolent, kind, moth
= erly, minister loving matron, who never pei
n mittod hunger to remain one minute in b,
e house unsatisfed. Above all things 81
y esteemed it her especial privilege, TO wa