Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1857-06-04
ANECDOTES OF COL. ETHAN ALLEN.

ANECDOTES OF COL. ETHAN ALLEN.
COL Ethan Allen was a man destined to
the world as something uncommon and in a
high degree interesting. He was partial
ly educated and obscurely brought up; yet
no man was more at ease in the polished
ranks than he. Not that he at all conform
ed to their artificial rules of etiquette but
he had observed the dictates of natural good
sense and good humor. His bearing was in
total defiance Of fashion, and he looked and
acted as if he thought it would be conde-
scention thus to trahmel himself. It is
well known that in early life, in his own
country, he acquired an influence over his
fellow-men, and led them on to the most
daring achievements He seemed to have
possessed all the elements of a hero, devo-
ted patriotism, resolute and daring mind,
and an excellent judgment.
His conduct as partizan officer, is well
known in this country, and was of great SER
vice to the cause of liberty during our revo-
lutionary struggle. He was taken prisoner
and carried to England. where his excellent
sense, his shrewdness and wit, introduced
him into the court region. A friend of our
earlier life, who was we'll acquainted with
this part of the history of this singular man,
used to take great delight in telling US some
anecdotes of Col. Allen while prisoner in
London. We have before mentioned the
frmness with which he resisted the attempts
to bribe him, and the caustic satire with
which he replied to . nobleman, who was
commissioned by the ministry to make him
formal offers to join the British cause in
America. The incident was stirring one,
and will bear repetition.
The commissioner, against the tempting
largesses, proposed that if he would espouse
the cause of the king, he might.have fee
simple in half the State of Vermont. Il
am plain man." said Col. Allen in reply,
land have read but few books, but have
seen in print, somewhere. a circumstance
that forcibly reminds me of the proposal of
your lordship; it is of a certain character
who took certain other character into an
exceeding high mountain, and showed him
all the kingdoms of the earth. and the glory
thereof and told him if he would fall down
and worship him, this should all be his; and
the rascal" added he, ''didn't oaom u foot
1y them!
His interview with the king at Windsor
is mentioned as highly interesting. His
majesty asked the stout-hearted mountaineer
if they had any newspapers in America
'sBut very few, and those are but little
read" was the answer. ''How then," ask
ed the king, edo the common people know
of these grievances of which they complain ?"
GAS to that" said he, Il can tell your
majesty, that amongst a people who have
felt the spirit of liberty, the news of oppres-
sion is carried by the birds of the air, and
the breezes of heaven '.That is too igur-
ative an answer from matter-of-fact man,
to plain question:" rejoined the king
''WeIl, to be plain" answered the rebelli-
Gus subject, ''among our people the tale of
wrong is carried from man to man, from
neighborhood to neighborhood, with the
speed of electricity; my countrymen feel
nothing else; 'out of the abundance of the
heart the mouth speaketh.' I will add,
with great respect to your majesty, that
such people cannot be put down with the
sword"
The king made long pause, as if strong
| ly impressed with the truth of his remarks.
At length, changing the subject, he asked
Col. Allen if he knew DR.. franklin; and
being answered in the affirmative, inquired
concerning his experiments in electricity,
and expressed a curiosity to experience an
electric shock. The British sovereign SEEM
ed to take great pleasure in the conversa-
ton, which he kept up for more than an
hour, and at length made Col. Allen promise
to visit him with his countryman DR.. Frank
lin, at his palace in London. Some weeks
after he was reminded Of his promise by the
nobleman above mentioned, and an hour
fixed for the home bred philosopher of A
merica, to explain the mysteries of new dis
covery in the science to the royal family
They attended accordingly and with an ap-
paratus chiefly of his own invention. DR..
Franklin exhibited many Of those simple
and amusing experiments for which he was
so noted, and at which the royal children,
even those of a larger growth, were very
much delighted.
In his playful way, DR.. Franklin took
occasion to convey instructions as to the pro-
perties Of this astonishing fluid. While the
royal habitation was thus in most unking-
ly uproar, the Premier was announced as in
waiting. The king seemed for moment
disturbed. Il forgot my appointment with
the minister" " said he, "but no matter I
will eschew business for once, and let
North see how we are employed" Ac-
cordingly the minister, was ushered in with
little ceremony, and it was soon concluded
that he should have shock. Allen whis-
pered to the doctor to remember how he had
shocked us across the waters, and to give
him double charge. Whether it was de-