Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1862-10-24
The People of Orleans to their
Representatives at Montpelier,

lhe Canadians claim 10 nave an active,
armed militia numbering over 10000
men, fully organized. 1t is divided into
cavalry, artillery and rifemen, in about
the proper proportion. The companies
are being drilled by competent instructors
and are held in readiness for any emer-
gency, There has been great activity
shown by the Canadians in raising, or
ganzing and arming this force, and yet
it is so far short Of the wishes of the gov
eminent that the ministry are compelled
TO resign on account Of parliamenl's re
fus;ng to adopt SO vigorous policy il
this respect as the government had rec
commended and urged, The only posi-
bic use the Canadians can have for their
arms is against u. There is beside the
militia the usual number Of English reg
ulars stationed in Canada. Several reg
iments which were sent to Canada and
other British Provinces previous to the
settlement Of the MasonSIidell affair
have been Withdrawn.
Suppose war suddenly to break on.
between Great Britain and tue United
States, how is Vermont situated? 10
both wars we have bad with that nation,
Vermont has been battlefield. Lake
Champlain has not dried up. The Mem
phremagog would now be more than lhen
desirable to both parties, SO nearly con
Meeting with one Vermont and two Can
adian lines of railway. The possession
of the St. Lawrence and Atlantic or
Grand Trunk Road from Portland to the
Line, which has an important station il
our state, at Island Pond would be Of the
utmost importance TO Great Britain for
these reasons. Portland is the deepest
harbor upon our coast and the only one
which is accessible to many Of the largest
British ships. Troops can be transport
ed from Portland more easily than from
any Provincial post to Canada, either to
be there used for defence or (makiug
Canada base of operstions) to be eX-
tended along the great lakes and to make
attacks upon Illinois, Michigan, Ohio,
New York, Vermont, New Hampshire
or Maine, as the value Of the conquest
or the ease of making it should indicate.
Not only is the route from Portland by
rail to Island Pond and Montreal the most
advantageous route for the transportation
Of British troops TO Canada, but during
six months of the year when the ST, Law
renee is lee. bound, it is the onig practca-
BILE route. If the enemy land their force
at Halifax, as they did during the Mason
SlideIl agitation, until secretary Seward
permitted them to be transported over
the Grand Trunk, they would then have
to be transported overland without rail
way to Canada. In the winter the Sc
verify Of the weather and the great length
Of the march might be as disastrous TO.
their army as the march through Russia
was to Napoleon, or the Chicahomlny
swamp to Mcclellan.
A leading Canadian politician aud for
some time the minister Of finance, Sir
A. T. Gait, has long been scheming to
induce the Provinces TO construct n line
of military railway from Halifax to Que
bee, but thus far without success. 1t Is
to be borne in mind that the railway from
Portland TO Montreal connects at Rich
mond with the road from Quebec, so that
soldiers stationed at the Canadian Glib
ralter could in twenty-four hours, il the
railway communication was not inter
rupted, be thrown to the rear Of Portland
while the British fleet should be storm
ing the city in front.
As the Grand Trunk is the door be
tween Canada and Portland 60 is the
Champlain between Canada aud New
York. Suppose 10000 Canadian mill
tia and 5000 reeuars-we put the figures
very low-should demand Of Vermont
who is custodian Of the keys to these
great doors, that she stand one side and
let the enemy in, what could she do Il
We are in II situation as helpless as ii
we are all women. We have not one
effective cannon, not a single company OF
militia and no law to make one. II any
imagine that England is not so naughty
as to strike u, to him let rs present this
question: If the English government
should attempt again to dictate to US from
Westminster, and to threaten ra5 II, she
has done within year, would we dare as
at present situated TO instruct our repre-
sentatives in Congress to take decided
and manly course, or should we write
them private letters begging them TO re-
tain a keen lawyer who could discover
some violation of legal formabty on our
part which could be made the excuse 10
ourselves for mean apology TO the En-
glish government and meek submission
to its demands Again, if all our able
bodied citizens were armed and equipped
and drilled in = regular organized militia