Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1868-09-03
the Hiack snake.

loAt in the time II the embargo 1T lsiis
ihc seizure of which resulted in the
murder # Ellis Drake, Jonathan orn,.
ty and Asa Marsh, and the execution
by hanging Of Cyrus n Dean. Read
before the Vermont Historical Society,
AZ rs special meeting a, Rutland, Aug
2oth, 1865, Wy L. l.. Butcher, \. II,
ui 81 Adams
The embargo which was hid upon Ia,
foreign trade of the United State, Ly aci
II Congress, passed Dee 92d, A. d l>n:,
wa, productive Of widespread ruin aud
distress. This measure was doomed IN
aispcnsahlc by the President, Mr. Jeifer-
,,u, a, Just retaliation for the course
pursued by Grea, Britain, in the seizure
II our vessels. the plumber II our com.
mcrcc and the imprcssmcut q our sea-
men This total humiliation of roIn.
mcrcc threatening bankruptcy and ruin
20 50 many Of the merchants and ,hecking
a, once the how Of produce from the in
terror 10 the seahoari, bore with peculiar
hardship upon the people, and tried their
patriotism to the utmost,
Its effect was To greatly increase the
price 81 foreign commodities, and render
our own nearly valueleSs. There being
no outlet to the latter, they accumulated
in the market, and often could not be
sold for a sum sufficient 70 pay for the
cost Of transportation. Foreign goods,
particularly the staples which the people
had come to consider q, among the n,scs.
saries of life, being shut out entirely.
prices soon rose TO such height that
those in moderate circumstances found
themselves obliged to dispense with them
altogether. A. might he expected, there
arose a tempcstuous opposition 10 the en-
barge in all parts OF the country. \ por-
ton Of the people, at least, seemed 10
overlook and to palliate the gross insults
Of England, which caused the enactment
of the law They seemed 10. forget the
loss of one thousand merchant ships and
the imprisonment Of six thousand Of our
seamen. Under the tremendous pressure
with which the Embargo bore upon the
people, the opposition TO President JciFer-
sons policy became in New England ex-
ceedingly bold and fierce. The Federal
newspapers tccmed with articles most in
ilammatory in thcir character, aud Mr..
jefferson and his cabinet were denounced
in acrimonious editorials, and lampoonci
in doggercl verse \ specimen Of the lat
ter, to the tune OF Yankee Doodle. COM
mcnced as follows
"protbo, Yso,.c,. r,,,on ma,
u think as how h. night, sir,
And Is right hot to teht. s,r..o
Further on we are LET into fbe cans. If
the difficulty
"ior I've no 'lasses tor to ca,
-, Along win puniA'n pc SIR
''o'o WIN SOM very mp
''''' - ~ ~ ~ : o''u''i' 'e'''i'oh
Ana Nate and / viii thank ".
Among the interests of the coftntry
which were called 10 their full share of
suffering was that Of the mapnf,ctura of
ashes This was indeed Il humble and
limited branch of industry. bpt one of
great Importance 10 the newly settled
timber region Of Northern Vermont
Many OF the town, might fairly be said
20 be receiving only their first population.
The settlers, like the pioneers Of all now
countries, brought hut liule with them
Their own strong arm. were them main
reliance As soou as cabin had be,,
erected to shelter their familic. thew cosa-
menced the clearing away Of the forest
and the opening ua Of the folds from
which to obtain subsistence The fall
and stately trees fcll b,iaro s1c repeated
strokes of thraxe. thcy we're cut inta.e..
yenient lengths, .olled into heaps and ean.
sumcd 10 ashes These were carrfully saved
conveyed to the nearest store and X
changed for provisions and necessary ur.
tiole.. Many settlers in remote plsce- far
into the wildorns-, found i ex,elien, 10
work their a,he, into black salts. thu.
tightening the labor Of tfius. 5rf..t.,a.
lii this form they wercc.rrtsa, u distance.
of ten to twenty mile, to ii raatkr# H.
some instances. where settler. ,yaae ?
ro,r +, nwn - tan, H.. t.
known to take a hag Of sails r4.u ,1.r,
back Ia the nearest store. IF ~ f..rf,,
nate for these hardy pioneers thai net
ashc, during all this tins. BROUGHT - -.
munerating price in the aat remote mar
ket Of Montreal. While awaiting III,
growth Of their iir.t crops ~eriou~ i..e.,p
veniencc and probably mach actual ~at
icring would have ensured bnt far fb..
r.. I,t.l. t.@. - a