Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1868-09-11

H} D.. L. urTcHFE. a. A., oF So ALu,ys.
IN aoroat q a a,'9riyas sau.gIirg to7f ,a
/ %. Hns ~ fle sabqrg5o' lsuS. tie .ei-.g. OF
riiri rsHtci H tle gurd,rof Ellis Drrlt.
Jonathan Ormsly ami .is1 .Nusi, and Hs
,r'-n'l9n by tgayiHJ ~ Cyrus B. Dam.
Hsft tfore The ITm4Ht Historical S1-isfu.
~ us SPECIAL mesiiHy ~ Bud1a9, -Tlg. 1lif f.
1865.
The embargo which was laid upon the foreign
/ trade 90 the United States hv act II Congress.
/ passed Dee. 19I. A. D. 1907. was productive If
/ Widespread ruin and distress. This measure
was deemed Indispensable by the President. llr.
Je.er-0u, as just retaliation for the course
pursuei by Great Britain, IN the seizure Of our
vessels. the pluuder of our seamen. This total
aunlhiAtUn ot commerce, threatening bank
fuptcy and RUIN to So many Of the merchants
and checSlng 20 once the flow Of produce from
the interior Co the seaboari. bore with uecuiiar
hardship upon the people, and tried their patrio-
ti-lu to the utmost.
Its effect was TO greatly increase the price Of
foreign commodities, and render our own nearly
valuele>s. There being no outlet to the latter.
they accumulated in the market. and often could
not he sold far a sum sufficient to pav for the
cost Of transportation Foreign goods, particu-
lir'y the staples. which the people had come 10
CONSIDER rs among the uecessaries Of life, being
shut ont entirely, prices soon rose t1 such
ue-nt that those ia moderate circumstances
found themselves obliged 90 dispense with them
altogether. A. might be expected. there arose
iempe-iuous opposition 90 the embargo in all
parts Of the country. 4 portion Of the people.
at least seemed 10 overlook and TO palliate the
gross insults If England, which caused the
enactment of the law. They seemed 20 forget
the loss of one thousand merchant shius and the
lmprisonmeut of SIX Thousand Of cur seameu.
Jhier the tremendous pressure with which the
emnlI-" tore upon the people the opposition TO
PRESIDENT Jeiicrson's policy became in New
England exceedingly bold and fierce. The
Federal newspapers teemed with articles most
intamm1tory in their character. and Mr.. Iefer-
som and his cabinet were denounced in acrimo-
niou- editorials, and lampooued in dorrerel
verse. A specimen Of the latter, to the tune Of
Yankee Doodle, commenced as follows
" Brother Nathan nation mad,
! think As how he's right, sirs,
Mamma sick, and sisters sad.
And Is right hot 10 fight, sirs'
Further on We are let into the cause Of the DIFF
fculy
- For I've no lasses for to eat
Along with pumpkin pie, sirs'
The verses close with some very ilippant advice
to President jefferson
Now, Tom, take Oft the embargo soon
And Nate and will thank ye''
Among the interests Of the country which
we're called to their full share Of suffering was
that Of the manufacture Of ashes. This was in
deed humble and limited branch Of industry,
but one Of the great Importance to the newly set
tied timber region of Northern Vermont. Many
Of the towns might fairly be said to be receiving
only their first population. The settlers, like
the pioneers Of all new countries brought but
little with them. Their own strong arms were
Their main reliance. As soon cabin has been
erected to shelter their families they commenced
the clearing away Of the forest and the opening
up Of the fields from which TO obtain subsst-
ence. The tall and stately trees fell before the
repeated strokes of the ave. they were cut into
convenient lengths, rolled into heaps and con-
sumeI 10 ashes These re carefully saved.
conveyed 10 the nearest stoI z and exchanged for
provisions and necessary ar ices Many settlers
IN remote places far into the wilderness found it
expedient to work their ashes into black salts,
thus tightening the labor Of transportation. In
lhis form they were conveyed distances of ten to
twenty miles TO a market In some instances,
where settlers were too poor to own team, they
nave been known to take bag Of salts upon
sheir back to the nearest store 1t was fortunate
~ a.. 'nese hardy pioneers fha potashes during all
sils uine, brought remune ating price in the
NOT l, remote market of Montre a. While awaiting
'ne growth of their first crops serious inconve-
hlehce ana probably much ac,ual suffering
would have ensued but for this. The little
stores IN the country towns each had its ashery,
ana al were eager to purchase. Upon the sales
Of their pot and pearl ashes in Montreal they
depended almost entirely for the means of remit
lance TO their creditors in the American cities.
So important was this traffic tn in most Of thu
interior towns Of Vermont, d'ring the greater
portion of the year, not dollar in money could
be raised, except from the sale of ashes With
ut this, goods or provisions could not have been
imported, taxes could NOT have been collected