Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1868-09-16

AIOub WIN punphih IaNt F''N'
The verses close with some very fifpant
advice to Jefferson:
Now Tom take of the embargo soon +.
And Nate and will thank ye.
Among the, interests Of the country
which we're called to their full share of
suff.riug was that of the Manufacture Of
ashes. This vas. indeed . humble and
limited branch Of ibdusspJ, but one of
great Importance 10 the newly settled tim
Der region Of Northern Vermont. Many
of the towns might fairly be said to be
receiving only their first population. The
settlers, like the ptoncerc of al new
countries, brought but little with thcm.
THAR own strong, arms were. their Iaain
reliance. AS soon as u cabin had been
erected torshelter their families they com
menced the clearing away Of the forest
and the opening up Of fields from which
to obtain a subsistence. The tall and
stately trees fell before the repeated strokes
of the axe, they were cut isto convenient
Lengths, rolled into heaps AID, consumed
to ashes. They we're carefully saved. con
veycd to- the nearest store aud exchanged
for provisions and necessary articles
, Many settlers in remote places far into
! the wilderness found it expedient to work
their ashes into black salts, thus Tighten.
ing the labor of transportation. In this
form they were conveyed distances of ten
to twenty m;lcsto market. In some in,
stances. where settlers were too poor to
own a team, they have been known to take
q bag Of salts upon their back to the near.
est store. 1t was fortunate for these har-
dy pioneers that potashes dunpg all this
time, brought remuuerating price n the
not remote market of Montreal. While
awaiting the growth Of their first crops
serious ipconvenicnce and probably much
actual suffering would have ensucd but
for this The little stores in the county
towns each had its asbcry, and all were
eager to purchase, Upon the salts of thcil
pot aud pearl ashes in Montreal lhcy de-
pended almost entirely for the means o.
remittance to their creditors in the Amer
lean cities. So important was this tralfi,
that in,nost of the interior towns of tht
State, during the greater portion Of tn;
year, not dollar in money could be rails
ed, except from the sale OF ashes. With
out this, goods or provisions could no
have been imported, taxes could not hav,
been collected, and the country must hav
been greatly impedei in its advance AM
: prosperity The embargo, therefore. in
, hicted upon this interest destructiv
i blow. The merchants had large stocks 0
ashes on hand and more or less amount
G due from the settlers, which were payabl
= in that commodity. With ruin starin
. in the face, the temptation TO run thei
ashes across the line to Montreal was to
. great for the patriotism OF the most G
/. them, and smuggling was commenced 0
/ an extensive SCALE 10 oounteract an
r repress this, q numerous force of revenu
3 officials were posted along the frontier, t
which we're shortly added guards at difftl
I cut points from the militia. The extou
E to which party spirit was at that tim
q carried, greatly favored the smuggler.-
!. The Fcderalists were his friends. |
n their abhorrencc Of President Jefferson
administration Of the embargo, the mos
Q of them we're ready'to notify the smusglel
r Of the advent of the custom house office
Q to guide him to place of safety, or to s.
crete his goods upon their own premise
e No informer ever arose from the ranks
G the Federalists SO much was ceItail
!. and where direct aid might not be obtain
@ cd, the smugglcr knew he was safe fro
} betrayal But on the other hand Il
!, Democrats. the supporters Of Jeiferso1
&c favored the enforcement of the law. The
l.. sided with the, revenue officials, aud man
j. of them were active in giving inforlaatiC
% of the places where smuggledi goods AZ
l. property vas concealed. Loads of potG'
A or droves of cattle would sometimes
10 accompanied with force to overawe Il
Is custom house officers, and prevent all o
IT tempt at seizure. At other times, the c
,c fccrs Of the Government would rally the
10 Democratic friends in sufficient numbe
i, to bear down all opposition, and to sci
70 and carry away the property. Collisio
10 Of this kind we're not unfrequent in sev
r. raj Of which serious wounds we're resel
K ed and in one case the result was DEATH
al Large quantities Of ashes were broug
n to the ports Of Lake Champlain, and SO
~ at small prico to speculating smuggl(
sas who stood ready to purchase. II
cd lake, with its secluded bay, shady nool
II and uninhaLited islands, offered o CO
u venient highway to the smuggling bo'
which moved only at night, and remain
quiet by day.