Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-09-09
The Black make.


in the time of the embargo of 1908 the
seizure of which resulted in the murder
of Ellis Drake, Jonathan Ormsby and
Asa Marsh, and the execution by hang
ing Of Cyrus b. Dean. Read before
the Vermont Historical Society, at its
special meeting at Rutland Aug. Goth,
1860, by l.. l.. butcher, \. NJ, of
St Albans.
The embargo which was laid upon the
foreign trade Of the United States by act
of Congress, passed Dec. 22d, 1907, was
productive of widespread ruin and dis
tress. This measure was deemed indis-
pensabe by the President, Mr.. Jefferson,
as Just retaliation for the course pursued
by Great Britain, in the seizure of our
vessels, the pIunuer OF our commerce and
the impressment of our seamen This to-
tai annihilation of commerce, threatening
bankruptcy and ruin to SO many of the
merchants, and checking at once the flow
of produce from the interior to the sea-
board, bore with peculiar hardship upon
the people, and tried their patriotism to
the utmost
Its effect was to greatly increase the
price of 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 to pay for the cost of
transportation Foreign goods, particu-
larly the staples, which the people had
come to consider as among the necessaries
of life, being shut out ent rely, prices soon
rose to such height that those in moderate
circumstances found themselves obliged to
dispense with them altogether. As might
be expected, there arose a tempestuous op-
position to the embargo in all parts of the
country. \ portion of the people, at
least, seemed to overlook and palliate the
gross insults of Englond, which caused the
enactment of the law. They seemed to
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 Presi-
dent Jeffersons policy became in New
England exceedingly bold and fierce. The
Federal newspapers teemed with articles
most inhammatory in their character, and
Mr.. Jefferson and his cabinet were de-
nounced in acrimonious editorials, and
lampooned in doggerel verse. \ specimen
of the latter, to the tune of Yankee
Doodle commenced as follows
brother Nathan's nation mad,
think how he's right, sirs,
Mammals sick, and sisters sad,
And Is right hot to fight, sirs.'
Further on we are let into the cause of
the difficulty
For Eve no lasses for to eat
Along with pumpkin pie, sirs."
The verses close with some very flip
pant advice to President Jefferson
"Now, Tom, take OF the embargo soon
And Nate and will thank ye.'
Among the interests of the country
which were called to their full share of
suffering was that of the manufacture OF
ashes. This was indeed humble and linn
tied branch of industry, but one of great
Importance to the settled 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 countri es, brought
but little with them. Their own strong
arms were their main reliance. As soon
their families they commenced the clearing
away of the forest and the opening up OF
the fields from which to gain subsistence
The tall and stately trees fell before the
repeated strokes of the axe, they were cut
into convenient lengths, rolled into heaps
and consumed into ashes. These were care
fully saved, conveyed to the nearest store
and exchanged for provisions and neces-
sary articles. Many settlers In remote
places far into the wilderness found it ex-
pedent to work their ashes into black salts,
thus Tightening the labor of the transport
alton In this form they were conveyed
distances of ten to twenty miles to mar
ket. In some instances, where settlers were
too poor to own team, they have been
known to take a bag of salts upon their
back to the nearest store. 1t was FORUM
ate for these hardy pioneers that pot-ashes
during all this time, brought renumera-
ting price in the not remote market OF
Montreal. While awaiting the growth OF
of their first crops serious Inconvenience