The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1871-11-23
IRA ALLEN.

Ira Allen was a Younger brother oi
/ Ethan, born in LilehGpld, Conn, 1852
what mouth or day we are unable to say
not having the date. before us, nor is il
. material 10 our sketch; hc moved into thi.
state at an early date, with lis parents
who settled in Bennington County.
. lie gave promise Of making a useful
man and in his maturcr years that prom
isc was not belled; he was one Of the
most noted men Of his day though Young
cr than his colaborers by a number OF
year, he Yves for time the Secretary of
the Council Of Safety and from the form
ing OF tie state government till 1856 State
Treasurer.
4 la l55G while then Secretary Of the
Council, the question Of then forming the
Militia came up for consideration. Some
Of the members proposed raising and arm.
ing company while others proposed a
battalion, and one more intrepid than
the rest proposed a regiment This was
laughed at as Absurd; where was the
money to come from to pay the troops?
Il could not be done. twas impossible,
bnt tn, youthful Secretary put cap to
the climax by proposing brigade, TIE
absnrdity of the motion struck the mem
bers dumb, but he who proposed the rails
ing ola regiment proposed that "the last
proposition be entertained and the Sccrc-
ary be appointed committee to devise
ways and means for paying the troops.'
The motion was carried and the council
I adjourned to meet the next morning AT
/ ten.
! The young statesman walked his room
the livelong night and when the co neil
met his plan was matured and ready for
presentation. When the matter was call.
ed up, he made the following proposition,
which was carried BY acclamation. That
this state do proceed forthwith to raise,
arm and equip two regiments Of Rangers,
and TO dofray the expenses of the same,
to co .fscato the property Of the Tories
who have left the state" The men were
raised, one regiment commanded by Col
Warner, and the other by Col. Herrck.
In May, 1881, Allen, having been APP
pointed Colonel, was sent to Gen. Iialdi- !
mand in Canada, to negotiate another ex.
change Of prisoners aud to keep up the de- |
ception began by his brother. The Brit
ish officers thought their time had come |
and strongly urged that Vermont should
declare herself independent and a British |
Province, but with singular tact Allen /
obtained all he asked for, and mystilied
the British into thinking that they would !.
eventually meet with success.
October, 1881, Lord Cornwallis sur
rendered, and the British officers on Lake |
Champlain wished tc issue a proclama-
ton to the people Of Vermont declaring
it a British colony, but they were inform
ed by Allen that such course would not !
succeed at the clisis, as the people were
too elated over their late victory.
During the winter Of 1881 and 1882 the
British officers were extremely anxious to
know how the victory had eventually af- +.
fected the people Of Vermont; in Febru. I
AIRY and April, 1888, the British agents IN
Canada wrote very pressngly for infor-
nation offering high offices to those who
would bring about the declaration Ne
gutiations were carried on, aud the fol-
lowing summer tic enemy agreed again
not to begin hostiiitics, aud gave Allen
permission to make il known 10 the peo.
pie.
In 1888 the war with Great Britain end. /.
ed, and consequently negotiations ceased. .
Thus for three years was this cofrespon. /
dcuce carried on, and the people were
none the wiser Tor II. Eight persons only
were made acquainted with he offers Of
the British, aud they were firmly attached
TO the American cause; on their part the /.
whole correspondence consisted from be. I.
ginning to end Of ambiguous, cvasiyc
wurd., meaning just what you pleased
as You read them. Whether this course
Is right, or not, II saved great deal Of
blood-bcd and destruction of property,
and was The only way that was open to
the government Of Vermont 70 protec
herself
December, i1gi, Allen went 70 Europe
10 procure arms for the state. lie pur-
chased DO France 10000 stands of arms
aud bra cannon; these be- bougiu on
iis oWn -pousibiliigl 20 be delivered 10
thc staic 81 cost When Bcar New YotE
Oh d. return yoyage, The -i,ip was csp-
iartl by 4 British vessel. aud taken H.
Liverpool uHler some him.y pretext
that ll4eg aefc ior sgme of tlso British
transatlantic colonies l,e Teni the rest Of
1i iie Ia negotiations and litigation. fJf
ID. stolen property alieh be eventually
received, bHtio bim tiley aefc ucarlg usc-
less as peN patent bad come inio use.
Dld the pi4ue resaIHag from ll,eir f,oliug
received ia Canada s. Dc ahA hls fgst'
e. haaa haf anything rs is sith u.s
sase,
30 i Alien il tle Ftospffiis II our
Commonwealth III great measure owing
atid sboati iii' name be remembered bY
tie onth 81 Ntuagui o. 20
Ilis brother inem0FY Is COMMUNICATED