The Bennington daily banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1877-1877, 1877-08-14
The Founders of Vermont and the
Haldimand Investigation

nroyes the mastery ability, tact anu S,Sao-
itv of the founders of Vermont more thah
The celebrated Haldimand NEGOTIATION.
A early as March, ITO. Lord George Ger
main had written to General Haldimand, VINO
.cn,nmanded in Canada, to give encourage
ment to the VermonteTs, and IN Juiy, hol, ~
Intercepted letter from his 1ordshlp 70 Slr
Henry Clinton, bearing date OF Fep, =, Ltog' ,;
was published, which contained clear eYI-
dence that the British generals in New 1ork
and Canada had orders to receive and sup
mort Vermont and that the ministry was I'M
pressed with the disposition of her people TO
20 over to the King. ! u, .sD-.,..,, ,..,,,.,.,,
In this last supPOsItlon the brltlSD s1Veth-
ment had been most ably deceived by the
adroitness of the Vermont leaders, as VIII ap-
near from the history of these remarkable ne
0OtiatiOns. Thereal explanation Of the palns
taken by the founders OF Vermont 70 pegulle
the British General Haldimand WIN talse
hopes, was simply because ongress had
Withdrawn from Vermont all troops and mu-
pitiOns of war, and thus left TO her Own
clearly insufficient resources 70 reslsD ,,AA w
force of arms, her statesmen were comps ~
for the defence to resort 70 pollcy ~ dali
ioate purpose Col. Ira Allen went q !sie ,., ~
NOix n Nav, 1881. and spent ~, days ~ A eol-
ference with the British COmmissloneIs,h1 h1lnt 3t
inally about an e1ehanke or ip'laad ras,,nT,-
fion Of YermontH allegiance to the Crown.
Aliens object was delay. end he suceeeded q
to "verbally agree that hostilites should
cease between both parties until after the
session of the Vermont. Legislature, and
longer if the prospects were satisiactnry' D.
Allen returned home and gave full ac-
count Of the whole matter to Governor Chit
tenden and his advisers In the secret, and
took from them the following certiheate;
. % STATE OF VERMONT, June, lI6l.
Whereas Col Ira Allen has BEEN with q
flag to Quebec for the purpose OF settling Z
cartel for exchange Of prisons, and has used
his best policy by feigninR OF endeayovtn Ing 70
make them believe that the state Of Vermont
had q desire to negotiate q treaty Of peace
with Great Bfitain-theReby to prevent the
immediate invasion or ipouFsiOn. upon the
frontiers VI this state, as appears by the let
ter he sent to Gen. Haldimand dated May 8,
l7S1, enclosing copy of Col, Beverly Robin
sons letters to Gen. Allen and Gen. Aliens
letter to congress, and the resolutions of the
assembly of Vermont appr0batinR the same,
as also the circular letter to the several
states delivered to Duudas according to his
verbal report made to us this day. We are
of the opinion that the critical circumstances
this state Is in, being out of the Union with
the United States and thereby unable to
make that vigorous defence we could wish
fOr-tbink it TO be necessary political man
Oeuver to save the frontiers Of this state
To further reassure Haldimand aletteT was
sent to him by Allen, 10Th Of July, 1881. cal
culated TO delay his warlike operations, by
making him believe that there was still a
strong probability that the VermOntersw
accede to his proposals despite the failure Of
the last Legislature to take any action look.
ing in that direction Gov, Chittenden and
his associates at the same time directed to
Col. Ira Allen the following document;
/" STATE OF VERMONT, 10 July, 170l,
Whereas this state is not in union with
the United States although often requested.
etc. Oi l-s. ~ .D)s
HTh;a .ha pr;t;sh ,,oxvap ora acouointad
with and are endeayOring to take advantage
of these disputes thereby to court a cOnnex-
lou with this state on the principle of estab-
fishing 1t British province. From various
accounts we are well assured that the British
have a force in Canada larger than this state
can at present raise and support in. the field,
and this htate have no assurance Of any as
sistance from any or either .ot the United
States however hard the British forces may
crowd on this state from tho province of
Quebec by the advantage Of the waters Of
Lake Champlain, etc. Although several ex-
presses have been sent BY the governor of
this state TO several of the respective gOYer-
nors of the United States with the most UT.
gent requests to know whether any assis-
tance would be afforded in such case, yet no
official answer has been made by either Of
them. -
Wherefore we the Subscribers do fully
appreciate Col. Ira Allen. sending Letter
dated Sunderland, July 10, 1871, and directed
IN Gen. Haldimand. and nnoIhar lattar 10
Sort Jnstice ssher,1oSd nnrI,oS1ino sn i,,tan,
Hopp If this state,s beeoming Rs;tisb DTo-
caedinS 70 nrevent the Rritish tnScss fra, IN
voJng thi5 state ana hsi,, - at
to nTeseyI.e this sists from, mi" Svhs1 w
hoIPa 90 nnch reoson ~ .hs1
tb;s bas hse1 The Svsbes ~ oI,e ~ o,,r
I,;.e n.ns Dainh miSe' ~ SOs y y
. sue mean iit 70 NJ NJ
IN; ssst racaie, 1
Tn;tod States M ,sai,s 'ne
Wo;or fsob u t yp.''s sou. iu g
q, H9idiynaoH az oyahea I'1 a. ne, s,
sTranged anotber Toael;I, LtsrsshoI for
| then mat HoIdims1S ana ,,aoaoS,a,, n, fny.
ber bi, nv, l. Id
issna roeismatio, H Sot}snr Id1e.airtns,,
ths favpratie osors ha N lroa
snbmitted IN tbem " HHu s'fo'4y P'tt'"'
4 Cen 81 eyer NJ the hSad .ot tba Rritisb