The Bennington daily banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1877-1877, 1877-08-13
The Founders of Vermont and the
Haldimand Investigation.

Haldimand Investigation.
Nothing in the early history Of Vermont
proves the mastery ability, tact and sagac
ity of the founders Of Vermont more thar
: the celebrated Haldimand negotiation.
As early as March, 1779. Lord George Ger
main had written to General Haldimaud, whC
commanded in Canada, TO give encourage
ment to the Vermonters, and in July, l7el, aT
intercepted letter from his Lordship to Sit
Henry Clinton. bearing date Of Feb 2, 1760
was published, which contained clear eyi
dence that the British generals in New York
and Canada had orders. to receive and sup
port Vermont, and that the ministry was i'm.
pressed with the disposition Of her people "a
go over to the King l
In this last suppositiOn the British govern
ment had been most ably deceived blythe
adroitness Of the Vermont leaders, as win ap-
Dearfrom the history of these remarkable ne
gOtiations. Thereal explanation Of the pains
taken by the founders Of Vermont to beguile
the British General Haldimand with false
hopes, was simply because Congress had
withdrawn from Vermont all troops and mt
nitions of war. and thus left TO her own
clearly insufficient resources to resist by
force of arms, her statesmen were compelled
for the defence TO resort to policy in r6set Of
power. Iu pursuance of this exceedingly del
icate purpose Col, Ira Allen went 10 Isle au
NOix in MAY, 1881, aud spent II days IN CON
ference with the British Commissioners, nom
inally about M exchange Of prisoners, but
really on the subject Of proposed resnmp-
tiOn Of Yermonts allegiance to the Grown.
Aliens object was delay, aud he succeeded 50
far as to persuade the British Commissioners
to verbally agree that hostilitles should
cease between both parties until after the
session OF the Vermont LegiAlHtuFe, and
longer it the prospects were satisfactory"
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 tho following certificate
STATE OF VERMONT, June. 1881.
Whereas Col. Ira Allen has been with q
flag to Quebec for the purpose Of settling a
cartel for exchange of prisOns and has used
his. best policy by feignIng OF endeavoring to
make them believe that the state Of Vermont
had desire to negotiate a treaty of peace
with Great Britain--thereby TO prevent the
immediate Invasion or incursidn upon the
frontiers 9t this state, as appears by the let
ter he sent to Gen. Haldimand dated May g.
l7SlJ ENCLOSING 9 cory Of Col, Beverly Robin.
sons Letters to fen, ALIGN and Ven. Allebis
letter to congress, dnd the resolutions ;bf the
assembly of Verutont apprdbating the same,
as also the circular letter to the several
states delivered to Dundas 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-think it TO be necessary political man
oeuyer to saYe the frontiers Of this state
foN4s Fay,
skAIUEI SkFPORD,
SAMUEL ROBINSON,
JOSEPH FAY,
THOMAS CHTTTENDRN,
MOSES ROBINsoH,
TIMOTHY BRowNsON,
JOHN FASSETT,
To further reassHre Halaimana aletter was
sent to him by Allen, 10th OF JGly. 1881, cal
culated to delay his warlike operations, by
making him believe that there was still
strong probability that the Yermonters would
accede to his proposals despite the failure Of
the last Legislature TO take any action look
~. - 'N''Y tt'oYstSu'' sot' Slltseneien anp
5, ms associates at ths same time directed to
& srAfr M os op Ttgs5oST sg,r ~ In,., iz
"whereas this stateds not in nnion With
the United States although often requested,
o'S' SThis tho R,;tisb Do,.. 49,
with and are endeavorinE to take sdgabtsga 1tsse
of these disputes. thereby to court connex.
MIN u Vnls BS;t S.as on tne principle of estab
accounts we are well sEsnTed m at u ~ fhri9nIA I
have force in Canada larger than this state |
Gan can AZ present raise and support in the field,
sistance from ANY ar ~ issAgye et any %;
STATES however hard the British forces % msS
crowd on tins stpte from the province Of |
fSIs Gbsymniin by NJ iaqvgn'age w ~ t9e waters Of
presses have been sent nv tbss annn S1YSTal satt
this state to several o. the respective COVER
@Sps tlers o. % tne bAlteg states with the most ur
49,, 49,. = W huu,W MuotuuF any a6sis-