St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1883-09-21

lenged his brother to fight Il duel with
him, to which Ethan Allen replied
that he would not disgrace himself by
fighting with a tory. Ira finally be-
came n very Jealous and active repub-
lican. In process of time, Ethan Allen
resumed his active military duties, and
in the fall of l775, by the advice of
Montgomery, made that attack upon
Montreal which proved to be disas-
trous, because Col. Brown did not
arrive upon the ground and cooperate
with Allen, as had been promised
and, moreover, after an engagement of
nearly two hours, Aliens men had all
deserted except twenty-eight, seven of
whom were wounded. BY that un-
fortunate adventure Allen lost his
liberty, and his people lost his valuable
counsel and military service for the
next two and half years. The dec
laration of independence in I776 left
Vermont i'll a very critical and preca-
riOus situation. Vermont had mt two
different times belonged to Massachu-
sets, once to New Hampshire, which
still claimed it, Notwithstanding Il
still later and more tenacious claim of
| New York, which supposed that Yer
mont was an integral part of that state.
Consequently, Vermont, in like manner
with all other parts of that state, was
included and held in and by that con
| federated declaration of independence.
! Vermont had already refused to he
| identified with Canada, and more earn
estly dis0wned any connection with
New York, but was determined to
stand, sink or swim by itself alone.
Vermont had no state or provincial
name of its own, nor any organized
government nor officers except such as
were improvised for special occasions.
1t did not belong anywhere, nor to
anybody, but to, and within its limits,
its individual self
The declaration of independence
suggested to the people of Vermont
that if thirteen colonies had dared to
take that bold step, that small dis
trict would venture to do the same.
Accordingly, delegates from different
parts of that district were convened ut
Westminster on the 18th of January,
M, and then declared that district to
be free and independent sovereign
state. If the situation of the thirteen
united colonies, or states, was hazard
Gus, and their success doubtful, then
how would it he with poor, little, weak
Vermont, while attempting to stand
entirely alone7 Surely such a spec
tacle would awaken the astonishment
of most every rejecting mind. From
that time onward, Vermont had
a name of its own, its legislature, gov
ernor, and other officers, and all needed
governmental machinery in successful
operation.
In May, I77S, Allen was released
from his long imprisonment by the
British. But although his health was
too much impaired to permit him tC
engage in active military service, yet
he was not idle, but devoted his best
energies to the interest of his people
den, and other prominent men, con
= tinued to impOrtune the New Iorl
5 Legislature to relinquish its claims
= upon his state, and visited Congress
t several times, where he Iabored will
- all his fervent zeal to induce that bod,
e to admit his state into the Union, bu
e always without avail.
i Allen finally prevailed upon Warne
4 to accompany him on one of his visit
;, to Congress. The appearance of thOs
>, plain, simple, unpublished men, in thei
y rude, coarse, and grOtesque garb, Great
e ed great sensation i'll Philadelphia
= but they were introduced upon tn
It floor of Congress, and after an affect
5 ing representation of the peculiar try
e ing state of affairs in Vermont, aI
II pealed to that body most earnestly t
d receive their state into the Union
e The British officials had all the Will
} been kept well informed respectin
:, the long and embarrassing state {
,r things in Vermont, especially in ro
:. gard to the unjust and abusive attitud
te which Congress had maintained again'
1t Vermont, and, therefore, they hope
d. it might he drawn from the rebel eau,
ID to that of the king. Accordingly,
ne the spring of I760, Col. Beverly Robin
of son, then at New York, addressed
I'd letter to Allen, and with flattering an
at winning speech depicted the exec
ir lence and glOries of royalty. In FebrI
Mt airy, 1871, Allen received another lett
,ir from the same man and of the san
1t. import as the other. Allen subs
st quently received letter from G,
p Dundas of Canada, containing owe
On lures similar to the other two lette
at The proposals. of the British office
by were received with apparent favor
,st Allen, who obtained IA promise that
70, hostile demonstrations would he allo,
d. ed upon Vermont until after the nt
ny session of its Legislature, and by tt
k, means 10000 British soldiers ",
he kept inactive for a long time. T
en time for the meeting of that legislatu
of was looked forward to with intense
lat terest; for if the legislature decid
1T adversely to those proposals, then the
of impatient British soldiers might be
Ter loose upon them, alone and without
RI sistauce from any source The decla