The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-02-23
Thomas Chittenden, and her trusted

with greater alacrity, or sustained ii
with more spirit and resolution, than
the people of Vermont. Yet, after all
their efforts and sacrifices in the com
mon cause. they had the modification
to find themselves denied just partici-
patton of the blessings which they had
labored to secure. Their claims to in
dependence were not acknowledged by
Congress, the dismemberment of their
territory and the annihilatiou of their
sovereignty were threatened by the in
trIgues and unjust claims Of the neigh
boring states, and, to crown the whole,
they were now abandoned by the power
which ought to protect them, and left to
contend single handed with the common
enemy.
"But Notwithstanding their attach.
ment to the cause of their country, the
people of Vermont could not fail to per.
ceive that every step which they.too to
support it, only rendered their own con.
dition more hopeless. They could hardly
wish to lend their aid for the purpose of
bringing the struggle with foreign
enemy to a successful termination, when
they perceived that by such an event,
they should be subjected to the domino
ton of a more detestible enemy at home.
In this state of things, Vermont wisely
consulted her own safety; and by the
negotiation with the enemy in Canada,
IN which she now engaged, she was so
fortunate as to secure it,"
He then gives extracts from two let
tiers written by Colonel Beverly Robin.
son, an officer in His Majesty's service,
to Ethan Allen, one dated March 30, 1880
and the other February 2, 1871, both con-
tanning proposals for return of Yer
mont to her allegegiance to Great Brit
ian. No answer was returned by Allen
to either of these letters. On the con
trary, by the advice of Chttenden and
other friends, they were enclosed in
letter to Congress, informing them of all
the circumstances. He then proceeded
to Justify the claim of Vermont to indie
dendence, and declared his own determ'
nation to do everything in his power to
establish it.
II am confident" said he, that Con-
gress will not dispute my sincere at
tachment to the cause of my country,
though do not hesitate to say, l am
fully grounded in my opinion, that Yer
mont has an indubitable right to agree
on terms of a cessation of hostilities
with Great Britain. provided the United
States persist in rejecting her applica-
ton for an union with them. For Yer
mont would be, of all people, most mis-
cradle, were she obliged TO defend the
independence of the United States, and
they be, at the same time, at full liberty
to overturn and ruin the independence
of Vermont"
The reasons for the diplomatic policy
pursued by the leaders of Vermont, are
still more evident when we remember
that British army of ten thousand men
was thus kept idle on her defenceless
northern frontier, and that it was only
by this policy that the State was saved
from an invasion which it was powerless
to repel, and which would have devas-
tated not only Vermont, but also the
whole of New England-Washington be-
ing employed at the southland thus
have crushed the hopes Of freedom.
Such were rthe circumstances under
which these negotiations were carried
on: and whether correct or not says
Thompson, they always justified them
selves on the ground of self-preserva-
ton. That these negotiations served not
only to protect Vermont, but the United
States from invasion by powerful
British army for period of about three
years, is undoubted; and it is perhaps
equally true that by concealing the true
object of these negotiations from the
people of the United States, New York
was prevented from pressing her claims
at that period to the territory of Yer.
mont, and Congress from lending its aid
to enforce those claims"
Should any further proof be needed
that these men of Vermont were true
patriots, that in the measures which
they pursued they were actuated by a
love of the cause of American independ
ence, and that none of them ever seri
ously entertained the idea of a union
with Great Britain, it may be found in
hundreds of other "old quill written
manuscripts" preserved in the archives
of Vermont at Montpelier, and of which
the following, which is the commission
furnished to Allen on his first visit to
Quebec, may be taken as a sampled
State of Vermont, June, 1881.
"Whereas Col Ira Allen has been with
a Flag to the Province of Quebeck for
the purpose of settling cartel or Elk
change of Prisoners, and has used his
best Policy by Feigning or Endeav, ring
to make them believe that the State of
Vermont had a desire to Negotiate a
Treaty of Peace with Brltaln-thereby
to prevent their Immediate Invasion or
Incursion upon the Frontiers of this
State were are of the opinion that
the critical circumstances this State is
in, being out of union with the United
States. and thereby unable to make that
Vigorous Defence we could wish for
think it to be necessary Political man
euver to save the Frontiers of this
State.
James Fay, Tho's. Chittenden,
Sam'l Stafford. Moses Robinson,
Sam'l Robinson, Tiny Brownson,
Joseph Fay, John Fassett.