The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-02-21

qualities which would fit them to
guide tho helm of state in this difficult
and alarming crisis. And, unshrlnk
| lngly proceeding to the discharge OF
their high responsibilities, they soon
eyinced. by their conduct, that the
confidence reposed in them had not
been misplaced: for the glorious re-
suits of the field of Bennington, and
the incessant and harassing warfare on
the tanks of the enemy which both
preceded and followed that event and
which drew forth from its despairing
leader his best apology for his defeat
and surrender, y were, far more than is
generally supposed, the fruits of the
combined energy and talents of that
unequalled little band of patriots and
Statesmen. But the particular time
we have chosen for lifting the curtain
from their secret proceedings was at
the darkest and most disheartening
hour they were doomed to experience,
and before the united mind of their
body had been brought to bear ON any
measure which afforded a reasonable
promise of suspicious results The
army of Burgoyne was then lowering
on their borders in its most menacing
attitude. Marauding parties were
daily penetrating the interior, and
plundering and capturing the defence
less inhabitants, while each day
brought the unwelcone news Of
the detection of individuals who had
openly gone off to swell the ranks Of
the victorious enemy to whose alarm
ing progress scarcely show of resist.
ance had yet been interposed. Nor was
this the end of the chapter of trials
and discouragements that awaited the
council. Another blow was to be
added, more calculated than all to test
their tirmness and bring home to their
bosoms sense of the Ieril of the |
crisis, and the necessity of immediate |
action, unless they should conclude |
to yield at once to the current of des-
tiny which seemed to be setting so
strongly against them. But let us
present the notifying and disgraceful
went, to which we last alluded, in
another form, in which the hsotric
zen. that thus far in this chapter has
,nly been employed may be legiti-
nately aided by the pencil of fancy,
while we bring the leading individuals
If this body to view, and sketch the
letails of a scene as truthful in out
inc as it was important in result
The long summer day was drawing
o a close. 1t had been thus far spent
~ the council, as had been the several
recedlng days of their session, in dis
ussing the subject of the ways and !
leans of doing something to avert the ,
DOM that hung over their seemingly /
evoted state. But up to this hour
heir deliberations had been wholly !
ruthless. Project after project for a
he means of raising military forces i
al been brought forward and discuss y
1 and each in turn had been thought a
} be impracticable. and had been con
,quently abandoned, till, wearied
it'll their unavailing labors, and dis
)uraged at the dubious prospect be.
,re them, they now began to think of
wing up business for the DAY, when
lie door keeper, with unwonted haste
id an agitated manner, entered the
,om. and announced to the astonished
embers of the council the alarming
dings that one of their own body,
I'd, until that day, an active partici-
stor in their discussions, proved a