CHAPTER XXXI. PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS FAVORABLE TO VERMONT. 1781. Gen. Ethan Allen's communication to congress of Col. Beverly Robinson's letters inviting the Vermonters to unite with the crown and become a separate government Letter of President Weare of New Hampshire complaining of encroachments by Vermont read in congress and referred to a committee-First report of committee recommitted and final report adopted, for the appointment of a committee to confer with agents that might be sent from Vermont Vermont agents arrive and after conference with them the committee report a resolution in favor of the admission of Vermont on her relinquishment of her recent claims on New Hampshire and New York The resolution adopted by the vote of all the states except New York - The legislature of New York protest against the resolution, and that of Vermont declines to accede to it. ESIDES the effect upon the public mind of the enlargement of BES the territory of Vermont at the expense of New York and New Hampshire, there were other circumstances and events which tended to produce a feeling in the country and in congress favorable to her state independence. Among these, not the least perhaps, was the increasing apprehension, that if Vermont were allowed to be driven to extremities by her hostile neighbors, she might be induced to seek for her defence the aid of the common enemy This apprehension it was not for her interest wholly to counteract. It has already been seen that the controversy with New York in which the people of Vermont had long been involved, was well understood by the British ministry; that the British officers had been instructed to encourage the separation of Vermont from New York, and that with the view of drawing her people over to the crown, the commander of the forces in Canada had the previous autumn, consented to a truce, highly favorable to them. Further evidence of the efforts of the king's officers in the same direction had been furnished to congress in the spring of this year (1781) by the transmission to that body by Gen. Ethan Allen of two letters received by him from Col. Beverly Robinson, a prominent loyalist of New York city and a confidant of Sir Henry Clinton, the British commander-in-chief. The first of these two letters bore date at New York March 30, 1780. It stated that the writer had been informed that he (Gen. Allen) “and most of the inhabitants of Vermont were opposed to the wild and chimerical scheme of the Americans in attempting to separate the continent from Great Britain, and that they would willingly assist in uniting America again to Great Britain." If this information were correct he wished Allen would write him, and stated that any proposals he should make would be faithfully laid before the commander-in-chief and he flattered himself" he could do it with as good effect as any person whatever." On the return of the people of Vermont to their allegiance he did not doubt they could obtain "a separate government under the king and constitution of England," and intimated that he and his Vermont friends would be allowed the honors and principal management of the new government. The second letter was dated February 2, 1781, and covered a copy of the former, under the apprehension that the original had not been received. In this the former offers were renewed with greater confidence, under the assurance that he now wrote by authority, and that the terms then suggested would be granted" provided he and the people of Vermont took an active part with the crown." The letter of Gen. Allen transmitting these to congress, is characteristic of the writer, and illustrates the spirit of the time. It is as follows: "SUNDERLAND, 9th March, 1781. "Sir: Enclosed I transmit your excellency two letters which I received under the signature thereto annexed that they may be laid before congress. I shall make no comment on them, but submit the disposal of them to their consideration. They are the identical and only letters I ever received from him, and to which I have never returned any manner of answer, nor have I ever had the least personal acquaintance with him, directly or indirectly. The letter of the 2d of February, 1781, I received a few days ago with a duplicate of the other, which I received the latter part of July last past, in the high road in Arlington, which I laid before Gov. Chittenden and a number of the principal gentlemen of the state, within ten minutes after I received it, for advice. The result after mature deliberation, and considering the extreme circumstances of the state, was to take no further notice of the matter. The reasons for such a procedure are very obvious to the people of this state, when that congress have previously claimed an exclusive right of arbitrating on the existence of Vermont as a separate government. New York, New Hampshire and Massachusetts Bay, at the same time, claiming this territory either in whole or in part, and exerting their influence to make schisms among her citizens, thereby, in a considerable degree, weakening this government, and exposing its inhabitants to the incursions of the British troops and their savage allies, from the province of Quebec. "It seems that those governments, regardless of Vermont's contiguous situation to Canada, do not consider that their northern frontiers have been secured by her, nor of the merits of this state in a long and hazardous war, but have flattered themselves with the expectation that this state could not fail (without their help), to be desolated by a foreign enemy, and that their exorbitant claims and avaricious designs may, at some future period, take place in this district of country. "Notwithstanding these complicated embarrassments, Vermont during the last campaign defended her frontiers, and at the close of it opened a truce with Gen. Haldimand, who commands the British troops in Canada, which continued near four weeks in the same situation, during which time Vermont secured the northern frontiers of the state of New York, in consequence of my including them in the truce, although that government would have but little claim to my protection. "I am confident that congress will not dispute my sincere attachment to the cause of my country, when I do not hesitate to say, I am fully grounded in opinion that Vermont has an indubitable right to agree on terms of cessation of hostilities with Great Britain, provided the United States persist in rejecting her application for a union with them; for Vermont of all people would be the most miserable, were she obliged to defend the independence of the United claiming States, and they at the same time at full liberty to overturn and ruin the independence of Vermont. "I am persuaded when congress consider the circumstances of this state, they will be more surprised that I have transmitted them the enclosed letters, than that I have kept them in custody so long; for I am as resolutely determined to defend the independence of Vermont as congress that of the United States, and rather than fail will retire with the hardy Green Mountain Boys into the desolate caverns of the mountains, and wage war with human nature at large. "I am with respect and esteem, Your excellency's most obedient servant, "His Excellency, Samuel Huntington, Esq., President of congress." Although congress took no direct action on this communication of Gen Allen, yet his bold and determined character as well as his patriotic services and sufferings in the cause of his country, were well known, and it was doubtless remembered, and probably exerted an influence in shaping the future measures of that body.1 1 On the 22d of June, immediately after the formation of the western union, the legislature of Vermont had appointed Jonas Fay, Ira Allen and Bazaleel Woodward, agents to congress, with full authority to negotiate the terms of a union with the United States, and on the ratification of such terms to take seats in congress, as delegates from the state. Messrs. Fay and Allen resided within the original limits of Vermont, and Mr. Woodward in the newly acquired territory from New Hampshire. Although these agents were thus early appointed, they did not repair to Philadelphia until some time in the ensuing month of August. When they arrived there they found that very important measures in relation to Vermont, had been entered upon by congress.? Ever since the hearing of the controversy by congress, the previous September, there had been a growing disposition in that body to recognize the independence of Vermont. Her people had always shown a patriotic devotion to the common cause of the country, performing with alacrity and skill, as well as bravery, their full proportion of military service with their brethren of the adjoining states. They were evidently in earnest in their opposition to the claims of New York and New Hampshire, and as determined to maintain their independence of those states, as congress was that of the United States against Great Britain. Their recent encroachments upon the territories of those claiming states, were evidence of both the power and the popularity of their state government. It had already been in successful operation for more that four years, and to overthrow and break it up by outside pressure, and compel its inhabitants to submit to a jurisdiction which they detested, was an undertaking in which few were willing to engage, and which many would deem altogether impracticable. 1 Ethan Allen Papers, p. 327, 345, 347. Ira Allen's Vt., p. 153. Williams's Vt., p. 262. Copies of these letters to Gen. Allen and of his to the president of congress, which latter had been written under the advice of the governor and council, were laid before the Vermont assembly on the 12th of April and their proceedings were by vote of that body approved. 2 Jour. Vt. Assembly, for June 22, 25 and 27. Livermore to Weare, Aug. 21, 1781. On the 9th of July the delegates from New Hampshire had laid before congress a letter from Pres. Weare, complaining of the extension of the Vermont jurisdiction to the eastward of Connecticut river; stating that New Hampshire had been reduced to such a condition by defection in her western borders, that unless the evil were stopped, he feared the state would be "very soon ruined in a great measure, and would be unable to contribute further towards the war." This letter, with accompanying papers, was referred to a committee consisting of Messrs. Sherman of Conn., McKean of Del., Carrol of Md., Varnum of R. I., and Madison of Va. While the matter was pending before this committee an intercepted letter from Lord George Germain the British minister to Sir Henry Clinton, commander of his majesty's forces in New York, was laid before congress, and soon afterwards published in the Pennsylvania Packet. It bore date the 7th of the preceding February, and contained a clause in the following language: "The return of the people of Vermont to their allegiance, is an event of the utmost importance to the king's affairs; and at this time if the French and Washington really meditate an irruption into Canada, may be considered as opposing an insurmountable bar to the attempt. Gen. Haldimand, who has the same instructions with you, to draw over those people, and give them support, will, I doubt not, push up a body of troops to act in conjunction with them to secure all the avenues through their country into Canada; and when the season admits, take possession of the upper parts of the Hudson's and Connecticut rivers and cut off the communications between Albany and the Mohawk country. How far they may be able to extend themselves southward or eastward, must depend on their numbers and the disposition of the inhabitants.” This letter was conclusive evidence that the British generals in New York and Canada had orders to receive and support Vermont, and that the ministry were persuaded of the disposition of those people to join the king's government. In this latter particular the ministry were clearly mistaken, having been deceived by the adroitness of the Vermont leaders, as will fully appear hereafter. Lord Germain's letter, however, when considered in connection with Allen's letter and the rumors in regard to the truce between Gen. Haldimand and the Vermonters, and the frequent flags that were said to have passed between them, was well calculated to favor the cause of Vermont in congress. It furnished her friends, already numerous, and probably a majority, with the resistless argument |