202 NATURAL AND CIVIL 



mont, and the British generals in Canada, and 

 New York. This report served to engage the 

 adherents to British goveniment, to espouse the 

 measures of the new state : And such was the 

 increase of numbers, popularity, and power, 

 which Vermont had now acquired, that she had 

 in fact nothing to fear from the power, or from 

 the policy of her opposers : And notwithstand- 

 ing the resolves of Congress, the assembly pro- 

 ceeded to make grants of their lands, without 

 paying any regard to the grants which had been 

 made by New York ; those only excepted^ 

 which had been made in confirmation of the for- 

 mer grants from New Hampshire. 



From these contests respecting Vermont, the 

 British generals and ministers conceived high 

 expectations, that they should be able to derive 

 great advantages. Unacquainted with the feel- 

 ings, the views, or the spirit of a people, con- 

 tending for freedom, they calculated upon the 

 system of corruption ; and had no doubt but 

 they should find a people in Vermont, that they 

 could seduce from their attachment to the A- 

 Xnerican cause, and unite to the British govern- 

 inent. With this view they entered upon mea- 

 sures, to persuade Vermont to become a British 

 prorinee. 



Th e wish and aim of the British general in: 

 New York, was first announced in a letter from 

 colonel Bev. Robinson, to Ethan Allen, at that 

 time a colonel in the American service. The 

 letter was dated New York, March 30th, 1780 ; 

 and delivered to Allen in the street at Arling- 

 ton, in Jul}', by a British soldier in the habit of 

 an American farmer. In this letter, Robinsow 



