. SOS ' NATU'RAL AND CIVIL 



thing which Allen required ; and urged inces- 

 santly to have Vermont declare itself a British 

 province ; vVith assurances, that every thing she 

 could ask for should be granted by the British 

 generals, and confirmed by the king, in the 

 most ample manner. Colonel Allen was fully 

 equal to the business, which had been entrusted 

 to him ; and both he, and his erriployers, were 

 among the firmest friends to the independence 

 of Vermont, and of America. With a singular 

 'talent at negociation, he suffered the British 

 agents to deceive themselves with an idea of 

 their own success j and completely effected hi^ 

 own views, in leading the enemy into an agree- 

 ment, that no hostilities should be comme-nced 

 against the state of Vermont. In July, major 

 Joseph Fay was sent to the enemy on lake 

 Champlain, and completed an exchange of 

 prisoners : And in September, Allen and Fay, 

 had another conference wilh the British agents ; 

 which like the former, left the British in high 

 Expectations of making Vermont a British pro- 

 vince ; and procured to Vermont the solid ad- 

 vantages, that the enemy avoided all hostilities 

 against her, and returned all her inhabitants, 

 which had been taken prisoners. 



On October i9th, 1781, lord Corn\Vallis sur^ 

 rendered with his army to general Washington. 

 When the news of this important event arrived, 

 the general assembly of Vermont were sitting 

 at Charlestown. The enemy had come up the 

 lake with a large force, and were then at Ticon- 

 deroga. They had concluded, that the^r busi- 

 ness was so far effected with Vermont, that they 

 might make an open proclamation of their 



