62 



CIVIL HISTORY OF VERMONT. 



Part II. 



COL. ROBINSON S LETTERS. 



LETTERS FORWARDED TO CONGRESS. 



themselves denied a just participation of 

 the blessings which they had labored to 

 secure. Their claims to independence 

 were not acknowledged by Congress ; the 

 dismemberment of their territory and the 

 annihilation of their sovereignty were 

 threatened by the intrigues and the un- 

 just claims of the neighboring states, and, 

 to crown the whole, they were now aban- 

 doned by the power which ought to pro- 

 tect them, and left to contend single 

 handed witii the common enemy. 



But notwith-standing their attachment 

 to the cause of their country, the people 

 of Vermont could not fail to perceive thai 

 every step which they took to support it, 

 only rendered their own condition more 

 hopeless. They could hardly wish to lend 

 their aid for the purpose of bringing the 

 strugo-je with a foreign enemy to a suc- 

 cessful termination, when they perceived 

 that, by such an event, they should be' 

 subjected to the domination of a more 

 detestable enemy at home. In this state 

 of things, Vermont wisely consulted her 

 own safely; and by the negotiation with 

 the enemy in Canada, in which she now 

 engaged, she was so fortunate as to se- 

 cure it. 



The British generals in America had 

 for some time entertained hopes of turn- 

 incr the disputes in relation to Vermont 

 to their own account, b}^ detaching that 

 district from the American cause and 

 making it a British province. But the 

 first intimation of their views and wishes 

 was communicated in a letter from Col. 

 Beverly R.obinson to Ethan Allen,, dated 

 New York, March 30th, 1780. In .July, 

 'this letter was delivered to Allen in the 

 street in Arlington, by a British soldier 

 in the habit of an American farmer. Al- 

 len perused the letter, and then told the 

 bearer that he sliould consider it, and that 

 he might return. 



Colonel Robinson began his letter by 

 expressing a wish that his proposals might 

 be received with the same good intention 

 Avith which they were made. He then 

 proceeds: — "I have often been informed 

 that you and most of the inhabitants of 

 Vermont, are opposed to the wild and 

 chimerical scheme of the Americans in 

 attempting to separate from Great Britain 

 and establish an independent governmeflt 

 of tlieir own ; and that you would wil- 

 linsrly assist in uniting America to Great 

 Britain, and in restoring that happy con- 

 stitution so wantonly and unadvisedly 

 destroyed. If I have been rightly inform- 

 ed, and these should be your sentiments 

 and inclination, I beg tliat you will com- 

 anunicate to me without reserve, what- 

 ever proposals you would wish to make 



to the commander-in-chief; and I hereby 

 promise tliat I will faithfully lay them 

 befiire him according to your directions, 

 and flatter myself I can do it with as good 

 effect as any person whatever. I can 

 make no proposals to you until I know your 

 sentiments ; but think, upon your taking 

 an active part and embodying the inhab- 

 itants of Vermont, under the crov.n of 

 England, you may obtain a separate gov- 

 ernment under the king. — If you should 

 think proper to send a friend iiere with 

 proposals to the general, he shall be pro- 

 tected and allowed to return whenever he 

 pleases." 



Allen immediately communicated the 

 contents of this letter to Governor Chit- 

 tenden and some confidential friends, who 

 agreed in opinion, that no answer should 

 be returned. Robinson, not receiving a 

 reply to his letter and supposing it to have 

 miscarried, wrote again to Allen on 

 the 2d of February, 1781, enclosing his 

 former letter. In his second letter, after 

 saying he had received new assurances 

 of the inclination of Vermont to join the 

 king's cause, he said that lie could then 

 write with more authority ; and assured 

 Allen that he and the people of Vermont 

 could obtain the most favorable terms, 

 provided they would take a decisive and 

 active part in favor of Great Britain. He 

 requested an answer; and, that the way 

 might be pointed out for continuing the 

 correspondence ; and desired to be in- 

 formed in what manner the people of Ver- 

 mont could be most serviceable to the 

 British cause. 



Allen returned no answer to either of 

 these letters ; but, on the !)th of March, 

 1781, inclosed them in a letter to Con- 

 gress, informing them of all the circum- 

 stances, which had thus far attended the 

 business. He then proceeded to justify 

 the conduct of Vermont in asserting her 

 right to independence, and expressed his 

 determinate resolution to do every thing 

 in his power to establish it. Conscious 

 of his own integrity, and sensible that liis 

 activity and sufferings in the cause of his 

 country were well known throughout 

 America, he expressed himself in the fol- 

 lowing independent and decided lan- 

 guage. 



" 1 am confident," said he', "that Con- 

 gress will not dispute my sincere attach- 

 ment to the cause of my country, though 

 I do not hesitate to say, I am fully ground- 

 ed in opinion, that Vermont has an indu- 

 bitable right to agree on terms of a ces- 

 sation of liostlllties with Great Britain, 

 provided the United States persist in re- 

 jecting her application for an union with 

 them. For Vermont would be, of all peo- 



