cannot export their Commodities by means of the Atlantick; nor with the Eastern can they be injured by the carrying Trade being in the possession of Great Britain.

It is upon the ground of these separate Interests (even supposing Mr. Levi Allen's Ideas that Vermont has not finally joined Congress to be ill-founded) That I humbly conceive He may yet be of important Service; &, Sir, I have intimated as much to him. I do not conceive it to be probable that Vermont can have submitted to participate in the present Debt of the United States, but it is reasonable to presume that in case of her admission into the alliance, she may have agreed to pay a certain portion to the Expences of the federal Government now; It is of the utmost Importance to G. Britain that she would not upon any account suffer imposts to be laid upon British Manufactures, or permit duties arising from them to be collected on her Lakes or Rivers for the use of Congress. The result of such a determination on the part of Vermont would be, that she would become the storehouse for Smuggling all British Commodities into the Eastern States, facilitated by the Speedy means of transporting them in the Winter over the Snow upon Sleighs, and by this very traffic Vermont would gradually alienate herself from the governing Powers of the Congress, and rivet more strongly her natural connections with Canada. I also intimated to Mr. Allen that as the United States are divided in their Sentiments upon commercial matters into two parties, the Representatives of Vermont must give her decided voice with the Southern States who are against laying any duties & further Imposts on the British Commerce, as G. Britain tho' she should have the utmost regard for Vermont now that State has joined the Alliance cannot probably make any distinction if she shall be obliged in her own defence to retaliate by duties & prohibitions. These points, at the least, I should think the Allens &c. &c. might carry; & the voice of Vermont directed by its own Interest and that of Great Britain against The general opinion of the Eastern States.

The example would have great influence on that connection which It is hoped we shall obtain with Kentucky, (The majority of whose Inhabitants I have authentic Intelligence are averse to the union with Congress) & not only so, but on all those Settlers on the Rivers which flow into the Lakes & who may be taught to reject as unconstitutional and oppressive every Idea of such federal duties being levied upon them as are raised on the Inhabitants of the Sea Coasts.

Mr. Allen does not know how far the Government of Canada has been directed to accede to his former requisions; nor does he press them. He seems inclined to wish them to be reserved as a Boon to cement that connection which is his favorite Object.

I have thus, Sir, endeavoured to state to you the views of Allen; and I must beg of you not to be prepossessed against him from his uncultivated appearance. The Family are remarkable for their sound sense, & spirit of enterprize; & the prejudices which have been excited against them principally rose from the misrepresentations of the N. Yorkers. I have endeavoured to explain Allen's commercial Object & the publick advantages to which it may lead. He has lately received his pension; He would not be too late even now, for the Sorrel with merchandize, but He cannot afford to risk the demurrage of the Vessel. I submit to you whether an advance on his Pension or some other means might not be of Essential Service in enabling him to carry bis Points, & appear with consequence among his Country men at a Critical Period? I have not intimated in the slightest manner any such idea to him. Yet, as I can never but be of opinion that Great Britain is not for a moment secure of Canada, in its present weakness, unless she has firm friendships with Vermont, I am sure that you will have the goodness to pardon my zeal in seizing every means to promote the great cause in which my whole Heart is engaged; & in this principle, will read with a favoable eye the circumstances & Opinions which I have felt it my duty with all deference to submit to your consideration, being with true Respect,

Sir, your most obt. & most Humble St.

J. G. SIMCOE,

No. 2.-LEVI ALLEN TO GOVERNOR SIMCOE.

(Archives, series Q, vol. 278, page 55.)

VERMONT ONION RIVER,
Novemr. 19, 1791.

I arrived at Halifax in 27 days, the next morning sailed for Boston, arrived there the sixth day, and the third day reached Windsor in Vermont, the place of the Annual Session of the General Assembly, a few days after they had convened; and to my great Mortification found there had been an adjourned Session of the General Assembly held about six months previous, to the then stated term, and that previous thereto there had been a convention of deputies from each Town, at which convention, & after confirmed in the adjourned Session of the Legislature, the Junction with the United States had been fully completed. I remained at the Genl. Assembly until the close of it (Twenty one days) during which time found, if the Junction aforesaid had not been fully completed, the same might have been prevented; but recollecting Mr. Nepean directed me in case the Junction was actually settled, by no means to interfere; yet I could not but talk occasionally on the Subject and set forth in Strong Vermont Language, the great advantages that would have accrued to Vermont had they remained as they were;

The Truth of which was acknowledged by a great Majority of both Houses, & almost all condemned the measure as premature, aledging that if they in future found a necessity of joining Congress, it was time enough to join when that necessity appeared, & that they felt themselves much hurt that a set of designing knaves merely to obtain places of Honour and profit, should lead the State by the nose blindfold to perpetrate an act to the disgrace of the Legislature, subversive of the Interest of the State, & for which Posterity would have cause to curse them. Further, I beg leave to observe my whole dependance was and I certainly knew the Legislature of Vermont met only the 2d Thursday in October annually, as by Law established, except by adjournment or a Special Assembly, or some Emergency called by proclamation of the Governor for the time being, with advice of Council, and I am amazed that the Secretary of State nor any one in England had no information of the Convention, or adjourned Session of the General Assembly in Vermont, tho' both had been convened six months before I left England.

I am fully satisfied if I had arrived last year with the well chosen assortment of goods agreeably to the original plan, Vermont would not have joined the Union, at least would have been procrastinated, which would have amounted to the same thing, for if the matter had not been done at the time in the manner it was hurried on, the same would not have taken place ad infinitum. The goods coming through Canada directly from the manufacturers in England and sold cheap in Vermont would have opened the eyes of the people, more than all the wise learned men of Europe would have done by Logical Orations. The facts were General Ethan Allen being dead Ira Allen Esq. thro' his cursed lucrative Ideas was afraid of loosing Lands adjoining Canada Line, Therefore was silent, a number wanted to go to Congress & tho' four only would be sent yet 44 at least expected the appointment, all their Influence & oratory was not sparingly scattered over the State; Governor Chittenden tho' really opposed to the measure, thought it unpopular to oppose it, so poor Vermont had not one of any considerable consequence to say a word for her real Interest, (in popular Governments the Governor is a Cypher). I am grievously disappointed, & shockingly mortified, that after so many of the leading & realy the first men in and out of Office in the State, should previous to my going to England, give me such strong assurances, they never would join Congress; but on the Contrary would wish to become a British Province; and then without the least appearance of any necessity whatever suffer the Junction to take place, without the least opposition.

Instead of writing this long letter, under my disappointment I should set off for Quebec in order to have a personal Interview, but your orders to me in England were to the contrary, which orders as any other I may receive from time to time, shall be punctually attended to, the same as tho' I was on Military duty under your Immediate Command.

Endorsed :-In Lt. Gov. SIMCOE'S (No. 4) of 16th Feby 1792.

(Private.)

No. 3.-GOVERNOR SIMCOE TO MR. DUNDAS.

(Archives, series Q, vol. 281-1, page 266.)

NAVY HALL, August 5th 1794.

SIR,--Having a safe opportunity by Captain Vandeleur I can not resist offering to you the enclosed communication which I received thro' the Secretary of this Province, Mr. Jarvis, from the Governor of the State of Vermont and which I have formerly transmitted to Lord Dorchester.

Many paragraphs have of late appeared in the New York papers intimating that the Inhabitants of Vermont are disposed to commence Hostilities against Canada.some very respectable people of Vermont were with me when I received such News Papers; who without hesitation affirmed that they were fabricated by the People of the State of New York, that they did not contain the sense of the People of Vermont but were meant to stir up enmity between the British Government and the Vermonteese.

I enclose to you a News Paper that has lately fallen into my hands and which contains some paragraphs that evidently are of such a texture and fabrication.

I cannot but deplore that means have not been taken to discriminate the foundation on which the Proprietors of the Lands in Vermont are at issue, with the Proprietors of Lands in Canada from the general and more extensive Principle on which Great Britain retains the Jurisdiction, of certain territories, which surround those Posts; the evacuation of which has been suspended untill the Treaty of 1783 shall be satisfactorily completed.

The Distinction, before I left England, I did myself the honor of remarking to you, Sir, and enforcing the policy of an immediate settlement of this Contention. The Proprietors of Vermont must inevitably be now forced to shelter themselves under the right that State has to assert its Jurisdiction for the recovery of those Lands; which Jurisdiction they probably would not have concerned themselves about, could they from any Quarter have received their profits and on the side of Vermont, Great Britain is engaged in a dispute, almost inveterate, which has not for its basis a National cause, but originates from an unjustifiable grant of the Canadian Government, which could not have been supported, had not the Revolution taken place, and the State of New York, and New Hampshire, been separated from Great Britain.

There are Sir abundant proofs in your office of the facts as mentioned by Governor Chittendon and Lt. Colonel Mathews the late General Sir F. Haldimand Aid du Camp, and Sir Henry Clinton can illustrate them.

The people of Vermont with whom I have spoken all agree, that State would gladly embrace and support a neutrality, that their Country might not become the Seat of War.

To what extent the people of Vermont who are friendly to Great Britain may be of real Service, It is impossible to say, but there are such probable grounds for

supposing they may become highly beneficial that I feel it a duty to make this present statement to you, Sir, most earnestly hoping that Lord Dorchester has already thought it an object worthy of his consideration.

I have the honor to be, Sir,

The Rt. Honbe
H. DUNDAS,

&c. &c. &c.

Your most obedt. & Humble Servt.,

J. G. SIMCOE.

No. 4.-STATEMENT BY MR. JARVIS.

(Archives, series Q, vol. 281-1, page 269.)

On the 12th of January I called on Governor Chittenden at his house in Williston on Onion River and spent that night with him in company with Colonel Fay, (his private Secretary and Secretary of State) in the course of the Evening the conversation turned on the war in Europe. When Governor Chittenden expressed a very great disapprobation of the popular measures in France" that if Congress takes a part in the War in favor of France I am sure Vermont will never accede to it but "will make the best bargain they can for themselves (addressing himself to me) I "beg you will give my compliments to Governor Simcoe, and tell him that the "Governor and Council of Vermont are of the same opinion that they were in the "year 1781 when Colonel Fay was three weeks on board a King's Vessel in Lake "Champlain negotiating a union with Canada &c. &c. when the news of Lord Corn"wallis's misfortune reached Vermont, which suspended the negotiation and finally "put an end to it. That Vermont has nothing to gain by entering into a combina"tion to defend the Sea Coasts, on the contrary every thing to lose their Commerce (through Canada) ruined, their whole Country open to inroads of British Indians &c."

The 14th of January I called on General J. Allen at Colchester and on Colonel Allen at Fairhaven, both of whom were concerned in the negotiation of 1781 who informed me that Vermont still adhered to their former sentiments with regard to their union.

J. G. S.

NOTE D.

BEFORE AND AFTER THE BATTLE OF EDGE
OF EDGE HILL.

No. 1.-BOUQUET TO GENERAL AMHERST.

(Archives, series A 4, p. 300.)

CARLISLE, 29th June, 1763.

SIR,-The two light Infantry Companies of the 42nd and 77th Regimts arrived here yesterday.

A general Panick has seized this extensive Country and made the Inhabitants abandon their Farms and their mills: The Agent employed by the Contractors could not on that account provide the Carriages and Provisions I had ordered to be ready by the 28th Instant: and I have been obliged to send back to Lancaster for Flour and Waggons, which I expect will be here about the 8th of July when I shall proceed forthwith to Fort Pitt.

I had this day a Letter from that Post dated the 18th containing nothing material. To morrow morning a Party of Two officers and 30 men, with a guide will march for Bedford, from whence they are to proceed with some Woodsmen acquainted with the Country to Fort Ligonier.

There appears to be few Savages yet on these frontiers, but every Tree is become an Indian for the terrified Inhabitants.

SIR,-An Express from Fort Pitt brings this moment the fatal account of the loss of our Posts at Presqu'Isle, Le Boeuf, and Venango, your Excellency will see in the inclosed Letters all the Particulars I had of this unexpected disaster.

As the Destruction of the important Post of Presqn' Isle will occasion some alteration in your first Plan, I beg you will favor me with your orders concerning the Troops you have destined for this Department.

By the inclosed Return of Provisions at Fort Pitt, that Post does not stand so immediately in need of a relief, as to make us run great Risks to force a Convoy up, before the Provinces can give us other Assistance.

I doubt if on account of the Harvest Pennsylva can have Troops raised and equipped in less than six weeks or two months, during which time they are incapable of any defence, for want of a Militia Law.

The Savages must soon disperse for want of Provisions and their first Impetuosity cooled, they will be more easily dealt with.

I shall however move forward as soon as I can collect the Horses and Carriages I want which the great consternation and flight of the Inhabitants makes very difficult.