"And we do further for ourselves and our constituents declare that, fearless of the dangers to (which) we may be exposed as a frontier State, we shall be ever ready to obey the call of our common country, whenever it shall be necessary, either for the purpose of redress or

vengeance.

"And Resolved, That a copy of the foregoing resolution be made and immediately transmitted to the President of the United States."

The President's reply was prompt, being written on December 1, but its tone was cautious, and somewhat perfunctory, reflecting his well known reluctance to adopt aggressive measures that might lead to war. He declared that the sentiments of the Vermont Legislature "are worthy of their known patriotism; and their readiness to rally round the constituted authorities of their country, and to support its rights with their lives and fortunes is the more honorable to them as exposed by their position in front of the contest."

The Embargo Act became a law on December 22, 1807, two Vermont Congressmen, Fisk and Witherell, voting for the bill, and two, Chittenden and Elliot, against it. Matthew Lyon, formerly of Vermont, but now a Kentucky Congressman, was recorded against the measure. Under the terms of the act American ships were not permitted to leave the ports of the United States for those of any other nation. Ships of other nations might not enter American ports with cargoes to be discharged. All foreign commerce was suddenly stopped. Ships engaged in the coasting trade must give

bonds that their cargoes would be landed at American and not at foreign ports.

The Embargo Act was President Jefferson's method of retaliation against Great Britain, hoping in this manner to punish that nation by cutting off her valuable foreign trade with the United States. He was determined that there should be no war, and the policy of his administration reflected his personal views. Woodrow Wilson in his "History of the American People," says: "Mr. Jefferson had brought a party to power which had dismantled the navy which the Federalists had begun. The few ships that remained were tied up at the docks, out of repair, out of commission, or lacking crews and equipment." The United States, therefore, was ill prepared to fight the navy of Great Britain. So strong was the President's hold upon Congress, however, that the Embargo Act was passed, because he favored its passage.

The act aroused intense opposition, hostility being exceedingly bitter in New England, noted for its commerce, this region being paralyzed by the Embargo law. Almost immediately smuggling began, and the Vermont border being close to the larger Canadian towns, was a natural base of operation for illicit traffic.

The effect of the embargo has been described by Woodrow Wilson as follows: "The States themselves suffered from the act more than the nations whose trade they struck at. America's own trade was ruined. Ships rotted at the wharves,-the ships which had but yesterday carried the commerce of the world. The quays were deserted. Nothing would sell any more at

its old price. whole country.

It was mere bankruptcy for the No vigilance or compulsion could really enforce the act, it is true. Smuggling took the place of legitimate trade where it could."

Various supplementary laws followed the Embargo Act, in January, March and April, 1808. The second of these, known as "the Land Embargo," passed on March 12, went into effect shortly before navigation might be expected to open on Lake Champlain. The people of northern and northeastern Vermont had been accustomed to find a market for timber and pot and pearl ashes in Canada, and the act suspending commercial relations caused much distress. Customs officials were not particularly zealous in enforcing the law and juries were reluctant to convict violations of the Embargo Act. On April 1, 1808, the Collector of Customs, Jabez Penniman, notified Secretary of the Treasury Gallatin that it was impossible to enforce the law without military aid. The President consulted with Senator Robinson and Congressman Witherell of Vermont, who informed him that the trouble would be over early in May, when, as a result of the lowering of the Richelieu River, after the high water of spring had subsided, the Chambly Rapids no longer would be passable for rafts carrying smuggled timber and other products. Jefferson therefore directed Gallatin to instruct Collector Penniman to equip and arm such vessels as might be necessary, and to engage crews for the same, "voluntarily, by force of arms, or otherwise, to enforce the law." If further assistance should be needed, the Secretary of State was directed to authorize the United States Mar

A

shal to raise a posse “to aid in suppressing the insurrection or combination." If the posse should prove insufficient the Secretary of War was ordered to call on the militia for aid, and was requested to repair to the place "and lend the aid of his counsel and authority." proclamation was furnished, to be issued if necessary, and the President informed Secretary Gallatin that it had been determined to build two gunboats at Skenesborough (Whitehall), N. Y.

A Presidential proclamation was published in Spooner's Vermont Journal, May 9, 1808, declaring that information had been received "that sundry persons are combined or combining and confederating together on Lake Champlain and the country thereto adjacent, for the purposes of forming insurrections against the authority of the laws of the United States, for opposing the same and obstructing their execution. The President therefore warned any persons directly or indirectly concerned "in any insurrection," and commanded "such insurgents, and all concerned in such combinations, instantly and without delay to disperse themselves and retire peaceably to their respective abodes." Smuggling there was in abundance, but there is no evidence that there was either insurrection or combination against the Government. In June, 1808, a town meeting held in St. Albans "positively and unequivocally" declared that in the opinion of the citizens of that town the conduct of the citizens of the district had furnished no cause for President Jefferson's proclamation, and asserted "that the same must have been issued in consequence of erroneous and unfounded representations, made and

transmitted to the Executive department of the United States by some evil-minded person or persons." It was declared that if individuals “finding themselves and their families on the verge of ruin and wretchedness," had attempted successfully to evade the restrictions of the embargo, this did not justify proclaiming to the world that insurrection and rebellion prevailed in the district.

There was much smuggling in the vicinity of Alburg. Its location, a peninsula, extending from the mainland of Canada into Lake Champlain, afforded unusual facilities for such operations. Dress goods often were deposited near the line, carried by men on their backs through the woods and secreted until they could be transported by teams or boats to their destination. It is said that merchants in Troy and Albany hired men to bring foreign goods into the country in this way. On one occasion a customs officer, who had leaped on board a smuggling craft, was carried across the boundary line, put overboard and left where the water was chin deep.

Canadian acquaintances and friends would cross the line and leave sums of money. Soon horses, or cattle, or swine were missing, and their absence caused no excitement or surprise. Another device, recorded by McMaster in his "History of the People of the United States," was to load a dozen wagons or sleds with Vermont produce, drive to a point on the international boundary line where a hill sloped abruptly toward the north, and build a rude hut into which barrels of flour or pork, and other commodities would be placed. The hut was erected in such a way that when a stone was removed from the foundation, the sides of the hut would