[extropy-chat] Question of Constitutional Law

[Mike Lorrey]

--- spike <spike66 at comcast.net> wrote:

> 
> > Yes, the Constitution bans states from signing treaties with other
> > nations...
> > 
> > Mike Lorrey
> 
> Vermont was home to Col. Ethan Allan, who attempted to make
> a separate treaty with Canada in the revolutionary war 
> times.  My grandmother applied for membership into the Daughters
> of the American Revolution on being descended from 
> Col. Allan.  She was told that Col. Allan was considered 
> an ally of George Washington but was not in Washington's command,
> therefore the descendants of Allan and the rest of Vermont's
> Green Mountain Boys were not eligible for DAR membership.

Vermont's Green Mountain Boys are an  interesting case. You see,
Vermont was originally part of NH, but in the early 1770's land
speculators in New York hatched a scheme by which they lied to King
George and made presentations that NY owned Vermont, which he concurred
in. The speculators then went to the various settlers in the green
mountains and attempted to make them repurchase their land from the New
Yorkers.

This was repugnant of course, so representatives of the towns gathered
in Windsor, VT and declared their independence of New York, recognising
in their first Constitution that they belonged to New Hampshire by
right, and formed the Republic of Vermont. Vermont was not a member of
the Continental Congress throughout the war and the Green Mountain Boys
were most noted for keeping the British out of Vermont, and assisting
Benedict Arnold (when he was on our side) with his naval battles on
Lake Champlain against the advances of General "Gentleman Johnny"
Burgoyne southward. They also assisted with the takeover of Fort
Ticonderoga and the transportation of some of its cannon to Breeds Hill
in Boston for the Battle of Bunker Hill.

All that being said, it is factually correct for the DAR to do what
they did, since Vermont was not a member of the Continental Congress,
but certainly not in the spirit. It is an interesting thing in these
parts, because Grafton County, NH, which I grew up in, seceded and
joined Vermont during the War because the merchants in Portsmouth who
controlled the government refused to direct any tax funds to maintain
roads in the county or provide soldiers pay that was owed to the
families they left behind. The DAR in these parts tends to make
allowances.

This being said, I have a friend who must be a relative of yours. John
Stark, a farmer I have shot sporting clays with on occasion, is a
direct descendant of both General John Stark of New Hampshire, and Ira
Allen, Ethan's brother who was the more cerebral of the pair.

The DAR are an exclusive snotty bunch anyways.

Mike Lorrey
Vice-Chair, 2nd District, Libertarian Party of NH
"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom.
It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves."
                                      -William Pitt (1759-1806) 
Blog: http://intlib.blogspot.com


		
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