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Edwards was brought to trial on the charge of leading an armed invasionof New Hampshire.
He declared that he alone was responsible for the foray, and doubtlesshis statement was a true one, though Allen did not believe it.
The district court condemned Edwards to death by hanging, for his actwas one of high treason, and the sentence was sure to be confirmed bythe king, to whom it had to be sent.
When Gov. Tryon heard of the fight and the capture of Edwards, and hissubsequent trial and sentence, he resolved on two things. He wouldbring all the pressure to bear on the king that he could to prevent thesentence being confirmed, and he would capture Allen and his friends,no matter what the consequences might be.
A proclamation was printed and sent through all the grants, in whichthe governor of New York offered a reward of one hundred and fiftypounds sterling for the capture of Ethan Allen, dead or alive, and afurther sum of fifty pounds each for the bodies, dead or alive, of SethWarner, Remember Baker, Sylvanus Brown, Robert Cochrane, PelegSunderland, James Breakenridge and John Smith.
When the proclamation had been well discussed the people got anothersensation in a counter proclamation, signed by Ethan Allen on behalf ofthe mountaineers, offering two hundred pounds for the capture of theattorney-general of New York.
Both proclamations started out with a command to the parties named tosurrender themselves within thirty days under pain of the forfeiture ofall their property, of conviction of felony and sentence of deathwithout benefit of clergy.
These proclamations placed the two sections on a war footing, and Ethansaw that it was necessary to organize on a larger scale than had beendone.
He consulted his trusty friend, Seth Warner, and as a result aconvention was called at Bennington.
"It is no use calling on New Hampshire to aid us. We must rely onourselves," Allen told all with whom he came in contact.
A larger number gathered at the convention than he expected, and hisheart was full of joy.
He was the more pleased that he had called the men together, when, onthe very morning of the gathering, he received a notice from Concordthat the king had forbidden the colony to take an active part againstNew York in the matter of the grants.
In other words it meant that the king would protect New York and opposeall claims of New Hampshire to the lands.
"Men of the mountains," Allen commenced, "we are met to form laws toprotect ourselves and our property. We must rely on ourselves alone.I think that the time has come when we should declare ourselvesindependent of any colony, and apply to the king for a charter."
"Good!"
"That is talk of the right kind."
"Why cannot we have our own laws, our own governor and our own army?"
"You are rather previous, Sunderland."
"Not a bit of it. I say that the king has never done anything for us,and New Hampshire has betrayed us into the hands of the Yorkers."
"We will call ourselves the Green Mountain Colony."
"I think, if you will let me suggest, that if we are going to have anew name it should be a pretty one."
"Is not the Green Mountain Colony pretty?"
"Yes; but I have thought that Vermont--it means Green Mountains--wouldsound good."
"Nothing could be better," assented Allen, "so we will commence ourdeliberations with the declaration: 'We, the men of Vermont, inconvention assembled'; that will place our name above controversy."
"I propose that Ethan Allen be our governor."
"Stay, that will never do. The king must appoint a governor, so we canonly declare our desire to be independent of New Hampshire, and untilthe king accepts our independence we must nominally recognize Gov.Wentworth as our governor."
It is not our purpose to give the proceeding of that convention _inextenso_, but this much we have given, in order that the whole countrymay know that the sturdy mountain boys talked of independence andliberty with spirit even before the Revolution began.
Warner stood on a chair and waved his hand for attention.
"I have heard," he said, "that Gen. Gates is pressing the people ofBoston so hard that the English are getting themselves disliked in thatcity, and I should not be surprised if a rebellion was talked of."
"The sooner the better, say I."
