The Best Defence is … Smuggling?: Vermonters During the War of 1812

Canadian Review of American Smd1es/Revue canadmme d'etudes a111e11aw1es Volume 25, Number 1, Winter 1995, pp. 73-91 The Best Defence is ... Smuggling? Vermonters During the War of 1812 Donald G. Alcock 73 When historians research and write about the War of 1812, they do so with either a causation or military history theme, of which there is no shortage of good examples. To date, no one has looked at the \Var from a diplomatic viewpoint, other than on the international level. While relations deteriorated between London and Washington, they did not between the peoples of Alburg, St. Albans, and Burlington in Vermont and those in St. Jean, Philipsburg, and St. Paul-de-l'Isle-aux-Noix in Lower Canada. The War of 1812 intruded upon their decades-old, peaceful coexistence. The choice between peace and war was the ultimate crisis for the people of Vermont. How Vermonters reacted politically, economically, ,rnd militarily in their relations with Lower Canadians adds a new dimension to the diplomatic history of the War of 1812. 1 For Vermonters, idealism and realism clashed during the War of 1812. While the goals of the nation might have been idealistically honourable, they could not be reconciled with the reality of northern Vermont. The people of the Lake Champlain Valley and northwestern frontier areas were more closely tied economically and socially to their neighbours in Lower Canada than they were to the rest of their own state and country. That, in combination with their exposed, defenceless military position 1 encouraged northern Vermonters to spe,lk and ,let in complete opposition to this war. Northern Vermonters opted to C(.1ntinuctheir friendly relations with their 74 Canadian Review of Amencan Studies/ Revue canadienne d'etudes amerrmme;. Lower Canadian neighbours as the only viable alternative they had to prevent a crushing military invasion by the British, once the American forces proved themselves so inept. Smuggling would prove to be their best defence. American politics by 1812 had seen the emergence of a two party system. On the one hand were the Federalists, who upheld the ideal of a strong central government, protective tariffs to support the growth of industries, the use of revenues for extensive internal improvements, and a foreign policy which favoured Great Britain. The Republicans, on the other hand, committed themselves to a less tightly organized federal government, low tariffs to keep down the costs of manufactured goods sold by foreign competition, and a foreign policy which tended to distrust the British in favour of the French. In power since 1801, the Republicans discovered that their ideal of a minimum of federal government was unrealistic in view of contemporary world affairs. They were faced with the problems arising from the escalating Napoleonic Wars in Europe-blockade systems (both real and paper ones), seizures of cargoes by both belligerents (France and Britain), impressments of Americans into the Royal Navy, and increasingly tense relations with the two sides. Gradually over the years after 1803, the Republicans committed the nation to actions which ultimately led to war against Britain. They championed the cause of an end to impressments, an end to blocb1Jes, ,rnd above all, international respect for the American flag. Because of their philosophical anathema to an army and navy, the Republicans turned to economic embargoes and non-intercourse to achieve their goals. By 1812, they had decided that France had acquiesced sufficiently to their JemanJs, and as a result, the Republicans focussed their military aggressions on the British, who had not come to terms. In the meantime, the Federalists had developed a political platform v,.:h1ch largely represented the maritime interests of New England. By 18 June 1X12 they stood for opposition to embargoes, and above all, against war with Britain. France, they argued, had not acquiesced and, consequently, Federalists could not understand the necessity or wisdom or justice ot choosing Great Britain as the opponent. As the war progressed, the Republicans came to stand for hostilities until an honourable and satisfactory Donald G. Alcock 75 peace was negotiated, while the Federalists became equated with peace at all costs. At the beginning of hostilities, Vermont was in a rather unique situation. The state was part of the New...