USA > New Hampshire > Sullivan County > Charlestown > History of Charlestown, New-Hampshire, the old No. 4 > Part 20
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Signed JOHN Mc CLARY."
On the 11th of January these Regiments were officered as follows ;
John Sullivan, General ; Thomas Bartlett, Colonel ; David Rey- nolds, Colonel ; Samuel Mc Connel, Major ; George Gains, Major.
The following action of the New-Hampshire Assembly, on the 17th of January, doubtless had reference to the state of affairs in Cheshire county.
" Voted to accept the report of the committee that Colonel Samuel Hunt of Charlestown be directed to call upon those persons that have received fire-arms belonging to this State to return the same without delay, into the State Store under the care of said Colonel Hunt; and that he be further directed to make a return into the Secretary's office of this State, of the names of person or persons, that shall neglect to re- turn the same; and that Samuel Caldwell be directed to return the Gun belonging to this State, now in his possession, to the Board of War, or to Colonel Samuel Hunt, the first convenient opportunity, taking their receipt therefor.
On the 17th of January the whole matter of raising the Militia to
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be sent to the western part of the State, was referred by a vote of the Assembly to the Committee of Safety, who were empowered to raise and march them at such time as they should think proper.
In addition to the raising of a military force on the part of New- Hampshire, the form of a proclamation to be printed and dispersed in the counties of Grafton and Cheshire, was presented to the Assembly on the 12th of January. This proclamation is not now to be found in the records of the State. Of the fact that it was printed and circula- ted there is abundant evidence. In the Records of the committee of Safety under date of 16th of February, 1782, we find the following. " Wrote to Brigadier General Benjamin Bellows, desiring him to give this committee the best information he is able of the number of per- sons and their names, who have accepted the proposals offered in a proclamation, and sent to the western parts of said State (New-Hamp- shire) after the expiration of the term of time allowed in said procla- mation." The time allowed was forty days and the terms appear to have been that the adherents of Vermont should either leave the State or subscribe before some Magistrate a declaration that they ac- knowledged the jurisdiction of New-Hampshire to extend to the Con- necticut River and that they would demean themselves peaceably as good citizens of that State.
CHAPTER XII.
NEW DEVELOPEMENTS IN THE CONTROVERSY-GOVERNOR CHITTENDEN WRITES TO GENERAL WASHINGTON-GENERAL WASHINGTON'S REPLY- SESSION OF THE VERMONT ASSEMBLY AT BENNINGTON-VARIOUS DOCU- MENTS LAID BEFORE THEM BY GOVERNOR CHITTENDEN-MEETING OF TIIE ASSEMBLY WITH THE GOVERNOR AND COUNCIL IN JOINT COMMITTEE- RESOLVES-ACTS OF THE ASSEMBLY-DISSOLUTION OF THE UNION AND RESULTS.
N order to a clear understanding of further developments in this controversy which had a very important bearing on its final issue, reference must be now made to a correspondence which took place between his Excellency, Governor Chittenden, and General Washington. Governor Chittenden feeling that the course pursued by Vermont was regarded by Congress with suspicion, and that affairs were in such a condition, as would scarcely admit of a full disclosure to that body, determined, as the best thing he could do, to open his heart to General Washington, in a letter of confidence, in which he would communicate, without reserve the true position of Vermont, and the reasons of the course which the State had pursued. This letter was dated at Arlington, December 14th, 1781. In this he stated with great manliness the services of Vermont to the United States against the common enemy ; and defended her right to inde- pendence against those states which claimed jurisdiction over her ter- ritory ; and showed why the cabinet of Vermont projected the exten- sion of their claim of jurisdiction upon the states of New-Hampshire and New-York; that it was in consequence of the difficult juncture of affairs, into which the course adopted by them in opposition to her interest and the interests of the country had brought her, and was, as well to quiet some of her own internal divisions occasioned by the mach- inations of those two governments, as to make them experience the evils of intestine broils, and strengthen Vermont against insult. In this letter he also disclosed the true reasons of the negotiation of the
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State with the enemy which had created in the country not only sus- picion but alarm.
To this letter General Washington replied as follows.
General Washington to Thomas Chittenden.
Philadelphia, 1st January, 1782.
SIR :
I received your favor of the 14th of November, by Mr. Brownson. You cannot be at a loss to know why I have not heretofore, and why I cannot now, address you in your public character or answer you in mine: But the confidence which you have been pleased to repose in me, gives me an opportunity of offering you my sentiments, as an in- dividual wishing most ardently to see the peace and union of his country preserved, and the just rights of the people of every part of it fully and firmly established.
It is not my business, neither do I think it necessary now, to discuss the origin of the right of a number of inhabitants to that tract of country formerly distinguished by the name of the New-Hampshire Grants, and now known by that of Vermont. I will take it for grant- ed that their right was good, because Congress, by their resolve of the 7th of August, imply it; and by that of the 21st, are willing fully to confirm it, provided the new State is confined to certain described bounds. It appears, therefore, to me, that the dispute of boundary is the only one that exists, and that that being removed, all further difficulties would be removed also, and the matter terminated to the satisfaction of all parties. Now I would ask you candidly, whether the claim of the people of Vermont, was not, for a long time, confined solely, or very nearly, to that tract of country which is described in the resolve of Congress of the 21st of August last ; and whether agreeable to the tenor of your own letter to me, the late extension of your claim upon New Hampshire and New-York was not more a political manœuvre than one in which you conceived yourselves justifiable. If my first question be answered in the affirmative, it certainly bars your new claim, and if my second be well founded, your end is answered and you have nothing to do but withdraw your jurisdiction to the confines of your old limits and obtain an acknowledgement of independence and sovereignty, under the resolve of the 21st of August, for so much territory as does not interfere with the ancient established bounds of' New-York, New-Hampshire and Massachusetts. I persuade myself
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you will see and acquiesce in the reason, the justice, and indeed the necessity of such a decision.
You must consider, sir, that the point now in dispute is of the ut- most political importance to the future union and peace of this great country. The State of Vermont, if acknowledged, will be the first new one admitted into the confederacy ; and if suffered to encroach upon the ancient established boundaries of the adjacent ones, will serve as a precedent for others, which it may hereafter be expedient to set off, to make the same unjustifiable demands. Thus, in my private opin- ion, while it behoves the delegates of the States now confederated to do ample justice to a body of people sufficiently respectable by their numbers, and entitled by other claims to be admitted into that con- federation, it becomes then also to attend to the interests of their con- stituents, and see that under the appearance of justice to one they do not materially injure the rights of others. I am apt to think this is the prevailing opinion of Congress and that your late extension of claim has, upon the principle I have above mentioned, rather diminished than increased your friends ; and that if such extension should be persisted in, it will be made a common cause, and not considered as only affect- ing the rights of those States immediately interested in the loss of ter- ritory; a loss of too serious a nature not to claim the attention of any people. There is no calamity within the compass of my foresight, which is more to be dreaded than a necessity of coercion on the part of Congress; and consequently every endeavor should be used to prevent the execution of so disagreeable a measure. It must involve the ruin of that State against which the resentment of the others is pointed.
I will only add a few words upon the subject of the negotiations which have been carried on between you and the enemy in Canada and in New-York. I will take it for granted as you assert it, that they were so far innocent that there never was any serious intention of join- ing Great Britain in their attempts to subjugate your country; but it has this certain bad tendency ; it has served to give some ground to that delusive opinion of the enemy upon which they, in a great meas- ure found their hopes of success. They have numerous friends among us who only want a proper opportunity to show themselves openly and that internal disputes and feuds will soon break us in pieces ; at the same time the seeds of distrust and jealousy are scattered among our- selves by a conduct of this kind. If you are sincere in your profes- sions there will be additional motives for accepting the terms which have been offered and which appear to me equitable and thereby con-
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vincing the common enemy that all their expectations of disunion are vain, and that they have been worsted in the use of their own weap- on-deception.
As you unbosomed yourself to me I thought I had a greater right of speaking my sentiments openly and candidly to you. I have done so and if they should produce the effects which I sincerely wish, that of an honorable and amicable adjustment of a matter which if car- ried to hostile length may destroy the future happiness of my country, I shall have attained my end while the enemy will be defeated in theirs.
Believe me to be with great respect Sir, &e., GEORGE WASHINGTON.
Jan. 8th 1782, Washington wrote as follows to General Schuyler re- questing him carefully to transmit the above letter to Chittenden.
"This letter I have shown to a number of my friends, members of Congress and others and they have advised me to write to Mr. Chit- tenden in my private character-give him my opinion upon the unjus- tifiableness of the extension of their claim and advise them to accept the terms offered by the resolve of last August. This I have done ful- ly and forcibly and perhaps it may have some effect upon Mr. Chitten- den and the leaders in Vermont. I would wish you to keep the pur- port of this to yourself as I do not wish to have my sentiments public- ly known."
This letter not only convince.l Governor Chittenden, but, on its con- tents being imparted to them, the most influential political leaders of Vermont, that that State could not be admitted into the American Union, while she should continue to maintain her unions on the east and west. It also induced them to believe that, on their complying with the conditions set forth in the Resolutions of Congress on the 7th and 20th of August, there could be no doubt that Vermont would be immediately received to the sisterhood of states. This produced a great change in their minds, and very soon made them as anxious to be rid of their newly acquired territories as they had been, previously, to retain them. But the Governor, and those whom he saw fit to ad- mit into his confidence, kept their own counsel and waited for the assembling of the Legislature, which had adjourned from Charlestown to meet at Bennington the last week in January; which time they considered would be most opportune for the agitation and considera- tion of the subject. Meantime Lieutenant-Governor Payne, Bezaleel
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Woodward, Ethan Allen, John Fassett, jr., and Matthew Lyon were appointed, Jan. 11th, by a resolution of the Governor and Council, " To make a draft of the political affairs of this State ( Vermont ) to be published ;" and presented the results of their labors in a pamphlet with the following title : 1
"The present State of the Controversy between the State of New- York on the one part, and the State of Vermont on the other." See Gov. and Council Records, Vt., vol. 11, p. 355.
In this able pamphlet, in some portions of which the position of Vermont is presented as one to be excused rather than defended on strictly moral grounds, occurs the following passage :
"The written express condition, upon which Vermont admitted these unions, was that, provided Vermont should be admitted into the fed- eral Union with the United States, Congress should determine the boundaries ( alias its unions ) agreeable to the mode prescribed by the Articles of Confederation of the United States.
On the 22d of August last, Congress proposed that Vermont should exclude or nullify their said unions, and then be admitted into the Federal Union of the United States. But why did not the Legislature of Vermont, at their sessions in October last, dissolve their said unions and end the controversy, as Congress proposed ? It was not in their power to do it ; the previous conditions of dissolving the union were impossi- ble, as the inhabitants of those Unions were, in the most solemn man- ner, admitted to all and singular of the privileges and protections of government, in common with those other citizens who first erected it. The faith of government was pledged for their security, and they became incorporated into the same political body, and composed a · respectable part of its Legislature. Previous to the forming of these unions, had Congress proposed a union of Vermont with the United States, bonfires and public rejoicings would have been displayed as testimonies of their gratitude to Congress, and its legislative body would have unitedly complied with it. Notwithstanding the good inten- tions of Congress, had Vermont abandoned their unions to the vindic- tive rage of New-York, and New-Hampshire, had it been in their power (it) would have been to their indelible and eternal reproach. Had the legislature of Vermont attempted a dissolution of their union, it would have flung them, and consequently the whole State, into such intestine broils, that they would have fell an easy prey to their watchful competitors, viz .- New-York and New-Hampshire, and not only be damned and tantalized over by them, but spurned and derided by the
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New-England States, to whom they have granted a large quantity of land, and incorporated it into townships." [Vol. II, Records of Gover- nor and Council, page 359].
The Vermont Legislature met according to adjournment, at Benning- ton; but no business, relating either to the east or west union before the 11th of February, 1782, was brought before it for consideration. But on that day, His Excellency, the Governor, laid before the House the letter from General Washington, dated, Philadelphia, January 1st, 1782, and such other letters, relating to the public business of the State, as had been received subsequent to the adjournment of the legislature, in October ; among which were all that had any particular bearing on the proceedings in the east and west unions during that time. Here the matter rested till the 18th, when the House ordered, that Major Thom- as Chandler, jr. be requested to wait on his Excellency, the Governor, and desire him to lay before the House, a Copy of the letter that pro- duced the one from General Washington, that had already been laid be- fore them-Likewise the original letter from General Washington, with the resolution of Congress, of the 21st of August, 1781 ; most often call- ed the resolution of the 20th of August. By a resolution, the Governor and Council were also requested to join the House in a committee of the whole, at two o'clock that afternoon, to take into consideration the above mentioned letters and resolution, and, also a letter of General Wolcott, having particular reference to the subject matters of the reso- lution. On the reception of this request, the Hon. Moses Robinson, Esq. informed the House, that it was the desire of the Governor and Council, that the meeting of the committee of the whole should be de- ferred until the following morning, which was accordingly done. .
On the 19th of February, agreeable to the order of the day, the Gov- ernor and Council, and House of Representatives, formed themselves in- to a committee of the whole, to take into consideration the resolution of Congress of the 21st (or 20th) of August; also, the letters from Gen- erals Washington and Wolcott, &c .; and continued on that business, from day to day, until February 21st, when the committee of the whole, having dissolved, the House once more formed, and the speaker resum- ed the chair.
On the 20th of February, while in a committee of the whole, a mo- tion was made by Mr. Chandler, "That the sense of the Committee be tak- en upon the following question, viz .- Whether Congress, in their Resolu- tions of the 7th and 21st of August last, in guaranteeing to the respect- ive States of New-York and New-Hampshire, all territory without cer-
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tain limits, therein expressed, has not eventually determined the bound- aries of this State?
.
Which question being put, was carried in the affirmative ; whereupon
Resolved-that in the opinion of this Committee, Congress, in their resolutions of the 7th and 21st of August last, in guaranteeing to the respective States of New-York and New-Hampshire, all territory with- out certain limits, therein expressed, have eventually determined the boundaries of this State.
And, whereas, it appears to this Committee, consistent with the spirit, true intent and meaning of the articles of the union, entered into by this State with the inhabitants of a certain district of Country on the east side of the west bank of the Connecticut River, and on the west side of a line twenty miles east of Hudson's River (which articles of union were executed, on the 23d day of February and the 15th day of June, last past,) that Congress should consider and determine the boundary lines of this State, Therefore, this Committee recommend to the assem- bly of this State, to pass resolutions, declaring their acquiescence in, and accession to the determination made by Congress, of said boundary lines, between the States of New-Hampshire and New-York, respectively, and this State, as they are in said resolutions defined and described, and, al- so, expressly relinquishing all claim to, and jurisdiction of, and over the said Districts of territory without said boundary lines, and the inhab- itants thereon residing.
Confiding in the faith and wisdom of Congress, that they will imme- diately enter on measures to carry into effect the other matters in said resolutions contained, and settle on equitable terms whereby this State may be received into, and have and enjoy all the protection, rights and advantages of the federal union with the United States of America, as a free, independent and sovereign state, as is held forth to us in and by said resolutions. And this committee do further recommend to the Assembly that they cause official information of their resolutions, to be immediately, transmitted to the Congress of the United States, and the states of New-York and New-Hampshire."
The report of the committee of the whole (of which this is a portion) was then read and was accepted and adopted.
Two committees were then appointed, one to bring in a bill or bills according to the report above made ; the other to point out some mode of redress, relative to the injuries the people of the eastern and western unions had sustained in consequence of their alliance.
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On motion of Mr. (Ezra) Stiles it was then resolved "that this House do judge the Articles of Union completely dissolved."
The clerk was then directed to make up the debenture of the mem- bers belonging to the late union, and to lay the same before the House the next day. On the 22d this debenture was read, and passed the House, and the treasurer ordered to pay the same.
On the same day the committee to whom was referred the mode for redressing the people, in the eastern and western unions, brought in the following report, "Viz., that it is the opinion of your committee, that some proper persons be immediately sent to those officers, who are now arresting and making prisoners, every person they can find, who have heretofore been active in joining this State, requesting and entreating them, to suspend the execution of the law, until the afore- mentioned persons can have time to petition the Assembly of New- York to be restored and showing their willingness to return to their allegiance to said state-provided the Legislature should pass an act of peace, and also that a petition be presented by our agents to the Congress of the United States, praying them to interpose by recom- mending to the states of New-Hampshire and New-York to pass acts of oblivion in their behalf.
JOSEPH BOWKER, for Committee."
The above report was accepted so far as it related to the western union, and it was ordered that a bill be brought in accordingly. The people of the eastern union were therefore of course left to look out for themselves.
On the 23d of February, the committee appointed to prepare a bill or bills agreeable to the report of the committee of the whole, brought in the following Resolutions, which were read and passed into Resolu- tions in the House : viz.,
" Resolved that the same be complied with."
" And thereupon it was Resolved That the west bank of the Connecti- cut River, and a line beginning at the northwest corner of the Massa- chusetts State from thence northward twenty miles east of Hudson's River, as specified in the Resolutions of August last, shall be consid- ered as the east and west boundaries of this state ; and that this As- sembly do hereby relinquish all claim and demand to and right of jurisdiction in and over any and every district of territory without said boundary lines; and that authenticated copies of this Resolution be forthwith officially transmitted to Congress and the States of New- Hampshire and New-York respectively."
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Thus by the act of the Vermont Assembly the unions east and west were dissolved, under circumstances which prohibited the prospect of their being again renewed.
It is represented by Belknap in his History of New-Hampshire, that the Assembly of Vermont secured the dissolution of its eastern and western unions by taking advantage of the absence or non-arrival of the members from the New-Hampshire towns. And he states that " When the members from the eastern side of the Connecticut River ar- rived (that is after the dissolution) they found themselves excluded from a seat in the Assembly and took their leave with some expres- sions of bitterness." Belknap is usually excellent authority. But we are not without reasons for believing that many of those in the New- Hampshire towns who had exerted their influence in forming the un- ion, had from a fuller knowledge of the facts and circumstances of the whole project, become as solicitous for its dissolution as the Assembly or people of Vermont. (See Dr. Page's letter of January 8th.) There- fore though there were some members of the eastern union present at the time in the Assembly, the resolution to dissolve the union was passed without a division.
On the dissolution of the union, most of the towns in Cheshire county passed quietly back under the jurisdiction of New-Hampshire. Charlestown immediately acknowledged its allegiance to New-Hamp- shire and its town-meeting for March 1782, was warned in the usual form. On the 21st of May, following, John Hubbard who had been one of the adherents of Vermont, was elected representative, and on the succeeding June was appointed on a committee of the House to consider and report on " What was necessary to be done respecting such civil and military officers in the counties of Cheshire and Graf- ton, as had acted under the authority of Vermont." As no report is recorded, it is presumable, that it was not found necessary that any- thing should be done. Previously, March 22d, Benjamin Giles, Esq., and Nathaniel S. Prentice, had been struck from the list of the civil officers of the state. But this was before the feeling of excitement, which had run very high, had had sufficient opportunity to abate ; and important positions under the government of the State, were held both by Mr. Prentice and Mr. Giles afterwards, and by many others who had been active in promoting the plan of union. For sixteen years after the dissolution of the union all the representatives from Charlestown with the exception of one, had, at the time of the union, taken the oath of allegiance to Vermont; and Charlestown afterwards
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