USA > Vermont > History of eastern Vermont, from its earliest settlement to the close of the eighteeth century with a biographical chapter and appendixes > Part 26
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* Revolution, Military, in office Sec. State Mass., 1775-1783, p. 270. Am. Arch., Fourth Series, 1775, vol. ii., col. 1796; vol. iii., col. 620. Journal N. Y. Prov. Cong., i. 84, 95 ; ii. 53, 54, 68. See Appendix, containing a LIST OF THE CIVIL AND MILITARY OFFICERS OF CUMBERLAND AND GLOUCESTER COUNTIES.
+ An imperfect military organization had been effected in the province of New York before the passage of this bill, and the office of brigadier-general for the brigade, which it was then in contemplation to establish in the north-eastern part of the province, had been offered on the 31st of May previous, to Col. James Rogers of Kent (now Londonderry). He refused the trust " upon political principles." He afterwards became a Tory and left the country. His possessions in Kent were, in the year 1778, confiscated; but in the years 1795 and 1797, James Ro- gers Jr. obtained from the Legislature of Vermont possession of all the lands in that town which had been owned by his father and were then unsold .- Journal N. Y. Prov. Cong., ii. 32. Thompson's Vt., Part III., p. 103.
250
HISTORY OF EASTERN VERMONT.
[1775.
present at the re-assembling of the Provincial Congress on the 4th of October, but it does not appear that he remained through the session .*
By a resolution of the Provincial Congress, passed on the 18th of October, it was determined that that body should an- nounce itself dissolved at such time as should be deemed expo- dient, and that a new election should then be called for the choice of delegates to represent the province. The dissolution took place on the 4th of November, and the 7th of the same month was set apart as the day for the new election. In Cum- berland county, the town representatives did not assemble until the 21st. The convention was held, as on former occasions, in the county hall at Westminster, and William Williams and Paul Spooner were again returned as delegates for the county. On the 14th of November, the day on which the newly-elected delegates were to convene in the city of New York, it was found that a majority of the counties in the province were not represented. For the purpose of maintaining the show of authority, informal meetings were held day after day. Such letters as demanded immediate replies were answered, and de- spatches were sent to different parts of the province, entreating the delegates to hasten their appearance, in order that "the measures necessary to be carried into execution" might not be longer delayed or neglected. The Congress, after waiting three weeks for a quorum, was organized on the 6th of December, eight counties being represented.
Dr. Spooner, having appeared and presented his credentials, was, on the 20th, admitted as the deputy from Cumberland, and was allowed to act singly, with as full power as though his colleague were also in attendance. As the bearer of informa- tion concerning the military affairs of his district, he announced the appointment, by the committee of safety for Cumberland county, of Col. James Rogers as brigadier-general for the bri- gade of Cumberland, Gloucester, and Charlotte counties, and recommended certain men as field and staff-officers for the militia of the county which he represented.
Owing to the readiness manifested in different parts of the province to second the views of the Congress in the organiza- tion of the militia, the plan which had been adopted a few
* Journal N. Y. Prov. Cong., i., 87, 89, 105, 114, 135, 137, 139, 146, 163, 165, 195, 197. Am. Arch., Fourth Series, 1775, vol. ii., cols. 1799, 1800; vol. iii. passim.
251
SPIRIT OF DISAFFECTION.
1775.]
months previous was enlarged. A certain numerical rank was assigned to the militia officers of each of the fourteen counties in the province. The rank of the militia officers of Cumberland was the twelfth, and of Gloucester the fourteenth. The number of brigades was increased to seven. The brigadier-general of the militia of the counties of Cumberland, Gloucester, and Charlotte was announced as the seventh in rank, and the eighth in command. The new Congress having, on the 22d of De- cember, decided to adjourn, appointed a committee of safety, consisting of thirteen members, to act during the recess. Of this number, Dr. Spooner was one .*
But a spirit of disaffection had already begun to appear in the county. On the 6th of December, a number of the inha- bitants of Putney sent to New York a protest against the pro- ceedings of the Westminster convention, at which field-officers were nominated for the proposed regiments. "The acts of this convention," said they, " have discovered such a spirit of ignorance or tyranny, that we are apprehensive that our liber- ties, which we are contending for, are in danger, and like to be wrung out of our hands, by nine or ten arbitrary men." They further declared that the convention had nominated field-offi- cers who had ever shown "an inimical spirit to the liberties of America," and who were "disagreeable to the body of the peo- ple." This paper, signed by thirty-one persons, was followed by another from Westminster, bearing date the 7th of Decem- ber, and containing expressions of a similar import. The latter document set forth with definiteness the situation of affairs in the county, and stated that John Norton, who had been recom- mended as first major of the lower regiment, had often disap- proved " of the proceedings of the colonies," and was held in such disfavor that neither in his own town, that of Westminster, nor in any other where he was known, could he obtain a major- ity of votes from the people for any office in the American service. Redress of grievances of this nature was sought for. The petitioners based their plea on the ground of necessity. "Tyranny," said they, "appears so evident in the late county convention that unless a stop is put to it the county is ruined." Of a like nature was the manifesto dated the 13th of December, and signed by fifty-six of the inhabitants of Dummerston. In
* Journal N. Y. Prov. Cong., i. 180, 195, 197, 199, 205, 226, 228-231; ii. 99. Am. Arch., Fourth Series, 1775, vol. iii. col. 1330.
252
HISTORY OF EASTERN VERMONT. [1775, 1776.
this, they denounced the proceedings of the convention, and declared the choice of field-officers, which had been made by the town delegates on that occasion, "an infringement on the rights of the people." This position was supported by the fact that out of the twenty-one delegates, who were entitled to seats in the convention, only nine were present, and of this number seven were in nomination for military offices. John Norton was referred to as one who was " universally known to be in opposition to the plan of liberty," and it was stated that other candidates had been presented for election, who were “much suspected of being unfriendly to the liberties of America."*
A letter from Samuel Stevens of Charlestown, New Hamp- shire, to the secretary of the New York Congress, written on the 18th of December, at the suggestion of some of the inhabit- ants of Cumberland county, verified the accounts which had been sent from the towns of Putney, Westminster, and Dum- merston. In this communication he requested that no commis- sions should be given to any persons in either of the proposed regiments, until a candid expression " of the minds of the people, with respect to the several nominations and appointments made by their county congress and committee of safety," should be presented. An exception, however, was made in favor of those persons who had been chosen in the month of June previous, when the views of the people were seconded by the action of the delegates at the county "Congress."
On the 4th of January, 1776, during the recess of the Pro- vincial Congress, the subject of the militia was taken up in the provincial committee of safety, of which Dr. Spooner, of Cum- berland county, was a member. As no objection had been offered to the officers who had been nominated for the upper regiment and for the regiment of minute men, they were pre- sented with commissions, signed by Pierre Van Cortlandt, the chairman, and John Mckesson, the secretary of the committee. A recommendation was at the same time given to the commit- tees of Cumberland, Charlotte, and Gloucester counties, to the effect that they should join in the nomination of a brigadier- general, and report their choice " with all convenient speed." The committee of Cumberland county were ordered to return to the Provincial Congress a list of the officers of the county militia, under the rank of field-officers, who had been or might
* Am. Arch., Fourth Series, 1775, vol. iii. cols. 429-481.
253
LETTER TO THE COMMITTEE.
1776.]
be elected pursuant to the resolves of the Congress, and " with intent to remove all ground of disquiet in the minds" of the persons who belonged to the lower regiment, the committee of the county were requested to meet and nominate such field- officers for that regiment as should be deemed " best qualified for the service of their country." The people of the county were also informed, that, in case no nomination should be made by their immediate representatives in county convention, the officers of the lower regiment would be appointed by the Pro- vincial Congress or committee of safety.
To accompany this manifestation of the views entertained by the chief men of the province, a letter exhortatory in tone and earnest in phraseology was, on the 19th of January, addressed to the committee of Cumberland county. Sorrow on account of the "jealousies and divisions" which disturbed the county was plainly expressed in this communication, and surprise was shown that greater readiness had not been evinced to engage in behalf of the cause of American liberty. "We entreat, we pray, and we obtest you," wrote the provincial committee, " as you tender not only your own welfare and happiness, but also the success of the American colonies in their present struggle for liberty, that you exert yourselves to put an amicable period to all dissensions in your county, and bring about a perfect union among the inha- bitants ; and for this purpose that you cause a large, respect- able county committee to be elected in your county, if that has not already been done. Let every son of freedom employ his utmost efforts that our attachment to the rules of Congress, our military subordination and skill, according to their plan and directions, and our attachment to good order and government may distinguish us from our enemies, as much as the glorious cause we are engaged in." Dr. Spooner, having obtained leave of absence, was directed to carry this letter to his constituents, and was also desired to deliver the commissions to those per- sons to whom they had been assigned. Supplied with money from the treasury of the Provincial Congress, he departed, on the 10th of January, in the hope of being able to "restore una- nimity and harmony" among those whom he represented .*
The spirit which had actuated the conduct of the people west of the Green mountains, previous to the year 1775, and which for more than a year had lain dormant, began now to manifest
* Journal N. Y. Prov. Cong., i. 237, 238, 242, 243; ii. 143.
254
HISTORY OF EASTERN VERMONT.
[1776.
its presence in a less violent but more determined manner. A convention was called at Dorset, on the 16th of January, for the purpose of proposing and adopting measures to advance the interests of those dwelling between Lake Champlain and Con- necticut river. But few, if any, from either Cumberland or Gloucester county were present. A petition addressed to John Hancock, the President of the Continental Congress, was pre- pared, and persons were appointed to carry it to Philadelphia. The boon sought for by the petitioners, was that they might be ordered to "do duty in the Continental service if required," as inhabitants of the New Hampshire Grants, and not as inhabit- ants of the Province of New York, or as "subject to the limi- tations, restrictions, or regulations," of the militia of that pro- vince .*
Soon after the views of the Provincial Congress had been made known in Cumberland county, a convention of the town committees of safety was called at Westminster, on the 1st of February, and Benjamin Carpenter, of Guilford, was placed in the chair. The meeting was conducted in such a manner as was deemed most suitable for establishing "peace, harmony, and unanimity," in the county. The field-officers for the lower regiment were selected, and in making the choice, regard was had to the conduct which the candidates had displayed when the disposition to be freed from the encroachments of Great Britain became first apparent. A few days later, returns were made to Benjamin Carpenter from several of the towns in the southern part of the county, of the election of militia officers, and this information was, on the 6th of February, communicated to the Provincial Congress.t
The delegates from Cumberland county to the Provincial Congress, which assembled in February, 1776, were, Col. Joseph Marsh, of Hartford, and William Williams. The former was absent during the whole of the session, and the latter did not present himself at New York until the 24th of February. The
* This petition was read in Congress, on the 8th of May, and was referred to a committee for examination. Their report, read on the 30th, recommended sub- mission to the government of New York for the present, and at the close of the war, a reference of the whole subject to proper judges, whose determination should be final and conclusive. Permission was granted to Heman Allen, on the 4th of June, to withdraw the petition .- Journals Am. Cong., i. 337, 360, 364. Slade's Vt. State Papers, pp. 61-65.
t See Appendix, containing a LIST OF THE CIVIL AND MILITARY OFFICERS OF CUMBERLAND AND GLOUCESTER COUNTIES.
255
A LOAN.
1776.]
nominations of field and militia officers which had been made both by the representatives of the people of Cumberland, and by the people themselves, having been presented by him, on the 26th of February, were received and approved of, and, on the 1st of March, commissions were ordered to be issued for those persons whose names had been returned. He was also the bearer of a letter from the county committee of safety, in which they avowed their inability to furnish their delegate with the money " neces- sary to supply his present necessities." In this emergency, Peter Van Brugh Livingston, the treasurer of the Provincial Congress, was ordered to "advance on loan to Major William Williams, on the credit of the Cumberland county committee, in general, and of Benjamin Carpenter, the chairman of the said committee, in particular, and Major Williams therein named, the sum of £40, to be repaid in such manner as this or some future Provincial Congress or committee of safety shall direct."
The sum of £4,800 was, on the 13th of March, distributed among the different counties, as a loan, to enable them to defray the expenses contingent upon war and government. The share of Cumberland county was but £100, and from this sum the £40 which had been advanced to Major Williams, and the £20 which Dr. Spooner had borrowed on a former occasion, were deducted .*
Although several attempts had been made to choose officers for the brigade which comprised the counties of Cumberland, Gloucester, and Charlotte, yet these attempts had thus far proved futile. As a last resort, a circular letter was sent to the committees of safety in each of the three counties, notifying the time and place of a meeting for the purpose of completing the general military organization of that section of the province. Three representatives from each of the committees of safety of the two first-mentioned counties were in attendance at Windsor on the 22d of May, the day specified in the notifica- tion; but no delegates from Charlotte county were present. The nominations were made, therefore, by six men, and Col. Jacob Bayley, of Newbury, and Simon Stevens, of Springfield, were recommended to the Provincial Congress as worthy and acceptable candidates for the respective offices of Brigadier- General and Brigade-Major.+ It was not deemed proper,
* Journal N. Y. Prov. Cong., i. 293, 321, 324, 331, 356; ii. 122.
+ An account of this meeting was forwarded to the New York Provincial Con- gress, by Col. Joseph Marsh, one of the deputies from Cumberland county.
256
HISTORY OF EASTERN VERMONT.
[1776.
however, to sanction appointments of so high importance without first obtaining the sentiments of all the parties interested. For this reason, the Provincial Congress, on the 17th of June, ordered a copy of the proceedings of the committees who had made the nominations to be forwarded to the committee of Charlotte county, with a request that they would return an answer decla- rative of their wishes in the premises. Further action was post- poned until a reply should be received. The necessity of per- fecting the military arrangements of the county was, however, apparent. By the late resolves of the Continental Congress, New York had been ordered to raise three thousand men to reinforce the American army in her own province, and seven hundred and fifty to reinforce the army in Canada. Of this latter number, the quota assigned to Cumberland county, on the 7th of June, was one hundred and twenty-five, and to Glou- cester, seventy-five. To hasten the work of enlistment, a bounty of $4 each was, on the 9th, offered to the non-commissioned officers and privates of the battalions which were to be sent to Canada. The money intended for this purpose was placed by the treasurer of the Provincial Congress, in the hands of a committee of payment .*
In perusing the history of the counties, towns, and villages of the American colonies, during the earlier period of the revolutionary war, one is often inclined to inquire as to the manner in which civil government was conducted, and the means which were taken to enforce the execution of laws in the absence of executive power. The object of the American people in opposing Great Britain, it may be answered, was to free themselves from an unjust government, not to shake off or disown the obligations of law, morality, or religion. When the majority of the inhabitants of a village, town, or county had declared their unwillingness to obey rulers appointed by the King or subject to his dictation, village inspectors were elected, and town and county committees of safety were chosen. To them questions were referred, which in a better regulated state of society would have been presented in a court of law. By their decisions there was generally a readiness to abide. If any one wished to appeal to the bar of public opinion, his fel- low-townsmen were sure to decide the appellant's case by the principles of equity rather than of law.
* Journal N. Y. Prov. Cong., i. 483, 488, 496; ii. 201.
257
MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE OF SAFETY.
1776.]
In Cumberland county the people of each town chose their own committee of safety, and each town committee sent dele- gates to sit in the committee of safety for the county. In this manner had the affairs of the county been conducted for more than a year. At the meeting of the county committee held at Westminster in the court-house, which continued from the 11th to the 21st of June, 1776, thirty-four delegates from twenty towns were in attendance .* Capt. James Clay was placed in the chair, and Dr. Elkanah Day was chosen clerk. Business which had been laid on the table at previous meetings was on this occasion taken up and received final action. One man, who had been abusing his neighbor's wife, was by the decree of the committee committed to prison. Another, who like a second Naboth was suffering from the covetousness of some townsman Ahab, was quieted in the enjoyment of his possessions. Persons of doubtful political principles were examined, and disputes between contending parties were settled. Ignoring the princi- ples of democratic equality, the committee resolved that every person who bore the suffix of "Gentleman," by civil or mili- tary commission, should be exempted from " general training." The public accounts of the county were examined by a special committee. An attempt was made to improve the condition of the treasury by urging upon the collectors of taxes the im- portance of attending to their duties. The real estate of every male between sixteen and sixty was estimated at ten pounds.
* Brattleborough,
. Israel Smith, John Sergeants.
Chester,
. John Chandler, George Earl.
Draper,
Elijah Alvord, John Gibbs.
Dummerston,
. Joseph Hildreth, Ebenezer Haven.
Guilford,
. Israel Gurley, Samuel Nichols
Halifax,
William Williams.
Hertford,
Jonathan Burk.
Hinsdale,
John Bridgman, Arad Hunt.
Kent, .
. Edward Aiken, 2d.
Marlborough,
Jonathan Warren.
Newfane,
Luke Knowlton.
Pomfret,
John Winchester Dana.
Putney,
. James Clay, Lucas Wilson.
Rockingham,
· William Simons, Ebenezer Fuller.
Townshend,
. Joseph Tyler, Samuel Fletcher. Israel Burlingame, William Upham.
Westminster,
John Norton, Elkanah Day.
Windsor,
Ebenezer Hoisington, Ebenezer Curtis. .
Woodstock, .
.
John Strong, Benjamin Emmons. 17
Springfield,
Simon Stevens, Jerathmiel Powers.
Weathersfield,
.
258
HISTORY OF EASTERN VERMONT.
[1776.
Persons were appointed to ascertain the valuation of the sale- able estate of each town, and make return thereof. Commit- tees were chosen to draft replies to letters which had been re- ceived from the Provincial Congress, and to carry into execu- tion the resolves which had passed that body relative to the militia of the province. An unsuccessful attempt was made to re-imprison some of the persons who had been engaged in the " Westminster Massacre," and had been released under bonds ; and other matters, some trivial and many important, occupied the attention of the county committee of safety.
Measures were also taken to perfect the organization of the minute-men of the county, and to raise soldiers for the Canada service. To effect the latter object the colonel of the lower regiment, and one sub-committee man from each town compre- hended in that regiment district, were desired to assemble and appoint one captain and two lieutenants, as officers of such men as might enlist for the northern expedition. A similar request was also proffered to the colonel of the upper regiment, and times and places for meeting were agreed upon. In compliance with the requisition contained in a handbill directed to the committee, an election for delegates to the New York Provincial Congress was held at the same time, and Joseph Marsh, John Sessions, and Simon Stevens were chosen to represent the county from the second Monday in July following. Ebenezer Hoisington, John Sergeants, and John Chandler, who had been previously appointed to prepare instructions for the guidance of the dele- gates, then presented their report, which was read by para- graphs, and deliberately adopted as expressive of the sentiments of the committee and of the people whom they represented. The instructions were in these words :-
" Gentlemen,-Having received a handbill from the Honour- able Provincial Congress, recommending to the inhabitants of the county to choose delegates and invest them [with] power to establish a form of government, &c., We, the committee for this county, being warmly attached to the noble cause of liberty, and ardently desirous to have the foundation of govern- ment so laid, that the liberties of the people, both civil and religious, may forever remain sacred and inviolate-we think it our indispensable duty to give you the following instruc- tions ; and reposing the highest confidence in your honour and integrity, do rely upon it, that you will, to the utmost of your power, endeavour to carry the same into execution. We trust
259
INSTRUCTIONS TO THE DELEGATES.
1776.]
the Honourable Congress will be very far from passing censure on us for being thus jealous of our liberties, especially when they consider that in times past this county has been much imposed upon, in having certain foreigners put into high places of emolument and honour, to the great grief of virtuous and honest men.
" First ; we instruct you to use your influence to establish a government in this colony agreeable to the maxim, viz. that all civil power (under God) is originally in the people, and that you in no instance, in your publick capacity, will do anything to abridge the people of this fundamental right. We further- more beg leave to say that, in our opinion, the representatives duly chosen in the several counties in this colony, when con- vened at New York, to all intents and purposes have full power of legislation, and that it would greatly abridge the peo- ple of their right should the representatives presume to make choice of a Governor [and] Lieut .- Governor to act and transact business independent of the people.
"Second; that you use your best influence in Congress to adopt such a code of laws, whereby the liberty, property, and everything dear to the inhabitants of this colony and America in general, shall be founded on a permanent basis-a few of which laws, we humbly beg leave to suggest, might be made or enacted, viz. laws for establishing religion and literature so that ministers of the gospel may be supported, and schools set up, which must have a tendency to promote virtue and good manners.
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