USA > Vermont > Outlines of the geography, natural and civil history and constitution of Vermont. Also the Constitution of the United States. with notes and queries > Part 8
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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY OF VERMONT.
LESSON III.
The Declaration of Independence, instead of benefiting the people living on the New Hampshire Grants, made their situation for the present worse, if possible, than before. " New Hampshire had renounced all political connection with them. The controversy with New York was reviving. The Convention of that state had unanimously voted, August 2d, 1776, 'That all quit rents formerly due to the king of Great Britain are now due and owing to this Con- vention, or such future government as shall hereafter be established in this state.' To submit to the claims of New York was to give up their whole property, and reduce them- selves to a state of dependence and beggary. To oppose her claims and power would probably bring on, not only a contest with New York, but with Congress also; and to continue without some form of government was impossible."
" A situation attended with so many difficulties produced a great variety of opinion; " in regard to the best mode of proceeding. Some thought it best to place themselves under the government of New Hampshire again ; others thought the path of safety required submission to the laws of Now York. But the more resolute were in favor of forming a new state and governing themselves.
A Convention was called in order to ascertain the general sentiment. Fifty-one persons, from thirty-five towns, met at Dorset, July 24th, 1776. " The Convention entered into an association among themselves, for the defence of the lib- erties of their country." They also resolved that they would not associate with cither of the counties or submit to the control of the government of New York, and declared that if any of the people inhabiting the New Hampshire Grants should submit to the government of New York, they should be deemed enemies of their country. The Convention met again on the 25th of September, and resolved unanimously " to take suitable measures, as soon as may be, to declare the New Hampshire Grants a free and separate district."
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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY OF VERMONT.
On the 15th of January, 1777, the Convention held a meeting at Westminster. Delegates attended from both sides of the Green Mountains. The sentiments of the peo- ple were now fully understood, and the Convention, after a due degree of examination, agreed that the only way of safety was " to form themselves into a new state, and provide a form of government for themselves." Accordingly they published the following declaration :
" This Convention, whoze members are duly chosen by the voice of their constituents, do hereby proclahn and publicly declare that the district of territory comprehending and usually known by the name and description of the New Hampshire Grants, of right ought to be, and is hereby declared forever hereafter to be considered as a free and in- dependent jurisdiction or state, by the name, and forever hereafter to be called, known, and distinguished by the name of New Connecticut, alias Vermont; and that the in- habitants that at present are, or that may hereafter become resident either by birth or emigration within said territory, shall be entitled to the same privileges, immunities and en- franchisements as are allowed, and on such condition and in such manner as the present inhabitants shall or may en- joy ; which are and shall be forever considered to be such privileges and immunities as are allowed to any inhabitants of the independent states of America. Such shall be reg- ulated in a bill of rights, and by a form of government to be established at the next session of this Convention .??
They immediately informed Congress of these proceed- ings, repeated the assurance of their willingness to render their full assistance in carrying on the just war with Great Britain, and petitioned Congress, that Vermont might be reckoned among the free and independent American states.
Questions.
What was the situation of Vermont after the Declaration of Independence ? What net did New York pass? What would have been the effect of submitting to the claims of New York ? What the probal le result of resisting them? What different opinions
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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY OF VERMONT.
were expressed ? Did most prefer forming a government for them- selves ? Where and when did the first convention meet ? How many members were present ? What agreement was made ? What was deelured respecting those who should submit to New York ? When did they meet again ? What decision was made at the meet- ing in January, 1777 ? What declaration did they publish ? For what did they petition Congress ?
LESSON IV.
The people of New Hampshire approved of the pro- ceedings of the Vermont Convention; Massachusetts and Connecticut were not disposed to object to the declaration Vermont had inade. But very different feelings were excited in New York. The government of that state re- garded it as a revival of opposition to the claims before made. But to the people of Vermont no measure could have been more i.ecessary, and no better time could have been chosen. They never had yielded to the claims of New York, and the dissolution of all connection with Great Britain led them to conclude that these claims, founded as they were upon an arbitrary decision of the king, " could not now be enforced." The period had arrived, when, as the people of Vermont expressed it, " they were reduced to a state of nature." The time had come when some government must be formed, and it could row be formed with the fairest prospect of success. With it they could resist oppression much easier and more successfully.
Every part of the United States was then struggling against oppression, and every argument that Congress could use to justify its proceedings, might be used by the people of Vermont to justify the measures they were taking to guard against experiencing again the sufferings to which they had been exposed.
The Committee of Safety of New York appealed to Con- gress, and made several statements to excite the attention of that body to the subject ; but Congress seemed at first
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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY OF VERMONT.
unwilling to interfere. A second appeal from Yew York was made in March, 1777. But in April a paper was printed in Philadelphia, signed by Thomas Young, containing a res- olution of Congress passed the May previous, recommending to any people, where no government suited to their condition had been formed, to constitute such a government as the safety of the people required. This paper was addressed to the people of Vermont.
They were assured by the writer that they had nothing to do but regularly to choose delegates to meet in convention, which should appoint delegates to the Congress ; appoint a Committee of Safety, and form a constitution. In conclu- sion the writer said :
" I tell you to organize fairly, make the experiment, and I will ensure you success, at the risk of my reputation as a man of honor or common sense. You have as good a right to choose how you will be governed, and by whom, as they [Congress] had."
This paper greatly excited the people of New York, who now made a third attempt to gain the attention of Congress to the subject. To obtain some decision on it, one of the members of Congress.from New York laid before that body the printed address of Thomas Young to the people of Ver- mont.
After considerable discussion Congress passed several resolves, very unfavorable to the government and proceed- ings of the new state. They dismissed the petition, signed .by Jonas Fay, Thomas Chittenden, Heman Allen and Reu- ben Jones, praying that Vermont might be admitted into the Union. The spirit of these resolves led the people of Vermont to suppose that they were formed under the influ- ence of the members from New York ; and they hence concluded that the measures before takeu must be supported with the same firmness with which they had been adopted. They were resolved to maintain the right of independence, a right which they well understood, whatever might be the cost to themselves.
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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY OF VERMONT.
Questions.
How were the proceedings of Vermont regarded by New Hamp- shire ? By Massachusetts and Connecticut ? What feelings were excited in New York ? Were these measures necessary for the welfare of Vermont at that time ?. To what were the people of Vermont reduced ? What arguments could they bring to justify the measures they were taking ? To whom did the government of New York appeal? Were they successful? What paper was printed at Philadelphia ? To whom addressed ? What advice did the paper contain ? How was the attention of Congress now ex- cited ? What resolutions were passed by that body? What effect had these resalves on the people of Vermont ? What did they con- clude? What were they resolved to maintain ?
1
LESSON V.
The year 1777 was an eventful one to the whole country ; but to Vermont it was the most eventful of any in the his- tory of the state. Some of the important transactions of the year have been already mentioned. The Declaration of Independence which took place near the beginning of it was followed by the untiring efforts of New York to annul the action of the state. In these efforts the government of New York was measurably successful, and the carnest appeal of the new state for admission into the union was disregarded by ('ongress. But though disappointed, the people of Ver- mont were not disheartened ; they rose with the increase of obstacles, determined to surmount them. The leading men of that day can hardly be conalled by those of any other . period. The Convention which had made a formal Declara- tion of Independence in January, adjourned to meet at Windsor on the first Wednesday of June. A committee had been appointed to prepare a draft of a constitution for the state. The Convention also recommended to the towns to appoint delegates to meet at Windsor on the second day of July, to discuss and adopt said constitution. The Con- vention, in anticipation of the adoption of a state constitu- tion, had ordered that the first election under it should take
1
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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY OF VERMONT.
place in the following December, and the representatives should meet at Bennington.
The Convention, called to meet the first of July, received from the committee appointed for that purpose a copy of a constitution, which was read and discussed. Before it was adopted wholly, news of a most alarming character was re- ceived, of events in the western part of the state. It was proposed at first to adjourn and leave the worl: in band un- finished; but, according to the statement of fra Allen, this was providentially prevented by the occurrence of a thunder storm. Some who were less agitated by the news from the west side of the state, suggested the great importance of finishing the work in hand. This advice was essentially followed, the constitution adopted, and a committee of safety appointed, authorized to act for the Convention, in provi- ding for the exigency as best they could.
'The news brought to the Convention was, that the British General had occupied a position called Mt. Defiance, in the vicinity of our posts on the borders of the lake, which by its more elevated position would enable General Burgoyne's army to command the forts held by the Americans. The latter therefore had determined on retreating, hoping to do it in the night unobserved by the British. But a French officer, it is said, set fire to his house, by the light of which the movements of the Americans were made known to the British, who immediately commenced pursuit.
When the Americans had reached Hubbardton, the rear guard, under command of Colonel Seth Warner, was left to await the arrival of troops left behind in the alarm at finding their plans discovered ; and the main body under General St. Clair proceeded to Castleton. The pursuing army reached Hubbardton on the morning of the 7th of July, and commenced an attack upon the Americans under Colonel Warner, who had only seven or eight hundred mon, comprising his own regiment and that of Colonel Francis.
The battle was fieres and bloody. Francis fell at the head of his regiment, fighting bravely. Warner, with his brave officers and men, was at first victorious ; but as the British were ro-enforced by General Reidesel, the Ameri-
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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY OF VERMONT.
cans, "overpowered by numbers and exhausted by fatigue," were defeated, and " fled from the field in every direction." There loss was three hundred and twenty-four in killed, wounded and prisoners, of whom thirty were killed. The loss of the British was one hundred and eighty-three in killed and wounded. General St. Clair, who was only six miles distant with the main body of the army, sent no re- cuforcements to Colonel Warner in this conflict. After the battle Warner collected his scattered troops and conducted them safely to Fort Edward, where St. Clair had retired with his army.
"The people on the west side of tho Green Mountains were thus obliged to abandon their habitations, in circum- stances of great distress and confusion." The Committee of Safety appointed at Windsor wrote in " the most pressing terms to New Hampshire for help."
A large body of militia was immediately placed under the command of General Stark, and sent to act with the soldiers of Vermont or of Congress. The President of the Assembly of New Hampshire wrote to Ira Allen, Secretary of Vermont, informing the people, through him, of the help ordered to their assistance, and addressed them as the in- habitants of a new but independent state. This led them to hope for the assistance of Now Ilampshire in their efforts to obtain admittance into the union.
General Stark arrived soon after at Charlestown, New Hampshire, and as fast as his men were collected, sent them forward into Vermont to join the troops under Colonel War- ner at Manchester. He soon after arrived at that place himself.
General Burgoyne had reached Hudson river, designing to attack Albany, New York, as soon as he could bring up a sufficient quantity of supplies. This work, however, went on slowly, and hearing that the Americans had stores at Bennington, he resolved to make an attack on that place and obtain them. To this place General Stark had now removed. Burgoyne sent Colonel Baum, with a select body of soldiers, to attack Bennington, which he did on the 16th day of August, 1777.
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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY OF VERMONT.
A regiment commanded by Colonel Warner, at Manches- ter, was ordered to hasten to Bennington, but did not arrive till after the first attack by Colonel Baum. General Stark had ordered the neighboring militia, also, to hasten there. Colonel Warner was with General Stark at Bennington for several days previous to the battle, and efficiently aided him in preparation for the event. Colonel Warner's admir- able skill in the action was of very great service to General Stark. Some of the early historians erred in the state- ment that he was not in the first battle. llis regiment did not arrive to participate in the defence till the latter part of the battle, but then efficiently aided in the defeat of the British. Almost all the British were either killed or captured.
Bennington battle, though the numbers engaged in it were not large, was second in real importance to few, if any, during the war of the Revolution, as it furnished an effect- ual check to the progress of Burgoyne, and was an impor- tant preparation for his final overthrow and surrender to the army of the United States. Only two months after- wards, the whole army of Burgoyne laid down their arms and became prisoners of war. All their guns, ammunition and stores were taken, and they, with chagrin, were obliged to acknowledge the valor of those whom they had called and regarded " rebels."?
After the troubles caused by the British, in the western . parts of Vermont, had been lessened or ceased, the people returned to their homes late in the fall, to save, if possible, enough of their unharvested crops to last them through the winter. The attention of the people was again directed to the formation of their government, and to their contentions with New York.
Previous to the adjournment of the Convention in July, it had been ordered that the first election under the new constitution should take place in December, and that the representatives should meet at Bennington in January fol- lowing. But the people were so much excited by the war and other things, that the constitution was not printed in season. The Council of Safety called the Convention to-
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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY OF VERMONT.
gether December 24th. They revised the constitution at this meeting, and finished the work left undone in June, and under the circumstances decided to organize the state government without waiting to submit the constitution to the people. Some being opposed to this course, the sin- gular feature of the constitution, establishing the Council of Censors, was devised and adopted. This secures oppor- tunity to propose amendments once in every seven years. The time for organizing the state government was deferred till the second Tuesday of March, 1778.
No controversy had as yet occurred with the government of New Hampshire. It had indeed gone farther than any other in acknowledging the independence of Vermont. But, as if they were not to be allowed a moments' quiet, a new trouble now arose. Sixteen towns on Connecticut river, in New Hampshire, wished to unite with the new state. The Assembly of Vermont when convened was perplexed with the application. The members from the west side of the state were opposed to the measure, while those from the eastern part approved it. Among the latter there was much talk of a separation of the eastern from the western part, and of forming a new state, the centre of which shouldl bo on the Connecticut river.
By much effort a vote was obtained in the Assembly, to receive the sixteen towns from New Hampshire, and dele- gates from those towns took seats in the General Assembly of Vermont. The Governor of New Hampshire interfered, and claimed the towns. Ile wrote to the Governor of Ver- mont protesting against their being received. The Assem- bly was not inclined to do anything about erecting those towns into a new county, as they had requested ; and the members from New Hampshire then left their seats, and also a number who lived on the river towns in Vermont. These disaffected members held a Convention at Cornish, and proposed to the government of New Hampshire to agree with them on a line to divide them, or to submit the subject to Congress, or arbitrators mutually chosen. If these con- ditions were not complied with, they wished the whole of Vermont to he united with New Hampshire, and form one
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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY OF VERMONT.
state. " Till one of these was complied with, they resolved to trust to Providence, and defend themselves." Only eight towns in Vermont were represented in this Convention, and at the next meeting of the Vermont Assembly, it was voted to renounce all connection with the towns in New Hamp- shire. This vote was passed February 12th, 1779.
Questions.
What year was most eventful in the history of Vermont ? What efforts were made by New York soon after the Declaration of In- dependenee of Vermont ? How far were they successful? When was a meeting held at Windsor ? What committee had been ap- pointed? When was an election appointed, and where was it to be held ? What business was tran stated at the Convention in July? What occurred before the constitution was fully adopted ? What prevented adjournment before the lar ine , was completed ? What committee was appointed? What was the news brought to the Convention? What did the Americans attempt to do? How were their plans defeated ? Who were left at Hubbardton ? Where did the main army go ? When did the pursuing army reach Hubbard- ton ? Who was attacked by the British army? How many men had he ? Who was victorious at first ? What turned the battle in favor of the British ? How many wie lost by the Americans? By the British ? Was Colonel Warner re-inforced ? Where did he go after the battle ? What effeet had this battle upon the people in Western Vermont ? To whom did the Comittee of Safety ajgdy for help ? Who was sent to ail they ? What was Burgoyne in- tending to do ? Why did be attack Bennington ? When was Ben- nington battle fought? Where was Warner's reghaent ? Was he at Bennington during the whole of the battle ? What was the result of the battle ? For what did it prepare the way ? When was Burgoyne captured? What proposal was made by towns in New Hampshire? Who were opposed to their union with Vermont ? Who were in favor of it ? What was proposed by them ? Did the Assembly vote to receive the towns from New Hampshire ? Did the Assembly form these towns into a enunty? What was the result ? What vote was passed by the !. xt Assembly ? When did this occur ?
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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY OF VERMONT.
LESHON VI.
New Hampshire now laid claim to the whole tract of land contained in Verment, New York repeated her claic :. Both appealed to Congress. Many supposed is to be th : intention of these two states to divide Vermont, and anneke part 10 one and a part to the other. The mountains running through it would make a convenient division line. Imsaidiately after this, as if Vermont had not trouble enough, Massachusetts also threw in a claim. The coatest with New York, how- ever, was attended with the greatest difficulty, and excitol the most alarm. New York complained to Congress that the proceedings of Veriaunt would proluce a civil War. Vermont complained to Congress of the h jusious treatment it had received from the government of New York, and earn- estly requested an admission into the mion. In one county in Vermont a considerable number wished to be subject to the government of New York, atal a colonel in that section of the state requested the maititia a.bont All my to be helt in readiness to defend theta. Colonel Ethan Allen has now required to call eut part of the milicia, to quell the disturb- anee which had been excitel in that part of the state in favor of the government of New York. He cheyel, and made prisoners of several of those who were at the head of the opposition. While things were in this position, Congress appointed a committee to repair to Vermont and learn the reasons of the inhabitants for rejecting the government of the states which had held jurisdiction over them. 11 part of this committee repaired to Bennington, and road. Driey inquiries of the Governor, to which he rotanayt voir n answers. Their great aha was to proncie a todos iliation between the contending parties. Theic report, winn they returned to Congress, proved that the business of their ap- pointment had not been ace amplished.
" Pour diferent dlaians were now before Congress, to the sante tract of country," atal the controversy kad Lecothe co serious that it was jariy fured pilaf d consequences might
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ensue. It was now absolutely necessary for Congress to interpose. That body recommended to Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New York, to submit to its decision the es- tablishment of their boundary lines. Congress resolved to attend to the subject on the first of February following. A resolve was also passed recommending to the people of Ver- mont not to exercise government over any who professed allegiance to other states. It was recommended to the states before mentioned not to exercise government over those who professed allegiance to the new state.
The object of Congress was to pacify all parties for the present, while the struggle with Great Britain yet remained doubtful; and while the fate of the whole country might be decided by the difficulties in regard to the new state, if they were carried to an extreme. All the parties except Ver- mont were quieted. New York and New Hampshire passed acts submitting the dispute to the decision of Congress. " Massachusetts did not submit to it, probably with a view to prevent Vermont from being sacrificed by either or both of the other states."
Vermont considered it impossible to comply with the re- solves of Congress in regard to exercising government over those who were within its bounds, and who wished to be subject to the government of New Hampshire or the other states. To have four distinct governments, exercised at the same time, in the same town or county, was perfectly im- possible, under any circumstances ; and now would have been nearly ruinous to the new government of Vermont. Notli- ing, therefore, remained for the people, but to take a decided stand, and support the independence they had declared. " Well acquainted with their own rights and in- terests, they were determined not to sacrifice them to the in- trigues of neighboring states, or to the policy of Congress." The Governor and Council published an appeal to the world, for the justice of their cause, and the injustice of the efforts made to destroy their interests and rights. "They say in their appeal, " That the people of Vermont were not repre- . sented in Congress, and could not submit to resolutions passed without their consent or knowledge ; resolutions which put
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