part of the Massachusetts-Bay, and Connecticut: they have made their main trade to the city of New York ever since the origin of their settle ments. I have heard some people raise this objection, to wit: that it was inconvenient for the district of the New Hampshire Grants to be a State, for the sole reason of their not having a seaport in said district. I freely grant we have none, and if we were annexed to any other State. that would not bring a seaport any nearer to us; those things are immovable; yet I think we are as well off as any inland State ever was, in consequence of our bordering so far on Lake Champlain, &c., by which means the State may be supplied with all kinds of goods at a reasonable rate, and make a good market for all such species, as are to be spared, in exchange. In some parts of the world there are inland kingdoms, and why not inland states? We have our advantages and disadvantages in this as in all other things. At this time many of the most valuable ports in America are blockaded up by our cruel enemies-the River St. Lawrence for one. All the Province of Quebec is in their possession; yet, as I was with our army at Quebec, I am conscious to myself that there are many friends of America now in that Province. We have the greatest reason to believe that, in the sequel of this war, all the American ports will be cleared of those cormorants that now infest them, and that the Province of Quebec will become one of the United States of America; and as wars have ever been frequent in all Kingdoms and Continents, no doubt that the United States of America will, sooner or later, be involved in war. Wherever war centers, in any country, it brings the greatest calamities, and most dreary scenes. Witness Boston, Charlestown, New Jersey, &c. In such days, the invaders of America must first begin on some sea-coast, or on some frontier States. Then we must send forth the hardy soldiers to assist our friends and brethren, wherever occasion shall require; then will women and children, house and property be safe with us, while, in the neighboring State, women are ravished and murdered, children killed, houses and property destroyed. Oh, horrid scene! One special reason why the district of the New Hampshire Grants cannot connect with the State of New York is, the Supreme Court in Albany, at July term, in the year 1770, expressly declared the New Hampshire charters null and void, by said Court giving writs of possession against the New Hampshire settlers, by virtue of subsequent patents from New York, by reason of which several of the New Hampshire settlers were dispossessed of valuable farms and tenements; therefore, the inhabitants of said Grants cannot be freeholders in said State, to act in any public business, till they take re-grants of their lands, which we cannot do by any other means than by purchasing subsequent patents from our greatest antagonists, and at their own price, which most certainly would have been most unhealthy for our purses. Perhaps some queries may arise in the minds of some gentlemen whether the district of the New Hampshire Grants, in their infant state, have men that are capable to govern the internal policy of a State, and are able to support government. I would ask such gentlemen which of the United States of America was so well peopled and so able, when they began government, as we are. Surely, I think not one; but many weaker, as to men of learning and sagacity to rule a State. I see no great difficulty in it, though it is not common that men of so great learning, as some in the world, would go to subdue the desolate wilderness; yet I think we have men of as much virtue, and as good talents by nature, as any in the world. Tent-makers, cobblers and common tradesmen composed the legislature of Athens. "Is not the body (said Soc rates) of the Athenian People composed of men like these ?” For any man to arrogate, and say that we have not men that can govern the internal policy of a State, might, with the same parity of reason, say that the United States of America should always be subject to Great Britain, because there were men of more universal knowledge, as to ruling the scepter, and more experienced generals, and better equipped with shipping and warlike stores, &c. Necessity is the mother of invention. We find, by experience, that we have as good men to rule our Senate, as Britain her scepter; and as noble generals in the field as English anuals have any account of. Powder, cannon and all kinds of warlike stores are manufactured amongst us. Ships of war are built, and the preparations of war go on with such rapidity that it is not to be paralleled in history. Foreign powers are now assisting the rising States of America in many respects. This the United States could not have done had they not asserted their free and natural rights and liberties that were given them by the God of Nature, thereby to throw off the heavy yoke of bondage that George the 3d has prepared for us and our successors. Neither will the people of the district of the New Hampshire Grants ever be a free and happy people, except they steadfastly maintain the free and natural rights and liberties that were given them by the God of Nature, thereby to throw off the bondage that the former litigous government of New York has attempted to ensnare us with. Those things have greatly deterred our settlements, and should this obstacle be moved out of the way, no doubt but many worthy gentlemen, fit for any situa tion in life, would move into our territories, which would be to the mutual benefit of the whole. It is true our settlements are not, many of them. of an ancient date, yet are very flourishing, and, like young beginners, we are willing to work for our living. We have plenty of fertile lands; our territory is considerably larger than either of the States of New Hampshire. Connecticut, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, or New Jersey. No doubt but in a short time it will be as well peopled. As we are but small as to numbers, our public concerns will also be small in proportion; and as to a mode of government, there can be no greater expense in that, for the thirteen United States will all form their modes of government before we shall, and we can have the privilege of perusing them; and if any of them should be agreeable, the people can adopt them, or take such parts as shall best suit them. Our assemblies or courts will have quite short sessions, and have but little way to go, and all such money will be spent in the State, and as the power of legislation is now in the people, they will not have occasion to commission many salaried officers in the State. They will also set all officers' fees at a reasonable rate As to Court Houses, some are already built, and I cannot see why we should be at any more expense on that account, if we are in a new State, than if we were annexed to any other; for, take it which way you will, Court Houses and Jails will be wanted; therefore I cannot see where any very great expense should arise from. If we were to be in the State of New York, then we must send delegates to sit in the Provincial Congress of said State. It would be a long and expensive road to travel, and an expensive place when there, and in order to have the people properly represented, there should a considerable number go, and when they are all met in Congres, the State would be so large that gentlemen from the extreme parts would not personally know but very little better the situation of the other extreme parts than a gentleman would from London. Yet most of them must stay and see what was done, and give their consent for or against; and as there has been an unhappy dispute between this district and the former government of New York, and some members of that Hon. House have been our greatest antagonists, it is possible the best of men might be some biased, though unperceivable to them. Thus, these gentlemen will spend near or all, the year, in doing what little business concerns this district, and assist others to do theirs, which they know nothing of, and in getting other gentlemen to give their consent to all resolves that concern this district, who will be equally ignorant of our situation, by reason of their local situation from ours. This being the case, it necessarily follows that there ought to be delegates enough from this district to know all business that should be necessary to be done for said district. If so, surely the same gentlemen might, much easier and cheaper, do their business by meeting in some convenient place in this district, where no other business would interfere with theirs. When civil laws should again take place, doubtless there would be many actions appealed up to the Supreme Court of New York, and, as the State would be so large, doubtless they would be full of business. For that, and many other reasons, it is likely actions would be continued from one session to another; no doubt some very disputable cases that need numbers of evidences personally to speak. What amazing expense it would be for a man to go 450 miles to attend court, in this situation ; yet his action may be put along through several courts. In this way of expense would go many thousand pounds out of this district. The great distance of road betwixt this district and New York is alone a convincing argument that the God of Nature never designed said district should be under the jurisdiction of said State. I now appeal to the impartial reader which of these two ways would be best, wisest and cheapest, both for the district of the New Hampshire Grants, and the State of New York. "Brave Countrymen, We're here assembled for the toughest fight APPENDIX C. MANIFESTO PREPARED AND PUBLISHED BY ORDER OF THE WESTMINSTER CONVENTION, OCTOBER 30, 1776.1 [From the American Archives, Fifth Series, vol. II, cols. 1300-1302,] CONVENTION OF NEW HAMPSHIRE GRANTS. In Convention of the Representatives from the several Counties and Towns of the NEW HAMPSHIRE GRANTS, holden at WESTMINSTER, October 30, 1776. When we view the almost insurmountable difficulties the inhabitants of our infant Plantations have been subjected to in bringing a desolate wilderness into fruitful fields, gardens, &c., together with the oppressions and insults received from New-York, since our annexation thereto, we cannot at the same time, but view some of the present conduct of that State towards us with some degree of concern. The publick, no doubt, have heretofore been in some measure led into the nature of the dispute which has for a number of years last past subsisted between the Colony of New-York and the inhabitants of said district of land, and the several disingenuous advantages made use of by the power of that Colony to rob those inhabitants of their interest: But, for present illustration, the following are here set down as matters of fact, viz: 1. That most of us hold our lands by virtue of grants from the several authorities of the former Provinces of the Massachusetts-Bay and New-Hampshire. In consequence of which grants we left our native places of abode to inhabit a desolate wood; and we have never yet learnt any blame has been laid on either of the authorities of the Massachusetts-Bay or New-Hampshire for granting those lands. 2. The jurisdiction line of New-York being extended to the west banks of Connecticut River, by a royal order in A. D. 1764, The several Governours of that Colony have presumed to regrant the lands from under our feet, which has created the greatest disorders and confusions. 3. Those inhabitants being unaccustomed to such disorders, were induced at a great expense to petition the Crown for redress in the premises, who was pleased, with advice of his Council, to pass an order in the following words, viz: 1See ante, p. 38. "At a Court at St. James's, the 24th day of July, 1767, His Majesty taking the said Report (i. e. Report of the Board of Trade) into consideration, was pleased, with the advice of his Privy Council, to approve thereof, and doth hereby strictly charge, require, and command, that the Governour or Commander-in-Chief of his Majesty's Province of New-York for the time being, do not, upon pain of his Majesty's highest displeasure, presume to make any grants whatsoever, of any of the lands described in the said report, until his Majesty's further pleasure shall be known concerning the same. WILLIAM SHARP. Attest: A true copy. GEO. BANYAR. Dep. Sec." Notwithstanding the above prohibition, the Governours respectively of New-York, continued their former practice of regranting the same lands. 4. To take the special advantage of the governing part of New-York, to secure the titles severally to the lands thus regranted, writs of ejectment were sent in large detachments with officers of their appointment at the head of them, with particular orders to execute them; and the result of such services on trial have produced writs of possession from the Supreme Courts of New-York, in consequence of which several persons have been dispossessed of valuable farms, houses, stocks, produce, &c. And by a continuance of writs of ejectments, possessions, &c., we have been under the disagreeable necessity to draw our swords, and for many years past to wield them, in defence of our possessions and properties, from the cruel and tyrannical usurpations of that Colony: And the principle which induced us at that time to take arms in defence of our possessions and properties, is that which now induces us to take arms and voluntarily join our friends and brethren in the several United States, for the defence of the liberties of the whole; and to oblige us to desist from such necessary measures, sundry of the leading and principal Green Mountain Boys were indicted as rioters, and proclamations issued by the legislative authority of New-York, wherein large sums of money were offered for the purpose of appreheading and taking into custody said riotous persons and bring them to condign punishment; and as though this might not prove effectual to subdue the minor and most honest of this Government, that same legislative body did make and pass twelve acts of outlawry, which empowered the Judges, that in case any such offender, after notice had been published and posted seventy days, should not surrender himself for trial, that it should be lawful for the Judges to award sentence of death against him or them, the same as though he or they had been attainted or convicted, &c. 5. The methods taken by the legislative power of New-York, in erecting the Counties of Cumberland and Gloucester, was not (by them) intended for the benefit of the inhabitants, as may appear by their appoint |
