CHAPTER XI.

THE FORMATION OF THE STATE OF VERMONT.

Disaffection of the Inhabitants of the "Grants" towards New York-The Rangers -The Westminster Convention-" New Connecticut, alias Vermont"-Report on the condition of Cumberland and Gloucester counties-Appeal to Congress -Efforts to obtain the Services of the Rangers in behalf of the State of New York-Col. William Williams's opinion-Attempts of John Sessions to establish peaceful Relations-Letter of Bayley, Clay, and Sessions-Commissioners appointed by New York to take charge of the Property of those who had left the State-New York adopts a State Constitution-Powers of the Committees of Safety enlarged-The first State Election ordered in New York-Meeting of the Friends of New York in Brattleborough-Their Report-Resolutions of the New York Convention thereon-Meetings of the Cumberland county Committee of Safety—Their "True Representation"-Sanitary Measures-Adoption of the Constitution of Vermont-Congress refuses to countenance the Proceedings of the New State-The Rangers ordered to Kingston-They Refuse to ObeyCharles Phelps attempts to procure Arms from Massachusetts-His Petition and the Reply-Alarm at the expected Approach of Burgoyne-Burgoyne's Instructions to Baum-The Victory at Bennington-The increasing power of Vermont -George Clinton elected Governor of New York-Action of the Cumberland county Committee of Safety-Charles Phelps's statement of the right of Massachusetts to a Portion of the Territory of the State of Vermont.

MANY there were, in the state of New York, who would have gladly denied the existence of any alienation between that government and the inhabitants of the New Hampshire Grants had not the fact of such an alienation been too clear to admit of a doubt. An occasional forced admission, by the former government, of the real condition of affairs, was also significant of the pains which were generally used by one of the parties to conceal it. Near the close of the year 1776, Washington ordered Gen. Heath "to march to the grand army on the banks of the Delaware, with the troops under his command." In the recess of the New York Convention, the state committee of safety informed his Excellency, that it would be unsafe to comply with his requisition, and advised some other course. In their letter to him,

dated January 1st, 1777, containing these suggestions, they said: "On this occasion, we beg leave to lay before your Excellency the true situation of this state. It formerly consisted of fourteen counties, of which five, and a part of the sixth, are in possession of the enemy, and a considerable part of the inhabitants of the counties of Gloucester, Cumberland, and Charlotte, appear determined to shake off their dependence upon us, so that above one half is lost; of the remainder, a considerable proportion is disaffected, and ready upon a favorable opportunity to join the enemy." Such was the light in which even the most sanguine were compelled to view the situation of the "Grants.

Notwithstanding these disheartening prospects, the wants of the counties of Cumberland and Gloucester were still supplied, to a certain extent, by the state of New York. The four ranging companies, whose aid had not proved as effectual as many had supposed it would prove, clamored loudly for their wages, although they were almost forced to confess that they had not earned them. Their major, Joab Hoisington, had journeyed to Fishkill, where the state committee of safety were in session, to obtain a settlement for them. This he partially effected, but being detained beyond the time fixed for his absence, he was forced, on the 11th of January, to apply to the committee for funds to enable him to return. His request was granted, and wages were paid him on account of services rendered, and to be rendered by him in his official station. A resolution was also passed on the 14th, by which the Convention agreed to lend to the county of Cumberland "a sum not exceeding £300," on certain just and easy terms. Owing to the neglect of the committee of Cumberland county to furnish their representatives with money, Sessions and Stevens applied to the Convention for the wages due them for their services rendered as members of that body. In answer to this request, £70 were advanced to them, and they were requested to account for that amount to the county committee, who were directed to consider it as a part of the £300 loaned by the Convention to the county.*

While New York was endeavoring to bind, the wavering counties to herself by acts of kindness, they were striving openly and in secret to effect a separation. On the 15th of January, an adjourned meeting of the convention of the "Grants" which had assembled at Dorset in September of the previous year,

* Journa N. Y. Prov. Cong, i. 758, 770, 771: ii. 379.

1777.]

DISAFFECTION TO NEW YORK.

283

was held at Westminster. By a report made on that occasion, it appeared that more than three-fourths of the people of Cumberland and Gloucester counties, who had acted upon the subject, were in favor of a new state. The rest were viewed as neutrals. On the west side of the mountains where the project had made most head, separation from New York was not only regarded as necessary, but inevitable. A committee appointed to prepare a report expressive of the views of the convention, presented the result of their deliberations, in the form of a declaration of rights and independence. The statements and avowals which it comprised, were adopted unanimously, and the district of territory, known as the New Hampshire Grants, was proclaimed a separate and independent state, and was called "NEW CONNECTICUT alias VERMONT." An account of these proceedings was transmitted to the Continental Congress, accompanied by a prayer that the declaration of the people might be received, and New Connecticut ranked "among the free and independent American states, and delegates therefrom admitted to seats in the grand Continental Congress."*

While measures like these were engaging the attention of the inhabitants of the new state, the New York state committee of safety were engaged in devising means to stop the revolt, and bring back the disaffected to their allegiance. The gentlemen appointed to visit the two river counties and inquire into their condition having returned, had announced their readiness to submit the result of their investigations. A hearing was granted them on Saturday, the 18th of January, and while their chairman was reading the report they had prepared, the Cumberland deputies listened in silence and with sorrow to the accounts which they too well knew were true in each particular. The arguments which had been made use of by the Green Mountain Boys to swerve their ultra-montane brethren from the path of duty were detailed at length, and although some of them were baseless, many were so specious as to call for a good share of discrimination to detect their fallaciousness, while

*The convention, after sitting from the 15th to the 22d of January, adjourned to meet at Windsor on the first Wednesday in June following. There appears. however, to have been a meeting intermediate. A call was issued on the 30th of January by Nathan Clark, for a convention at Dorset, and by the records of the town of Chester, it seems that Lieut. Jabez Sargeant was chosen on the 13th of February, to attend the special convention, and act "for the good of the state of New Connecticut, and for the town of Chester, according to the best of his understanding."-MS. Records of Chester. Slade's Vt. State Papers, pp. 68–73.

others were sound and conclusive. When the reading was finished, every member then present, and "every member in the neighbourhood" to whom notice could be sent, were directed to attend on the Monday following for the purpose of passing upon the report. At the appointed time the subject were discussed at length, and an appeal to Congress was decided upon as the inceptive step in whatever proceedings might follow. That the matter might be placed in its proper light, Congress were informed that, at the commencement of the struggle for American liberty then in progress, the inhabitants of Cumberland and Gloucester counties had "in general" submitted to the jurisdiction of New York, obtained grants and confirmation charters from that state, and been ruled by magistrates of her appointment; that "a spirit of defection and revolt" had lately been extended to those counties, "through the arts and misrepresentations of certain people inhabiting the county of Charlotte, distinguishing themselves by the name of Green Mountain Boys, and their emissaries;" that the Congress and Convention of New York had hitherto viewed" the effects of this dangerous insurrection with silent concern, being restrained from giving it a suitable opposition, by the apprehension that it might, at so critical a juncture," weaken their exertions in the common cause; that the insurgents from Charlotte county had incited many of the inhabitants of Cumberland and Gloucester to unite with them in asserting a separate independence, in holding a separate convention, and in "framing a petition to the Honourable Congress for its sanction and approbation of this unprovoked revolt;" that the loss of so valuable a territory, whose people during the present war had received “liberal allowances out of the public treasury" of the state, would not only burden those remaining with enormous debts, but would, at every future period, afford an excuse for others who might wish to deny the jurisdiction of the state, and set her authority at defiance; and finally, that it had become absolutely necessary that "proper and vigorous means should be forthwith exerted" for vindicating the rights of the Convention of the state of New York. In view of these considerations and others as potent, the committee resolved that a proper application should be immediately made to the Congress of the United States, to whose justice the "insurgents" had appealed, requesting them to interpose their authority, and recommend to the "insurgents" a peaceful submission to the jurisdiction of New York.

1777.]

APPEAL TO CONGRESS.

285

In accordance with these views, a letter was dispatched to the president of Congress, embodying an epitomized account of the sentiments of the committee, and inclosing the resolve which had been passed and the preambulatory remarks connected with it. Notwithstanding this appeal, confidence in the revolting counties had not entirely disappeared. On the 21st of January a resolution was passed ordering an application to be made to some of the counties in the state, for blankets and stockings for the army; and Cumberland, Gloucester, and Charlotte were included among the counties from which relief was to be sought. A few weeks later, when the position of Ticonderoga was 'considered perilous on account of the smallness of the force to whose care it was intrusted, Gen. Schuyler was empowered, on the 9th of February, to dispatch one-fifth part of the militia of several of the counties of the state, among which counties were the three mentioned above to reinforce the garrison at that post.

Owing to reasons of policy, the resolutions and letter of the 20th of January were not immediately transmitted to Congress. All hopes that a decided change would take place in the sentiments of the majority of the inhabitants of the "Grants" having failed, the state committee resolved, on the 1st of March, to present their appeal to Congress without further delay. With the letter which had been already prepared another was sent, in which were detailed several facts which had lately transpired. One paragraph in this communication was in these words: "The Congress may be assured that the spirit of defection, notwithstanding all the arts and violence of the seducers, is by no means general. The county of Gloucester, and a very great part both of Cumberland and Charlotte counties, continue steadfast in their allegiance to this government." In support of this declaration as regarded the first named county, reference was made to a letter, inclosed, from Brigadier-General Bayley, and in proof of the rest of the statement, it was affirmed that Cumberland and Charlotte were still represented in the New York Convention, and that "out of eighty members who were expected to have attended the mock convention of the deluded subjects" of New York, twenty only were present.* Intrusted

The number of delegates in attendance at the convention held at Westminster on the 15th of January, 1777, and referred to in the text, was twenty-four. Three towns expressed their approbation of its measures by letter.—Slade's Vt. State Papers, p. 68.