Jonathan M'Connell, Heman Durkee, Israel Smith, Benjamin Greene, Benjamin Henry, Andrew Selden, Nathaniel Stoughton, Elias Curtis, Benjamin Emmons, Asaph Fletcher, William Perry, Elijah Lovell, Joseph Warner, John Rich, Asahel Smith, John Barron, Simeon Smith, Amos Brownson, Emanuel Case, Josiah Pond, Jonas Whitney, Alexander Harvey, Enos Wood, Samuel Hitchcock. STATE OF VERMONT, SS.-Bennington, January 10, 1791. The foregoing ratification was agreed to, and signed by one hundred and five, and dissented to, by four; which is a majority of one hundred and one. THOS. CHITTENDEN, President. Attest, Ros. HOPKINS, Sec'y of Convention.* AN ACT for the admission of the State of Vermont into this Union. The State of Vermont having petitioned the Congress to be admitted a member of the United States, Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress Assembled, and it is hereby en Copy of the originai act, on file in the Secretary of State's office. acted and declared, That on the fourth day of March, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one, the said State, by the name and style of "the State of Vermont," shall be received and admitted into this Union, as a new and entire member of the United States of America. FREDERICK AUGUSTUS MUHLENBERG, JOHN ADAMS, Vice-President of the United States, and President of the Senate. Approved, February the 18th, 1791. GEORGE WASHINGTON, President of the United States. JOURNAL OF THE COUNCIL OF SAFETY. HAVING Completed the series of documents, exhibiting a view of the external relations of Vermont, during its long and eventful struggle for independence, we turn to examine the structure of its government, and the early history of its legislation. For this purpose, we shall now pre. sent the Journal of the Council of Safety-the first Constitution of the State-the Journal of the Legislature, during the first year of its existence and the Laws, passed during the seven succeeding years. For an account of the origin of the Council of Safety, we refer our readers to the introduction to this work. We regret that we have been able to find no part of their journal, of a date anterior to the 15th of August, 1777. The most unremitted efforts to obtain it, have proved wholly unavailing; and the result renders it probable that it is irrecove rably lost. Enough, however, has been preserved, to exemplify the extraordinary powers exercised by that body; and thus enable us to gratify the public with the greatest political curiosity which the history of Ver. mont can furnish. The part which has been preserved, commences on the day preceding the Bennington battle; and is as follows. STATE OF VERMONT. Bennington In Council of Safety, August 15, 1777. SIR-You are hereby desired to forward to this place, by express, all the lead you can possibly collect in your vicinity; as it is expected, every minute, an action will commence between our troops and the enemies', within four or five miles of this place, and the lead will be positively wanted. By order of Council, PAUL SPOONER, D. Sec'y. The Chairman of the Committee of Safety, Williamstown. The same request sent to the Chairman of the Committe, Lanesboro, the same date sent by Jedediah Reed, Paulett. Madam-Please to send by the bearer, Jedediah Reed, 6 or 7 lbs. of Lead, by Col. Simonds' order. By order of Council, PAUL SPOONER, D. Sec'y Mrs. Simonds. A warrant was given to Doct. J. Rhuback, to impress a horse to ride to General Starks' head quarters, in this town-drawn in the usual form. To Lieut. Peter Roberts, one of the Commissioners of sequestration, Sir-You are hereby directed to forward the cattle under your care, being one hundred and eleven head, to New Providence; then and there to advertise said cattle, and expose them to sale at public,vendue, and keep fair accounts of said cattle, natural and artificial marks, and age, with their particular prices-and make returns of the money, with all your proceedings, to this Council, as soon as may be PAUL SPOONER, D. Sec'y. STATE OF VERMONT-In Council of Safety, Aug. 16, 1777. To Col. John Williams-Sir, You will proceed with your party toward the lines, and if the enemy should retreat, you will repair to the road leading from St Cork to Hoosack, and if you make any discovery, report to this Council;—at the same time, you are to pay proper attention to the road leading from Hoosack to Pownal. By order of Council, PAUL SPOONER, D. Sec'y. In Council of Safety, Bennington, August 20, 1777. Sir-You are required to raise seventy-five able bodied, effective men of your regiment of militia, exclusive of the common quota of commissioned officers for such number; which number you will cause to be continued in the field, under the commanding officer of the eastern militia, until the first day of December next, unless sooner discharged by such commanding officer. Should you find it more convenient for part or all such troops to be relieved before that time, you will do it, observing always, to keep the full number in the field. Those who engage, are to do it only on the principle of being under the regulation of the Continental army, during the time they serve, although under the command of the above officer. By order of Council, THOMAS CHITTENDEN, President. Bennington, August 23, 1777. David Brackenridge is permitted to remain at his father's house, under the care of the guard at that place, until further orders. Το and * In Council of Safety, Bennington, August 23, 1777. Notwithstanding your ungratefulness to your country; and notwithstanding you have, by your conduct, forfeited the confidence of your countrymen, yet, nevertheless, on the application of Capt. Abram Un *For obvious reasons, we have thought proper to refrain from exposing the names of those who were stigmatized by the Council. derhill, in your behalf, this Council are induced, out of humanity, to aecept you again into friendship, on your voluntary surrender, and taking the oath of fidelity to the United States of America, forthwith, and dispensing with the loss you have already sustained, to atone for past folly. By order of Council, THOMAS CHITTENDEN, President. In Council of Safety, Bennington, August 25, 1777. To Capt. John Fassett-Sir, You are requested to take a potash kittle, for the Hessian troops to cook in. Give your receipt for the same, and bring the same to the meeting-house in this place. By order of Council, IRA ALLEN, Sec'y. In Council of Safety, Bennington, August 26, 1777. To Adjutant Elisha Clark, You are hereby required to make return of the names and number of the officers, non-commissioned officers and soldiers, belonging to Col. Samuel Herrick's Regiment of Rangers, already raised within this State, for the defence thereof, to Ebenezer Walbridge, at Arlington, at 10 o' clock of the morning of the 28th inst; as he is appointed and authorised to muster, and return the several musters of the whole, in order to their being severally entered and entitled to their pay, agreeably to their several ranks. And you are further ordered to take particular accounts of the several companies and names of the several soldiers of that corps, who may hereafter join, at every opportunity. Of this you are, not to fail. By order of Council, THOMAS CHITTENDEN, President. Attest, IRA ALLEN, Sec'y. In Council of Safety, Bennington, August 27, 1777. Whereas, this Council have received a letter from Capt. Burroughs, at Arlington, acquainting us that our scouts had taken all the stock of every kind, from Auger Hawley's wife, of Rupert, and she had made application to him for a cow, as her children was in a suffering conditionThese are, therefore, to require you to let her have one cow, for the time being, out of the first cows you take from any disaffected person. By order of Council, IRA ALLEN, Sec'y: Lt. Martin Powel, Commissioner of Sequestration. In Council of Safety, Bennington, Aug. 27, 1777. These are to require all persons in this State, that have taken any effects from, or belonging to, any person in the State of New-York, in these late disturbances, to deliver up such effects to Mr. John Abbott and Capt. Nathan Smith, as they are appointed by Major Younglove, one of the commissioners of sequestration, for said State, to take care of such |
