good; instead therefore of seconding the Legislature in restoring confidence and Tranquillity; on 2 June 1779. The party who stiled themselves the Assembly of Vermont passed a cruel Edict against their neighbours in the grants who disapproved of the Revolt, declaring that if any person, except continental officers, should after the first day of September next accept, hold or exercise any office, either civil or military, from any authority not derived from their pretended State, he should for the first offence pay a fine not exceeding £100 lawful money; for the second should be whipped on the naked back not exceeding forty Stripes; for the third should have his right ear nailed to a post and cut off and be burned on the forehead with the Capital C. Thus were all the magistrates and militia officers who held their Commissions under the authority of the State of New York exposed to the most ignominious punishment for no crime or offence; but on the contrary for discharging their duty under the Government which had protected them during the Contest, and to which they owed and cheerfully yielded their allegi ance. In other respects the pretended Government persecuted the professed Citizens of New York on the grants with rigour and severity. The State was frequently and earnestly called upon for protection and redress against such unmerited oppression. Averse to any step which might weaken or divert their Exertions against the common enemy: unwilling to expose themselves to the Calumny of those who were eager to misrepresent; or to the Censure of those who might misunderstand their conduct; Government resolved to do nothing but what should be approved of by the States. From these motives, and because Congress had undertaken to recommend it expressly to their provincial Convention to employ those people in the army first raised for the common defence, and inasmuch as upon all occasions their leaders asserted that they were advised to the conduct they pursued by members of Congress, & this assertion had great influence on the minds even of well disposed Citizens-Upon all those Considerations the Government of New York represented to Congress respectfully the violation offered to their publick Rights and the grievances inflicted on their Citizens who inhabited the Controverted district by those who set up for Independance. They urged Congress to interpose their authority and influence to prevent a dismemberment of their Jurisdiction and to restore good order and harmony among their Citizens; cheerfully submitting to the arbitrament of Congress every claim and dispute which had arisen. It would be an odious task to describe in proper Colours the Injuries which the State of New York has received from her revolting Citizens-Injuries the more unpardonable as they were in return for kindness and protection. Are these people friends to the Revolution? and can they answer for their conduct to the United States? Congress, our army, our Enemies are witnesses of the patriotic spirited and persevering Efforts of the State of New York in the Common cause. The wisdom and the liberality of her Constitution are universally acknowledged; and to the Testimony now under consideration she can appeal for her equity with respect to the Claim of property, and her moderation with regard to the intemperate Behaviour of her misguided Citizens. Much is it to be lamented that from the same. testimony it is but too manifest that while she was lavishing her blood and Treasures for the general safety; While she was a principal object of British vengeance, and exposed in a Singular degree to the horrors and calamities of the war, when her Capital and her richest Counties had been torn from her or desolated, when Fort Washington had been taken; our army had retreated and New Jersey been overrun,† when our 16th Nov 1776. * +14th Dec 1776. devoted State was invaded by Burgoine from the north and by Clinton from the South: at this alarming period, when her misfortunes and her dangers ought to have excited an earnest solicitude for her safety, did the Leaders of her revolting Citizens take the advantage of her distresses, and press forward their project of Independance. They even boasted that in this extreme situation Government was formed and General Burgoine at the same time advancing into the country. See animadversory address to the Inhabitants &e by Ethan Allen, 9th Aug 1778. Indeed many of the Towns on the grants, and some of the most respectable, regarded this Innovation with abhorrence. Guilford, Brattleborough, Putney, Newfane, Hinsdale, Rockingham, Westminster, and Weathersfield, solemnly protested against it in a declaration presented 15th April 1778, "to the Gentlemen convened at Windsor under the stile of the General Assembly of the State of Vermont." After enumerating several objections they close their declaration in the following words. "For these and other reasons we conceive that endeavouring at present to establish a separate State here is not only a violation of the Continental union, but is imprudent and to the last degree impolitic and dangerous; tending in the present important Crisis to weaken the authority of the Continental Congress, disunite the friends of America, and stimulate a spirit of separation and sedition which may end in the ruin of the United States; and we esteem it not only our duty, but the duty of all, who are friends to the liberty of America to bear open Testimony against it, &c. &c; therefore on behalf of ourselves and those who delegated us for that purpose we publickly declare that as we have not any way assisted in or consented to the forming a separate and independent Government, we shall not consider ourselves bound by any acts of the Legislature thereof; but shall, as in duty bound, continue to yield our alle giance to the State of New York until otherwise directed by the Honorable the Continental Congress; And we do hereby solemnly protest against the right of any persons to Govern us and the other Inhabitants of the New Hampshire grants, except that of the Continental Congress, and the Legislature of New York: and against all measures which shall be used to enforce the pretended rights of any other person or body of men, and against all the bad consequences which may arise from attempting at present to establish an independent Government in the grants before mentioned." Nor was the evil arising from this dangerous usurpation confined to the State of New York. It spread to the east side of Connecticut River, and threatened a fatal overthrow of the rights and authority of New Hampshire. 11th June 1778. At a meeting of the pretended assembly of Vermount sixteen Towns lying on the East side of Connecticut River in the State of New Hampshire were received into Union with Vermount, & declared to be vested with the priviledges and immunities to which their other Towns were entitled; And it was further declared that any Town on the grants east of Connecticut River contiguous to any of the sixteen Towns which had not yet assented to a union with Vermount, on the vote of the major part of the inhabitants of such Town, should also become entitled to the rights appertaining to other Towns within the pretended State. This new Encroachment and the measures in consequence of it alarmed the State of New Hampshireand on 16th Sept 1778. A letter of the 19th of August proceeding from the Council of New Hampshire addressed to Congress was read with sundry papers entered relative to the Conduct of the Inhabitants of the New Hampshire grants stiling themselves the State of Vermount and ordered to be referred to a Committee of the whole Congress, and a day was appointed to take the same into consideration. In this Representation the Government of New Hampshire complain-* 1st July 1779. Ethan Allen and Jonas Fay presented an address to congress declaring that they ever had been and still were willing that every part of the conduct of the People they Represented (so far as relates to the measures which have been come into for establishing the State of Vermont) should at any time convenient be fully laid before the grand Council of America &c. In another paragraph they declare that they would be far from urging a decision in the premisses untill Congress could have leisure to take it up deliberately; confidently relying in the meantime that whenever such opportunity should present they should have seasonable notice and prepare and lay in their defence. They presented their Credentials which are as follows "State of Vermount In general assembly, Benning"ton Feb 12th 1779. "Resolved that three persons be chosen by this "House agents to wait on the Honorable the Conti"nental Congress to transact the political business of "this State as often as it may be found necessary, and they be subject to the instructions of his excellency "the Governor and the Honorable the Council of this "State in the premisses. แ "The members chosen for the above purpose (by "ballot) Colonel Ethan Allen, Honorable Jonas Fay, " and the Honorable Paul Spooner Esquire." "In Council, Windsor-12th June 1779. "Resolved that Colonel Ethan Allen and the Honor"able Jonas Fay be and hereby are directed to wait on "the Hon the grand council of America as soon as แ may be and they and each of them are hereby recom ble *Note. This Representation could not be found in the Office of Congress which has deprived us of an abstract. |