The Kansas herald of freedom., 1856-02-16
A committee of the general assembly

GUS proceedings of the Bennington
Mob; and among other Things, they de-
sired his Excellency, the governor, to Of
fer. by proclamation, reward for appre-
hending and securing the ringleaders, in
those transactions, in the jail at Albany.
This committee also recommended that
law should be passed, the object of which
should be, more effectualiy "to suppress
riotous and disorderly proceedings, and
to bring offenders to eondign punish
ment."
A knowledge of the doings of this
committee having reached the settlers,
through the public prints, a general meet
ing of the committees of the several
townships, was held at the house of Eli
akin Wellers, in Manchester, March 1st,
l774, and afterwards by adjournment, at
Jehial HawIey's in Arlington, on the Sd
Wednesday of the same month. At this
meeting, was drawn up a sketch OF the
proceedings previous to this period, and,
after recommending to the government
of New York to wait the determination
of his Majesty, before proceeding to fur
ther extremities, it was resolved, "that as
a country, we will stand by and defend
our friends and neighbors who are in
dicted at the expense OF our lives and
fortunes 1t was also resolved "that
for the future every necessary prepara-
ton be made, and that our inhabitants
hold themselves in readiness, at min
ute's warning, to aid and defend those
friends of ours, who, for their activity IN
the great and general cause, are falsely
denominated rioters" 1t was at the
same time agreed, that they should act
only on the defensive, and should en-
courage the execution of the laws in civil
cases, and also in criminal prosecutions
shut Oere SO indeed"
While the convention of the New
Hampshire grants was discussing and
adopting these resolutions, the general
assembly of New York was proceeding
to carry into effect the resolutions of the
5th of February; and on the 9th of
March 1774, they enacted law which
put an end to all prospects of reconcilia-
ton. This extraordinary law, (which
Is of too great length to be inserted en-
tire, enacted, among other things equal
ly sanguinary and desporic,-that if any
person, or persons, oppose any civil Off
Ger of New York, in the discharge of his
official duty, cor wilfully burn Or destroy
the grain, corn or hay, of any other
persons being in any inclosure or if
any persons unlawfully, riotously and tu-
multuously assembled together to the
disturbance of the public peace, shall,
uulawfully and with force, demolish, or
pull down, or begin to demolish OF pull
down any dwelling house, barn, stable,
grist-mill, saw-mill, or clubhouse, within
either of the said counties of Albany
and Charlotte that then each of said
offences shall be adjudged felony, with
out benefit OF clergy, and the offenders
therein shall be adjudged felons, and
shall suffer death, as in cases of felony,
without benefit of clergy
1t was made the duty of the governor
to publish the names of such persons, in
the public papers, as were indicted in
either of the counties of Albany or Char
lotte, for any offence made capital by this
or any other law, with an order in coun-
ell commanding such offender, or offend
ers, to surrender themselves respectively,
within the space of seventy days next
after the publication thereof. This order
was to be forwarded to the sheriffs and
posted up in several public places. "And
in case such offenders shall not respec-
lively surrender themselves, he or they,
so neglecting, or refusing, shall from the
day appointed for his surrendry, as afore-
said, be adjudged, deemed and, (if In
dicted for capital offence hereafter to
be perpetrated, convicted of felony, and
shall suffer death, as in cases of persons
convicted of felony by verdict and judg-
ment, without benefit of clergy.
All crimes committed on the grants,
were, by this act, permitted. to be tried
in the county. and by the courts of Al
bany; and the courts were empowered
by it to award execution against such as
should be indicted for capital offences,
and who should not surrender themselves
in conformity to the order of the COVER
nor and council, in the same manner as
if they had been convicted on fair and
and impartial trial. A proclamation was
at the same time issued by the governor
of New York, offering reward of ESQ
each for apprehending and securing
Ethan Allen, Seth Warner, Remember
Baker, Robert Cochran, Peleg Sunder
land, Sylvanus Brown, James Brecken-
ridge, and James Smith, whom they con-
sidered the most obnoxious of the set
tiers.
We have already observed that the
passage of the foregoing law put an end
to all prospects of reconciliation, or sub
mission to the claims of New York. 1t
was regarded by the settlers on the New
Hampshire grants. as originating solely
in the ayarice of set of unprincipled
Spectators. who coveted their lands with
their valuable Improvements and as de-
signed to terrify them into submission.
They were satisfied that the popular sem
timent was in their favor, that the great
body of the people of New York felt no
interest IN enforcing the claims of that