The Kansas herald of freedom., 1856-02-16

CoIrlS vi justice were elLilef smut up OF
adjourned without doing any business.
The first interpretation of this kind in
the colony of New York, happened in
the county of Cumberland, on the New
Hampshire grants.
The stated session of the court for that
county was to have been holden at West
minister, on the 18th of March, l775.
Much dissatisfaction prevailed IN the
county because New York had refused to
adopt the resolves of the continental Con-
gress, and exertions were made to dis
suade the judges from holding the court.
But, as they persisted in doing it, some
of the inhabitants of Westminster and
the adjacent towns, took possession of
the court house at an early hour In order
to prevent the officers of the court from
entering. The court party soon appear
ed before the court house, armed with
guns, swords and pistols, and command
ed the people to disperse. But. as they
refused to obey, some harsh language
passed. between them, and the court
party retired to their quarters.
The people then had an interview with
judge Chandler, who assured them that
they might have quiet possession of the
house till morning, when the court should
come in without arms, and should hear
what they had to lay before them. But,
contrary to this declaration, about eleven
O'Clock at night, the sheriff. with the
other officers OF the court, attended by an
armed force, repaired to the court house.
Being refused adnsittance, some of the
party fred into the house and killed one
man and wounded several others. The
wounded men they seized and dragged
to prison, with some others who did not
succeed in making their escape.
BY means of those who escaped, the
news of this massacre was quickly
spread, and before noon the next day, a
large body of armed men had collected.
A jury of inquest brought in a verdict,
that the man was murdered by the court
party. Several of the officers were made
prisoners and confined in the Jail at
Northampton, in Massachusetts,. But,
upon the application to the Chief Justice
of New York, they were released from
prison and returned home.
These proceedings aroused the spirit
ofopposition to New York throughout
the grants on the east side of the noun
tains. A meeting of committees from
the several townships was held at West
minister, on the l1th of April, l775, at
which a number of spirited resolutions
were adopted relative to the late unhappy
transactions. Among other things it was
voted, "That it is the duty of the inhab-
itants, as predicated on the eternal and
immutable law of self-preservation,
wholly to renounce and resist the admin
istration of the government of New York,
until such times as the lives and property
of the inhabitants may be secured by it. !"
A committee was also appointed, ofwhich
Ethan Allen was one, to demonstrate to
the court of Great Britain against that
government and to petition his Majesty,
''to be taken out of SO oppressive a ju-
risdiction and either annexed to some
other jurisdiction, or Incorporated into a
new one
Thus were the settlers on the east side
of the mountains driven to make COM
mon cause with their brethren on the
west, in opposing the government of New
York. The indignation of the settlers
throughout the New Hampshire grants
was now raised to the highest pitch, and
probably the commencement of the
American war at Lexington, on the 18th
of April, was the only thing which pre-
vented the parties proceeding to open
hostilities. This event produced a shock
which was felt throughout the colonies /;
local and provincial contests were at once
swallowed up by the novelty, the grand
eur and the importance of the contest
thus opened between Great Britain and
her American colonies.