Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-11-28
a MISSING LI.v'K E.1' v'BR.u O.vT'S
E.sRLX' HISTORN. STPPLFRD.

At the last session of the General Assem-
bly, an act was passed authorizing lhe gov
ernor 10 employ some suitable person TO
prepare and publish into volumes the journ-
ais of the council of safety and the govern
or and council from the beginning 10 the
end, which of course dated back almost as
far as the settlement of New Hampshire
grants and ended only when the council
was abolished and the senate substituted.
The governor very wisely selected the
Hon. L. p. Walton, of Montpelier, for the
task, and he has so far performed ii that
the first volume, consisting of $50 well fill
ed pages, is now before us and the second
10 vol -i~-e - r-~r""".'"~ T. i'"~ ',""'' "
work of great labor, because many docu
ments accompanying the journals of the
early councils, or which were contempora-
locus and Tend 10 enlighten and explain.
were never printed and exceedingly hard
10 find. Mr.. Walton has not only searched
them out, so far as possible, but has cor
rected in several important particulars
some of the errors into which other and
less accurate historical writer's have tallcn,
and has also added feature not exactly
W
great and almost indispensable value. We
refer to his biographical sketches of the
early actors in Vermonts constitutional
history, which he has supplied in copous
foot notes, after having gathered them from
great variety of sources. All these iea-
lures of the book, namely: the Journals of
the councls the contemporaneous and
nj har
the biographical sketches, and brief but
con nected narrative, constitute this work
the most complete documentary history of
Vermont ever attempted, and ofvery great
worth to those who would study the events
in the formation of model constitution
and a noble state.
We suppose there are few who already
know that Vermont's constitution is large
~ a copy of the first constitution of Penn
sylvania, and was recommended TO the
general conven lion by DR.. Thomas Young,
of Philadelphia, one of the earliest friends
of this state. Mr.. Walton goes further
back and shows by quotation and argu-
ment, how nearly that constitution follow
cd The Crane Of the government of the
Province of Pennsylvania, in America"
granted by William Penn, with the author
ity of King Charles TIE Second, on the
Give and twentieth day of the fourth
month, vulgarly called April, in the year
of our Lord one thousand six hundred and
eighty-two." Most of the features in the
Pennsylvania constitution, which did not
exist in PENIS Frame of government"
were the work of DR.. franklin, and Mr..
Walton has printed the Vermont consttu-
tion of l777 in such way that the new
parts. originated by our convention, stand
out distinctly. Every Vermonter will be
proud when reading this to discover that
the provision in the first section of the Bill
of Rights, which prohibits slavery, was
originated In this state, and Mr.. Wal
ton assures us that Vermont was the
first state in the Union TO adopt any
such provision. In this connection, too,
we see the value of his contemporaneous
documents, and cannot forbear to quote the
the first deed of emancipation ever given
in the state. 1t was not necessary under
the Constitution, but was based on the right
of captor, under a resolution of congress,
to dispose of prizes taken In war, as we'll
as on the good conscience Of the captor and
the men under his command.
HEADQUARTERS, Poliet, 2Sih Nov. l777.
To Whom IL may concern knoW ye:
Whereas Dinah MATHS, negro woman
with Nancy her child of two months old
was taken prisoner on Lake Champlain
with the British troops somewhere near
Col. Gilliners patten (patenD the twelfth
day OF instant November by a scout under
my command, and according TO resolve
passed by the honorable the Cont mental
Congress that all prizes belong TO the capt.
vators thereof, therefore she and her child
became the just property OF the captivat-
ors thereof, l being conscientious that ii Is
not right In the sight OF God to keep slaves,
/ therefore obtaining leave OF the detach-
ment under my command TO give her and
her child their freedom, do therefore give
I he said Dlnah MATHS and n ,ncy her child
freedom 10 pass and repass anywhere
through the United States OF America with
her behaving as beconieth, AMI to trade
and to lraffic for herself and child as though
sue was Tree born, without being molesied
pv any person or persons. In witness
whereunto have set my hand or subscrb-
ed my name.
ERENEzER ALLEN, Capt.