Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1873-12-12
The Early History of Vermont.


journals of the Council of Safety and of
the governor and council, including also
such early documentary history as might
be necessary to explain such records
Under this act the governor appointed
the Hon. f. p. Walton of Montpelier to
prepare the volumes. Mr.. Walton has
long been known in Vermont as a living
state and national encyclopedia, and
certainly better appointment could rot
have been made to do this work, necessa-
rily of great labor and pains. The first
volume is now before us and it is much
satisfaction to find it so we'll printed, be-
ing from the office of ]. & j. M. Poland.
at Montpelier.
Mr.. Walton in his " Acknowledgment
and Explanations" and in the body OF
the book has made corrections of errors
BY previous historians, and gives his au-
thorities so clearly and unquestionably
as to carry the entire confidence OF the
reader. His foot notes, in which are
brief biographical sketches of many OF
the authors in the early political history
of Vermont, are especially interesting
and valuable. The constitution of this
State was largely copy of the first con-
stitution of Pennsylvania. Mr.. Walton
goes back of this and shows separately
that part Of the constitution which orig
mated in our own State. In the first
section Of the Bill Of Rights is the pro-
hibition of slavery, and every Vermont
err will take just pride in the fact that
Vermont was the first state to adopt any
such provision.
The volume also has portraits OF Gov.
, Thomas Chittenden and 1t. Governor
Joseph Marsh.
To the people of this section of the
State this volume can not fail to be OF
particular interest. All the towns about
here we're more or less conspicuous dur
ing the times of the committee of safety
or in the general conventions, and most
of them by their present names. Yer
non at that the was known as Hnsdale
or Hensdel, Londonderry as Kent, and
Wilmington as Draper. Westminster
was the place of meeting of the general
conventions, III they adjourned to Wind
sor, except that the four first were held
at Dorset. The present volume covers
the period from 1875 to 1779. In those
DAYS this section was known as Cumber
land county, and at meeting Of The
county committee at Westminster, June
4th and 9th, TIT, the petition of Abb
gail Evens was presented, addressed t.
the " Honorable Committee Now Setting
at Westminster" What Abigail hat
really done does not clearly appear, bu
we give her petition as follows:
To the Honorable Committee Nov
Setting at Westminster.
The petition of Abjall Evens to YOU
: Honors Humbly Shewetn that your pc
titioner was Taken by the Committee o
B. attleborough and confnd in gaol OF
Suspicion of my being guilty Of Som
Criminal act or action against the State
e of America &C-
i and as the Law of this State is Sucl
: that when any person found guilty o
!, any Suspected Crime by the Commits
of any Town in this State the Count
e Committee are To Try them and Eithe
y Clear or Condemn
t. and as your Petitioner is Susspicos
70 that this Committee is at Loss wheatt
!. er to Try me or not
these are therefore to Desire you to Q
y on to Tryal that if anything be foun
against me may reed receive my pur
/: shment and if Inocsent that may g
home to my poor Children, as you mus
F., be Sencible it must be hard for poe
d Woman to be in Confinement from he
y family that is Inossent---
1t as your petitioner is IN Duty bornd Sha
It Ever pray
. ABIJALL EVANS.
] June Sd 1777 Westminster.
Some of our readers may remembt
II that in July last year we published fro
an original document, furnished us b
!, and belonging to Joseph M. Webb
i this town, signed James Clay, Chat
y man." This same Clay it appears, WI
. member of the committee before who
Abigail's case above was presented, ar
- the records show that he was man
same prominence and resident of Pu
ney. The document we printed from
It no doubt in Mr.. Clays handwriting. I
II was chairman of the Cum berland Cou
At ty Committee. A year afterwards
A would appear that he became too cas-
. with the Workers, or their authority /
a serving certain notices in the sever
If towns, at the request of the New You
# authorities, which was considered
3 "Seting the people against the Ne
y State" Mr.. Clay made report of IL
a notices he served, dated at "Putne
,e July We %, 1777." An order for Il
e. arrest Of Clay was made by the Counc
Of of Safety at Bennington, August /
re 1777, and Mr.. Clay makes report Q
L.