Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-03-04
slavery Never Permitted by Vermont.

processes to have found document showing
that slaves we're captured from the British
during the revolutionary war, and aiterward
held as such in the State" lie afirms that
can old epitaph to a slave has been found
in burying ground at Brattlcboro;" and
moreover, that an act was passed in 1856
to prevent the sale Of slaves out Of the
State, and sundry old people remember
slaves that were aged when they were
young" There is a kernel Of truth in all
this, but bountiful crop Of errors Pre-.
vious to the revolution, slavery existed 10
New Hampshire, Massachusetts,, aud New
York, and each Of these States at times
exercised jurisdiction over Vermont terri.
tory, to wit: Massachusetts over part Of
Windhom county; New York over Wind.
ham, Windsor, aud Orange counties, and
New Hampshire over the whole Ofcourse
ii follows, that while the territory Of YER
mont was under the jurisdiction Of these
States, slavery was permitted, and doubtless
it actually existed in towns inhabited by
men Of wealth, or representatives Of wealthy
families in other States GuilfOrd, Brat
tleboro, Westminster, aud Windsor on the
east Of the mountains, and few towns in
Bennington county on the west, were Of this
character. Hence il will not be remarka-
bic if the correspondent of the Post shall
find more relics of slavery in the tombs of
the ancient dead in the towns named.
Should he do it, however he will not fix
the stain Of slavery upon Vermont, because
the freedom of every person in it was born
with the State, in Hts.
The old document" referred to ia the
Post, is probably the deed of emancipation
given to Dinah MATHS and her daughter, by
Capt Ebeuezer Allen of the Vermont
troops. This was dated November %
l777-four months after the constitution
Of Vermont was adopted, but nearly four
months before the state government was or
ganzed These slaves were not captured
on the territory of Vermont, but on Lake
Cbamplain near Giliner's patent that is
IN New York. If this is not the document
referred to, the Post will oblige us much
by saying SO, and by printing the interest
ing relic its correspondent possesses.
The act of 1856 amply confirms the state
ment that the State Of Vermont, as an or
ganized civil government, never tolerate,
slavery. 1t is as follows:
An Act to prevent the sale and transportation 0
Negroes and Mulattoes out OF this State.
Whereas, By the Constitution Of this State
all The subjects Of this commonwealth, of phat
erer colour, are equally entitled 10 the ineStiDid
bic blessings Of freedom, unless they have for
leited the same by the commission Of SOM
crime and the idea of Siducry IS expressly an,
totally srpioded from our free government
And whereas, instances have happened of tn,
former owners of Negro slaves in this common
wealth, making sale Of such persons as slaves
notwithstanding their 5ciRg liberated The Con
StifutiOH, and attempts been made 10 transpor
such persons to foreign parts, m open riO'ahOy
| Qfhe ialcs Of The land
BE IL therefore enacted, DC, that If any per
son shall, hereafter, make sale Of any subject o
this State, or shall convey, or attempt to con
vey any subject out Of this State, with intent t
hold OF sell such person as a slave; every per
son 70 offending, and convicted thereof, shall
forfeit and pay to the persons injured, for sucl
offence, the sum of one hundred pounds, anC
cost of suit TO be recovered by action of debt
complaint or information See ID. Chapman
Memoir Of Chitenden, PIP. S2-s3; Shades Stat
Papers, p. sos; and Record Of The Council o
Safety and GOrcrnOr and Council Of Vermont
Vol. l, PIP 92-93, note.
The printed census of 1890 assigned six
teen slaves to Vermont-all in Bennington
county; but the original returns in Thu
archives at Washington show that the
were free colored persons.
The exact truth as to slavery ia this regio
therefore is, that it was tolerated unde
New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Nev
York Jurisdictions, but was abolished by tn
FIRST Constitution Of Vermont. AS that in
strument first gave name and government
} to the State, the often repeated statement
that sldrery never teaS permitted IN VEH
l MONT, is literally true.