The Bennington daily banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1877-1877, 1877-08-14
Exercise ofthe Pardoning Power

We pil0b NEkBAILM from volume i, Oh
Hon L. P. Walton's Governor and Council,
the following very unique proclamation of
pardon. issued by Governor Chittenden, in
l779. Other historical articles, which will
be given in the BANNER, win show why the
belligerent parties. forgiven Of their sins,
needed such pardon rs Governor Chtten-
den mercifuny granted to them, 1t needed
four or five extended "re-legAtiOns" to the
"arbitrement of arms" before Vermont could
establish herself as State in the I'm
ion. On either side of us the jeal-
GUS aud conflicting powers claimed ju-
and backed their claim with
war-like, and all other possible efforts. to
enforce the fact that Vermont ought not to
be, aud never should be, an independent
State. The Green Mountain Boys had an
opinion of their own in this matter, aud the
fact that our State was the first one added
to the American Union, and made the four
tenth star in the old flag, shows that while
they fought LONG, they also fought WELL,
and earned the name that they have ever
since sustained, of being worthy of the place
given them in the constellation of our United
Stetes,
This proclamation of Governor Chittenden
was conciliatory, and admirably adapted to-
the purpose for which it was intended. 1t
placed all Vermonters from the west bank
of the Connecticut to the eastern line of
New York on an equal footing as citizens of
what the Governor rightfully calls, "the ris-
ing State of Vermont"
We copy the proclamation, as written by
the Governor, and, though its Typography,
and in some instances the photography. diff
fers from those in present use, the variations
will add interest to the ancient document:
PROCLAMATION OF PARDON ISSUED
BY GOV. CHITTENDEN, JUNE 8, 1T79.
by MS EXCELLENCY
THOMAS CHITTENDEN, ESQ.,
Governor, Captain General and Commander in
Qief in aud oUer the STATE u VERMONT
A PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS, Sundry Persons, Inhabitants Of
this State, forgetting that great Tie of
Allegiance that ought to bind every Subject
in faithful Obedience to that Power which
instigated partly through their own mistaken
Notions of Government, not consider ing all
Power originates from the People; and build
ing on false Reason, that public Acknowl-
edgmeDt Of the powers of the earth is essential
to the existence of distinct separate State /:
But their especially being deceived, and in
tluenced by certain Persons who have crept
in privily to spy out and overturn the lIber-
ties of this State, purchased at the dearest
Rate Who, acting under Pretence of Pow
er assumed by neighbouring Sister Stat o
never derived from God or Nature, have inn
posed their tenants upon the credulous
whereby number have been traduced to
follow their perniciOus WAYS, by open oppO-
Bition to the Authority of this State in the
Execution of Justice by the civil Law, to the
Disturbance Of the Peace, thereby mourning
the Penalties of that great Rule of Right,
which requires Obedience to the Powers that
are.
AND WHEREAS the supreme Authority of
this State are ever willing to alleviate the
Miseries Of those unhappy Subjects who
transgress Laws, through mistaken No
tons, in remitting the Penalties thereof
And lnasmuch as equal Punishments lin this
easel can not be distributed, without pun
ishing the Righteous with the Wicked
| have therefore thought fit by and with
the Advice OF Council, and at the Desire of
the Representatives of the Freemen of this
State, in General Assembly met. to make
known ond declare this my gracious Design
of Mercy to every Offender And do hereby
publish and declare to all Persons residing
within the STATE, "A FULL aud FREE PARDON of
all public Offences, Grimes and MisdemeanOrs
nerotofOre committed within the Limits of
this State; against the Honor and Dignity of
the freemen Misunderstanding to all and |
singular the Persons aforesaid, all Penalties |
incurred for Breaches of the Peace, such as |
Riots, Mobs, tumultuOus Assemblies, Con- |
tempt OF and Opposition to Authority; ex-
ceptlng only crimes OtiHigh-TreasOn, Mispris- |
GU OF treason. and other capital offences
committed since the 18th of January, It'll |
and all Persons indicted, informed against |
nnmm ~ Jpr b any OF t Ehe offences
plead this Proclamation in Discharge there
PROVIDED nothing herein contained be
construed to extend to any Person against
whom Judgment has been already rendered,
lOr to bar any Person from Receiving private
Damages, anything contained herein to the
contrary notwithstanding.
AND | do further assure the Subjects of
his State, that it is not the design Of
If their Rulers to take from any one the
leeceable Enjoyments of his own Posses
lions, acquired by the Sweat of his Brow,
whatever falsehoods wicked designing men
nay have invented, to disquiet the minds of
he faithful Subjects of the rising State Of
livcn under the Hand and Seal Of the COun-
Gil Chamber. at Windsor on the Sd day Of
June, 1873, and in Third Year of the Indo-
pendsnce Of this and the United States of
AMERICA.
THo's CHrTTENDEN.
By His Excelency's command,
JONAS Fay, Seo'y u. Il.