The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-08-24

in his long and useful life of public SER
vice has done his age no better service
than by his publication of the "Early
History of Vermont" that "IIere, in
fact, on the farm of James Breaken-
ridge, was born in the future state of
Vermont, which, struggling through
the perils of infancy, had by the COM
I mencement of the general revolution
acquired the activity and strength of
adventurous youth; had by its close
reached the full stature of manhood,
and which not long afterward became
: the acknowledged equal ofits associate
American republics" offspring, it may
be added, of what the Tory governors
of New York were wont to call "the
Bennington mob"
This controversy about the lands of
the settlers, kept up in one way and
another for many years, naturally led
to denial of the civil jurisdiction of
New York for any purpose. Except
for this policy spoliation, the jurisdic-
ton of New York would have been
quietly submitted to, Notwithstanding
the difference of blood and temper,
training and customs of the two peoples
and Vermont would have had no name
in history, nor existence as state.
This difference was considerably
marked. The settlers of the Grants
were New Englanders of the then New
England type, cherishing the democrat
ic ideas, and imbued with the spirit of
resistance to aggression upon the liber-
ties of individuals or people which then
peculiarly prevailed in New England,
and to which that people have been pc
culiarily schooled and trained for gener-
ations by the events connected with the
early immigrations, and the institutions
of church and civil government estab-
lished by them of their own free choice,
in the wilderness. What was written
of these settlers by an accomplished 10y
al lady of the times, though said re-
proachfuAy, we accept as true, forgiv-
ing the reproach-They were ''fierce re-
publicans, refusing to become tenants to
any one, and insisting on owning the
lands they should occupy; whose whole
conversation was tainted with politics
Cromwellian politics; who talked about
slaves to arbitrary power; and whose
Indifference to the mother country and
i!liberal opinions and manners were ex-
tremely offensive TO all loyal subjects of
the King" Few tories among them at
any time-and those few either convert
pline of the "twigs of the wilderness" !"
or else finding more congenial homes in
Canada. 1t was not so along the Hud-
son, nor was this the spirit of the gentry
of the New York colony. This difference
is conspicuously indicated in the reply
of Gov. Tryon to the rebuke of the col
onial secretary for the manner in which
the New York grants of Vermont lands
had been made. ~ conceive it," he
says, "good policy to lodge large tracts
of land in the hands Of gentlemen of
weight and consideration. They will
naturally farm out their lands to ten
ants; a method which will ever create
subordination, and counterpoise in some
measure the general leveling spirit that
so much prevails i'm some of Ills Majes-
ty's governments" an aristocratic poll
cy, hateful to the democratic and inde-
pendent spirit of the settlers, who would
be vassals to no PATRON or land baron,
but would own the lands they titled.
And so was kept up this controversy
as to titles and jurisdiction, until finally
closed in 1871 by compromise, by
I which Vermont to secure admission to
the Union paid the sum of 100000,
which was divided among the New York
"
their losses.
In the war of the Revolution there
was no people more patriotic, none more
united in sentiment of hostility to the
aggressions of Great Britain, and deter
mination to defend the common liberties
of the colonies, and to achieve separa-
ton and independence, than the people
of the New Hampshire Grants; none
| IN hai oh
braver and more effective service i'm
actual war than they. Scattered along
the war path from Canada to New York,
they were ever reliable as minute men
to beat back OF battle invasion from that
quarter. Ticonderoga, the Canadian
border, Bennington and Saratoga, tell
the story of their heroism. They were
the men of whom Burgoyne, in NORTH
cation at his disaster at Bennington. and
consequent perplexity of his affairs,
wrote to the British minister in London:
''The New Hampshire Grants, in par
ticular, country unpeopled in the last
war, now abounds in the most active
and rebellious race of the continent,
and hangs like gathering storm OH my
left"
Twenty days after the Declaration of
Independence at Philadelphia, there as
sembled at the inn of Cephas Kent, in
Dorset, delegates from thirty-one towns
of "the Grants" who entered into
solemn covenant between themselves
by formal signatures, recommending
that such declaration be subscribed "by
all the friends of America in the
district" wherein they declare: "We
do voluntarily and solemnly engage un-
der all the ties held sacred amongst
mankind, at the risk of our lives and
fortunes, to defend by arms the United
American States against the hostile at
tempts of the British fleets and armies,
until the present unhappy controversy
between the two countries shall be
settled;" and at later convention held
by adjournment at the same place in
September, it was unanimously resolved
''to take suitable measures, as soon as
/ may be, to declare the New Hampshire
Grants a separate district" This con-
vention was adjourned to meet at West
minister, October 80, 1776, and was
again adjourned to meet at the same
place January 10, l777, and then and
there it was unanimously proclaimed
and publicly declared that the district
of territory comprehending and usually
known by tho name and description ofl
the New Hampshire Grants of right
ought to be and is hereby declared for
ever hereafter to be considered as free
and independent jurisdiction or state,
by the name of New Connecticut
And later at Windsor, on the 2d day
of July, 1777, the representatives of the
freemen of said district assembled in
convention and framed a constitution
for the state of Vermont. This oonsti-
tuition opens with preamble reciting in
forcible language the reason for the for
nation of ga free and Independent
state" These recited reasons were, the
right of the people by common consent
to change their government whenever
II fails to secure the ends of fgovernment,
viz: the security and protection of the
community, as such, and the natural