Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1877-08-22


losses.
In the war of the revolution, there was
no people more patriotic, none more unit
ed in sentiment Of hostility to the aggres-
sions Of Great Britain, and determination
to defend the common liberties the COL
onies, and to achieve separation and in
dependence, than the people of the New
Hampshire grants; none, who, according
to their ability, did drawer and more etfec-
tive service in actual war than they. Scat
tered along the war-path from Canada to
New York, they were ever reliable as
minute men to beat back or battle invasion
from that quarter. Ticonderoga, the Ca
madam border, Bennington and Saratoga,
tell the story of their heroism. They were
the men of whom Burgoyne, in mortitlca-
ton at his disaster at Bennington, and
consequent perplexity Of his affairs, wrote
to the British Minister in London "The
New Hampshire grants, in particular, a
county unpeopled in the last war, now
abounds in the most active and rebellious
race Of the continent, and hangs like Il
gathering storm on 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 dec
laration be subscribed "by all the friends
of America in the district, wherein they
declare: "We do voluntarily and solemn
ly engage under all the ties held sacred
amongst mankind, at the risk Of our lives
and fortunes, to defend by arms, the Unit
cd American States against the hostile
attempts of the British fleets and armies,
until the present unhappy controversy be-
tween the two countries shall be settled" !;
and at Il later Convention, held by ad-
journment at the same place in Septcm-
Der, it was unanimously resolved "to take
suitable measures as soon as may be to
declare the New Hampshire grants Il sep
arate district This Convention was adj
journed to meet at Westminster October
80, 1776, and was again adjourned to meet
at the same place January 10, III, and
then and there it was unanimously pro-
claimed and publicly declared, "that the
district Of territory compromising and
usually known by the name and descrip-
tion of the New Hampshire grants ofright
ought to be and is hereby declared forev-
er and hereafter to be considered as q free
and independent jurisdiction or State by
the name of New Connecticut"
And later at Windsor, on the I'd day OF
July, l777, the representatives of the free
men of said district assembled in Conven-
tion and framed Constitution for the
State of Vermont. This Constitution
opens with preamble reciting in forci-
BILE language the reasons for the forma'
tion Of "a free ard independent State
These recited reasons were, the right OF
the people by common consent TO change
their government whenever it fails to Sc
cure the ends Of government, viz.,: tho
security and protection Of the community
as such, and the natural rights OF the in
diyiduals who compose it; the oppres
sions of the British Government towards
the colonies, "more fully set forth in Thu
declaration of Congress-" and the worse
expressions of New York towards TIN
settlers IF the Nnw HamnShire grants
This preamble was followed by ga deClar
alton of the rights Of the inhabitants o
the State Of Vermont" and plan o
frame Of government.
1t was while the draft of this Constitu
tion was under consideration that tn
alarming news reached the Convention O
the evacuation by our troops Of Ticonder
osa, and their disastrous reatreat through
Hubbarton, thus leaving all our western
border open to the ravages of Burgoyn
with his HesSians and savages. 1t is re
ported that the first impulse of the Con
ventlon was to separate and look to tn
protect on of their families at home, whel
ga severe thunderstorm came on ant
gave them time to reflect; and SO the.
stayed till their work was finished. Thu
thunderstorm was blessed providence
voice from the skies proclaiming to thu
Convention duty higher even than thu
protection of family home. And so Yer
mont received her christening and becam,
State, though for time after, under tn
anomalous administration of Council o
Safety, and, until March 4, 1901, fourteen
years, existed as an independent sover
eighty, with all the attributes and func
tons Of sovereignty, when she was ad
United as an equal member Of the Fedora
Union. In the mean time, the American
Revolution had been closed in a declared
peace. The confederation of the Unite,
States had been formed and dissolved, an
the United States Constitution had mad
OF the United States government. L
this construction .Of confederation an
Constitution Vermont had not been allow
ed to take part, but during all these foul
teen years she had stood apart among he
mountains in stern independently, defend
ing herself against States contending 70
her lands and life, disowned by Congress
and having for years on her borders tn
common enemy to fight with the weapon
and the fnesse of war. In all this she di
her work bravely and well, and we d.
we'll to-day by commemorating these Ia
bors of the fathers n hundred yeors opo