Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-02-12

mon cause with their brethren on the
other side.
The meeting of the delegates from thu
several American provinces at Philadel
phia. September 5, 1775, to consult upor
measures for the common safety. wa.
followed by an almost universal suspen
sion of the royal authority in all the prov
inces,-the courts of justice being either
shut up, or adjourned without doing any
business. New York, however, refused
its assent to the patriotic measures rec
commended by that body. Meantime tn,
stated session of the court for the count,
of Cumberland, on the New Hampshir,
grants, was to have been holden at West
minister, March 18th, 1775. Much dissat
isaction prevailing in the county becaus,
New York had refused to adopt the re
solves of the continental congress, exer
lions were made to dlssuade the Judge,
from holding the court, but in vain
Whereupon certain Of the inhabitants o.
Westminster and the adjacent towns toot
possession of the court house at AN early
hour to prevent the officers of the cour
from entering. The court party appeared
before the court house, armed witt
swords, gun and pistols, and commanded
the people TO disperse. This the peo
pie refused to do. At later houl
some of the court party, being still refused
admittance into the court house, fired into
the building, killing one man and wound
mg several others. The wounded men
together with several who did not succeed
in eflecting their escape, were seized anc
dragged TO prison. The news of this
massacre at once fired the hearts of the
yeomen on the eastern slope of the noun
tains with irrepressible bitterness ant
rage against the authorities of New York
A meeting of committees from the severa
townships was at once held (April II
1775,) at Westminster, ut which spirited
and patriotic resolutions relative to this
unhappy transaction were enthusiastically
adopted, it being then and there voted
among other things. THAT it is the mani
fest duty of the inhabitants, on the eterna
and immutable principles of self fpreserva
ton, oOhoVV TO renounce and resist the ad
ministration of the state Of New York
until such times as the lives and property
of the inhabitants can be secured there
by.'~
Meantime, TO such pitch WAS The
mitigation of the settlers raised by thest
proceedings, throughout all the New
Hampshire grants, that, probably, but 70
the opening of the American war at Lex
ington on the 10Th of April, the two com
munities would have actually become EN-
broiled in open hostlities. So nearly, I'M,
that on the very eve Of the American
revolution, were the settlers of these tw,
sections brought to the direful and rene
diless disaster Of civil war.
Meantime. as all lesser lights pale in til
superior splendor of the sun, so, upon tn
opening at Lexington of the first scene 0
the great drama of the revolution, al
minor or local controversies among tn
colonists naturally were for while alb
sorbed in the more momcntous controvcrs
with the mother county. And yet, thoug
thus for II season overshadowcd by til
novelty, grandeur and Importance Of th
contest now opening between Great Brit
ain and her American colonies, the cltir
of New York to jurisdiction over the tel
ritory of Vermont was by no means fol
gotten. So far from this, New York in
proved the very earliest opportunity
make application to congress for IL cor
lirmation or II recognition of her title
the territory in question. AT this crisis
meanwhile, another claimant, an earle
one, for these rich lands, appears. Ell
couraged by the strife prevailing betwee
Vermont and New York, also by certai
divisions rife in the Connecticut valley
and by the unsettled state of affairs in tn
country generally, New Hampshire, VIII,
since the royal decision of the controvers
between New Hampshire and New Yor
in favor of the latter in 1764, had made Il
attempt to continue her jurisdiction ovt
the disputed territory, returns TO the COZ
tlict, and, laying claim to the whole stat
of Vermont. is grants originally made b
that province, makes due application,
turn, to congress for confirmation of ht
claim. Indeed, at one time, the proSpcC
was that, the other states taking naturall
but little interest in these local controvel
sizes, and the adjustment of them bein
obviously u matter of extreme perplexit
and embarrassment to congress, NeN
Hampshire and New York would be le
to cut and carve, and divide up this teri
tory between themselves just about as coul
themselves mutually agrcc,-New Yor
probably accepting for her share til
western and New Hampshire the easter
slope of the State. Just at this juncturt
meantime, strange 10 say, Massachuselt
rs if this STRIPPING Vermont had not Il
ready enough to contenl with, appear
upon the scene, and either to disappoil
parties which seemed TO be thus resolve
upon the annihilation Of Vermont, or ft
some other cause. interposed her claim fc
at least Il portion of this disputed terrtol
as clearly within her jurisdiction. An
thus, at the same time that with one han
she was doing bravo battle against I'll
common enemy, an enemy hanging col
stantly upon her borders and every mi
ment threatening invasion, Vernon
though yet in her infancy, was called wit
the other to combat this triangular, or lr
headed foe-was left, year after year, t
maintain her independence against til
plots and policy of these three beleaguel
ing. veteran and powerful states.
In this emergency, and while civil wa
between these factions was daily becon
ing more and more imminent-four pa,
ties claiming the same tract of country, {