St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1883-09-21
Review Of the Early Political
History Of Vermont.

/ 1
of Vermont of adult age are acquainted
with the history of their own state.
But as much of the early history of
that state was of a very remarkable
and startling character, an occasional
examination of some of its most prom
inent features may not be devoid OF
they are or are not acquainted with 1t.
In 1922 james the First granted to
John Mason and Sir Ferdinand GOrges
the chartered right to that region of
country called the Hampshire grants,
which included in it's limits all that
territory now known as New Hamp-
shire and Vermont. If a certain man,
whether he did or did not wear Il
crown, then had the right to convey
away nearly 1000 square miles of land,
which he had never owned nor seen,
its owners and without any cOmpensa-
tion. then certainly, by the same prin-
ciples of right, any man to-day might
empower me to seize upon that very
same, or any other large tract of coun-
try, and dispOssess and eXterminate
the owners, whether they were whites
or Indians. From I64l to 1879 the
aforesaid granted district was attached
to, and formed part of Massachusetts,
but Charles the Second separated them.
1t was afterwards reunited with Mas
sachusetts, but they were finally sep
arated in l7ll.
All the territory now belonging to
Vermont was at that time Il part of
New Hampshire. 1t of course shared
its good or ill-fortunes. In l764,
George the Third annexed all that part
of the Hampshire grants lying west of
the Connecticut river to New York,
which was very displeasingtO the peo-
pie of Vermont, but was gratifying to
the people of New York, which declar-
ed that the Hampshire grants were
null and void and demanded that the
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second time for their land. This
was refused, and the next year the
Shcritfs and other officers went into
Vermont to execute the judgments OF
= the New York courts, but they found
that, instead of dealing with feeble
helpless lambs, they had to encounter
fierce lion i'll his own iungles and
, mountain Businesses, where he de-
Tended himself and cubs with such ter
rifle vigOr that several of those officers
were badly wounded. At the head O
o that opposition were Ethan Allen and
Seth Warner, men of uncommon cOur-
age and determination.
In IVA the government of New YOrl
= demanded surrender of all offenders
. under severe penalties, and offered ;
bounty of 80 head for eight of tn,
most obnoxious offenders. Soon after
preparations were being made by New
York and Vermont for civil war; bu
Al at that iuncture the Revolutionary wa
;, broke out, which prevented the civi
war, for New York had its hands ful
in raising its quota of men and none,
y for Il bigger war.
After TiconderOga had been take
by Ethan Allen and the Green monm
tain boys, the terribly bitter and hos
N tile feeling of New York toward
I'd Vermont was greatly modified. I'm
mediatcly after the capture of tina
fortress, Allen was superseded in com
mand by Col. Hinman, and therefor
Allen was at liberty to attend to tn
internal affairs of his state. Allen an
fu Warner, those plain, blunt, honest an
courageous men, i'll their plain, coars,
presented themselves before the Me-
York legislature, which created til
most intense excitement and angry +,
sentiment, because they were mO'
in desperate, riotous felons and outlaw
ira ra and had never been pardOned, and I'll
lss bounty for their heads was still
them, either dead or alive. But the
those men stood, apparently as inn'
.n cent rs lambs, but as resOlute us giant
Ike and continued knocking at the do
for admission to that legislative bod
After much and long and passiona
and uproarious discussion by tn
body, the two men were admitte
Then and there those men conferr,
with that legislature in regard to Il
unpleasant and embarrassing state
affairs which outside parties had fore
upon Vermont, and demanded tn
their unjust and iron grasp upon the
pot inotfensive neighbor be relaxed. B
New York, instead of acceding to til,
. propositions, demanded that Vernon
'o' with all other parts of their state, mi
furnish its full share of men and su
plies, so that the requirements up
New York could be satisfied TT
demand was Indignantly refused
those two men, who told them, IN,
emphatically, that, between the tS
they had much rather unite their f
Also tunes with Canada than to have a
connection whatever with New YOl
-. either i'll war, peace or politics. I
fur British officials had all the while be
well informed respecting the state
things in Vermont and of all Il
nts transpired there, and were highly or
A0 flied by the fearless declaration
Allen and Warner that they had ratl
Vt ha unita1 with ConaIo than N.y- No