The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-10-02

This constitution of 1777, formed by
delegates chosen by the towns, was
never submitted to the people for their
approval. The times were troublous,
public opinion was unsettled, and it
was deemed hazardous to send the
instrument back to the peoples; but it
was silently submitted to because any
organized government was deemed
preferable to the disorder that had 80
long existed.
Under this constitution, the first
election was held on the first Tuesday
in March, 1878, and the First Legis-
la ure of Vermont convened at the
meeting house in Windsor on the
second Thursday in March, the twelfth
day of that month. Captain Joseph
Bowker was chosen speaker and Major
Thomas Chandler clerk. After the
organization was completed, the Rev.
Mr.. Powers preached a sermon from
Matthew xxviii:18, for which the
clergyman was officially thanked and
a copy desired "for the press" A
further mark of favor was shown in a
vote that "leave be given to any person
to contribute" to the parson; Speaker
Bowker was appointed to receive
said contribution" and the munificent
sum of "ten pounds, lawful money"
was contribu ed and delivered to the
preacher.
A canvass of the votes showed
that Colonel Thomas Chittenden had
been elected governor. Colonel Joseph
Marsh lacked eleven votes of majority
of the suffrages of the freemen for the
Office of "deputy governor" and the
colonel was thereupon elected to that
office by the general assembly" "After
this choice was made" the journal
of the proceedings says, "there was
brought in fifteen votes for Colonel
Marsh, which, if they had come before,
he would have been chosen, by a
majority of the suffrages of the free
man, at large" Captain Bowker hav-
ing been elected to the governors
council, and Major Chandler appointed
secretary of state, Nathan Clark vas
chosen speaker and Benjamin Baldwin
clerk of the assembly for the year.
Fifty towns were represented by sixty
three members.
Vermont, it must be remembered, had
declared her independence in January,
1777, and was now sovereign state.
She owed and acknowledged allegiance
to no earthly power, not even to the
continental congress. The events of
the time impelled the men of the Green
Mountains to take this bold step, and
it was fearlessly taken. They were
engaged in life or death struggle with
New York. Their cause had been
referred to the king of England, but
while it was being favorably considered
by his ministers the War of the Revolu-
ton began, and the colonies declared
their independence. The continental
congress hesitated to affront the power.
full state of New York by recognizing
the New Hampshire Grants, as the
territory was known, as an independent
state. So there was nothing for brave
and spirited people to do but to declare
and maintain their independence, which
they did, for fourteen years, till the
federal congress, in 1871, took them
into the Union.
The enactments of the first legisla
ture were of practical character. The
revolutionary struggle was then in
progress. The state was environed
with enemies and the leading measures
necessarily related to the public de-
tense. These were liberal in the pro-
vision made for the states troops and
for those wounded in battle, but uncom-
promisingly severe in the punishment,
of tories and other &c chemical per
sons" and in the confiscation of theil
estates. The little republic imposed
no tax upon its people for several years
1t lived upon its enemies. The income
from the sale of tory estates oiled the
wheels of government.
Members of the assembly were paid
three dollars day and " four pence pei
mile for horse travel" Among the
economic measures were the appoint
ment of overseers to take care of the
timber on the governors lots and also
for the protection of white pine timber
suitable for masts. Here was pro
vision which, resolutely adhered to BY
succeeding legislatures, would have
saved to the state vast stretches Of
primeval forests. The example OF
these primitive lawmakers in this re
spect is worthy of imitation in these
later days. Those splendid forests o
white pine are gone, never to be re