Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-01-21

fourths Of the people in Cumberland
and Gloucester counties. that have
acted arc for a new state; the rest we
view as ncuters."
The convention then adjourned for
one hour. and upon reassembling the
convention voted "that tho district of
land commonly called and known by
the name of the New Hampshire
Grants. be a now and separate state;
and for the future conduct themselves
as such"
Saturday was therefore the anniVer-
sary Of the actual vote Of separation. 1t
was also voted ON January 16 that
Nathan Clark, ESQ, Mr.. Ebcnezcr
1Ioisinston, capt. John Burnham, Mr..
Jacob Burton and Col. Thomas chit
tcndcn be committee to prepare a
draught for a declaration for a new
and separate stats and report to this
convention as soon as may be- Tho
convention then adjourned until eight
o'clock the following morning.
Tho convention rcassemblcd accord
ing to adjournment on Friday morn
ing. which was January H. 1777. and
adopted formal declaration Of in
dependence which contained the fol-
lowing stirring announcement:
This convention. whose members
are duly chosen by the free voice OF
their constituents. in tho several towns
on the New Hampshire Grants, i'm pub
lie meeting assembled, in our owr
names. and In behalf of our Constitu-
onts. do hereby proclaim and publicly
| declare. that the district Of territory
comprchendine. and usually known n
the New Hampshire Grants, of riEh
ought to be- and ia hereby declared
forever hereafter to be a free and in
dependent jurisdiction, or state; to o'
forever hereafter called known an'
DISTINGUISHED by the name of New
Connecticut, alias Vermont"
Even at that early date and unde
unfavorablc conditions existing tn
Vcrmonters' spirit of loyalty to tn
common cause of the American colo
nists was pronounced. as demonstrate
by the fact that in addition to continue
warfare, waged against the British b
the settlers of this region the conven
ton formulated a declaration and pc
tition to Congress. in which anon
other things the delegates declare
their attachment to the interests
the American colonists as a whole an
expressed their Willingness to con
tribute their fun proportion towar
maintaining the war with Great Britain
owing to the bitterness of New Yor
and New Hampshire growing out (
the territorial controversy ana the
. further attempts TO establish iursdi'
ton as we'll as to other Influences
was not until 119I that Vermont VS.
admitted To the Union
During the period between Ner
monts declaration of independents
and her admission to the Union II
Green Mountain boys passed throus
some of the most remarkable ar
unique experiences recorded in Anne,
team history. maintaining a real r
public. with it's own postal system al
| exercising ,arious other functions
an absolutely independent govern
! ment.
Perhaps the exhibition Of unseli'
patriotism and loyalty shown by II
/ Green Mountain State during this p
: rod could not be better summed |
! than to quote passag" from Il
5 tribute paid the other day to the Ia
Senator Proctor and to Vermont
= Congressman samuel w. Mccall
= Massachusetts. who said among 9th
" things:
was able to understand him be
d ter because | had been much in Il
= state. the ideal little commonweal
, which he represented hcre. Upon
landscape of unsurpassed beauty the
" dwell in Vermont people of hero
II mould. Her population is made
d perhaps in larger proportion of Z
"a old revolutionary stock. of men W
were identified with the first settl
m"ut of this country and who foug
8 the war which established our ind
a pendencc. than that Of any other sta
= Of the North. and possibly of a
state in the linton. She has Il hi
= tory of remarkable Charm-worthY
- the race which iuhahits her noble hi
n and beautiful valleys. We admire {
hcroism Of those men of Vermont W
in 11,5 asserted their Independent
rs not ouly Of Great Britain but also
II the other colonies. and especially
# tho two or three ueighborins on
which claimed sovereignty over h
territory Vermont was a little repu
II lie in herself, independent of all I
le rest of mankind and when it seem
g. best to join with the other coloni
to fight the common foe her peoI
did not even stop to pass the code
laws which We're necessary for go
o. crnng their territory. but they I'll
N devoted themselves. and with suprel
effect to the great struggle out
which the nation came.
/ II is fitting for the sons and dau2
ne ters of Vermont to think Of the
p" spring example thus set at the We
ne beginning of our states history. lIa
YS py will it he for us if we maint;
III the high standards ana traditions
'i' the fathers and mothers of Nermo
,g C!IAMPLtIN'S BATTLE WITH I'll
he IRO0VOS.
ec The Intense dasirn on thr part