The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1918-10-04

compiled Of the history, says in his
story of a activities of this first coun-
Gil of safety that undoubtedly a SINH
lar body existed previous to the date
above given, but that the time at
which it was instituted, the number
of which it was composed, the meth
cd of electing its members and the
extent of the powers it exercised are
left to conjecture, because he could
not find any documents in regard to
it. This first council of safety was
appointed by the convention that
drafted the constitution of Vermont
and it was the governing power in
that state until the constitution had
been ratified and became operative.
This first council of safety was given
and exercised a combination of legis-
~lative, judicial and executive powers.
The writer of the history says:
at is worthy of remark that the
exercise of this supreme and absolute
authority, as the journal of the coun
ell plainly evinces, seldom exceeded
the limits prescribed by a just regard
to the public safety"
There is no information as to how
many members made up this Vermont
Council of Safety, but the journal of
it's proceedings covers a number of
pages and many of the orders are
along the lines of those made by SINH
lar bodies since the United States has
been at war. Thomas Chittenden was
the president of the council and there
were three secretaries-Paul Spoon
err, Ira Allen and Joseph Fay. The
latter was also vice-president.
The first order made by the council
was August 18th, 1777, the day pre-
ceding the battle of Bennington. This
order was addressed to the chairman
of the committee of safety at Will
Jamestown, indicating that in each
community there was a s%ub-council of
safety corresponding to the present
county or community councils. This
Williamstown chairman was request
ed to forward to Bennington all the
lead he could collect in his vicinity.
The reason given for this order was:
ut is expected every minute an ac-
ton will commence between our
troops and the enemies within four
or five miles of this place and the
lead will be positively wanted"
A similar order was sent to nu-
merous other chairmen of local COM
mittees.
That the council of safety had a
great deal of work to do in connection
with Royalists and slackers to the
Revolutionary cause is indicated by a
lot Of orders it made. For instance,
under date of August %, 1777, David
Breckenridge sis permitted to remain
at his fathers house under the care
of a guard at that place until further
ORDERS"
On August 9th, in the same year,
the council notified Lieut.. Martin Pow
ell to return to Anger Hawley's wife
a cow, as her children were in a suf-
fering condition and the scouts had
taken all the livestock on her place
This man Breckenridge must have
been a Stacker and a Royalist because
in another order an officer is re.
quired to take four horses belonging
to him which had been left by him ir
the care of John Bruno.
Hearings and trials for seditiou:
utterances and giving help to the enc
my was one of the activities of thu
council. For instance, on August 81
1777, Lieut.. Silas Watson received this
order:
"You will please to send all thu
evidence you have against Jonathan
Card and Pelig Card, as we propos.
to bring them on trial on the 29tl
inst"
On the same date an order is made
j. permitting Mrs. Munro to keep hel
; cattle, sheep, swine and other effectc:
j, until further order of the council.
, 1t would appear that Breckenridge
was a farmer and that he grew
wheat, because on the same date {
Mr.. Harris is directed to employ mer
o to harvest Breckenridge's wheat, tt
put the grain into his barn, to pay
: the expenses of the harvesting out Of
= the wheat, and what is not required
for the use of Breckenridge's family
Harris is to hold until further order.
of the council.
Gu August 80, 1777, the council
! made an order directed to the com
mittee of safety in Windsor and ad
jacent towns, in which it is eviden'
a roundup of slackers and d~isloyalist:
is intended. The order reads il
part:
"All such persons as you shall hav'
: sufficient evidence exhibited agagins
on trial, as to prove them so far enc
/ mics to the liberties of America a!
to be dangerous persons to go at large
you will send to Westminster goal
and put them in close confinement"
On the same date Benjamin Fasset
is ordered: "To proceed to Powna
{ and bring some of the Tories that ar,