The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-10-29

! tion of Delegates from the different
| towns holden at the courthouse in
/ Westminster on the 18th, of January
1777 which framed and adopted a
I declaration of independence and
which declared the New Hampshire
4 Grants to be a separate and indepen-
dent state, and took an active part in
its proceedings.
He was also a member and presid-
ing officer of the Convention holden
I'at Windsor on the End day of July
1777 which adopted a constitution for
the Grants and gave the name OF Yer
mont to the new state.
That convention provided for the
election OF a governor in the March
following, and also chose a Council of
A Safety to have charge of the affairs
of the state till then. Governor Chit.
tenden was the presiding officer Of
that Council and entered actively into
its affairs. And in March 1878 was
elected firstQgoyernor.
AT the time he was elected COVER
nor he wasa resident of Arlington.
and his dwelling house which he had
previously purchased was located
right here Where we are now During
each year, from 1878 until 1897, ex-
cept in 1889, he was elected governor
land until after the close of the Devo-
lutonary War constantly lived here
in the same house. 1t was the Gov.
ernor's mansion The political cen
ter of the new State of Vermont All
roads led to it, Here met in counsel
! the strong loyal men of the state
! mt Nv ar Annla nf ;,,Jn
pendence and the formation of her gov
eminent had become independent and
as such claimed full sovereignty; ac-
knowledged no allegiance to England
and as we have seen she no longer
/ recognized the jurisdiction of New
York over her As sovereign state
she coined money, established post
reads, adopted a seal which has ever
since continued to be the seal of
Vermont
This particular seal came about in
! this way. An officer who had come
to Arlington to bring dispatches to
Governor Chittenden and receive
reply stopped with the Governor and
was detained for some time. During
the time he carved upon a horn the
beautiful emblem. which we all love
so we'll Taking his prospective from
the western view and showing --
mountains, the gorge, the winding
river, and the meadow, except for the
foliage. as you could see them now.
The old Colonial road leading from
Bennington north to Rutland and be-
yond, passed five or six rods north of
where we now are; coming up the
hill from the west as you now see it,
and extending easterly across the
present location of the railroad tracks
then bearing to the right passed dag
onally on to the hill and beyond You
can trace some stretches OF it still.
Just acros the old highway and east
of the railroad in those early days
was a tavern where Ethan Allen at
times lived. and near it is we'll now
unused but within the memory of
many here today was in constant use,
and was called ALIENS Well" and as
tradition says he dug or helped dig it.
1t was fortunate for the New Ham
shire fortunate for the new
state OF VERMONT when she became
lndependentsfand assumed the duties
anu responsibilities Vi EONtiUulGHNt
that she had in the formative stage
and as her first chief ruler so able
and patriotic a man as Governor Chit
tenden. His was the guiding spirit
that carried her through the trouble.
some years that followed the founding
of the state. Calm and collected
when those around him swere excited
by the course of events, Never in
haste or anger deciding momentous
questions; but firm and courageous to
the limit when Nermonts very exis-
tence was at stake. He remembered
his duty as the Governor of Vermont
and shranl0 not from it, And he was
equal 10 every emergency.
The controversy with New York
which had slumbered for time, by
reason of the coming Of the Revolu-
tion started up again when Vermont
in l777 declared her independence
Not by New York attempting to in.
wade or settle her territory but by
seeking to have the Continental Con
gress take part and direct the infant
republic to submit to her jurisdiction
! Congress did take up the matter and
it was before il for years. We cannot
/ 90 into that here time will not per
NIT Fbut as showing the character Of
Governor Chittenden we may refer
to some of his letters TO the Continen
tai Congress in reply to communica-
tions and resolves of that body in
| 1777 he wrote Eve in the fullest
sense are as unwilling to be under the
| jurisdiction of New York as we con
ceive America would be to revert
back under The power of Great Brit.
ain
On the 2nd of June 1880 the Con-
tinental Congress voted to take up
and hear the controversy between
New York and Vermont and set a day
for doing it, copy of these resom-
tons was sent to- Governor Chitten-
den, to them he replied, and his letter
in part is as follows;
Vermont being a free and indepen
dent state, has denied the authority
of Congress to judge ttheir iurisdic-
ton. Over the head of all this it ap
pears that congress by their resolu
tons of the 9Th ultimo, have deter.
mined that they have the power to
Judge the cause which has already
determined the essence of the dis
pute; for is Vermont does not belong
TO some one of the United States.
congress could have no such power