The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-10-28
IN MEMORY OF ETHAN ALLEN
AND Gov cHITTENDEN
CONTINUED from Page Onel

council assembled on the Goth, day eff
July, f764, make an order declaring the
west bank of the Connecticut River to
be the boundary line between the pro.
Ynces of New Hampshire and New
York.
Both being Royal Colonies. that is
belonging directly to the Crown the
King had the right to establish n
boundary line between them for gov
efhmental purposes at least where,
ever he chose.
rms order at once transferred the
jurisdiction and control of the New
Hampshire Grants to the Colony of
New York. and though the order was
made without the knowledge OF or
no.ice to Governor Wentwo tn or tho
inhabitants of the Grants, he. like tho
lNya! Governor he was, yielded TO the
command fhis King, as indeed he
conld not do otherwise. ana his juris
utctlon and that of the Colony OF New
hampshire over the New Hampshire
Grants was gene forever.
rms order was not published IN
America until 1865, the next year aft.
Q it was made.
Tar, ~ WV IHAdDIlAutS or the
Erants learned that their territory
was, by order of the King. annexed 10
ana made a part of the New York
colony they We're indignant and an.
glF' fhey were New England peonIe
me ltcai governments under which
fhcy mad lived were founded on ro.
puDl'can p inciples. where every man
had voice in its affairs; while tho
government OF the New York Colonv
was founded on a landed aristocracy.
there was no lccal government MS in
cHe Grants The land was held Inv n
Jew III large tracts, and the tillers
vi me soil were their tenants
though the inhabitants >of ,ho
/ Grants knew they must submjt IN tho
polltical Jurisdiction of New yorI
ny haa no idea that they would he
deprived CT Their lands.
but they soon found that the pov.
eliilheht OF the New York COLONY moi
oh'y canned political jurisdiction eyer
','e Grants but also claimed that all |
lIHe grants of land there made nv CO.
.efhor wentworth were invalid that
ne had no right whatsoever To eran,
mem and that in order to hold tban,
| tne sCttlers must surrender theiy Non,
hampshire charters. and nnroha.o
their lands from New York or givo
Them up entirely. e'e
rms most of the settlers rafusad 30
no. they had purchased thei.. londs |
once from Royal governor of Tho
hiils' Delievins that lie had authority
Siailt tDem; had entered upon these /
inhds, built their houses. ana common.
ca improvements for permanent homns
~ large expense and now they were
HhollteCoyyaS dheha-
toid they must give the nun. which
would have been the financial ruin of
many; or they must re.purchase them
Oh New fc-k, which would have been
likewise runous. and they therefore
determined TO neither go or buy. but
STAND on their own rights and main.
tam them as best they could.
Ihereupon the New York. governor
contrary to the express command of
the King that he should NOT grant any
lahds on the New Hampshire Grants
commenced to grant large tracts there
TO people OF New York, one of which
included the spot where we now arr.
and he did this without regard To
former grants by Governo Wentworth
OF the same lands, and in 1859 his
grantees brought numerous suits of
e1ectments against the occupants nm.
der New Hampshire to obtain posses
ion o fthe same.
These suits came on for trial nj
Albany in June 1870 and while the
DEFENDANTS had little hope of succeed
ing in their defence before court
some of whose members had taken
tltle under New York to lands in The
Grants was considered best to
appear before the court and make de
fence.
The result was as feared The
Court held the Governor Wentworth
Grants invalid and refused to ADM,
Them in evidence and the plaintiffs had
judgment for the possession of the
lands.
hthah Allen was first heard of in the
new Hampshire Grants in connection
WIN THESE snits He appeared on be-
nan Oh the settlers, not as an attorney
put as an agent for them. and had
taken an active part in preparing The
cases for ial.
Az ina time nothing had occurred
10 indicate how active he would be in
me affairs of the Grants in the future
.f now great would be his part in shan
ing their destinies. or that of the M.
ton yet to he born.
But he did express there in mvsti
cal language what the Workers. might
expect to meet if they undertook IN
enforce their judgments, and by force
even under colcr of law, tai&e posses.
sion OF the lands embraced In these
suits '''''
After the trials were over the Ar.
tolney General of New York with
othe's, perhaps having discovered dur.
ing me trials that he was a man with
whom they must reckon in the com
ing strife over the Grants. and wouId
De formidable adversary. came to
nm and advised that lie go back to
ms Green Mountain home and advised
the settlers under the New Hampshire
Grants to make the best terms thew
could with those holding the New
lo-k Grants, and reminded him of
the cld proyerb that might makes
right"
When they were through Allen
arose to the fu height OF his six feet
and more. his form cvidencing The
great physical strength which he pos.