The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1921-10-27
FIRST A REPUBLIC
THEN IHE FOURTEENTH STATE

sabieei Of Interest TO Historians
and Students and TO the People oi
the Green Mountain state IN Gen
ersl
Worcester. Mas, Oct. i9.-Amone
the paper of interest read here today
before the annual meeting Of th,
American Antiquarian Society VA
one by James r. Wilbur Of Manehes.
ter, VI, on The Making Of the Re-
public Of Vermont the Fourteenth
state" The paper presented graphic
ally the independent spirit Of the Yer
mouters who could be eontented with
no form Of government but an inde-
pendent commonwealth until they
were convinced Of the wisdom Of join
ing the union Of States based on the
Is colonies which signed tie Deciara-
tion Of Independence.
The paper follows:
H. choosing a subject for paper, II
seemed TO me il would be interesting
10 give an outline-although the time
allotted will scarcely permit Of the
briesest uultine--0f how the republic
Of Vermont, which became the l4th
State, was formed.
The making Of this State has no
precedent, and, therefore, there is an
originality about il, which will always
be a field in which historians and
students can find material of the deep
est interest. The making Of this small
republic may have had a far greater
influence in the making Of the greater
republic Of the United State than any
one 10 able TO prove. At several crit
ieal periods Of the American Revolu-
ton, the important part taken by
those who founded Vermont and the
influence Of their example had an
effect which was not appreciated at
the time, and has never been fully
realized by modern students OF
American history.
Vermont was the first republic in
America under the rule Of the people
and remained a republic for over ID
years after the Declaration Of lnde-
pcndcnee was signed by the 10 col
onies. The people Of Vermont, then
called "the New Hampshire Grants
governed themselves by committees
and conventions eight years before the
colonies united TO resist Great Brit
ain. Their segregation from all the
other provinces came about through
no effort on their part. They had re-
ceiyed the grants of their land from
an authorized agent Of the crown
the governor Of New Hampshire-wh
they had every reason to believe, had
authority 70 grant the lands. Then,
through an ancient grant and>a fraud
ulent petition sent TO the king by the
authorities of the province OF New
York, the king decided that the terri
tory west Of the Connecticut River
was under the jurisdiction Of the
province Of New York. The authori-I
ties OF that province notified the set
tiers that they must take out new
grants tat a great advance in price
over what they had paid or vacate.
This they declined to do. There were
no courts Of justice before which they
could try their cause except the
courts Of those claiming their proper
~. In the one case tried, the court
refused to recognize their grants and
they therefore decided 10 continue TO
govern themselves and protect their
homes with their lives, IL necessary.
This was the cause Of the organiz-
ation Of a small body Of men which
almost from the beginning, in l770,
became famous. Their record can
not be equalled in American history.
Ethan Allen became their leader and
Was designated Colonel" All know
how he and about so OF his boys cap
tured the important fort Of Tioonder-
oga in 1775. This was the first ag
gressive act Of the Revolution and
gave heart to the cause and showed
the timid what a few intrepid men
could do.
They ruled the Grants with an iron
hand for five years, l770 to lT75, but
during all that time, although in many
spirited contests, they never killed
person. Il was called . mob, but
where does history recall a similar
mob that neither killed nor plundered
Il was a fine tribute paid the Green
Mountain Boys by a brave general at
tflf Ntal o. an VI ~ aAaa'A eAaT
diers. when General Burgoyne wrote:
The Hampshire Grants. country
unpeopled and almost unknown in the
last war. now abounds in the most
active and the most rebellio1s race Of
men on the continent and hangs like
a gathering storm on my left" Moth
ing more need be related of them e1-
cept 70 acknowledge that had il not
been FOR them, what is about 70 fol-
low could not have happened.
Previous % i775, the settlers on the
Grants, as FAR as any records show,
Rad 10 idea 81 forming a separate
colony or republic. They wanted 70 be
under the Jurisdiction u New Hamp-
shire b; Wcre willing 20 remain IN
der New York Z their titles we're rex
ognired. They had struck the blow 81 !
Ticouderoga ssshout thinking % the
consequenceS as FAR a. their situation /,