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COMMUNICATION TO GOV. TRYON.

COL. REED'S TENANTS DISPOSSESSED.

preceding section, induced a number of Scotch emigrants, who had lately arrived at New York, to accompany him to Otter Creek for the purpose of re-possessing the property which he claimed there. On their arrival the New Hampshire settlers were a second time compelled to abandon the place, and Col. Reed, having repaired the grist-mill and re-instated the mill stones by means of hooping them, left the Scotchmen, with orders to keep possession and continue the improvements.

sion of their lands and tenements." On the reception of this letter, the committees of the several towns assembled at Manchester, and on the 27th of August a bold and decisive, but conciliatory answer was prepared, in which they contended, that there was no breach of faith on their part, because none was plighted till after those transactions, when on the 15th of July, the proposition of governor Tryon was accepted, and that the aggressors were the New York claimants, who had undertaken to survey and take possession of the Intelligence of these transactions soon disputed domain, declaring unequivocally reached Bennington, whereupon Ethan their determination neither to break arti- Allen, Seth Warner, Remember Baker, cles of public faith, insult governmental and a number of others immediately proauthority, nor abandon their property to ceeded to the place for the purpose of the mercy of New York land-jobbers. again dispossessing the New York intruThey, moreover, declined restoring Col. ders and restoring the rightful owners. Reed's tenants their possessions, not They compelled the miller to break the doubting that when His Excellency came mill-stone into small pieces with a sledge to understand that they were really in and throw them down the falls, and comtruders, he would approve their conduct.* manded them not to repair the mill again To the above-mentioned communication "on pain of suffering the displeasure of an answer from the governor was re- the Green Mountain Boys." The Scotch spectfully requested, but it does not appear settlers, who had not removed their famthat he saw fit to comply; and this abor-ilies from New York, on hearing the native attempt at reconciliation seems only to have widened the breach and increased the animosity between the parties. New York now resorted to the expedient of appointing several prominent settlers to office for the purpose of buying them over to their interests. To counteract these designs and to provide for an effectual resistance to the Yorkers, a convention was assembled at Manchester, on the 21st of October, 1772, which,among other things, decreed that no person on the Grants should accept or hold any office under the authority of New York: " and all civil and military officers, who had acted under the authority of New York were required to suspend their functions on the pain of being viewed." It was also decreed "that no person should take grants, or confirmation of grants, under the government of New York."

ture of the controversy, declared they had been deceived, and abandoning all claim to the lands, retired, and afterwards settled on the Mohawk river.

To prevent a recurrence of these scenes, Allen and his party caused a small blockhouse to be erected at the falls, which was garrisoned by a few men and subsequently afforded full protection to these settlements against the "Yorkers." At this period the rich lands on the Winooski, or Onion river, were attracting much attention, and several persons in and about Bennington, and others in Connecticut, had made purchases there under New Hampshire titles; and there is a tradition that the intelligence of Col. Reed's second intrusion was conveyed to Bennington by Ira Allen, who returning from exploring those lands preparatory to a settlement, and arriving at the falls on Otter Creek on a dark and stormy evening, sought shelter and refreshment at the settlement there, which was then the most northerly on the west side of the mountains. He knocked at the door and instead of being met by his friends, who had been re-instated by the Controversy with New York from 1773 to Green Mountain Boys, as mentioned in 1775-Minatory act of New York-Res- the preceding section, was met by the olutions and remonstrance of the set- thrust of a sword in the hand of some pertlers. son within, which luckily did him no inIn July, 1773, Col. Reed, whose ten-jury. After making known his condition ants had been dispossessed at the lower falls on Otter Creek, as mentioned in the

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Punishment for the infraction of these decrees was left to the discretion of the court, except that it must not be capital

for the first offence.

SECTION IV.

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he was admitted but to his surprize he found the place in possession of a number of Scotchmen. Here he passed the night and then proceeded to Bennington with the intelligence.

BLOCK-HOUSES BUILT.

RESOLUTIONS OF NEW YORK ASSEMBLY.

power and resistance of a few determined spirits acting on the defensive and driven to desperation, they resolved_to bring them to merited punishment. For this purpose they proceeded to adopt measures "the most minatory and despotic of any thing which had ever appeared in the British Colonies."

After having secured the New Hamp- | own strength, and miscalculating the shire settlers in their possessions on Otter Creek, and with a view to prevent the intrusion of New York claimants upon the lands on the Winooski river, Allen and Baker proceeded thither, with their men and erected a blockhouse near the lower falls on that stream. It stood on the Colchester side of the river, in the midst of what is now called "Winooski Village;" and had 32 port-holes, in the upper story. The settlement upon this river was commenced the next year, 1774, and upon the breaking out of the revolution, in 1775, the block-house, being furnished with arms and ammunition, afforded the settlers shelter and protection till the settlement was abandoned in 1776.

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A comittee of the general assembly of New York, on the 5th day of February, 1774, passed several resolutions, expressive of their opinion of what they were pleased to call the lawless and riotous proceedings of the "Bennington Mob;" and, among other things, they desired his Excellency, the governor to offer, by proclamation, a reward for apprehending In consequence of the second expul- and securing the ringleaders, in those sion of Col. Reed's tenants, governor Try-transactions, in the jail at Albany. This on applied to general Haldimand, the committee also recommended that a law military commander-in-chief, for a milita- should be passed, the object of which ry force to protect the New York claimants should be, more effectually "to suppress in their possessions, but the general, riotous and disorderly proceedings, and to doubting the propriety of employing the bring offenders to condign punishment. regular troops for such a purpose, refused A knowledge of the doings of this comto comply with His Excellency's wishes. mittee having reached the settlers,through Clarendon and vicinity was settled by the public prints, a general meeting of people, who were generally in favor of the committees of the several townships, New York. Those in the south part of was held at the house of Eliakim Wellers, Clarendon held their lands under deeds in Manchester, March 1st, 1774, and affrom Col. Henry H. Lydius, who pretend- terwards by adjournment, at Jehial Hawed to derive his title from governor Pow-ley's in Arlington, on the 3d Wednesday of nal of Massachusetts, and their township the same month. At this meeting, was was called Durham. The north part of drawn up a sketch of the proceedings preClarendon and a part of Rutland had been vious to this period, and, after recomgranted by New York under the name of mending to the government of New York Social-borough. Some of the principal to wait the determination of his Majesty, men of Durham and Social-borough hav- before proceeding to further extremities, ing accepted offices and thus recognized it was resolved, "that as a country, we the jurisdiction of New York, and fre- will stand by and defend our friends and quent disturbances having arisen in that neighbors who are indicted at the expense quarter, in the fall of 1773, Allen and Ba- of our lives and fortunes." It was also ker raised a force of 100 men for the pur- resolved "that for the future every nepose of compelling the Durhamites, as they cessary preparation be made, and that our were called, either by terror or force to re-inhabitants hold themselves in readiness, cognize the New Hampshire title. On the advance of this force they, who held offices under New York, fled. Allen and his party remained several days, and after sundry exhortations and threatenings, returned without inflicting any serious injury upon the persons or property of the inhabitants.

at a minute's warning, to aid and defend those friends of ours, who, for their activity in the great and and general cause, are falsely denominated rioters." It was at the same time agreed, that they should act only on the defensive, and should encourage the execution of the laws in civil cases, and also in criminal prosecutions "that were so indeed."

The leaders of the Durhamites fled to New York,and laid before the governor and While the convention of the New council a full statement of the outrages Hampshire grants was discussing and committed by what they were pleased to adopting these resolutions, the general call the "Bennington mob." The gov-assembly of New York was proceeding ernment of New York regarded these out- to carry into effect the resolutions of the rages as open acts of treason and rebellion, 5th of February; and on the 9th of March, which could no longer be endured. They looked upon the Green Mountain Boys as a lawless banditti, and, confiding in their

Papers, page 37.

* For these Resolutions see Slade's Vermont State
For these proceedings, see Slade's S. P. p.
p. 38.

EXTRAORDINARY LAW.

REMONSTRANCES OF THE SETTLERS.

We have already observed that the passage of the foregoing law put an end to all prospects of reconciliation, or submission to the claims of New York. It was regarded by the settlers on the New Hampshire grants, as originating solely in the avarice of a set of unprincipled speculators, who coveted their lands with their valuable improvements; and as designed to terrify them into submission, They were satisfied that the popular sentiment was in their favor, that the great body of the people of New York felt no interest in efforcing the claims of that province to the lands in question, and former experience had proved that the militia could not be brought to act against them with any effect.

1774, they enacted a law which put an | James Brackenridge, and James Smith, end to all prospects of reconciliation.* whom they considered the most obnoxThis extraordinary law, (which is of too ions of the settlers. great length to be inserted entire,) enacted, among other things equally sanguinary and despotic,-that if any person, or persons, oppose any civil officer of New York, in the discharge of his official duty, "or wilfully burn or destroy, the grain, corn or hay, of any other persons being in any inclosure; or if any persons unlawfully, riotously and tumultuously assembled together to the disturbance of the public peace, shall, unlawfully and with force, demolish, or pull down, or begin to demolish, or pull down any dwellinghouse, barn, stable, grist-mill, saw-mill, or out-house, within either of the said counties of Albany and Charlotte; that then each of said offences shall be adjudged felony, without benefit of clergy, and the offenders therein shall be adjudged felons, and shall suffer death, as in cases of felony, without benefit of clergy."

Under such circumstances, the threatenings and arbitrary laws of that government were far from inspiring terror. They were rather regarded by the settlers with contempt, and, instead of palsying, they tended to nerve the arm of resistance. Indeed, the idea of submission seems never, for a moment, to have been entertain

ans. Having been long inured to toils and hardships, they were prepared to encounter difficulties and dangers with unflinching resolution and firmness. And so very highly did they prize their personal rights and liberties, that, rather than surrender them to the arbitrary claims of New York, they almost unanimously, resolved to meet death, if necessary, in their defence.

It was made the duty of the governor to publish the names of such persons, in the public papers, as were indicted in either of the counties of Albany, or Charlotte, for any offence made capital by this or any other law, with an order in council com-ed by these brave and determined vetermanding such offender, or offenders, to surrender themselves respectively, within the space of seventy days next after the publication thereof. This order was to be forwarded to the sheriffs and posted up in several public places. "And in case such offenders shall not respectively surrender themselves, he or they, so neglecting, or refusing, shall from the day appointed for his surrendry, as aforesaid, be adjudged, deemed and, (if indicted for a capital offence hereafter to be perpetrated,) convicted of felony, and shall suffer death, as in cases of persons convicted of felony by verdict and judgment, without benefit of clergy."

All crimes committed on the grants, were, by this act, permitted to be tried in the county, and by the courts of Albany; and the courts were empowered by it, to award execution against such as should be indicted for capital offences, and who should not surrender themselves in conformity to the order of the governor and council, in the same manner as if they had been convicted on a fair and impartial trial. A proclamation was at the same time issued by the governor of New York, offering a reward of £50 each for apprehending and securing Ethan Allen, Seth Warner, Remember Baker, Robert Cochran, Peleg Sunderland, Sylvanus Brown,

For this law, see Slade's St. P. page 42.

These views and feelings are fully manifested in the remonstrance which they made against the foregoing law, as will appear from a few brief extracts, taken from that fearless and spirited production. After portraying, in their peculiar style, the character of the New York government, they proceeded to say, "that by legerdemain, bribery and deception, they have extended their dominions far and wide. They have wrangled with, and encroached upon, the neighboring governments, and have used all manner of deceit and fraud to accomplish their designs. Their tenants groan under their usury and oppression, and they have gained, as well as merited, the disapprobation and abhorrence of their neighbors. The innocent blood they have already shed, calls for Heaven's vengeance on their guilty heads; and, if they should come forth in arms against us, thousands of their injured neighbors will join with us, to cut off and exterminate such an exe,

REMONSTRANCE OF THE EXCEPTED PERSONS.

WESTMINSTER MASSACRE.

crable race of men from the face of the | etly to the jurisdiction of that colony, and earth."

Again, says that document: "we therefore advertise such officers, and all persons whatsoever, that we are resolved to inflict immediate death on whomsoever may attempt the same; (that is, the apprehension of any of the persons indicted as rioters.) And provided any of us, or our party shall be taken, and we have not notice sufficient to relieve them; or whether we relieve them or not, we are resolved to surround such person, or persons, as shall take them, whether at his, or their own house, or houses, or any where that we can find him, or them, and shoot such person, or persons, dead. And furthermore, we will kill and destroy any person or persons whomsoever, that shall presume to be accessary, aiding or assisting in taking any one of us, as aforesaid; for, by these presents, we give any such disposed person, or persons, to understand, that although they have a license by the law aforesaid, to kill us ; and an 'indemnification' for such murder, from the same authority, yet they have no indemnification for so doing from the Green Mountain Boys; for our lives, liberties and properties are as verily precious to us as to any of the king's subjects: but if the governmental authority of New York insist upon killing us, to take possession of our "vineyards”—let them come on; we are ready | for a game of scalping with them, for our martial spirits glow with bitter indignation and consummate fury, to blast their infernal projects."

The remonstrance, from which the foregoing are extracts, was dated the 26th day of April, 1774, and signed by Ethan Allen and six others. About this time a plan was concerted to avoid the jurisdiction of New York, by having the New Hampshire grants, and that part of New York lying east of Hudson river, erected into a separate royal government. To effect this object, Philip Skeen, a colonel in one of the king's regiments, and the owner of large possessions on lake Champlain, went over to Great Britain, and seems to have met with some success; but nothing decisive had been done when the revolution commenced, which put an end to the negociation.

stood, in a measure, unconcerned spectators of the controversy in which the settlers on the more westerly grants, were so deeply involved. And where this was not the case, they had not yet been driven to desperation by the executive officers of New York. They were not, however, indifferent to the policy of Great Britain towards her American Colonies. The settlers on the New Hampshire grants were, generally, emigrants from the other New England provinces, and they readily sympathized with their kindred and friends, and were by no means backward in imbibing the growing spirit of opposition to the oppressive and arbitrary measures pursued by the mother country towards her colonies.

The affairs of the colonies had assumed so alarming an aspect, that delegates from most of the provinces met at Philadelphia on the 5th of September, 1774, to consult upon measures for the common safety. The meeting of this congress was followed by an almost universal suspension of the royal authority in all the colonies, excepting New York, which refused its assent to the measures recommended by that body, and the courts of justice were either shut up or adjourned without doing any business. The first interruption of this kind in the colony of New York, happened in the county of Cumberland, on the New Hampshire grants.

The stated session of the court for that county was to have been holden at Westminster, on the 13th of March, 1775. Much dissatisfaction prevailed in the county because New York had refused to adopt the resolves of the continental Con. gress, and exertions were made to dissuade the judges from holding the court. But, as they persisted in doing it, some of the inhabitants of Westminster and the adjacent towns, took possession of the court house at an early hour in order to prevent the officers of the court from entering. The court party soon appeared before the court house, armed with guns, swords and pistols, and commanded the people to disperse. But, as they refused to obey, some harsh language passed between them, and the court party retired to their quarters.

The opposition to the claims of New The people then had an interview with York had hitherto been confined, princi-judge Chandler, who assured them that pally, to the inhabitants on the west side they might have quiet possession of the of the mountains. The settlers on the house till morning, when the court should grants in the vicinity of Connecticut riv- come in without arms, and should hear er, had, many of them, surrendered their what they had to lay before them. But, original charters, and had taken new ones contrary to this declaration, about eleven under the authority of New York. In o'clock at night, the sheriff, with the othseveral of the towns they submitted qui-er officers of the court, attended by an

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PROGRESS OF POPULATION.

of the mountains driven to make common cause with their brethren on the west, in opposing the government of New York. The indignation of the settlers throughout the New Hampshire grants was now rais

armed force, repaired to the court house. Being refused admittance, some of the party fired into the house and killed one man* and wounded several others. The wounded men they seized and dragged to prison, with some others who did not suc-ed to the highest pitch, and probably the ceed in making their escape.

By means of those who escaped, the news of this massacre was quickly spread, and before noon the next day, a large body of armed men had collected. A jury of inquest brought in a verdict, that the man was murdered by the court party. Several of the officers were made prisoners and confined in the jail at Northampton, in Massachusetts. But, upon the application to the Chief Justice of New York, they were released from prison and returned home.t

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These proceedings aroused the spirit of opposition to New York throughout the grants on the east side of the mountains. A meeting of committees from the several townships was held at Westminster, on the 11th of April, 1775, at which a number of spirited resolutions were adopted relative to the late unhappy transactions. Among other things it was voted, "That it is the duty of the inhabitants, as predicated on the eternal and immutable law | of self preservation, wholly to renounce and resist the administration of the government of New York, until such times as the lives and property of the inhabitants may be secured by it." A committee was also appointed, of which Ethan Allen was one, to remonstrate to the court of Great Britain against that government and to petition his Majesty, "to be taken out of so oppressive a jurisdiction and either annexed to some other jurisdiction, or incorporated into a new one.

Thus were the settlers on the east side

commencement of the American war at Lexington, on the 19th of April, was the only thing which prevented the parties proceeding to open hostilities. This event produced a shock which was felt throughout the colonies; local and provincial contests were at once swallowed up by the novelty, the grandeur and the importance of the contest thus opened between Great Britain and her American colonies.

SECTION V.

Progress of Settlement, character of the
Settlers, and modes of punishment.

It has already been remarked that, although several establishments had been made in Vermont previous to that time, the commencement of the settlement may properly be dated from the conquest of Canada in 1760. In that year, the whole number of settlers on the territory of Vermont did not exceed 300 persons, and although the settlement began from that time sensibly to advance, it was by no means rapid till after the treaty of peace, in 1763, by which Canada was ceded to Great Britain. In 1764, settlements had been commenced in many of the townships on Connecticut river as far north as Newbury, and in several townships on the west side of the Green Mountains, in the county of Bennington.

In 1765, the government of New York, having acquired authority from the British *William French. The following is a literal copy New Hampshire grants as far eastward as crown to exercise jurisdiction over the of the inscription on his monument in Westminster, furnished to the Compiler of the Vermont State Pa Connecticut river,commenced the division pers by the Hon. Wm. C. Bradley. It is preserved of the territory into counties, as mentioned both as a literary curiosity and as exhibiting une-in section third. The division lines bequivocal indication of the spirit of the times. In Memory of William French Son to Mrter of little consequence, towards the close tween the counties were, however, a matNathaniel French Who Was Shot at Westminster March ye 13th 1775 by the hands of Cruel Ministerial tools of Georg ye 3d in the Corthouse at a 11 a Clock at Night in the 22d year of his Age

Here William French his Body lies
For Murder his blood for Vengance cries
King Georg the third his Tory crew
tha with a bawl his head Shot threw
For Liberty and his Countrys Good
he Lost his Life his Dearest blood

† A full account of these transactions was published by a committee appointed for that purpose, on the 23d of March, 1775, and may be found in Slade's Vermont State Papers, page 55.

of this period, for when the government of New York found the opposition to their measures so determined and so general among the settlers on the grants, they seem to have given the court of Albany county jurisdiction over the whole tract of country. This gave rise to the expression, unlimited county of Albany, so frequently used by the Vermont pamphleteers during the controversy with New York.

Previous to the year 1770, scarcely any settlements had been made on the west side of the Green Mountains to the northward of the present county of Benning

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