SECTION XIII.

BORDER TOWNS UNSETTLED.

Resolutions of Committees of the Towns of Newbury, Moretown, Norwich, Hartford, &c.

[P. 355.] In pursuance of Votes passed and instructions given by the Towns of Newbury, Moretown, Norwich and Hartford lying on the N. Hampshire Grants so called west of Connecticut River, proposing to take some measures to be informed of the honorable Gen' Court of New Hampshire, whether a union of the territory aforesaid can be effected with the State of N. Hampshire, in consequence of their claim over the same, on terms honorable and mutually beneficial-and appointing Committees from those several Towns to meet at Thetford in order further to consult on the subject and gain information therein, in such way and manner as may appear most adviseable:

The said Committees being convened in consequence of the votes and instructions aforesaid-after mature deliberation came to the following RESOLUTIONS.

Resolved, That it evidently appears to be the wish and desire of the inhabitants of the towns above named as by their said votes and instructions is expressed, and also by good information it appears to be the desire of several other towns who have not had opportunity to be represented at this time that the territory aforesaid or part thereof should be united with the State of N. Hampshire & be under its jurisdiction, provided it can be done on terms that may be honorable and mutually advantageous;-And that we therefore think it our duty to enquire of the said General Court of N. Hampshire whether agreable to their claim aforesaid, the territory or Grants above mentioned or part thereof may on such terms be united with & become a part of that State;

and that we imagine such an union might be formed to the general benefit, well-being and interest of the whole :

Resolved, that if the hon. Gen1 Court of N. Hampshire are disposed or desirous to extend jurisdiction over the territory aforesaid or a part thereof,-they be earnestly requested to signify their disposition therefor to the several towns in their said claim as soon as conveniently may be; and also manifest their ideas respecting judicial and other proceedings under the authority of Vermont-cases now pending in [P. 356.] Courts &c.;-and if a reasonable adjustment of these last mentioned and other necessary matters can take place, we have full reason to believe and assert that the greater part of the inhabitants in said territory would readily acknowledge the authority of N. Hampshire;-expecting doubtless at the same time that some direction or assistance will be afforded in guarding the frontiers:

And whereas a negotiation or correspondence has been evidently and from many circumstances we suspect is still carrying on-by persons in high office in Vermont with the british officers and Government, greatly prejudicial to the cause of America, and destructive of the final welfare of this country-whereby there is the utmost reason to fear and believe that many persons who are disposed and doubtless do harbour and give intelligence to our enemies, cannot be bro't to public justice under our present situation,—and other accumulated evils consequential thereto cannot now be remidied—

Therefore Resolved, That the Court of N. Hampshire be requested to order a number of troops to the defence of the frontiers-it being from many circumstances apparent that unless relief and assistance be speedily afforded from some quarter, the situation of these frontiers will be truly deplorable.

Resolved, That the following MEMORIAL be transmitted to and laid before the hon. Gen1 Court of N. Hampshire together with these Resolutions, and that Abel Curtis Esquire*

* ABEL CURTIS, Esq., resided in Norwich; was a member of the Vermont Assembly in October, 1778, 1781, and 1782; was associated with Hon. Elisha Payne, Jonas Fay, and Ira Allen as an agent to Congress to solicit the recognition of the independence of Vermont, &c., 1782. He was judge of the Windsor county court in 1782-3.—ED.

be appointed agent to wait on that honorable Court with the same; And that said Agent be desired and impowered to make or receive such further proposals agreeable to the tenor hereof as may then be judged beneficial and expedient.

MEMORIAL.

[P. 357.] To the honorable general Court of New Hampshire to be convened at Concord in and for said State on the second Tuesday in June next, the Committees aforesaid in the name and behalf of the Towns above named, beg leave to represent :—

That the Grantees and occupants of the greater part of the lands in the territory aforesaid were possessed of titles from the Governor of New Hampshire and in expectation of having continued under the jurisdiction of that Government.

That the people in said territory were very unexpectedly and disagreably involved in difficulties and calamities by being annexed to New York by the royal edict in the year 1764-out of which they ever were desirous & endeavored to extricate themselves-but without success, until after the memorable american revolution-when for their mutual benefit and protection against the efforts of internal and external foes-they were impelled by necessity to form into a separate jurisdiction.

That necessity and necessity only induced the inhabitants of the Towns above mentioned and many others to unite and continue under the new government-Being unjustly deprived of that jurisdiction and protection from N. Hampshire which they had a right to expect and enjoy. And while they have esteemed the Congress of the United States to be the guardians of the rights of a numerous & free people, and have been ready to stand forth in defence and support of the cause of America-they have for a long while looked to them for a settlement of our unhappy disputes, but hitherto to no purpose:

That while on the one hand we view with keenest anxiety a negotiation on foot with the british greatly to the detriment of the public cause and tending to our final ruin,

without a speedy remidy-which we are not at present in a capacity to obtain or afford-on the other hand we may view our rights violated in the most flagrant manner and [P. 358.] our liberties trampled upon by a number without rebuke or remorse-And therefore unless a number of men be raised or afforded for the defence of these frontiers, we must view their situation to be indeed very distressed and unhappy.

That altho' we would not wish to involve ourselves under greater disadvantages to obtain relief from our present troubles, we think it our duty nevertheless to inquire whether the jurisdiction of New Hampshire may not be as real as its claim, and whether the territory aforesaid may not be speedily united with and become a part of that State on such principles as may be honorable, mutually beneficial & advantageous to the whole-Being persuaded that the said territory on account of its fertility &c. may greatly add to the wealth and resources of New Hampshire.

The Committees aforesaid therefore beg that your honors would take the several matters herein before suggested into your wise consideration and rest assured you will pursue such measures thereupon as will eventually prove for the best good of New Hampshire and the territory aforesaid, whose interest ought doubtless to be inseperable.

Signed by order and in behalf of the Committees aforesaid, this thirty-first day of May in the year of our Lord seventeen hundred and eighty-two, and in the sixth year of American Independence.

BILDAD ANDROS,* Chairman.

NOTE.

[Upon the application of the five towns above named, action was taken by the General Assembly, as follows:-ED.]

[State Papers N. H., Vol. VIII, pp. 943, 944.]

Journal of the House, June 21, 1782.

Upon reading a representation from the Towns of New

* BILDAD ANDROS was a physician residing in Moretown, now Bradford, Vt.; he was a member of the convention at Windsor, 1777-8, that formed the first constitution of Vermont. See Rec. Gov. and Coun., Vt., vol. 1, pp. 54, 55, 63.—ED.

bury, Moretown, Norwich and Hartford lying on the West side of Connecticut River as expressing their desire to be under the Jurisdiction of New Hampshire, in case they could be received upon such terms as were honourable & mutually advantageous, and also intimating that it would probably be agreeable to the Inhabitants of that part of the territory of Vermont that is situated to the Eastward of the heighth of Land, to join New Hampshire on the same

terms:

Resolved, That although this State suppose they have a just title to the Territory called Vermont, which has long been controverted between this and the State of New York, Nevertheless, for the sake of peace and a good harmony with said State of New York, and to accommodate the said inhabitants east of the said heighth of land, this State is willing to extend their Jurisdiction over that part of the Territory called Vermont, that lays East of the said heighth of Land, provided the generality of the Inhabitants thereof shall desire it: Provided also, that New York will settle a Boundary line upon the said heighth of Land; and also, that in such case, this State will do whatever may be found useful & reasonable to be done towards establishing the proceedings of said District under the authority of Vermont, and also will afford them such protection against the common enemy, as the nature of the case will admit; and that the President be desired to inform the State of New York of our proceedings herein and desire their sentiments respecting the same. [Concurred by the Council.]

Letter from President Weare to Gov. Clinton of New York, relating to the foregoing Memorial.

SIR

[Gov. and Coun. Rec. Ver., App. B, Vol. III, p. 286.]

Hampton Falls, July 2a 1782.

I have the honor of Inclosing to your Excellency a Resolve of the General Assembly of the State of New Hampshire pass'd in Consequence of a Representation from sundry Towns on the west side of Connecticut River.

Your Excellency is not Unacquainted with the many difficulties which have Arisen, both to this State and the

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