694 [Assembly 



whica in its success would have formed a prominent feature in 

 the annals of this colony, and been an event of grave interest and 

 importance in the political history of the country. A scheme, 

 in which Gill Hand and the elder Skeene, of a family which at- 

 tained subsequent revolutionary notoriety, were the prominent 

 agitators, was discussed and essentially matured, which contem- 

 plated the organization of a new province. Its imagined limits 

 were to extend from the St. Lawrence to the Connecticut, 

 resting at the north on the Canada boundary. In this project 

 Skeene was to receive the appointment of governor of the con- 

 templated province, and Crown Point was to be constituted the 

 capital. 



I have yielded my own convictions of the reality of this scheme, 

 not alone upon the traditions on the subject, and the assurances 

 of those who professs to have seen and possessed documents 

 which elucidated the whole subject, but upon other forcible con- 

 siderations.* 



The aspect at that epoch of the controversy, relative to the 

 K'ew-Hampshire grants, rendered such an occurrence exceedingly 

 probable. Cotemporary annals appear to recognize the exist- 

 ence of some project of an analogous character and purpose. f 

 The diplomatic expedient of Allen, by which he asserted a claim 

 to all Northern New-York, may have been suggested by this idea. 

 Skeene, it is known, at this period, visited England on some im- 

 portant political mission, and was on his return to America on 

 the verge of the Revolution, bearing, as he alleged, the appoint- 

 ment of " Governor of Crown Point and Ticonderoga.t In this 

 designation of the limits and title of his government, is it not pro- 

 bable that he merely referred to these fortresses as prominent 

 points embraced within his jurisdiction] Crown Point, it is as- 



* Mr. Gilliland, tte younger, who, at the commencement of the Revolution, was a schoolboy 

 of fourteen, and died in Plattsburgh in tho year 184T, a,?9ured Mr. Sheldon that this project 

 was 9 frequent and familiar theme of conversation by bis father. That ho had often himself 

 read th s correspondence between his father and Skeene, on the subject, and that he had the 

 letter of Skeene still in bis possession. Mr. G-., who was a gentleman of great intelligence, 

 cn»a-'od to ^^ and submit them to jMr. Sheldon, but he died before the time fixed for tho pur- 

 po90 arrived. With the permifision and aid of the Messrs. <5ijlli!and, his sons, who reside at 

 Siklmoa river, on a part of the original cst^'-.te, I have carefully examined the family papers, 

 but can discover no trace of this document. 

 t WilUaxa's Uist. Vennout. linakia'p do. | Skeone's letter to Hawley, March 16, 1775. 



