HISTORY OF VERMONT, 173 



gress might be assured that the spirit of defec- 

 tion, notwithstanding all the arts and violence of 

 the seducers, was by no means general : That 

 the county of Gloucester, and a very great part 

 of Cumberland, and Charlotte counties, continu- 

 ed steadfast in their allegiance to the government 

 of New York ; and that there was not the least 

 probability, that colonel Warner could raise 

 such a number of men, as would be an object 

 of public concern.* 



The proceedings of Vermont had now as- 

 sumed a regular form, and become an object of 

 general attention. In April, a paper was printed 

 at Philadelphia, subscribed Thomas Young, and 

 addressed to the inhabitants of Vermont .: To 

 this address was prefixed a resolution, which 

 Congress had passed May 15, 1776, recom- 

 mending to the respective assemblies and con- 

 ventions of the United Colonies, where lio govr 

 ernment sufiicient to the exigencies of their af- 

 fairs had been already established, to adopt such 

 government, as in the opinion of the representa- 

 tives of the people, should best conduce lo the 

 happiness and safety of their constituents- In 

 the address to the inhabitants of Vermont, were 

 these paragraphs : *^' I have taken the minds of 

 several leading members, in the honorable the 

 continental Congress, and can assure you, that 

 you have nothing to do, but to send attested 

 copies of the recommendation to take up gov- 

 ernment, to every township in your district, and 

 invite all your freeholders and inhabitants to 

 meet in their respective townships, and choose 

 members for a general convention^ to meet at. 



* J.etterfrom A. Ten Bfoek, of March i, J777. 



