HISTORY OF VERMONT. 179 



New Hampshire could not originally extend 

 farther, than sixty miles from the sea coast : - 

 That the additional towns were annexed to that - 

 state, solely by virtue of the royal commissions s 

 That these commissions could be of force, of 

 operate no longer, than while the power of th6 ' 

 crown subsisted : That as all royal authority 

 was done away, the obligations which had an- 

 nexed them to the province of New Hampshire, 

 were done away with it : And that it now be^ 

 longed to the people to determine, what state 

 they ^vould join, and what government they 

 would be under.* These ideas were propagat- 

 ed with much success, in the towns adjoining 

 Connecticut river ; conventions were holden, 

 and in the course of a few months,! a petition 

 was presented in the name of sixteen towns in 

 New Hampshire, announcing " that they were 

 not connected with any state, with respect to 

 their internal police," and requesting the state 

 of Vermont, to receive them into an union and 

 confederation with them. 



The assembly of Vermont was perplexed 

 with this application. Most of the members 

 from the west side of the mountains, viewed it 

 as a dangerous measure ; and the majority of 

 the assembly, appeared to be against receiving 

 any of the towns from New Hampshire. The 

 towns in Vermont which adjoined to Connecti- 

 cut river, were generally in favor of receiving 

 the towns from Ntw Hampshire ; and went so 

 far as to propose withdrawing from their con- 



* Observations on the right of jurisdidlion of New Hampshira. 

 grant* : Printed 1778. Public defence of tfcue rigbtof New Hampshire 

 jrants, &c. Printed 1779. 

 + March 13, lyjg. 



