HISTORY OF VERMONT. 195 



patible with the principles on which Congress 

 grounded their own right to Independence, and 

 had a natural and direct tendency to endanger 

 the liberties of America ; that Vermont being a 

 free and independent state, had denied the au- 

 thority of Congress to judge of their jurisdic- 

 tion ; that as they were not included in the 

 thirteen United States, if necessitated to it, they 

 were at liberty to offer or accept terms of ces- 

 sation of hostilities with Great Britain, without 

 the approbation of any other man, or body of 

 men ; for, on proviso that neither Congress, 

 nor the legislatures of those states which they 

 represent, will support Vermont in her inde- 

 pendence, but devote her to the usurped govern- 

 ment of any other power, she had not the most 

 distant motive to continue hostilities with Great 

 Britain, and maintain an important frontier, for 

 the benefit of the United States, and for no oth- 

 er reward than the ungrateful one, of being en- 

 , slaved by them ; but notwithstanding the usur- 

 pations and injustice of neighboring governments 

 towards Vermont, and the late resolutions of 

 Congress, from a principle of virtue, and close 

 attachment to the cause of liberty, as well as 

 from a thorough examination of their own poli- 

 cy, they were induced once more to offer union 

 with the United States of America, ef which 

 Congress v/ere the legal representative body."* 

 In September, there seems to have been a 

 more serious attempt, to bring the contest to 

 some decision. The claims of New Hamp- 

 shire, and New York, were put in ; and both 

 these states pleaded that Vermont had no right 



* Savernor Cbitt^nden's Iftter (0 Congress, •f July ajth, i;8o. 



