196 NATURAL AND CIVIL 



to independence, but belonged to them. The 

 agents of Vermont were also present,^ but were 

 not considered or treated by Congress, as the 

 agents or representatives of any state, or of a 

 people invested with legislative authority. They 

 announced their business to Congress, and re- 

 quested that when any debates came before Con- 

 gress, which might affect the rights, the sover- 

 eignty, or independence of the state of Ver- 

 mont, they might be admitted to be present. 

 On September 19th, they received a notification 

 to attend Congress that day, on the hearing of 

 the question respecting the jurisdiction of the 

 New Hampshire grants. On that day, and the 

 next, the agents from New York exhibited their 

 evidence to show that the people on the New- 

 Hampshire grants, belonged to them, and had 

 no right to a separate and independent jurisdic- 

 tion. The question respecting tlie right to ju- 

 risdiction, Vermont had always refused to sub- 

 mit to the determination of Congress : And the 

 agents v.ere alarmed, to find by the mode of 

 proceeding, that Congress was admitting evi- 

 dence to decide this question, without admitting 

 Vermont as one of the parties ; or considering 

 her agents in any other character, than that of 

 private persons. They esteemed it their duty, 

 to protest against the A\ho]e proceeding ; and 

 on Septem.ber twenty second, they preisented a re- 

 monstrance to Congress : They declare they 

 can no longer sit as idle spectators, without be- 

 traying the trust reposed in them, and doing 

 violence to their own feelings ; that by the 

 mode of trial which was adopted, the state of 



• The Honorable Ira iilltn and Stephen R. Sradlcy. 



