220 NATURAL AND CIVIL 



setts, thence running twenty miles east of Hud- 

 son's river, so far as said river runs northeast- 

 erly in its general course, then by the west 

 bounds of the to^vnships granted by the late 

 government of New Hampshire, to the river 

 running from South bay to Lake Champlain, 

 thence along the said river to Lake Champlain, 

 thence along the waters of Lake Champlain to 

 the latitude forty five degrees north, excepting 

 a neck of land, between Missiskoy bay, and the 

 waters of Lake Champlain."* 



With these resolves of Congress, a verbal 

 message was sent by general Washington to 

 governor Chittenden, desiring to know what 

 were the real designs, views, and intentions of 

 the people of Vermont : Whether they would 

 be Scitisfied with the independence, proposed by 

 Congress ; or had it seriously in contemplation, 

 to join with the enemy, and become a British 

 province. The governor returned an unequiv- 

 ocal, and decisive answer. That there were 

 no people on the continent, more attached to 

 the cause of America, than the people of Ver- 

 mont ; but that they were fully determined, not 

 to be put under the government of New York, 

 that the}/ would oppose this by force of arms, 

 and would join with the British in Canada, rath- 

 er than to submit to that government. f 



In October, the general assembly of Ver- 

 mr nr, met at Charlestbwn in New Ham.pshire. 

 Tie resolutions of C6ngret;s were laid before 

 theni ; but although the resolves held out all 

 thi't Vennont had at first claimed, or had ever 

 expected to obtain, ihcy did not produce a full 



•>f Journal of Congress, Aujr. '/th, and 2Cth, 1781, p. 166. 170. 



4 Gov. Chittenden'* letter £9 Gcneriil Walhington, of Nov. 14, IjSr 



