HISTORY OF VERMONT. 245 



Made insolent by this prospect of support and 

 distinction from the government of New York, 

 some of these disaffected persons, had the ef- 

 frontery to attempt to exercise the laws of New 

 York, over the citizens of Vermont, in avowed 

 contempt and defiance of her authority. Inso- 

 lence so audacious, admitted of no other treat- 

 ment, than the punishment, which civil laws as- 

 sign to such crimes. Lenient measures proved 

 in vain, and the government of Vermont order- 

 ed a military force to be sent to assist the sheriff 

 of the county of Windham, and to protect the 

 courts of justice against an armed violence and 

 opposition. Five of the most obnoxious of the 

 criminals were banished, and sundry others were 

 amerced in pecuniary fines, according to the 

 customary and due forms of law. The offenders 

 had been guilty of that avowed and armed op- 

 position to law and government, which in every 

 country is denominated treason and rebellion, 

 !^ut great care was taken to avoid the effusion 

 of blood, and to have the punishment of the of- 

 fenders extended no further than was necessary, 

 to preserve the independeiK:e and safety of the 

 state. 



Disappoint E-D in their views and expecta- 

 tions of producing an insurrection in Vermont, 

 checked and restrained by the proceedings of 

 her courts, nothing remained for them but to 

 seek support and reward from the government, 

 under whose authority they pretended to have 

 acted. But it was not in the power of New 

 York, to afford them such relief as they wished : 

 Neither her power or policy, her promises or 

 her threatenings, would have had the least effect 



