HISTORY OF Vfel^MONt. 55S 



|brm a new federal constitution. The measure 

 was crowned with that success, which might be 

 expected from the deUberatc consultations of a 

 free and uncorriipted people, aiming to secure 

 the public safety, A new federal constitution 

 was adopted by the people of America : And a 

 new Congress, furnished with competent pow- 

 ers, met in the city of New York, March third, 

 1789. 



Like the other citisens of Arrierica, the peo- 

 ple of Vermont were anxious to know what 

 would be the policy and proceedings of the fed- 

 eral government. Their interest had not been 

 inuch promoted by the measures of the Con- 

 gress, with whom they had formerly transacted 

 business. But there was now a general expec- 

 tation among tlie people, that something wiser 

 and better, was to take place : But they had 

 learned from experience, that there was no oth- 

 er way to judge with certainty, of the excellen- 

 cy of any constitution, or government, but by 

 the good which it did to the people. In the 

 course of one or two sessions, they found the 

 federal government had been laboring to restore 

 the public credit, to do justice to the public 

 creditors, to provide for the payment of the 

 public debt, and to establish a system of equal 

 law and justice, in every part of the federal gov- 

 ernment. Measures thus marked with wisdom 

 and justice, served to abate the fears that many 

 had entertained, and to conciliate the minds of 

 the people to federal sentiments : And the pros- 

 pect seemed favorable, that every part of the 

 American states might be brought to act v/ith 

 Muion and vigor, in support of the federal system- 



