256 NATURAL AND CIVIL 



But the ancient .difficulty with New York} 

 was not yet removed. That state had indeed 

 given up all prospect, and probably all desire, 

 of subduing Vermont by force, or by policy ; 

 and well knew that Vermont was, and would 

 remain, a free and independent state. But large 

 tracts of land had been granted by the governors 

 to individuals : These tracts of lands, by means 

 of the increasing settlements and prosperity of 

 Vermont, were become greatly valuable. The 

 government of Vermont had uniformly refused 

 to acknowledge the validity of these grants, or 

 submit to any of the legislative acts of New 

 York, and had made new grants of all those 

 tracts of land : And was unalterably fixed ia 

 refusing to admit the legality of any legislative 

 act of New York, which related tb the territory 

 of Vermont. The grantees under New York, 

 were constantly coniplaining of the injuries that 

 were done to them., in hot being permitted toi 

 take possession of their property ; and of the 

 injustice that would be established, if the gov- 

 ernment of New York should suffer their lands 

 to be thus taken from them without an equiva- 

 lent. Much pains had been taken to compro- 

 rtlise the difficulty, but without coming to any 

 general agreement : And the government of 

 New York did not conceive any very strong 

 obligation lay upon them, to refund that to in- 

 dividuals, which the state had no hand in grant- 

 ing ; but which was simply an act of the crown 

 cf Great Britain, executed by the will of the 

 royal governor ; generally for his personal profit, 

 always for the benefit of his particular friends, 

 but never for any emplument to the government 

 er people. 



