302 NATURAL AND CIVIL 



in raising an army, in passing the stamp act, 

 the ahen and sedition bills, and above all the 

 land tax, and repeated publications on the sup- 

 posad want of economy in the public expendi- 

 tures, had diminished the popularity of Mr, 

 Adams's administration in the minds of many, 

 and proved unfavorable to the progress of 

 federalism. 



At this session the affair of the Indian claims 

 Avas brought to a close. Having found the ad- 

 vantages on a former occasion of announcing 

 themselves to be the owners of the land, their 

 chiefs wished to continue the trade and treaty ; 

 and a number of them attended this session of 

 the assembly for that purpose. The governor 

 informed them that the assembly had decided 

 against the justice or equity of their claims, and 

 would not purchase any title they might sup- 

 pose they ever had to any lands in Vermont. 

 The assembly voted that fifty live dollars should 

 be given th^m to defray the expences of their 

 return to their own nations ; and they were in- 

 formed that no more monies would be given 

 them, either to pin-chase their claims to the 

 lands, or to bear their expences in attending any 

 future legislature.- 



The encouragement of education and litera- 

 ture, was an object, that much engaged the at- 

 tention of this assembly. The University of 

 Vermont, establislied by the legislature at Bur- 

 lington, in the year 1791, had not been in oper- 

 ation as was expected. The town contained 

 Iput few inhabitants, and it was not in their pow- 

 er to erect the necessary buildings, procure l\ 



1 ?*gc 155- 



