316 NATURAL AND CIVIL 



When the answer was reported to the house, 

 the sentiments of the members appeared to be 

 very different. Proposals were made to have 

 almost the whole of it expunged or altered, bitt 

 the votes on such motions were carried by a 

 small majority against any alterations ; and 

 when the vote was taken in favor of adopting 

 the address, the yeas were 93, and the nays 85.* 

 On this occasion several of the dissatisfied mem- 

 bers determined not to be responsible for a pro- 

 duction, which they viewed as dishonorable and 

 disgraceful to the house. Fifty nine members 

 drew up their protest, and presented it to be en- 

 tered on the journal of the assembly : It is in- 

 serted, as serving to exhibit clear views of the 

 abilities, feelings, and policy of the different 

 parties at that period. " We the undersigned, 



* members of the house of representatives of the 

 ' freemen of the state of Vermont^ having voted 



* in the negative upon the question of the answer 



* to his excellency the governor's address to the 



* council and this house, do, in pursuance of 



* our constitutional right, insert the following 



* reasons for our votes, upon the minutes of the 

 f journalii. 



* First, Because in the fourth and fifth para- 



* graphs of the answer, the majority have ex- 

 ^ pressed sentiments upon characters and sub- 

 ' jects, to whicli the address of his excellency 



* had no relation, and savors. stro7igly of that 

 f paity spirit, which it was the design of his ex- 



- - cellency's address, to discourage and allay ; 

 f and which, it has been the united endeavor of 

 f the undersigned, through the progress of the 

 I debate, to moderate and assuage, 



^ Page 117. 



