HISTORY OF VERMONT. 347 



that Mr. Jefferson had expressed an intention to 

 decline another election, and retire to the em- 

 ployments of private life. A large majoiity of 

 the assembly wished to assure him that they 

 highly approved of the measures of his admin- 

 istration, hoped he would not withdraw from the 

 public service, and should afford him their cor- 

 dial support. The address was decent, not 

 without elegance, and much the best composi- 

 tion that this assembly had exhibited. Had it 

 been wholly unstained with any appearance of 

 the pollution of party spirit, it would have given 

 higher pleasure to those who were anxious for 

 the reputation and honor of the state. It is in 

 itself an agreeable prospect to see the people 

 unwilling to part with their chief magistrate ; 

 referring to the report of Mr. Jefferson's pro- 

 posed resignation, their feelings were thus ex- 

 pressed, *■ We venture to hope that the insinua- 



* tion is unauthorised, and to express a wish 



* that in the full possession of faculty and talent, 



* you will not refuse the citizens the benefits a- 



* rising from long political experience, and de* 

 ^ prive them of the full opportunity of exercising 

 ' their choice and judgment, in selecting their 



* president from the whole number of the 



* people."* 



Among the articles of business that came 

 before this assembly, the aff ir of bjnks was one 

 of the most interesting. This subject had for 

 several years been often discussed in the assem- 

 bly, and in the council. The opinion oi both 

 seems to have been that such establishments 

 would not be for the advantage of Vermont, 



* f'age 199. 



