APPENDIX. 453 



iitb, Vot.?d, N. C. D. to accept the above report. 



Havinsj made Ibme other legulatioiis, on January 22d, the convention 

 adjourned to Windlor, to meet on the firft Wednefday in June. 



Original records of the convention, p. 6is — 68 ; 

 in the hands oj Jonas Fay of Bennington. 



No. IX. 



The Declaration a nd Petition of the Inhabitants of the Ketv Hamp/kire Grants t» 



Co'igrcjs, announcing the Dijlriil to be a Fret and Independent State. Ctiap., 



V. p. 170, 



To the honor ahlc the Continental Congrefs. 



THE declaration and petition of that part of North America, fifuate 

 fouth of Canada line, well of Connefticut river, north of the MafiTachurttis 

 bay, and eaft of a twenty mile line from Hudlon's river, coataming about 

 one hundred and forty four townlhips, of the contents of nx miles iquare, 

 each granted your petitioners by the authority of New Hampftiire, befides 

 feveral grants made by the authority of New Yoric, and a quantity of va- 

 cant land, humbly fhev^eth. 



That your petitioners, by virtue of feveral grants made them by the au- 

 thority aforefaid, have many years fince, -with their families, become atlual 

 fettjers and inhabitants of the (aid defcribed premifes ; by which it is now 

 become a refpeftable frontier to three neighboring flates, and is of great 

 importance to our common barrier Ticondcroga ; as it has furnifhed the 

 army there with much provifions, and can mufter more than fivethoufand 

 hardy foldiers, capable of bearing arms in defence of American liberty : 



That fhortly after your petitioners began their fettlements, a party of land. 

 jobbers in the city and flate of New York, be;;aii to claim the lands, anti 

 look meafures to have them declared to be within that jurifdiflion : 



That on the fourth day of July, 1764, the king oi Great Britain did pafs 

 an order in council, extending the jut ddtftion of New York governmentto 

 Conncflicut river, in conreqncnce of a reprcfcnLaiion made by the late lieu- 

 tenant governor Colden, that for the convenience of tiade, and adniinittra- 

 tion of juftice, the inhabitants were defirous of being annexed to that ftate; 



That on this alteration of jurildicf ion, the laid lieutenant governoi Co'deti 

 did grant feveial trails of land in the above dei'cribed limits, to certain 

 perfons living in tiie ftate of New York, which were at that time in the 

 ".iftual poffelTion of your petitioners ; and under color of the lawful authori- 

 ty of faid Uaie, did proceed againil your peticioners, as lawlefs intruders 

 upon the crown lands in their province. This produced an application to 

 tiie king of Great Britain from your petitioners, felting forth their claims 

 vinder the government of New Hampfhire, and the difturbance and ititer- 

 ruption they had (ufFired from faid pofl claimants, under Nev,? York. 

 And on the s-^th day of July. 1767, an order was pafTcd at St. James's, 

 prohibiiir^ the governors ol New York, for the time being, from granting 

 any part of the defcribed pre miles, on pain of incurring his higbeft dif- 

 l-Iealure. Ncverthclefs the fame lituienant governor Colden. governors 

 J5unmore and Tryon, have each and every of them, in their refpeflive luros 

 oi; adminittraiion, prefurncd 10 violate the faid roya! order, bv making fev- 

 eral grants of the prohibited premifes, and countenancing an sftual invafion 

 of your pciiiioaers, by force of arms, to drive them oflirom their pofTcf- 

 i:on.:. 



