50 



CIVIL HISTORY OF VERMONT. 



Part II. 



CONVENTIOX AT DORSET. 



DECLARATION OF I ND EPEX DENC E. 



should be required, as inhabitants of that 

 province. 



This was the first petition of the inhabi- 

 tants of the Grants to Congress, and the 

 committee to whom it was referred re- 

 ported, that it be recommended to the pe- 

 titioners to submit for the present to the 

 government of New York, and assist their 

 countrymen in the contest with Great 

 Britain ; but that such submission ought 

 not to prejudice their right to any lands 

 in controversy, or be construed to affirm, 

 or admit, the jurisdiction of New York 

 over the country, when the present 

 troubles should be ended. Mr. Heman 

 Allen, the agent by whom this petition 

 was forwarded, considering the report of 

 the committee unfavorable to the Grants, 

 obtained leave to withdraw the petition, 

 and thus prevented Congress from com- 

 ing to an}^ decision upon the subject. 

 This took place on the 4th of June, 1776, 

 and on the 4th of July following, Con- 

 gress published to the world the memora- 

 ble declaration of American Indepen- 

 dence. 



By this declaration of Independence, 

 the people on the New Hampshire grants 

 were placed in a situation more difficult 

 and embarrassing than before, and there 

 were various opinions with regard to the 

 course which should be pursued. Some 

 thought it best to place themselves under 

 the jurisdiction of New Hampshire : some 

 considered the submission of the Grants 

 to the authority of New York, the only 

 course of safety ; but the more resolute 

 and influential were for assuming the 

 powers of government and hazarding the 

 consequences. To ascertain the state of 

 public opinion on this subject, it was de- 

 termined that a general convention should 

 be called, and circulars were accordingly 

 addressed to the different towns, request- 

 ing them to appoint delegates. 



There was a general compliance with 

 this request, and delegates from thirty- 

 five towns assembled at Dorset on the 

 24th of July, 1776.* At this session it 

 was agreed by the delegates to enter into 

 an association among themselves for the 

 defence of the liberties of their country. 

 But at the same time they resolved that 

 they would not associate with, or submit 

 to, the provincial government of New 

 York, and that all such inhabitants of the 

 Grants as should thus associate, or sub- 

 mit, should be regarded as enemies to the 

 common cause. This convention met 

 acrain by adjournment at the same place 

 on the 2oth of September, and resolved 

 unanimously, " to take suitable measures, 



*Tlic proceedinipi of this convention may be seen 

 in Slade's State Papers, page 66. 



as soon as may be, to declare the New 

 Hampshire grants a free and separate dis- 

 trict." 



On the 15th of January, 1777, the con- 

 vention met again at Westminster.* The 

 sentiments of their constituents were now 

 well ascertained, and, being convinced 

 that there was now no other way of safety 

 left, they on the 16th of that month pub- 

 lished the following declaration : " This 

 convention, whose members are duly 

 chosen by the free voice of their constitu- 

 ents, in the several towns on the New 

 Hampshire grants, in public meeting as- 

 sembled, in our own names, and in behalf 

 of our constituents, do hcrdij proclaim 

 mid puhlichj declare, that the district of ter- 

 ritory comprehending, and usuulhj known 

 hij the name and description of the jXezo 

 Hampshire grants, of right ought to be, 

 and is herehij declared forever hereafter to, 

 be, a free, and independent jurisdiction, or 

 slate ; to be forever hereafter called, known, 

 and distinguished hij the name of JWw 

 Connecticut, alias Vermont." 



And this declaration of independence 

 furthermore asserts, " that the inhabitants 

 who at present are, or who may hereafter 

 become residents, either by birth or emi- 

 gration, within said territory, shall be en- 

 titled to the same privileges, immunities 

 and enfranchisements as are allowed, or 

 may hereafter at any time be allowed, to 

 the inhabitants of any of the free and in- 

 dependent states of America : And that 

 such privileges and immunities shall be 

 regulated in a bill of rights, and by a form 

 of government to be established at the 

 next session of this convention."! 



The foregoing declaration was unani- 

 mously adopted by the convention ; after 

 which they drew up a declaration and pe- 

 tition to Congress, in which they an- 

 nounced to that body, as the grand rep- 

 resentative of the United States, that they 

 had declared the territory, commonly 

 known by the name of the New Hamp- 

 shire grants, a free and independent state, 

 possessing the right to regulate their own 

 internal policy in any manner which 

 should not be repugnant to the resolves 

 of Congress. They moreover declared 

 tlieir attachment to the common cause 

 and eA'pressed their willingness to con- 

 tribute their i'll proportion towards main- 

 taining tlie v.-ar with Great Britain. They 

 closed by praying that their declaration 

 misrht be acknowledged by Congress and 

 that delegates from Vermont might be ad- 



*Tlie proceedings at Westminster may be found 

 in Slade's State Papers, page 70, and in Williams' 

 History, Vol. II. page 450. 



t Foi the Bill of Rights and Form of Government, 

 see Chapter VII. 



