90 



CIVIL HISTORY OF VERMONT. 



Part II. 



DIFFICULTY WITH CANADA. 



EFFECT OF MR. JEFFERSON S ELECTION. 



that of Canada, respecting one John 

 Gregg, who liad been arrested in Canada 

 by some persons from Vermont, and 

 drowned, while in their custody, in lake 

 Cliamplain. These persons were indict- 

 ed before the court at Montreal and the 

 governor of Canada demanded of the gov- 

 ernor of Vermont tliat they sliould be giv- 

 en up, to be tricdjfor the supposed murder. 

 After considerable correspondence and 

 discussion, the matter was finally adjusted 

 to the satisfaction and credit of both par- 

 ties ; and when the correspondence and 

 result was laid before the Legislature, that 

 body entertained so high a sense of the 

 services of Governor Tichenor on the 

 occasion that they passed a resolution ap- 

 proving of his conduct, and requesting 

 him to inform the governor of Canada that 

 they entertained " a very high sense of 

 the libera], candid and delicate manner in 

 whicli that unhappy affair had, from its 

 commencement to its termination, been 

 treated by his predecessor and him.* 

 Their conduct, when our sense tliereof is 

 known to our fellow citizens, must tend to 

 increase tlie general desire for the contin- 

 uance of a mutual, free, and amicable in- 

 tercourse with the country over which he 

 presides."! 



In October, 1800, the legislature met 

 at Middlebury. The political excitement 

 had apparently much subsided. In his 

 speech. Governor Tichenor urged the at- 

 tention of the assembly to the particular 

 affairs of the state, but alluded to the ad- 

 nxinistrations of Washington and Adams, 

 in terms of the highest approbation. The 

 answer which the assembly returned was 

 mild, moral and sentimental ; expressive 

 of the ditliculties of legislation, and the 

 danger of being governed by passion or 

 prejudice. The common business of the 

 state was transacted without the violence 

 of party spirit, and several of the officers 

 who were displaced on account of their 

 republicanism in 17'.}S, were re-appointed. 



Another election of president of the Uni- 

 ted States was soon to take place. It was 

 known that a majority of the Vermont 

 assembly were in favor of the re-election 

 of Mr. Adams ; the republican members 

 therefore introduced a bill providing for 

 the choice of electors by districts, think- 

 ing that method might prove more favour- 

 able to Mr. Jefferson, the republican can- 

 didate, than their appointment in the usu- 

 al way by the council and assembly, or 

 by any general ticket. After a long dis- 



* Gov. Robert Presscott was governor of Canada 

 when Gregn; was taken, but was siicceoiled by Sir 

 Robert S. iJilliiee before tbe difficulty was seitled' 



f See Journal of General Assembly for 1799, p. 64. 



cussion this bill was finally rejected by a 

 vote of 9.3 to 73. By this vote it appeared 

 that the republican party had considera- 

 bly increased during the past year, and 

 that the majority on the side of the feder- 

 alists amounted to only twenty two. 



The Indians having been so well sup- 

 ported and paid at their former attendance 

 upon the legislature, again attended and 

 urged their claims to lands in Vermont. 

 The governor informed them that the as- 

 sembly had decided that they had no title 

 or just claim to any lands in Vermont — 

 that the assembl}' had voted to give them 

 ,f .jO to defray their expenses on their re- 

 turn to their own nations — but that no 

 more money would be given them, either to 

 purchase their claims, or to defray their ex- 

 penses. These decided measures brought 

 the affair with the Indians to a close. 

 During this session was also passed an act 

 incorporating and establishing a college 

 at Middlebury by a vote of il7 to 51. 



The events of 1801, gave a new aspect 

 to political affairs. Mr. Adams lost the 

 election, and after repeated trials, Mr. 

 Jefferson was elected President of the 

 United States, by a majority of one vote. 

 He entered upon the duties of the office 

 on the 4th of March, and in his inaugural 

 address, he disclaimed the principles of 

 political intolerance, urged tliose of can- 

 dor and magnanimity, and declared that 

 the difference of political opinions was 

 not a difference of principles. Notwith- 

 standing the apparent diversity of senti- 

 ment with regard to the federal constitu- 

 tion and government, " we are," said he, 

 " all federalists, we are all republicans." 



By so frank an avowal of his political 

 opinions and intentions, the candid of all 

 parties were led to believe that party fac- 

 tions and animosities were about to come 

 to an end, and that all would now unite 

 in support of the federal government. 

 This was the case in Vermont. But a 

 short time, however, elapsed before the 

 United States attorney and mar.shal, for 

 the district of Vermont, were removed 

 from office, and their places filled by per- 

 sons of decided republican sentiments. 

 Similar changes were made in other states, 

 and it was now believed that Mr. Jef- 

 ferson, notwithstanding his professions, 

 would make his own political sentiments 

 a necessary qualification for office. 



In this state of public affairs, the legis- 

 lature of Vermont met at Newbury in 

 October, 1801. In the House of Repre- 

 sentatives, the republican party now had 

 a majority of about twenty, and it was 

 now generally supposed that they would 

 adopt the same course pursued by the 

 federalists in 1798, and make all the ap- 



