VERMONT. 359 



feeling herself neglected and injured, Vermont resolved to increase 

 and consolidate her power. For this purpose she extended her ju- 

 risdiction, at the request of the inhabitants, over a part of the terri- 

 tories of New Hampshire and of New York, by which she gained 

 both strength and popularity. About this time, rumours prevailed, 

 that secret negociaiions were commenced by the settlers with the 

 Canadian generals, the object of which was to separate Vermont 

 from the confederation. Congress took the alarm, and, in order to 

 counteract these machinations, passed resolves, in 1781, favourable 

 to the admission of Vermont into the union, as an -independent state: 

 but when her commissioners appeared at Philadelphia, in 1782, that 

 honourable body still pursued the policy of evasion and procrastina- 

 tion. From the acknowledgment of our independence, by Great 

 Britain, till the year 1790, Vermont manifested no inclination to 

 become a member of the federal union. She had seen the weakness, 

 irresolution, and instability of congress ; and she wished to see the new 

 constitution go into operation before she would offer her hand. The 

 contentions between her and New-York, which had now lasted 2G 

 years, were finally adjusted, by commissioners appointed by their 

 respective legislatures ; and the claims of New- York, both to juris- 

 diction and soil, extinguished in consideration of 30,000 dollars. Sa- 

 tisfied with the spirit and energy of the new administration, the as- 

 sembly of Vermont called a convention, to take into consideration the 

 expediency of joining the federal union. They convened January 6, 

 1791, and after a debate of three days, the question was carried in 

 the affirmative by a majority of 103. On February 18, she was, by an 

 act of congress, admitted, and constitutes the !4th state of the Ame- 

 rican confederation. 



