very few, gentlemen of Learning & abilities equal to the task, have yet chosen to remove to so uncultivated a part of the Country.

We forbear to remark upon what is called the Constitution of the State of Vermont, which is not without its Defects, because we neither desire or expect to be more affected by it than any other part of the Continent.

For these and other Reasons gentlemen, we conceive that endeavouring at present to establish a seperate State here is not only a Violation of the continental Union, but is imprudent, and to the last Degree impolitic & dangerous; tending in the present important Crisis to weaken the authority of the Continental Congress, disunite the Friends of America & stimulate a Spirit of Seperation and Sedition which may end in the ruin of the United States. And we esteem it not only our Duty, but the Duty of all who are Friends to the Liberties of America to bear open Testimony against it; and do therefore on behalf of ourselves and those who delegated us for this Purpose, publickly declare that as we have not any assisted in, or consented to, the forming a seperate and independant government, we shall not consider ourselves bound by any acts of the Legislature thereof; but shall, as in duty bound, continue to yeild our allegiance to the State of New York, until otherwise directed by the honorable the Continental Congress: and we do hereby solemnly protest against the Right of any Persons to govern us and the other Inhabitants of the New Hampshire Grants, except that of the continental Congress and the Legislature of New York; and against all Measures which shall be used to enforce the pretended Right of any other Person or Body of Men, and against all the bad Consequences which may ensue from attempting at

present, to establish an independant government in the Grants

Hilkiah Grout-Com'e for 11 out of 23 Inhabitants of Weathersfield.

[No. 3515.]

The Committee of Congress Declares in Favor of Creating Vermont a Free and Independent State.

*The com'ee to whom was referred the report of a Com'ee on certain Letters and papers relative to the People inhabiting the District of Country commonly known by the name of the New Hampshire Grants, do report the following resolutions to be adopted by Congress:

Congress having resolved on the 7th day of Aug't last, that in case they should recognize the Independence of the People of Vermont, they would consider all the lands belonging to New

This document has been placed by the original editor of the Clinton MSS under January, 1781. The date of the resolve is March 1, 1782.-STATE HISTORIAN.

Hampshire and New York respectively lying without the limits of Vermont af'd as coming within the mutual Guarantee of Territory contained in the articles of Confederation; and that the United States will accordingly Guarantee such Lands and the jurisdiction over the same against any claims or incroachments from the inhabitants of Vermont af'd. And Congress having on the 20th day of the same month required (as an indispensible preliminary to the recognition of the Independence of the people inhabiting the territory aforesaid and their admission into the foederal union) the explicit relinquishments of all demands of lands or Jurisdiction on the East side of the West Bank of Connecticut River, and on the west side of a line beginning at the North west Corner of the State of Massachusetts thence running 20 Miles east of Hudson's river so far as the said river runs north easterly in its general course, thence by the west bounds of the Townships granted by the late Government of New Hampshire to the river running from South Bay to lake Champlain; thence along the said river to lake Champlain thence along the waters of lake Champlain to the latitude of forty five degrees north excepting a neck of land between Missiskoy Bay and the waters of lake Champlain.

And the People inhabiting the territory aforesaid, not having as yet made the relinquishment aforesaid as above required and attempting since the date of the above resolutions, to extend and establish their jurisdiction over part of the lands guaranteed to the States of New York and New Hampshire as above said, and it being indispensibly Necessary to bring all disputes respecting the jurisdiction of the people residing within the territory aforesaid to speedy issue.

Resolved that the district of territory commonly known by

the name of the New Hampshire Grants, by whatsoever name it may be called, is and shall be bounded westward by a line. beginning at the northwest Corner of the State of Massachusetts, thence running northward 20 Miles east of Hudson's river so far as the said river runs north easterly in its general course; thence to the west boundary line of the Townships granted by the late Government of New Hampshire, thence northward along the said west boundary line to the river running from South Bay to lake Champlain; thence along the said river to lake Champlain, thence along the waters of lake Champlain to latitude forty five degrees north, including a neck of land between the Missiskoy Bay and the waters of lake Champlain; thence it shall be bounded north by latitude forty five degrees north & eastward by the west Bank of Connecticut river from forty five degrees north to the northern boundary line of the State of Massachusetts; & southward by the said northern Boundary of the State of Massachusetts from the said west Bank of Connecticut River to the north west corner of Massachusetts above mentioned.

"Resolved that in case the inhabitants residing within the limits aforesaid within from the delivery of a certified copy of these resolutions, by the Commissioner hereinafter mentioned to Thomas Chittenden, Esqr. of the Town of Bennington within the limits aforesaid, or from the time of the said Commissioner's leaving such certified copy at the usual place of resi dence of the said Thomas 'Chittenden, Esqr. shall by some authenticated act recognize the last above described Boundaries to be the limits and extent of their claim both of jurisdiction and territory, & shall acceed to the articles of Confederation

This resolution in quotations was stricken out by order of Congress.-STATE HISTORIAN.

and perpetual union between the States of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island & Providence plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, & Georgia as agreed to in Congress on the fifteenth day of November 1777, and shall thereupon appoint Delegates on their behalf with full powers, instructions and positive orders immediately to repair to Congress and to sign the said Articles of Confederation and afterwards to represent them in the United States in Congress assembled, their said Delegates shall be admitted to sign the same, and thereupon, the inhabitants of the above described District shall be acknowledged, a Free Sovereign and independent State, by whatsoever name they shall choose to be called, and shall be considered as a component part of the fœderal union, and entitled to the advantages thereof."

Resolved, that in case the said inhabitants with the above described District, do not desist from attempting to exercise jurisdiction over the lands guaranteed to New Hampshire & New York as aforesaid, and shall not within the limited time as aforesaid comply with the terms specified in the foregoing resolutions, Congress will consider such neglect or refusal as a manifest indication of designs hostile to these United States, and that all the pretensions and applications of the said inhabitants heretofore made for admission into the fœderal union, were fallacious & delusive; and that thereupon, the forces of these States shall be employed against the said Inhabitants within the district aforesaid accordingly. And Congress will consider all the lands within said territory to the eastward of a line drawn along the summit of a ridge of mountains or heighth of land extending from south to north throughout the said