HON. P. VAN CORTLANDT TO THE PREST OF CONGRESS. At a time when the Councils and arms of America should be directed to the defence of all the United States against foreign invasion, it gives us pain to find it our duty to call the attention of Congress to the domestic concerns of this state. A faction in the north eastern part of this state, aim at separation from it, and have declared themselves independent. Although we apprehend no great difficulties in reducing these factious spirits to obedience and good order, by the justice and vigour of the government of this state, without the aid of Congress, yet as a report prevails, and daily gains credit, that they are privately countenanced in their designs by certain members of your honorable house, we esteem it our duty to give you this information, that by a proper resolution on that subject, the reputation of Congress may cease to be injured by imputations so disgraceful and dishonorable. However unwilling we may be, to entertain suspicions so disreputable to any member of Congress, yet the truth is, that no inconsiderable numbers of the people of this state do believe the report to be well founded, and of course, their confidence in the justice, and their respect for the determination of Congress, will, we fear, be diminished; nor can it be difficult to perceive what an unhappy influence such reports and apprehensions have on the minds of the best Whigs of this state, especially at this critical juncture. I have the honour to be, with great respect, Sir, your most obedient and very humble servant, May 28. 1777. (By order) PIERRE VAN CORTLANDT, P Hon. John Hancock, Esq. President &c. JOHN WILLIAMS TO JNO. McKESSON ESQR SEC'Y OF THE NEW YORK CONVENTION. [ Original Letters XXIII. ] New Perth June 23d 1777. Dear Sir Inclosed I have Transmitted you a Phamplett Lately Circulated through the Grants, as Its an answer to some of our Proceedings. I thought it my Duty to transmitt it to you, Requesting you will show it to the Council of Safety and after they have perused it to forward it to Messrs Duane & Duer, if at Congress. The Inhabitants on the Grants have lately had a meeting Chose there Deputies to sitt in Convention, and the Convention declared the Grant to be an Independent State, Called by the name of New Vermount1 Another meeting is soon to be held, in order to Chuse Delegates to Represent them in Continental Congress, these proceedings has thrown this County into great Confusion, nor do I know how we shall proceed I am much obliged to you for the favour of your Letter and Information pr Cap Conkey, I beleeve we have been pretty unanimous in the Election for Governor & Lieut Governor, to witt Gen Scott & Clinton, but there, was very few that voted. The Lott Number 68 in Argyle Belonging to Gen1 Scott, I must beg you'll procure for me in behalf of Capn Martin, I am Informed some other people are after it-However I am of opinion Gen1 Scott will not Let any one have it without giving Capt Martin the refusal. I am Dear Sir your very Hume Servt JNO WILLIAMS 1 The Convention met on the 4th June, at Windsor, and having learned "that a district of land lying on the Susquehannah river has been heretofore and is now known by the name of New Connecticut," (the name agreed upon for the new State in Jan'y, 1777,) "which was unknown to them until some time since the declaration at Westminster aforesaid," they resolved that the name be dropped and the State called VERMONT. See Appendix to Professor James D. Butler's Address before the Vt. Hist. Soc., Octob. 16, 1846, in Pamphlets in N. Y. State Lib., Vol. XXII., for the Declaration and Complaints. N. B. I was at Oater Creek yesterday and was Informed a number of Canadians is Come down a Cross the Green Mountains from Canada & says-there are but few Regulars in Canada, but useth the Inhabitants very Ill, Numbers are Coming Down every Day, Two Captains belonging to Coll Livingstons Regimts is among them, they have found a road and Can Come in 12 days. RESOLUTIONS OF THE COUNCIL OF SAFETY OF NEW YORK ON RECEIVING INTELLIGENCE THAT VERMONT IS ENDEAVORING TO BE INDEPENdent, June 27, 1777. [Miscellaneous Papers XXXVIII.] The Committee to whom was referred the several Letters from Alexander Webster dated 21st June 1777, from Alexandr & Ebenezer Clark & John Williams Esqr dated 23d June 1777, & from Jacob Baily dated 11th June having considered the same humbly report the following Letter & resolutions. Resolved that the Sheriff of the County of Charlotte return the poll lists of the names of such persons as have voted in the County of Charlotte for Governor & Lieutenant Governor & for Senators for the eastern district-and that he return the indentures of such persons as have been elected representatives in general assembly to the assembly of this State at their first meeting-and that the future Legislature of this state will in the opinion of this Committee make proper provisions that the good Subjects of the County of Charlotte who have voted for representatives in Gen1 assembly & for Senators for the eastern districts shall not bear more than their just & due proportion of the expence of such Senators & representatives. Resolved that from the above Letters and from other informa tion recd. by this Council it appears that many people in the Eastern district of this State are endeavoring to erect the same into a seperate & independant State-That some artful & designing persons among them pretend to have received encouragemt. thereto from members of the hon. the Congress Resolved that a Letter be written to our Delegates at Congress enclosing copies of the above Letters & the report of Committee for settling the boundaries of this State Resolved that Maj. Wheelock be requested to repair to Philadelphia to give the necessary information to our delegates there of the present situation of the eastern district of this State. RESOLUTIONS OF CONTINENTAL CONGRESS, June 30, 1777. [Miscellaneous Papers XXXVII.] MONDAY, 30th June, 1777. CONGRESS, agreeably to the order of the day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole, to take into consideration the letters from Abraham Ten Broeck, Esq; President of the Convention of the State of New York, dated 20th January and 1st March, 1777; the resolutions passed in Committee of Safety for the State of New York, at Fishkill, the 20th of January, 1777, transmitted with the above letters; a petition signed Jonas Fay, Thomas Chittenden, Heman Allen and Reuben Jones, in the name and behalf of the people stiling themselves inhabitants of the New Hampshire Grants, dated New Hampshire Grants, Westminster, 15th January, 1777; a letter from Pierre Van Cortlandt, Esq; President of the Council of Safety of New York, dated 28th May, 1777; and a printed paper, signed "A word to the wise is sufficient," containing an extract from the minutes of Congress, and a letter to the inhabitants of Vermont, signed Thomas Young, dated Philadelphia, 11th April 1777, laid before Congress the 23d instant by the Delegates of New York, and after some time, the President resumed the chair, and Mr. Harrison reported, That the Committee have had under consideration the letters and papers to them referred, and have come to sundry Resolutions thereupon, which he is ready to report whenever the Congress shall please to receive them. Ordered, That the report be now received. The report from the Committee of the whole was then read, and agreed to, as follows: Resolved, That Congress is composed of Delegates chosen by and representing the communities respectively inhabiting the territories of New-Humpshire, Massachusetts-Bay, Rhode Island, and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New-York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North-Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, as they respectively stood at the time of its first institution;-that it was instituted for the purpose of securing and defending the communities aforesaid, against the usurpations, oppressions and hostile invasions of Great Britain;—and that therefore it cannot be intended that Congress by any of its proceedings would do, recommend, or countenance any thing injurious to the rights and Jurisdictions of the several communities which it represents. Resolved, That the independent Government attempted to be established by the people stiling themselves inhabitants of the New-Hampshire Grants, can derive no countenance or justification from the act of Congress declaring the united Colonies to be independent of the crown of Great Britain, nor from any other act or resolution of Congress. Resolved, that the petition of Jonas Fay, Thomas Chittenden, Heman Allen and Reuben Jones, in the name and behalf of the people stiling themselves as aforesaid, praying "that their "declaration, that they would consider themselves as a free and "independent State, may be received; that the district in the "said petition described may be ranked among the free and "independent States; and that Delegates therefrom may be ❝ admitted to seats in Congress," be dismissed. Resolved, That Congress, by raising and officering the regiment commanded by Colonel Warner, never meant to give any encouragement to the claim of the people aforesaid, to be considered as an independent State; but that the reason which induced Congress to form that corps was, that many officers of different States, who had served in Canada, and alledged that they would soon raise a regiment, but were then unprovided for, might be reinstated in the service of the United States. WHEREAS a printed paper, addressed to the inhabitants of the district aforesaid, dated Philadelphia, 11th April, 1777, and subscribed "Thomas Young," was laid before Congress on the 234 |