1802 Grand Isle was incorporated, and in 1810 Jefferson, afterward called Washington.

Vergennes, the first Vermont city, was incorporated in 1783, and is one of the oldest cities in New England.

Vermont Politics. At the beginning of our national government two political parties existed, the Federalist and the Anti-Federalist. The Federalists voted for the Constitution and believed in having a strong national government. The Anti-Federalists, fearing lest the Federal Government should become oppressive, as Parliament had been, if they should put too much power into its hands, wished to preserve as much voice in the government as possible for the individual States. In Vermont, for several years, the Federalists greatly outnumbered the Anti-Federalists; but, in 1806, the two parties were about equal in number, and for a time afterward the Anti-Federalist (or Republican) party was in the ascendency.

Our first two presidents, Washington and Adams, were of the Federalist party, as were also the earliest Vermont Governors. It was Tichenor, Chittenden's successor, who introduced into Vermont the custom of entering upon the duties of the office of Governor by making a speech before the Legislature, Governor Chittenden never having practised it.

In general, politics in Vermont ran smoothly in those days. There was, much of the time, great animosity between the two parties throughout the United States; and, as might have been expected, party spirit sometimes ran high in the land of the Green Mountains, and there, as elsewhere, many a hot debate took place between the two factions.

The feeling was, however, as all admit, greatly tem

pered by the sincere attachment of the people for Governor Chittenden; and year after year he occupied the executive chair, and no other candidate for the office was given serious consideration. To be sure the office was not much sought after in those days, when neither the honor nor the emolument was considered an object of ambition.

Vermont Principles.-The principle of choosing men of high moral character and unblemished reputation for conducting the affairs of the government was early established. Any attempt to impair the purity of the ballot-box was denounced by the Legislature. The constitution declared. that any elector who should receive "any gift or reward for his vote, in meat, drink, monies, or otherwise," should at that time forfeit his right to elect; and that any person who should "directly or indirectly give, promise, or bestow any such reward to be elected," should because of it "be rendered incapable to serve for the ensuing year." It was also declared by the constitution that any one in the public service had a right to a reasonable compensation, but that this compensation ought not to be so large as to occasion many to apply for it.

In the last speech which Governor Chittenden delivered before the Legislature, he enjoined upon its members the importance of choosing for their public servants men of "good moral character, men of integrity, and distinguished for wisdom and abilities."

Vermont's loyalty to Congress was early demonstrated. Upon the passage of the Alien and Sedition Laws by Congress in 1798, when the legislatures of Virginia and Kentucky passed resolutions declaring these acts null and void and sent them to other States for approval, the Assembly of Vermont, in a dignified reply, denied the right of any State

or States to sit in judgment on any act or acts of Congress, thus denying the doctrine of State Rights. Vermont's attitude toward slavery is well voiced in the decision of Judge Harrington, which is told in the following anecdote.

The Missing Evidence.-A few years prior to Vermont's admission into the Union, Theophilus Harrington, who was noted for his odd ways and odd speeches, came to make his home in Vermont. He was possessed of remarkable ability, which was at once recognized by the leading men of the State; and, as a judge of the Supreme Court, Theophilus Harrington soon gained for himself great distinction, though it is said that he frequently came into the court barefooted.

He

In those days many cases came before the courts questioning the right of a person to the land which he was occupying. The claimant, to prove his right, was obliged to trace his title back to the original owner of the property. In 1803 a case of a different nature came up before Judge Harrington. It was that of a slave who had escaped from his master and had taken refuge in Vermont, but had been followed by his owner, who asked for a warrant that should give him power to take the slave home with him. showed the bill of sale of the slave and also of the slave's mother. After he had presented what he considered ample proof that the slave was his property, the judge asked him if he had any further evidence and told him that he had not gone back to the original owner. Surprised and indignant at the judge's coolness, he impatiently inquired what other evidence he could ask. "A bill of sale from Almighty God," was the reply. That he was not able to produce, and the slave was set free.

State Capital; First State House. For many years the Legislature had no fixed place of meeting. Because of its being very nearly the geographical center of the State, Montpelier was, by act of the Legislature, in 1805, made the permanent seat of government, on these conditions: first, that the town of Montpelier should give the land for the State House and erect a suitable building by September of the year 1808; second, that if the Legislature should ever cease to hold its sessions in Montpelier, the State should pay to that town the

value of the property. Montpelier agreed to

the conditions, Thomas Davis, of Montpelier, giving the land, valued at $2,000, and the town erecting a building at the expense of between eight and nine thousand dollars. The house was erected in time for the Legislature of 1808. It was located a few rods southeast of where the present building stands, and was a huge wooden structure of quaint fashion, three stories in height. This imposing edifice was heated by stoves, and had no lighting but that of the tallow candle.

Representative Hall was on the first floor and occupied two stories. The seats in this hall were of pine plank and unpainted, with straight backs surmounted by a narrow plank which served as a desk. These were such a tempta

tion to the ever handy Yankee jack-knife that in twenty-five years they were literally whittled into uselessness.

The third story, to which a winding staircase led, was occupied by Jefferson Hall, the Executive Council Chamber, committee rooms, etc. In the Council Chamber was a long table around which the Governor, LieutenantGovernor, and Councilors sat, the Governor presiding at the head of the table.