State of Vermont,
First settled by white people in 1724, by the erection of Fort Dummer near the (present) site of
Brattleboro, then supposed to be in
Massachusetts.
The portion of country between the
Connecticut River and
Lake Champlain was known as “
New Hampshire grants” (see
New Hampshire). At the middle of January (15-17), 1777, the people of the “Grants” assembled in convention at
Windsor, and declared the “Grants” an independent State, with the title of
Vermont.
The territory was yet claimed by New York.
At the same time the convention adopted a petition to the Continental Congress, setting forth reasons for their position of independence, and asking for admission into the confederacy of free and independent States and seats for delegates in the
Congress.
This petition, presented to Congress April 8, 1777, was dismissed by resolutions on June 30, in one of which it was declared “That the independent government attempted to be established by the people styling 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.”
The
Vermonters had adopted
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a constitution modelled on that of
Pennsylvania, and on July 8 a convention at
Windsor adopted it. Under this frame of
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Trees Tapped for maple sugar, Vermont |
government
Vermont successfully maintained its independence and sovereignty until 1791.
In July, 1780, the mysterious movements of
Governor Chittenden, Ethan and
Ira Allen, and other leaders in
Vermont, excited grave suspicions of their loyalty, because of their secret correspondence with the
British.
In June the
Congress had appointed a committee to visit
Vermont, and had declared their disapprobation of the proceedings of the people in setting up an independent government before a decision of Congress should be made concerning their right to separate.
The governor of New York suspected a combination against his State, and intimated, in a letter to a member of Congress, that New York might be compelled to use all her resources for the defence of that State.
He also called the attention of
Washington to the subject; and he especially condemned the conduct of Ethan Allen, whose motives he suspected.
General Schuyler, who had been ordered by
Washington to arrest
Allen, wrote to
Governor Clinton at the close of October, saying, “The conduct of some of the people to the eastward is alarmingly mysterious.
A flag, under pretext of settling a cartel with
Vermont, has been on the Grants.
Allen has disbanded his militia, and the enemy, in number upwards of 1,600, are rapidly advancing towards us. . . . Entreat
General Washington for more Continental troops; and let me beg of your excellency to hasten up here.”
There was general alarm concerning the perplexing movements of the Vermonters, which, in the light of subsequent history, was only a piece of coquetry for their benefit.
The shrewd diplomats of
Vermont were working for a twofold object—namely, to keep back the
British from a threatened invasion by a show of friendly feeling, and to so alarm the
Congress as to induce them to admit
Vermont into the
Union.
After the ratification of the
Articles of Confederation, in 1781, Congress offered to admit it, with a considerable
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curtailment of its boundaries.
The people refused to come in on such terms, and for ten years they remained outside of the
Union.
Finally, on Jan. 10, 1791, a convention at
Bennington adopted the national Constitution, and
Vermont, having agreed to pay to the
State of New York $30,000 for territory claimed by that State, was, by resolution of Congress passed on Feb. 18, admitted into the
Union on March 4, to have two representatives in Congress until an apportionment of representatives should be made.
In the
War of 1812-15 the governor refused to call out the militia, and forbade troops to leave the
State; but Vermont volunteers took an active part in the battle at
Plattsburg in 1814.
During the troubles in
Canada (1837-38), sympathizing Vermonters to the number of fully 600, went over to the help of the insurgents, but were soon disarmed.
During the
Civil War Vermont furnished to the
National army 35.256 troops.
Population in 1890, 332,422; in 1900, 346,641.
