CONTROVERSY RESPECTING THE NEW HAMPSHIRE GRANTS.

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so that it can possibly be done : For we conceive it beyond our Power in the present State ofAnarchy, where no compulsory means can be used (except mobbing) to furnish our Quota’seither of Men or Money.

That allthough this part of the State laboured under Grievances from the former Government ofNew York, yet the Legislature of the present Government have repeatedly manifested so muchCheerfulness in redressing them as soon as pointed out, and a temper so contrary to oppression,that w r e have a well grounded Confidence should any yet remain they had need only to be men-tioned to be removed. Entertaining these sentiments of the Legislature , which are unfeigned, wecan not but view' the present Disturbances solely as the Contention of some artful ambitious anddesigning Men for the Powers of Government; but of such a nature that the longer it is unattendedto the more difficult it will be to suppress it.

That should the honorable the American Congress be so inattentive to the right of one of itsmembers as to declare the New Hampshire Grants an independant State, the Party who havedisclaimed their Allegiance to New York have shown so many Instances of an inveterate Enmityto, and of a fixed Disposition to ruin, those who have refused joining with them, that great numbersof the latter will be necessitated to sell their Interests (if that Priviledge is allowed them) and removeto some other State :—and your Petitioners are fearful that that will be the least bad Consequencewhich will follow so extraordinary a measure, as we can with truth assert that of late your Peti-tioners and their Constituents u are in the fullest sense as unwilling to be under the jurisdiction of”Vermont, “as we can conceive America would be to revert back under the Power of GreatBritain” and that they should consider their Lives and Properties equally insecure.

Your Petitioners therefore humbly, and in the most earnest manner, intreat that your honorableHouse will commisserate the unhappy and distracted situation of the Inhabitants of the NewHampshire Grants in the State of New York , and as speedily as possible restore Peace to them (whichwe are confident will effect it) by recommending in the most explicit manner that they yield theirAllegiance to the State of New York, until Congress shall take some further Resolution upon thesubject.

And your Petitioners as in Duty bound shall ever pray &c.

Signed by order of s d Committees,

Brattleborough , 23d July, 1779. Samuel Minott, Chairman.

At a Meeting of the Convention of Committees for the County of Cumberland at Col 0 . Serjeants inBrattleborough the 23d July, 1779 .

Voted that this Convention present a Petition to the honorable the Congress praying them tointerfere in settling the Disturbances upon the Grants ; and that Charles Phelps Esq r . be desired tocarry the same to the Legislature of New York State , and if they approve the measure, and will be atthe expence of it, that Mb Phelps go forward to Philadelphia to wait upon Congress with it:—andas an Agent to sollicit a speedy Determination.

By Order

Attest. Samuel Minott, Chairman.

Micah Townsend, Clk.

Vol. IV.

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