The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

For the New-Hampshire Gazette.

Obsta Principijs.

THE greatest insult that has ever been offered to the United States during the whole war, and the most daring, impolitic and offensive practices, have been done by a people, inhabiting on lands called the Hampshire Grants, and calling themselves by the usurped name of the State of Vermont. If it should be asked who these people are, and why they are permitted to carry on such offensive measures? or why they are tolerated in their usurpations of government? To this it may be answered, they are composed of the subjects of the States of New York and New-Hampshire; and under the sanction of pretended or real grievances, have revolted from their allegiance to said States; and have set up an Independent State, with all the formalities of government: and have exercised the official duties belonging to States, made money, and raised an army.--They have done all this, without ever asking the leave of the thirteen United States of America; and have suffered and granted flags to proceed to our enemies in Canada, and are strongly suspected of inimical practices, even of proposals for alliances in case they are not recognized by the United States of America. They have chosen delegates, and sent them to Congress, to be received into the Confederation: but Congress rejected them after hearing their pretended claims. These imprudent people not satisfied with their first assumed jurisdiction; but, (as if they wanted to spread animosity and confusion amongst the peaceable inhabitants of New Hampshire) have extended their pretended government over fifty-four towns east of Connecticut river, and those too in avowed allegiance to the State of New Hampshire. and more than two thirds of the inhabitants thereof, unwilling to join them until they obtained the leave of Congress by a recognition of their independency. This they sought for, and the aforesaid delegates attended Congress; and after a full discussion of their pretensions, were dismissed with a refusal of being recognized at least until they relinquished all claims eastward of Connecticut river, and this done by a solemn and unanimous resolve of Congress. This resolve being reported to their disaffected brethren, has had no effect upon their measures, which may be seen by the late New Hampshire papers; for the secretary of Vermont has published a part of one of their acts of assembly, by which the proprietors or owners of the lands in said fifty four towns east of the said river are notified to pay a tax of ten shillings in silver money on every hundred acres he owns in any of said towns, for the redemption of an emission of money they have issued, as they say to support the American war; but we say their usurped civil government. The treasurer of said State has also called upon said owners to pay said tax to him agreeable to said acts: all which fifty-four towns are also taxed by the State of New-Hampshire, as heretofore; and most of them have paid the same annually during the war, and only a few (where the refractory ringleaders of this revolt reside) are negligent in their payments.--This is not all; these Vermonters have changed the established names of the two counties of Cheshire and Grafton, into others, & keep up the farce so far as to have sessions of assembly and courts of law in said counties; and at one of their courts imprisoned a man in Charlestown, who was afterwards liberated by a writ of habeas corpus issued from the supreme court of New-Hampshire, to the Sheriff of the county of Cheshire, within whole district Charlestown was always allowed to be: They have daringly held their courts east of the river since the resolve of Congress before mentioned; and it is said some of their leaders have given out that they have received the advice of members of Congress to continue in their opposition, only acting peaceably, and they will finally succeed therein, and be recognized. They now want to meet with a committee of New York and New-Hampshire, to establish their bounds: but why such condescension to these enemies of the State? Why should a committee be appointed to ascertain boundaries that have ever been acknowledged even by these disaffected people themselves? many of whom have held commissions under the State of New-Hampshire, within those claims: Such an appointment would be a tacit acknowledgment of their independency, which should never be done until they are received into the confederacy of the United States, which is now strongly suspected will never be done, as their proceedings (since the resolves of Congress) have been rather more obstinate than before; for surely after that solemn resolve was known, can any thing be more daring than offering to demand the tax on the lands within the jurisdiction of the State of New Hampshire, and east of Connecticut river, belonging to the subjects of said States, and contrary to the intention of said subjects: and in case of refusal, to order a sale of said lands for the payment thereof. What can amount to a defiance more, than this? and does it not plainly appear to be a dark and desperate attempt to divide the people and foment divisions, and keep alive the flame that Lord Germaine desired Clinton to keep up, and prevent the settlement of Vermont. The Secret will all come out by one means or another, who are the instigators of these commotions, and for what purposes they have been raised.

But now to the other question. Why are these things tolerated? I answer, to prevent the effusion of innocent blood. Many of those who have joined Vermont, have been deceived by artful men; and if a force was sent against them to reduce them to obedience and allegiance, it would carry the appearance of civil war, and make them more obstinate, under the expectation of being treated as traitors against the State; besides, it would make them appear (in their own conceit) of more consequence than they really are. Until coercive measures are taken, a Proclamation should issue from the General Court, forgiving all persons that have been active in this revolution, and by renouncing their oath of allegiance to Vermont, within a limited time, and taking an oath of fidelity to the State of New-Hampshire, their properties shall be protected and preserved; and after that time, to be considered as enemies to the State, and their estates sequestered, or to be otherwise disposed of as the assembly may determine. There are many in the aforesaid towns that regret their having taken a part, and only want to see an act of amnesty from this State. Let us now put in a pointed view, the effects of a sale of the lands east of the river, exclusive of those on the west--A tax is laid by Vermont, collectors proceed to, sale, and the purchasers into possession a writ of ejectment issues from the court in the counties of Grafton and Cheshire: the officer is obstructed in his duty: the State supports the officer, and Vermont supports the opponents; the appeal is made to the sword; New Hampshire calls upon the confederacy of the United States, to support their cause;--Can the confederated States deny? especially when Congress know no such people as the State of Vermont, but as the subjects of New-Hampshire and New York, and of course must reduce these people to obedience, and in case of opposition, nothing less than a confiscation of all their estates must be the consequence of this unnatural opposition (not to give it a worse appellation.)-- Will not this representation deter the opponents from their proceedings? Will they still proceed? Let this friendly admonition stare them in the face, nor let them hereafter pretend ignorance of the confederation of the United States, or by this solemn compact they are bound to support each other in every attempt to disturb their several governments by any person on earth: and when the inhabitants of Vermont look upon themselves as a distinct people from the other States, they are to be considered -- enemies and will be treated as such, till the policy of the United States may think them otherwise. Much may be said in favor of the people west of the river, but not enough to justify them in their policy of extending their claim east of the river.
Which was only to make the opposition seemingly the greater, that Congress might be induced to pay a greater attention to them, and they have really no expectation of ever getting their State recognized east of the river, if they have one ever allowed.

Their conduct may be easily seen through, for they are not the most perfect in their politics, if we may judge by their measures: Ne sutor ultra crepidam.

SPECTATOR INDEPENDENS.