Gazette Of The United States

BENNINGTON, (Vermont.) January 30.
Philad. Feb. 5th 1796.

SIR,

I had this day the honor to receive your letter of the 20th ult. in behalf of the Bennington county convention, enclosing a resolution of that Convention of the same date, expressive of their wish that Mr. Smith and myself would use our best endeavors to obtain the sense of Congress upon the constitutionality of the late treaty with Great Britain. Impressed with the same sense of the value of that liberty and independence for which we have so successfully struggled, and in defence of which I have suffered so much, which you express : I cheerfully listen to the voices of my fellow citizens and friends, in the county of Bennington, upon the subject of the treaty—I regret the diversity of sentiment, productive of unhappy consequences, which has taken place upon that subject.— The question will undoubtedly come before Congress in the course of this session, and I shall without regard to party or place if it was only for my own satisfaction, most assiduously apply myself to the investigation of it ? whatever may be the result of my enquiry; -my own judgment must be my guide ; for though I consider as you do, that .I am placed here as one of the Representatives from the State of Vermont at large, and that it is the right of freemen, to become acquainted with the expositions, and true meaning of the constitutions of government by them adopted, and as understood by their legal representatives. , Yet-as you have confided to me a trust, and delegated to me power, to act, I must faithfully exercise that power, according to my best judgment and ability; and when I have industriously employed my small talents to investigate any subject-have made up my mind and am called upon to act, I must decide and. act as I should rationally conclude my constituents would do, were they acting with integrity and uprightness, under the same impressions and view of the subjects as I myself at the time possess. I have a grateful sense of the confidence which you are pleased to repose in me, and consider it as an additional obligation to endeavor still to deserve it——I am sensible that as we have adopted the constitution, it is now to be considered as the expression of the will of the great body of the sovereign people, and as such it is the palladium of our liberty, and it would be treason to violate it,

I have the honor to be, sir.
With sentiments of esteem,
Your most obedient,
and humble servant,
D. BUCK.

P. S As many in Vermont, whose opinions. I respect, have already decided on the treaty, If I should have the misfortune in finally making up my opinion to differ from them in sentiment, I will do myself the honor to send you a statement of the reasons on which I found my judgment.
D. BUCK.

Timothy Brownson, Esq.
Chairman of Bennington
county convention.