His Excellency the Gov" Soliciting the Aid of this State in the Internal Lock Navigation from Skeensborough [Whitehall, N. Y.,] to Hudson's River being Officially_Communicated to the General Assembly, Read and Referred to Mr Dewey, Lyon, Gallup, Arms, Thompson, Farrand, & Sheldon, to Join a Committee from Council, Resolved that Messrs. Knoulton & Strong Join said Committee.'

An act empowering Joel Linsley & Jeremiah Bingham to Deed Land in a Certain case therein mentioned, Read & Concurred with proposals of Amendment.

The Petition of North & South Heroes, Alburgh, & Isle Mott, praying that They may be sett off into a New County, Read & by the House referred to Messrs. Sol. Wright, Fisher, Chauncey Smith, [Flynn,] Eben Wheelock, & Porter, to Join a Committee from Council &c. Resolved that Messrs. Robinson & Williams be appointed to Join said Committee. Adjourned Until 9 Oclock to morrow Morning.

Met according to adjournment.

FRIDAY Oct. the 20 A. D. 1796.

The Petition of a Number of the Inhabitants of the Town of Cavindish praying for an appeal [repeal] of the Act of Incorporation of the Academy in said Cavindish, with a Remonstrance against the Petition, being read and by the House referred to Messrs. Lyon, Stanton, Z. Curtis, Hathaway, & Sias, Resolved that Mr Safford be appointed to Join said Committee.

The Hon'ble Judges of the Supreme Court appeared in Council & took their several Oaths of Office respectively.

Adjourned Untill 2 Oclock in the afternoon.

Met according to adjournment.

The request from the General Assembly to his Excellency the Gov' that he would not Issue his warrants for an election of a Member to Congress &c. being taken up, Resolved that his Excellency postpone Issuing his Warrants accordingly.

Adjourned Untill 9 Oclock to Morrrow Morning.

SATURDAY Oct. the 22 Day A. D. 1796.

Met according to adjournment.

A resolution from the House appointing a Committee to Join such Committee as the Council shall please to Appoint to Revise the acts relative to the Disposition of Monies raised by Land Taxes for the Purpose of making & repairing roads & Building bridges &c. Read and by the House referred to Messrs. Gallup, Allis, & Whitney, Resolved that Mr. Jacob be appointed to Join said Committee.

An act annexing the Town of Craftsbury to the County of Caledonia having passed the House, Read & Concurred.

An act granting a Tax on Middlesex & Moretown having passed the House, Read and Ordered to Lye.

The Petition of Abner Miles of Putney in the County of Windham praying for a New trial in a Cause Decided against him in the Supreme Court in favour of Isaac Bard in an action of Ejectment, or grant him releif in some other way in said Cause, being read and by the House referred to Messrs. Chittenden, Joshua Chamberlain, and Royce, to Join

'See Appendix D.

a Committee of Council &c. Resolved that Judge White and Williams be appointed to Join said Committee.

Adjourned Untill 2 Oclock in the Afternoon.

Met according to Adjournment.

A Letter of Resignation from Maj' Thomas Craige of Westminster to his Excellency the Gov" was Read and accepted and Answer ordered to be made out accordingly.

An act suspending all Civil prosecutions against Abia Colburn of Hartford in the County of Windsor for the Term of one whole year with the Petition for that purpose there unto annexed having passed the House, Read and Ordered to Lye.

The Petition of Elkanah Stevens and others praying to have the exclusive privilidge of Locking White River &c. being read and by the House referred to Messrs. [Benjamin] Tupper, [Timothy] Castle, [Timothy] Miller, John Foster, [Edmund] Grandy, [Jonathan] Lewis, & [Timothy] Holibut [Holabird,] to Join a Committee from Council, Resolved that Judge Robinson be appointed to Join said Committee.

The Petition of William Baxter praying for a New trial in the Cause James Strong & Eddy Coy against him in the County Court within & for the County of Windsor being read and by the House referred to the same Committee that it appointed on Abner Miles's Petition, Resolved that Messrs. White and Williams be appointed to Join said Committee.

An act in addition to and Repealing a part of an act for Dividing this State into Districts and pointing out the Mode of Choosing Representatives to represent this State in Congress having passed the House, Read and Ordered to Lye Untill Monday Morning next.

The Consideration of the act suspending all civil suits, actions, &c. against Abia Colburn being again reassumed was Concurred. Adjourned Untill Monday Morning next 9 Oclock A. M.

MONDAY Oct. the 24 Day A. D. 1796.

Met according to adjournment. The Act in Addition to an Act granting a Tax on Middlesex & Moretown having passed the House, Read & Concurred.

The Petition of George Reab praying for a New trial in his Cause against Abel Stevens in the County Court for the County of Bennington being Read and by the House Referred to the Committee appointed on the Petition of Abner Miles &c. Resolved to Join accordingly.

The Petition of Royal Crafts of Rutland praying to have the exclusive [right] of making and having a Turnpike Road from Finneys Tavern in Shrewsbury to and over a Bridge which is erected across Black water River in Ludlow under such regulations and Restrictions as the Legislature shall Direct &c. being Read and by the House referred to the Committee Appointed on Samuel Saffords & others [petition] &c. Resolved accordingly.

An Act Allowing Constant Brown fifty Dollars &c. having passed the House, Read and Concurred.

An Act empowering Jeremiah Bingham & Ebenezer Hulburt to sell all the real Estate of Hiland Hall Esq &c. having passed the House, Read and Concurred.

The Petition of Oliver Gallup & others praying for all the Avails of the Connecticutt River Lottery which remains not expended for the purpose of Appropriating the same on the Post Road on the West side of Connecticutt River &c. being read and by the House Referred to the Lottery Committee, Resolved to Join accordingly.

The Petition of Elijah Bennet praying the Assistance of the Legislature of this State to Help him to Arrears of Pensions previous to his being put upon the Pension List &c. in Consequence of his being wounded in the service of the United States &c. having been read and by the House referred to the Committee appointed on the Petition of Wm. Hazletine, resolved to Join accordingly.

The Petition of the Selectmen of Manchester praying for the grant of a Lottery for the Purpose of Making & repairing a Road across the Mountain from Manchester to Chester &c. being read and by the House referred to the Lottery Committee. Resolved to Join accordingly.

An act Levying a Tax Upon the County of Addison having passed the House, read & Concurred with proposals of Amendment. Adjourned Untill 2 Oclock in the Afternoon.

Met according to adjournment.

An Act granting a Tax of one penny half penny per acre on the Township of Kingston [Granville] for the Purpose of Making & Repairing roads & Building Bridges in said Town. having passed the House &c. Read and Concurred.

An Amendment being proposed to the Act Levying a Tax Upon the County of Addison by the General Assembly, Read and Concurred.

Maj. Ebenzer Allen Esqr has made Application to his excellency the Gov for a Dismission from the first regiment in the third Brigade of the Militia of this State. Read and Accepted.

The act in alteration of an act & repealing a part of said act entitled an act Dividing this State into Districts for electing Representatives to Congress &c. being reassumed & taken under Consideration agreable to the Order of the Day, Voted not to Concur.

Adjourned Untill 9 Öclock to Morrow Morning.

TUESDAY Oct. the 25 Day A. D. 1796.

Met according to Adjournment.

An act annexing part of the Town of Cornwall to the Town of Middlebury having passed the House, read and Concurred.

Adjourned Untill 2 Oclock in the Afternoon.

Met according to Adjournment.

Adjourned Untill 9 Oclock to Morrow Morning.

WEDNESDAY Oct. the 26 Day A. D. 1796.

Met according to Adjournment.

Adjourned Untill 2 Öclock in the Afternoon.

Met according to Adjournment.

The Act in Alteration of an Act & in Addition to said act entitled an Act Dividing this State into Districts for the purpose of Electing Representatives to Congress &c. having passed the House was again reassumed & Concurred with proposals of Amendment.

Adjourned Untill 9 Oclock to Morrow Morning.

RUTLAND Thursday Oct. the 27 Day A. D. 1796.

Met according to Adjournment.

An act to suspend prosecutions & suits on Civil Contracts against Edward Fullington &c. having passed the House, read and Concurred with proposals of amendment.

An act to Direct the County Court in the County of Rutland to enter the action John Partridge against Robert Knoulton anew &c. having passed the House, Read & Concurred.

An Address from the House to the President of the United States requesting the Concurrence of the Govr & Council, Read & Resolved to Concur accordingly.i

A Draft for a Proclamation [for a day of thanksgiving] was read & approved of and Ordered to be printed &c.

An Act Laying a Tax on Windham County, &c. having passed the House, Read and Concurred.

Adjourned Untill 2 Oclock in the Afternoon.

Met according to adjournment.

Resolved that the second Wednesday of April next be Observed as a Day of Fasting & prayer throughout this State. Adjourned Untill 9 Oclock to Morrow Morning.

FRIDAY Oct. the 28 Day A. D. 1796.

Met according to adjournment. His Honor Judge Knoulton moved for Leave of Absence During the remainder of the Session, which was granted.

A Petition from John Holbrook, Sam1 Dickinson, & Lemuel Whitney, praying for the exclusive privilidge of running a stage from Brattleborough to Hannover in the most Direct route as it passes thro' this State, Read and by the House referred to Messrs. Z. Curtis, Barron, & Josiah Arms, to join a Committee from Council &c. Resolved that [Lieut.] Gov. Brigham Join said Committee.

A Petition for a New Town to be made out of a part of Tinmouth, Danby, Pawlett, & Wells &c. being read and by the House referred to Messrs. Baker, Fisher, C. Smith, Perkins, Whitman, Crafts, & Jesse Arms to Join a Committee From Council, resolved that Judge Olin be appointed to Join said Committee.

The Petition of the Proprietors of Salem by their Agent James Whitelaw, praying to be reimbursed for Monies paid into the Treasury for their grant, which Does not hold out Measure as bounded by their Charter, Read and by the House referred to Messrs. Barron, Peckham, Marsh, Flyn, Case, Henry and Bradley, to Join a Committee from Council, Resolved that Messrs. Robinson & Chamberlain be appointed to Join said Committee.

Adjourned Untill 2 Oclock in the afternoon.

Met according to adjournment.

A Resolution from the House appointing a Committee to Join a Committee from Council to confer with the Surveyor General respecting some Unlocated Lands North of the Line of this State & adjoining the Province of Canada & that the same be granted to William Coit for one shilling per acre, which Tract is supposed to Contain 23,040 Acres, Members Chosen Messrs. Dewey, Spencer, Perry, Painter, Farrand, Sheldon, & Burt, Resolved that Judge Marvin and White be appointed to Join said Committee.2

2

See Appendix H.

William Coit of Burlington represented to the General Assembly that he had examined the supposed north line of the State, and had conferred "with Mr. Collier [Collins,] then late deputy surveyor of the province of Canada, who made said line," and found the line verging so

An act Directing the Clerk of Windsor County Court to enter a Certain action on the Docquet of said Court &c. having passed the House, Read and Concurred.

An act granting a suspension of prosecution against Daniel King &c. having passed the House, read & Concurred.

An act in addition to an act entitled an act to enable the Landowners of the Town of Fairlee &c. having passed the House, read and Con curred.

An act to erect a part of Fairlee in the County of Orange into a separate Parish &c. having passed the House, Read and Concurred.

The Proprietors of Pittsfield prayer for Compensation &c. being read & by the House referred to the Committee appointed on James White

far south of the forty-fifth degree of north latitude as to embrace within Canada lands really belonging to Vermont, in quantity as above set forth. The committee heard Mr. Coit, and, after consulting Surveyor General Whitelaw, reported that they could not ascertain that there was any vacant land, as alleged in the resolution, and that it was "not eligible for the legislature at present to take any measures respecting the same"; whereupon the House ordered the resolution to be withdrawn. See printed Assembly Journal for 1796, pp. 113, 114, 133. By the treaty of Washington of 1842, on boundaries, the line run by "Collins and Valentine previous to 1774" was agreed upon as the boundary line, and commissioners were provided for to mark the line. The joint report of these commissioners, made April 20 1848, says:

The line of Valentine and Collins was explored and found by the blazes still remaining in the original forest. Upon cutting into those blazes, it was seen, that, deep seated in the tree, there was a scar; the surface of the original blaze slightly decayed; and, upon counting the rings. (which indicate each year's growth of the tree,) it was found that the blazes dated back to 1772-3 and '4. The line of Valentine and Collins was run in 1771-2-3, and '4. The coincidence of the dates of the blazes with those of the above line, confirmed by the testimony of the people of the country, satisfied the undersigned that the line they had found was that mentioned in the treaty. Along this portion of the boundary, which is known as the 45th of Valentine and Collins, and which extends from Hall's stream, [north-east corner of Canaan,] to St. Regis, there are several interruptions to the blazes, in those parts where clearings have been made; and there the authentic marks of the precise situation of the old line have been lost. In those cases, the undersigned have drawn the boundary line straight from the original blazes on the one side of a clearing to the original blazes on the other side of the same clearing. It cannot be positively stated that the line, as it has been traced through those clearings, precisely coincides with the old line; but the undersigned believe that it does not differ materially from it; nor have they had the means of determining a nearer or a surer approximation. The boundary along the west line, though very far from being a straight line, is generally about half a mile north of the true parallel of latitude 45°, from Hall's stream to Rouse's Point.-Executive Document No. 71, 30th Congress, 1st Session, pp. 71, 72.

It thus appears that all the maps, which give the northern boundary of Vermont on or below the parallel of latitude 45°, are erroneous.