"RESOLVED, That this Legislature views with regret and alarm, the attempt of the inhabitants. of Missouri to obtain admission into the Union as one of the United States, under a Constitution which legalizes and secures the introduction and continuance of slavery—and also contains provisions to prevent freemen of the United States from emigrating to and settling in Missouri, on account of their origin, color and features. And that, in the opinion of this Legislature, these principles, powers and restrictions, contained in the reported. Constitution of Missouri, are anti-republican and repugnant to the Constitution of the United States, and subversive of the unalienable rights to

man.

"RESOLVED, That the Senators from this State in the Congress of the United States be instructed, and the Representatives requested, to exert their influence and use all legal measures to prevent the admission of Missouri, as a State, into the Union of the United States, with those anti-republican features and powers in their Constitution."

"The report and the resolutions were agreed to by both Houses without division.

"The strong pro-slavery policy to extend the area of the institution and the persistent and sucessful effort to admit Missouri without restriction as to slavery was laying an egg that was later hatched out in the shape of a decision from the Supreme Court of the United States in the Dred Scott case in the opinion of a majority of the court announced by Chief Justice Taney, in which he stated that at the time of the Declaration

of Independence and at the time of the adoption of the Constitution of the United State, the "unfortunate race were regarded as beings of an inferior order, and altogether unfit to associate with the white race, either in social or political relations; and so far inferior, that they had no rights which the white man was bound to respect; and that the negro might justly and lawfully be reduced to slavery for his benefit." This decision went so far as to hold that slave-holders could take their slaves into any territory of the United States and hold them there as slaves and was expressed in the following language: "It is the opinion of the court that the act of Congress which prohibited a citizen from holding and owning property of this kind in the territory of the United States north of the line therein mentioned, is not warranted by the Constitution and is therefore void." These antagonistic views and principles and the heated party spirit culminated in the rebellion of 1861, and resulted in the proclamation of emancipation of President Lincoln, Jan. 1, 1863.

"When we look back upon the free and independent spirit that had ever animated the people of the State, and are reminded that no slave has ever troden Vermont soil, and contemplate the strong, firm stand they have taken against the keeping in bondage a part of the human family, and in favor of the widest liberty, consistent with good government, we have reason to feel a just pride that we can be reckoned as Vermonters.

CHAPTER V.

INCIDENTS, LEGISLATION, AND INTERNAL AFFAIRS OF VERMONT FROM

1791 TO 1808.

In the early history of Vermont it was not always that each town had a separate representative to the General Assembly. In 1795, the town of Londonderry and a Gore, called Mack's Leg, were erected into two separate towns by the names of Londonderry and Windham with the right of only one representative in the Assembly for both towns, but in 1804, the two towns were given all the privileges and immunities belonging to other incorporated towns. Previous to 1808, the towns of North Hero and Middle Hero (Grand Isle) were entitled to but one representative to the General Assembly, but subsequently on petition each of those towns were granted a representative.

At an early day the law required that, a person to be admitted as a member of the bar, should have several years of residence in the State, but in 1791, it was enacted that any person, it of good moral character and competent knowledge of the law, might be admitted as a practicing attorney on taking an examination of the court and bar; this act did not require a previous residence.

It was not the practice of the Governor for many years, in the early history of the State, to appoint a day of Fast or Thanksgiving independent of a request from the Assembly. The custom was for the General Assembly to pass a resolve "that his Excellency the Governor be requested by and with the advice of the Council, to appoint the day,” named in the resolution to be observed as a day of Public Thanksgiving and Praise or Fast, throughout the State.

In 1793, Samuel Knight, President of the Council of Censors, addressed the Legislature and stated it had, in some instances, too hastily and inconsiderately, passed insolvent acts, and acts suspending the operation of law against particular persons, and acts granting exclusive rights and privileges to individuals. He said that acts granting exclusive privileges to individuals except the exclusive right to their own inventions, were wrong. He, also adjudged it inconsistent with the spirit and genius of a free people, that a man should be adjudged to pay costs in criminal cases after an impartial jury has declared he is not guilty, and recommended the repeal of an act that allowed that to be done. He said on taking a retrospective view of the business of the Legislature, on the whole, "he was happy to find that wisdom and stability mark the proceedings of our public bodies, and that this government is gaining knowledge and respectabilty."

In the early days of Vermont the property of many of her citizens who had joined the enemy, during the Revolutionary struggle was confiscated

to the use of Vermont, and in some cases their general creditors petitioned the General Assembly that they might receive from the State a just proportion of the estate confiscated, but the petitions were denied. The Legislature deemed it not advisable to make provision for the payment of the debts of persons whose property had been confiscated in consequence of their treasonable conduct.

In the year 1795, a petition was presented to the Legislature by General Ira Allen then of Colchester praying that the name of the University of Vermont be changed to "Allen's University," and at the same time proposing a donation of one thousand pounds worth of books for a library and a deed to the corporation of fifteen hundred acres of land. The offer was not accepted by the Legislature and Allen had leave to withdraw the petition; the committee to which the petition was referred, expressed it as their opinion that the proposition of Allen was liberal.

The pay of town representatives to the Assembly, Councillors, State officials and their incidental expenses were much less for many years after the State first became a member of the Federal Union than they are at the present writing. In 1795, the pay for Councillors, was one dollar and forty-six cents, and for members of the House and Auditors of Accounts one dollar and twenty-five cents per diem. The appropriation for State expenses for the Legislative year from October 1795, to October 1796, was but 1,723 pounds for debentures of Lieut. Governor, Council, General Assembly, and necessary officers including Auditors of Accounts;