RECORD OF THE GOVERNOR AND COUNCIL

AT THE

SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AT WINDSOR

ОСТ. 1795.

STATE OF VERMONT, WINDSOR Oct. the 8 Day A. D. 1795. At a Meeting of the Governor & Council Present His Excellency Thomas Chittenden Esquire Gov His Honor Jonathan Hunt Esquire Lieuft Gov And the following Members of the Hon'ble Council Viz. Samuel Safford, John Strong, Ebenezer Walbridge, Luke Knoulton, Ebenezer Marvin, Paul Brigham, Jonas Galusha, Gideon Olin, John White, Cornelius Lynde, Elijah Robinson, & Samuel Williams. Truman Squier Secry. William Sweetser Sheriff.

Resolved that it be recommended to the General Assembly that after appointing a Committee to Count the Votes of the Freemen that they proceed to appoint a Committee Consisting of One Member from each County whose Duty it shall be to Receive the Votes from the Representatives of their Respective Counties and Deliver them over in their Order as called for.

A Bill from the House was received appointing a Committee consisting of Two Members from each County to Join a Čommittee of Council for the purpose of receiving, Sorting and Counting the Votes of the Freemen [for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Treasurer, and Councillors] for the year ensuing. Read & Resolved that Judges Safford, Olin, Strong, White, Knoulton, Brigham, & Lynde be a Committee from Council to Join said Committee.

The before mentioned Bill [sent by the Council to the House,] returned from the House Nonconcurred.

'This is not a list of Councillors who attended at the opening of the Council, as Mr. Williams was not then Councillor; but, with the exception of Samuel Mattocks as Treasurer, of the State officers and Councillors who were in the afternoon of that day declared to be elected for the year then ensuing.

From the Vermont Journal of Oct. 12 1795:

On Wednesday last, his Excellency the Governor, escorted by Captain Stone's company of Cavalry, arrived in this town-And on Thursday following, the Governor, Council, and House of Representatives, formed a procession, and, attended by Captain Leonard's company of Light Infantry, proceeded to the Court-House, where a sermon was delivered by the Rev. Asa Burton, from Psalms viii, 5: “ Thou hast made him a little lower than the Angels."-They then proceeded to count the votes for the election of Governor, Councillors, &c. * * * The whole was concluded by a discharge of fifteen cannon, by Captain Hodgeman's company of Artillery, and firings with small arms. Such was the order and regularity, during the transactions of the day, as reflects the highest honour on the Officers and Soldiers, and citizens in general.

Adjourned Untill 5 Oclock P. M.

The Council Met according to Adjournment & Adjourned Untill 9 Oclock Tomorrow Morning.

WINDSOR Friday Oct the 9 Day A. D. 1795.o

The Gov'er & Council Met according to Adjournment.
Adjourned Untill 2 Oclock in the Afternoon.

Met according to Adjournment.

A Bill from the House appointing a Committee Consisting of Two Members from each County to Join such a Committee from Council as they shall please to appoint to make an Arrangement of the Necessary Business During the present Session. Resolved that Judge Brigham, Galusha, Strong, & Knoulton Join Said Committee.

A Bill from the House appointing a Committee of One Member from each County to Join such Committee as the Council shall appoint to take under Consideration all Petitions praying for Land Taxes, State facts and make Report. Members Chosen Mess's Todd, Bigelow, Lathrop, Hunter, Linsley, Morey & Cole. Resolved that Judge Lynde Join the aforesaid Committee.

A Letter from Gen" Arad Hunt to his Excellency Resigning his Office as Brigadier General of the first Division of the Militia of this State was Read and Ordered to Lie for the present.

A Bill from the House requesting His Excellency the Governor to appoint the first Thursday of December next ensuing to be Observed as a Public Day of Thanksgiving & Praise throughout this State. Read & Concurred.

A Petition from Col. Matthew Lyon, Stating that he purchased a Certain Farm in the Town of Strafford in the County of Orange of one Timothy Bartholomew a Late Commissioner of Confiscation in this State, taken from one Capt James Pennock, & that he paid One hundred & fifty pounds for said Farm & that he the said Col. Matthew Lyon has Lost said Farm by another Claimant & by Due Course at Law & has paid out Large sums in Cost in Defending said Land, & the said Col. Matthew Lyon prays that this State wou'd be pleased to pay him the Damages he has sustained in the premises. Read & by the House Refered to Messrs. Denison, W. C. Harrington, Thomas, Arnold, & Shumway to Join such Committee as the Council shall Please to appoint. Resolved that Gen Safford & Col. Robinson Join said Committee. Adjourned Untill 9 Oclock To Morrow Morning.

Met according to Adjournment.

[SATURDAY, Oct. 10, 1795.]

A Petition from a number of the Inhabitants of the Towns of Hancock, Kingston [Granville,] and Rochester praying for a Land Tax to Complete & finish the Road formerly Laid through said Hancock, Goshen, & part of Middlebury, Being Read in the House & Referred to the Land

The Report of the Grand Committee of the election of State officers and Council is omitted in the Council Journal.

2

From the printed Assembly Journal, opening of the sitting of Oct. 9: Mr. [Martin] Chittenden was requested to wait on his excellency the governor and council, and inform them that the House is now assembled and ready to attend on prayers.

Tax Committee, Resolved that the Land Tax Committee from the Council Join said Committee.

A Petition of a number of the Proprietors and Landowners of the Town of Westfield in the County of Chittenden praying for a Land Tax of one penny on each acre of Land in said Town to be Laid for the purpose of Making and Repairing Highways and Building Bridges in said Town,Read & by the House Referred to the Land Tax Committee, Resolved that the Land Tax Committee from the Council Join said Committee.

The Petition of Benjamin Wait and Others praying for a Land Tax of one penny on each Acre of Land in the Town of Waitsfield in the County of Chittenden Public Lands excepted for the Purpose of Repairing Roads and Building Bridges in said Town, Read and by the House Referred to the Land Tax Committee &c. Resolved that the Land Tax Committee from the Council Join said Committee.

The Petition of William Williams in behalf of the Inhabitants of Canaan & Norfolk' praying for a Tax of Two pence on each acre of Land in said Towns public Lands excepted for the Purpose of Building Bridges and making and Repairing Highways in said Towns, Read and by the House Referred to the Land Tax Committee &c. Resolved that the Land Tax Committee from the Council Join said Committee. Adjourned Untill Monday next at 10 Oclock A. M.

MONDAY Oct. the 12 Day A. D. 1795.

Met According to Adjournment.

The Resolution of the House that the sixth Article in the Arangement of Business, to wit that some provision be made for Rendering more passable the Road from Massichusetts Line to Newbury the West side of Connecticutt River be Refered to a Committee Consisting of Two Members from each County [on the eastern side of the mountain]Members Chosen Mess's Spooner, Whitney, Perkins, Brush, Johnson, & Barron. Read & Resolved that [Lieut.] Gov' Hunt & Gen" Brigham Join said Committee.

The Resolution of the House on the Eighth Article of the Arangement of the Business Viz. that enquiry be made into the Benefitts resulting from the Office of Attorney General and whether the act constituting said [office] be or be not expedient, Referred by the House to a Committee Consisting of one Member from each County to Join a Committee of Council-Members Chosen Mess's Seldin, Bigelow, Lyon, Gallop, Foot, W. Chamberlain, & W. C. Harrington. Resolved that Judge Olin Join said Committee.

A Bill brought in from the House empowering the Supreme Court to take the Forfeitures of Lands heretofore granted within this State & the mode of proceeding thereon with the Resolution of the House appointing a Committee [thereon] Consisting of one member from each County to Join a Committee of Council to take said Bill under ConsiderationMembers Chosen Messrs. P. Wright, Shafter, Whelpley, Gallup, Pond, Sias, & Sheldon. Resolved that Judge Olin & Judge Williams Join said Committee.

The Petition of a Number of the Inhabitants of the Southwest part of Tinmouth, North West part of Danby, Northeast part of Pawlett and Southeast part of Wells-praying to be made into a Town and Incorpo

1 Norfolk was annexed to Canaan in 1801.

rated, being Read and by the House Referred to Mess Wait, Johnson & Cutler to Join a Committee from Council.1

His Excellency the Governor was Pleased to Reappoint Truman Squier Esq' Secretary to the Council for the year ensuing, and [who was] by him Qualified to that Office.

Adjourned Untill 2 Oclock in the afternoon.

Met according to adjournment.

The Petition of Aaron Hutchinson and others setting forth that they are appointed and Incorporated by an act of the Legislature of the State of Newhampshire for the Purpose of Locking White River Falls so called in Connecticutt River against Lebanon and Building Bridges over said River, praying for a similar act of this State, being Read and by the House Referred to a Committee-Members Chosen Messrs. Arnold, Chittenden, Davis, Stanton, & Porter to Join a Committee of CouncilResolved that Gen" Brigham Join said Committee.

The Petition of William Hazletine of Rockingham setting forth his Misfortunes in being wounded in the Bennington Battle praying the assistance of the Legislature to Help him to a Pension,-Read and by the House Referred to Messrs. Todd, Lyon, Spafford, Cutler & Lee to Join a Committee from Council, Resolved that Judge Robinson Join said Committee.

The Petition of Jonathan Haynes of Middletown setting forth that he was wounded in the Bennington Battle, praying the Legislature to assist him in Obtaining a Pension from Congress &c. being Read & by the House Referred to Messrs. Lyon, Todd, Spafford, Cutler & Lee to Join a Committee from Council, Resolved that Judge Robinson Join said Committee.

The Petition of Sherburn Hale of Rockingham setting forth the Necessity of having a Road in the South east Corner of Rockingham, praying for the Exclusive Right of Making said Road and Receiving Toll from Passingers in Like manner as Ferrymen have for ferrying across Connecticutt River, Read and by the House Referred to Messrs. Spooner, Hatch, & E. Sheldon to Join a Committee of Council, Resolved that Judge Knoulton Join said Committee."

The Petition of Pliny Pomeroy of Westminster setting forth his Misfortunes in the service of the United States in the Last War in being Wounded and having failed in Obtaining a Pension from the United States altho Deserving, praying the Assistance of the Legislature in that respect, Read and by the House Referred to Messrs. Lyon, Todd, Spafford, Cutler & Lee to Join a Committee of Council, Resolved that Judge Robinson Join said Committee.

Adjourned Untill 9 Oclock to Morrrow A. M.

'Here the record as to these petitions ends, the lines following indicating that there was an omission.

Hutchins in the Assembly Journal.

This seems to have been the first suggestion of turnpike companies in Vermont, many of which were subsequently granted in place of the former practice of building roads and bridges by money derived from lotteries.

TUESDAY Oct. the 13 Day A. D. 1795.

Met according to Adjournment.

The Petition of Timothy Mitchell of Pomfret in the County of Windsor praying to have the exclusive Right of running a Stage from Windsor to Burlington for a Term of years, Read & by the House referred to Messrs. E. Stephens, [Enos Stevens,] Hatch & Davis, to Join a Committee of Council &c. Resolved that Judge Williams be appointed to Join said Committee.1

The Petition of Israel Converse & others of Randolph praying for the exclusive privilidge of Running a Stage from Windsor to Benjamin Wrights on White River in Hartford, thence on the Main Road to Royalton thence through Randolph Brookfield & Williams Town to Col. Ďavis's on Inion [Onion] River to Burlington Bay, Read and by the House referred to Messrs. E. Stephens, Hatch & Davis to Join a Committee of Council &c. Resolved that Judge Williams be appointed to Join said Committee.

The Petition of Samuel Allen of Tinmouth Administrator on all the Estate of Asahel Leet Late of Tinmouth Deceased praying for an act empowering him to sell a certain Lot of Land belonging to said Estate Lying in said Tinmouth, Read and by the House referred to Messrs. Train, Bush & Allas [Elisha Allis,] to Join a Committee of Council, Resolved that Judge Robinson Join said Committee.

The Petition of Benjamin Marvin of Alburgh in the County of Chittenden setting forth that he was wounded in the Last War in the service of the United States, praying the assistance of the Legislature to Congress that he may be put upon the Pension List with Others in Like Cases, Read and by the House Referred to the Committee to whom was Committed the Petition of Plinny Pomeroy, Resolved that Judge Robinson be Appointed to Join said Committee.

The Petition of Timothy Church of Brattleborough in the County of Windham setting forth that he is sued on his note to this State for Goaler fees &c. amounting to Twenty pounds ten shillings he the said Timothy being Committed on account of his adhearing to the Government of the State of Newyork, and while so Imprisoned his Cattle was taken and sold at Public Auction by this State and that he said Timothy has had no Compensation from this State for the same, therefore prays that he may not be any further Distressed by the aforesaid Action but that the Legislature wou'd be pleased to grant him releif by ordering said action to be withdrawn without any Costs to be Taxed against him, Read and by the House Referred to Messrs. Heald, Lathrop, & Ormsby to Join a Committee of Council. Resolved that Judge Strong be appointed to Join said Committee.

The Petition of Alexander Frazer of the Province of Canada setting forth that Administration has been granted on his Late Brother James Frazers estate Lying in Pawlet in the County of Rutland by Judge Ward to one Israel Stockings who represented said Estate Insolvent and Commissioners were appointed to examine the claims against said Estate all unknown to him the said Alexander, and that the said Israel

This and the next petition originated the great mail stage route which was made very famous forty years later by Mahlon Cottrill of Montpelier, and over most of which the Vermont Central Railroad was constructed. Col. Jacob Davis, of the committee. then kept a hotel in Montpelier, and his son Thomas built and kept the old Pavilion, over which Mr. Cottrill afterward presided.