vised Statutes, A. D. 1786, with the exception of a few sheets. I have been presented with a copy of the Declaration of Independence of New Connecticut, bearing date at Westminster, January 15th, A. D. 1777, and signed by Ira Allen, Secretary. Said Convention at Westminster was adjourned to meet at Windsor, 4th June following. Said Declaration was then further considered, and amended by striking out New-Connecticut and inserting Vermont. The Declaration itself, as well as the proceedings of those two most important Conventions, was kindly presented to me by Hon. Peter Force of the city of Washington. I have also recorded a portion of the original manuscript proceedings of the Convention at Windsor, July 2d, A. D. 1777, convened for the purpose of adopting a Constitution. Three printed copies of our Constitution adopted by said Convention, and one copy of the Sermon preached by Reverend Aaron Hutchinson, Pastor of the Church in Pomfret, and the two adjacent towns, Hartford and Woodstock. 1 I have made many other collections the past year not alluded to in my former reports, nor in this. The past year I have again examined the Archives in the State Departments of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and at Washington, and discovered many important manuscript documents in relation to the New-Hampshire Grants, of which copies ought to be procured. I discovered in the Register's office at Washington, the files in relation to the settlement with the officers of Col. Seth Warner's Regiment belonging to this State, for their depreciation. A copy of said settlement is hereunto annexed. It appears on our records that this State paid the officers and soldiers of Warner's Regiment Feb. 9th, 1780, $8,066,67, and on the 31st January, A. D. 1783, a further sum of $13,126,73. It appears from the annexed stated account that the Accounting officers in the Register's office found due the officers of Warner's Regiment for their depreciation from the General Government, as Continental officers, $8,767,48, from which sum $5,193,55 is deducted as being paid by Vermont, leaving a balance due said officers of $3,605,05. The whole sum paid the officers and soldiers of Warner's Regiment by this State, amounts to $21,194,56. Col. Warner's Regiment being a Continental Regiment, 1 am not able to divine why it is that this sum with its interest is not now justly due this State, separate and independent of all other Revolutionary expenditures on the part of this State. I therefore recommend that the documents setting forth the expenditures on the part of this State on account of the Revolutionary War, and the documents which go to show the part that the New-Hampshire Grants took in the American Revolution, be again referred to a Committee for further consideration; and if said Committee report to your Excellency in favor of presenting a claim to Congress for said expenditures, your Excellency considering it for the interest of the State so to do, I have no doubts on my mind but what the General Government will generously reward us in grants of Public Lands or money. And whatever sum of money or grants of Public Lands, received from the General Government in consideration for the services and expenditures of the people of the New-Hampshire Grants during the American Revolution, shall be religiously set apart for the benefit of our Common Schools, Colleges and Academies, forever. Your predecessor's kind letter of introduction of June, 1845, to Hon. Edward Everett, American Minister then in London, was in due time forwarded to my son Henry, and by him delivered to Mr. Everett on the 21st of July, 1845, and on the 31st he had the pleasure of receiving a note from Mr. Everett enclosing a copy of his letter to Lord Aberdeen, and his Lordship's reply granting Henry the privilege of examining the manuscripts in Her Majesty's State Paper Office. My son has made examination and finds many documents bearing date from A. D., 1730, to A. D., 1791, in relation to the New-Hampshire Grants. My son is now occasionally employed in said office, making researches for historical facts in relation to American history. This being a favorable opportunity, I recommend that an appropriation be made in order to procure such copies as may be considered necessary. I propose to deposit in the Hall of the State Library Room, upon the most favorable terms, my historical and antiquarian collection, consisting of nearly one thousand volumes of regular files of Newspapers from A. D. 1741 to the present time, printed in this and other New-England States, Pamphlet Laws and Journals, Revised Statutes, proceedings of the various Councils of Censors, Election Sermons, Political Addresses, Orations; all Pamphlets published on the part of the New-Hampshire Grants and New-York in relation to the controversy; various Books published in this State, and others, amounting to several hundred volumes; many volumes of Manuscripts embracing the correspondence of many distinguished individuals in this State at an early period. All of which is respectfully submitted. I am, sir, your Excellency's ob't serv't. Barnet, Oct. 8, 1846. (F) REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, RELATIVE TO THE ACT ABOLISHING THE SCHOOL FUND. [REFERRED TO ON PAGE 89 OF THE JOURNAL.] To the Honorable Senate: The majority of your Committee on Education have had under consideration Senate Bill 47, "An act to submit to the Freemen of the State whether the act to abolish the School Fund' shall be repealed," and respectfully submit the following report thereon: It cannot be pretended that the proposed measure modifies our frame of government, or raises one of those great constitutional questions, which seem, above all others, most appropriate for the decision of the people in their primary assemblies. It deserves remark, also, that, even for such questions, the formers of our Constitution provided a very different mode of determination. Our frame of government can be altered only upon the recommendation of a Council of Censors, and by the votes, not of the freemen, but of their delegates in convention. A fact, which should never be overlooked when it is proposed to submit any question of general policy to the voice of the people, and highly significant of the views our fathers entertained of such a proceeding. It is The truth is, that on many legislative subjects a large portion of our fellow citizens take so little interest that it is with difficulty they can be induced to act upon them. Their determination by a general vote would often fail entirely of indicating the popular sentiment. sometimes different no doubt. Questions may occasionally arise which come home to the personal interests and feelings of every one, and to which the whole community are alive. A large portion may feel aggrieved at the law on such a subject, and complain that the legislative body is so constituted, that their decrees do not represent the voice of the greatest number. Then, if ever, it might be proper to submit the question to the direct vote of the freemen, and by satisfying the minority of their weakness, secure that acquiescence in the decision which we, above all other nations, accord to the will of the majority. Without expressing any opinion on this point, your Committee apprehend that no such emergency exists in relation to the act to abolish the School Fund." Though occasionally assailed in some political papers, this has obviously been for mere partizan purposes. Your Com mittee have no doubt that it is generally approved of throughout the State, and meets the views of much the largest portion of our fellow citizens. It certainly has awakened no such dissatisfaction as to call for the extreme measure now asked for. It has not been so much as named in the numerous conventions, held among us for the advancement of learning and the cause of education. It has not, to the knowledge of your Committee, been censured in any general popular assembly, or become the turning point in a single election since its passage. In fine, your Committee believe it would be highly detrimental, and even dangerous, to sanction such an extraordinary measure every time that a legislative minority complain, or see ground for hoping that a decision could be thus reversed. There can be no more certain way of impairing the respect which should be cherished for the enactments of our General Assembly, or of weakening the safe-guards which our fathers have thrown around our Constitution. The majority of your Committee are of opinion, therefore, that the bill under consideration ought not to become a law. JOHN FOX, for Committee. (G) REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF THE INSANE. [REFERRED TO ON PAGE 92 OF THE JOURNAL.] To the Hon. the Legislature of Vermont: The undersigned, Commissioner of the Insane, appointed by the Legislature at their session in October, 1845, " to visit the Vermont Asylum, to examine into the condition of the Institution, the receipts and expenditures, the management of the patients, and the general welfare of the Asylum," submits the following Report: Your Commissioner has visited the Asylum during the past year, seven times; and at each time, made particular examination into the state and condition of the Asylum, the several apartments occupied by the inmates of the Institution, and the management of, and the care bestowed upon, the unfortunate beings there confined. Whenever he has had occasion to visit the Institution, he has invariably found the several apartments, and particularly those occupied by the patients, in good condition, suitably furnished, well ventilated, neat and cleanly. In fact, every thing about the establishment indicated an air of neatness, and that a due regard was had to the comfort, convenience and welfare of the patients. Nor did there appear to your Commissioner to have been any want of care or attention to the wants and necessities of the patients, by those to whom is entrusted the care and superintendence of the Asylum; but on the contrary, every thing seemed to have been done which could reasonably be expected in such an Institution, and which was calculated to conduce to the comfort and improvement of those committed to their charge. Indeed, it was matter of surprise to the undersigned, to find the Institution so well managed and conducted, when he reflected upon the difficulty of the task, arising from its magnitude, numbering as it does some three hundred patients, assuming all the forms and degrees of insanity, from the raving maniac to insanity of the mildest and simplest form. Your Commissioner is aware that complaints have, in some instances, been made of the conduct of the officers of the Asylum in their treatment of the patients. He has given the subject of those complaints which have come to his knowledge, his particular attention, and is constrained to say that he believes them to be unfounded. He has the satisfaction of believing that the Institution is conducted as well as any of the kind, |