Continental Congress. It was conveniently
remembered that by the original grant, in the reign of Charles II., New
Hampshire extended only sixty miles from the coast. Vermont was at first
inclined to assent, but finding the scheme unpopular in Congress, and
not wishing to offend that body, she changed her mind. The towns on both
banks of the river then tried to organize themselves into a middle
state,--a sort of Lotharingia on the banks of this New World Rhine,--to
be called New Connecticut. By this time New Hampshire was aroused, and
she called attention to the fact that she still believed herself
entitled to dominion over the whole of Vermont. Massachusetts now began
to suspect that the upshot of the matter would be the partition of the
whole disputed territory between New Hampshire and New York, and,
ransacking her ancient grants and charters, she decided to set up a
claim on her own part to the southernmost towns in Vermont. Thus goaded
on all sides, Vermont adopted an aggressive policy. She not only annexed
the towns east of the Connecticut River, but also asserted sovereignty
over the towns in New York as far as the Hudson. New York sent troops to
the threatened frontier, New Hampshire prepared to do likewise, and for
a moment war seemed inevitable. But here, as in so many other instances,
Washington appeared as peace-maker, and prevailed upon Governor
Chittenden to use his influence in getting the dangerous claims
withdrawn. After the spring of 1784 the outlook was less stormy in the
Green Mountains. The conflicting claims were allowed to lie dormant, but
the possibilities of mischief remained, and the Vermont question was not
finally settled until after the adoption of the Federal Constitution.
Meanwhile, on the debatable frontier between Vermont and New York the
embers of hatred smouldered. Barns and houses were set on fire, and
belated wayfarers were found mysteriously murdered in the depths of the
forest.

[Sidenote: One nation or thirteen?]

Incidents like these of Wyoming and Vermont seem trivial, perhaps, when
contrasted with the lurid tales of border warfare in older times between
half-civilized peoples of mediaeval Europe, as we read them in the pages
of Froissart and Sir Walter Scott. But their historic lesson is none the
less clear. Though they lift the curtain but a little way, they show us
a glimpse of the untold dangers and horrors from which the adoption of
our Federal Constitution has so thoroughl