to flee out of the ftate of Newyork, and to betake themselves to their last resort in Vermont.

WITH respect to that government, the legislature had been officially informed, That on the 13th of February, General Lincoln difpatched Royal Tyler, Efq; one of his Aids de Camp, to request their affistance in apprehending the rebel ringleaders : That, upon his communicating his inftructions and request in writing, the subject of them was put in committee, and a report made for requesting their Governour to iffue his proclamation, enjoining it upon their citizens, not to harbour the leaders or abettors of the rebels: That this report was accepted by their lower House, and fent up to their Council, where there also appeared eight of nine affiftants in favour of it: That it would of course, have paffed there, but for the Governour's objections, which were at first founded upon his not having given the subject a proper confideration, but were afterwards bottomed upon more ferious principles :-These were faid to have been raised, from the impolicy of iffuing a proclamation, which might impede the emigration of subjects from other ftates into that; and the imprudence of oppofing the fenfe of their people, who began to affemble in arms, in a neighbouring town, and who might create an infurrection,

rection, and furround the legiflature, unless the report were difmiffed: That there being no profpect of Mr. Tyler's effecting the object of his requeft, and the letters from the Governour of Maffacbufetts having arrived, he departed, with strong apprehenfions, that the bulk of the people in Vermont, were for affording protection to the rebels, and that no immediate or effectual aid would be granted, in confequence of either. The General Court therefore, on the fame day, requested the Governour to write again to the Governour of that ftate alfo, reprefenting the religious and political obligations neighbouring states were under, to prevent fugitives from juftice harbouring themselves within their respective territories; reminding the government of Vermont of the liberal principles on which Massachusetts had conducted towards them, and of her unwillingness to entertain a doubt of a different conduct on their part; informing them of the general notoriety, that a number of the leaders, and others concerned in the rebellion, had taken shelter, and received fuccour among their citizens, whereby not only the inhabitants of Massachusetts, but the government of Vermont, was in danger; that this had been represented to them in a friendly letter from his Excellency, and although no answer was received, yet that the Court conceived, that they

had

had a right to expect a ready and full compliance with the requeft therein expreffed. And further requesting the Governour of Vermont, to deliver up the rebels who had taken refuge within his limits, or to permit the forces of Maffachusetts to enter thofe limits, for the purpose of apprehending them, and to direct all officers of Vermont, to aid them in that purpose.

PREVIOUSLY however to the paffing of this fpirited refolution, the Governour of Vermont iffued his proclamation of the 27th of February, and afterwards communicated the fame to the Governour of Massachusetts, in a letter, containing friendly affurances of cooperation in measures, for effectually checking fo daring and dangerous an evil, as the inteftine faction which then prevailed.

THE legislature of Pennsylvania, the President of which state was also included in the Governour's letters, fhewed a generous compliance with his Excellency's requeft. On the 1st of March they made an addition to the reward offered by Massachusetts, for apprehending the leaders of the rebellion, if taken within their ftate. Their refolution was communicated by their Prefident, in a congratulatory letter upon the fuccefs of the measures adopted for preferving a conftitution,

which he was pleased to denominate one of the best in the union, if not in the world.

THE General Court alfo empowered the Governour, on the 8th of March, in conformity with the constitution, to march the militia raised for fubduing the rebellion out of the limits of the commonwealth, into the bounds of any of the states adjacent, if he should think it neceffary for that purpose. In addition to a former request to the Governour, to write to Congress, to inform them that a rebellion exifted in the Common-. wealth, and to request that they would take meafures for defending the arsenal at Springfield, in order that the troops there might be employed in other service; they further defired his Excellency, to request of Congrefs, that the federal troops raised in Newyork and the states eastward of it, might be directed, to afford their aid, in apprehending, and, if neceffary, in destroying the rebels, in any place within the limits of the United States. And that Congress would give to General Lincoln a commiffion, under the authority of the United States, to march the forces of Maffachusetts into any territory, within the states, for the purpose of apprehending their leaders, and bringing them to juftice.

AS

As foon as the infurgents were fubdued within the state, and measures taken for precluding them a toleration in the neighbouring governments, the General Court found it a fuitable time for providing for the trials of fuch as were in cuftody. For this purpose, on the 26th of February, the Supreme Judicial Court were directed, by law, to hold a special feffion in the difaffected counties of Berkshire, Hampshire and Middlefex, the standing laws providing for their fitting in Worcester on the last Tuesday in April. And in order that the trials fhould be made by disinterested and unprejudiced juries, a law was alfo paffed, reciting, that whereas the pardon to the rebels was granted on condition, that the perfons concerned fhould not ferve as jurors for three years; and whereas it was reafonable to provide, as far as might be, not only for the due administration of justice, but also for the relief of such persons as had been concerned in the rebellion, and who, though unwilling to declare themselves criminal, might wish to avail themselves of the pardon which was, or might be promised: Therefore it was enacted, that the selectmen of the feveral towns, to which venires should be issued for jurors within one year, fhould withdraw from the jury boxes the names of all fuch perfons as they might judge had been guilty of favouring the rebellion,

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