They had renounced all allegiance to New
York, and did not acknowledge that government as having any
authority over them. And as they had not been received intu the
Union, in the capacity of a separate State, they denied the au-
tliority of Congress to exercise any authority over them, until
thf^y were placed upon the footing of tlie other States,, as a part of
HIoTORY Of ADDISOy, C^.UJfTY. 71
the coiifoLbracj bj wliich that bodj had been constituted. They
were of course, in tiieir own view, without a government.
Until this time the counties of Cumberland and Gloucester had
•generallj submitted to the government of New York, which had
established courts and appointed the oSicers of those counties.
But there were always many individuals opposed to that jurisdiction.
The idea of establishing a separate government led the inhabitants
to look aroundinfluence of the govern-
ment is " weak and dissipated," " to the great encouragement of
the laAvless and wicked."
It is understood that the excitement which raised the mob in
March, 1775, to stop the proceedings of the court at Westminster,
and arrest and imprison the judges and other officers, had no refer-
ence to the question of land titles, or jurisdiction. But it is not
improbable, that the scarcity of money, and their inability to pay
the heavy amount of debts put in suit, which produced that excite-
ment, might have stimulated an opposition to the government,
whose courts and sheriff were a terror to the Avhole community.
Accordingly, '' a meeting of the committees appointed by a large
body of inhabitants, on the east side of the Green Mountains," was
held at Westminster, on the 11th day of