The Way West
Vermont
Even as the state capitals and New York City tore themselves apart with debate and controversy, indecision and confusion rippled out, even to the remote mountains of New England and distant reaches of the Mississippi. Let’s examine these areas, each in turn.
Vermont, alone of the rebellious states, had created an independent republic, alone and aloof in its sheltering mountains. Disputes over territory with New York had slowed down the path to statehood but it was never seriously in doubt. Indeed, the current Governor of the Vermont Republic, Thomas Chittenden, had spent the Revolution in committee to try and join the Union. Even now most of his time was taken up negotiating with the Congress of the Confederation (and the state of New York) to get favorable terms for statehood.
His job became more complex after the eruption of Anti-Federalism which swept the Northeast and exploded in reaction in Arch-Federalist New York. Adams, now safely in control of the Congress was less then eager to add another New England state to the nation, one which might harbor strong anti-federalist feelings. For their own part, the Triad of Boston did their best to court the Republic. Indeed, John Hancock even traveled to Vermont to meet with Chittenden secretly, to influence the Republic and gauge sentiment for his new ‘Son of Liberty’ which held the whip hand throughout much of New England already.
Chittenden, canny as ever played both sides off of each other, hoping for a better deal for his small, land-locked state. He had always been keen to take advantage of division and debate to further the ends of his home. It should be remembered, even in the Revolution, he held out olive branches to Britain and negotiated a possible return to the Crown right up until Yorktown. He was no stranger to taking a bold risk in a tense situation and 1791 offered this chance.
While New York dithered and debated (both the state and the city) Chittenden acted, to force their hand. In concert with Boston he announced that Vermont would be joining the “New England Anti-Federalist Committee” without becoming a state first. Boston hailed it as a great coup and a blow struck directly at those ‘monarchists under King Adams.”
The reaction in New York by Adams is hard to underestimate. Chittenden hoped to force the Congress of the Confederation to act, and act swiftly, and give in to his deals in upper New York state. Instead he drew himself into the epic battle of Federalist and Anti-Federalist. John Adams took it, personally, of course, as he did all setbacks. He regarded Chittenden as betrayer to the nation and its people, not to mention placing Vermont in the tender mercies of the ‘Sons of Liberty’ who even know (rumor had it) were forming militia and mobs against Federalist inhabitants. After his famous volcanic anger had erupted though he soon cooled on the issue, to a glacial, implacable calm. If Vermont hoped to force Adams to act, they underestimated him. When asked on the subject he answered, “I am determined to control events, not be controlled by them.” And with that, and his power in the Congress, no move toward Vermont statehood was made. It languished in a weird state of union with New England but not of the United States.
Ohio
But the fate of distant Vermont was nothing to the Congress as compared to the issues surrounding the vast Northwest territory, particularly the section called Ohio. As it might be remembered, General St. Clair had come to grief there twice, defeated by Miami chief, Little Turtle and his native alliance. The nation despaired of actually occupying the land it claimed. The federal government, weak and divided as it was, had no hope of raising a force to contend with Little Turtle.
When the calls when to the states for help, only neighbor Pennsylvania heeded the call. The Govenor, Thomas Mifflin, was a scandal ridden figure, with whispers that he had profited greater during his time as Quartermaster for George Washington’s army. But nonetheless he was now a powerful figure, with a large and populous state behind him and when he spoke, Adams at least deigned to listen.
Mifflin proposed that his state could conquer Ohio and dispatch he troublesome Indians, with minimal federal aid. For this help their cost would be little. First the federal government would give the Erie Triangle (which the federal government held due to a land deal some years ago) to his state, free of charge. Also, Pennsylvania would gain claims on the so-called ‘Western Reserve’ a section of Ohio that Connecticut continued to claim. Mifflin assured Adams that his state only wished to sell the lands, not hold them as part of his own state. In addition to those two ‘minor cartographical oddities’ Pennsylvania would assume control over the trade and law of the territory until it achieved statehood, at some distant point.
Adams considered the offer, in the context of a poor and fractious nation, embittered over St. Clair’s defeats (and his own, still questionable change of the role of the President of the Congress of the Confederation). A military victory just might give him the sway in Richmond, Charleston and the other centers of power. Not to mention, he would gain Mifflin and Pennsylvania as an ally. And, as always, Adams calculated things with an eye to revenge. Removing the Western Reserve may teach Connecticut a lesson about the power of his ‘National Government’.
Adams agreed to the plan, and his complacent Congress agreed with him. Mifflin, delighted with the plan, soon moved into action as 1791 drew to a close.
Kentucky
Farther south, the USA was also expanding. Kentucky, long the ‘dark and bloody ground’ was to remove itself from Virginia control and become a state in its own right. This had long been granted, and the people of Kentucky were eager to join the nation. Sadly, federal disagreements had slowed statehood and the turmoil following the Failure at Philadelphia, all pushes to statehood were halted. Now, though with Adams finally chopping through the backlog, the Congress finally had a chance to act on the matter.
With much fanfare, but little debate (the ground work had been done years before) Kentucky entered as the 14th state.
1791 had been an eventful year for the divided Republic. Many thought that 1793 would surpass it….