“I am directed to inform Congress that by the arts and influence of certain designing men, a part of this state has been prevailed on to revolt. Information we have received would lead us to believe some persons in our sister States have fostered and fomented these divisions. But as those informations tend to accuse some of your honorable body being concerned in this scheme, decency obliges us to suspend our belief. The Convention are sorry to observe that by conferring a commission upon Colonel Warner, with authority to name the officers of a regiment to be raised independently of the Legislature of this State, and within that part of it which hath lately declared itself independent, Congress hath given too much weight to the insinuations of those who pretend that your honorable body are determined to support those insurgents; especially as this Colonel Warner hath been constantly and invariably opposed to the legislature of this State, and hath been on that very account proclaimed an outlaw by the late government thereof. It is absolutely necessary to recall the commissions given to Colonel Warner, and the officers under him, _as nothing else will do justice to us_.” Congress voted to dismiss the petition of Vermont. Notwithstanding this rebuff, the people resolved to draft a constitution for the new State. A committee was also appointed to visit the officer in command at Ticonderoga, and consult with him respecting the defense of the frontiers. While the committee was at that post, Burgoyne appeared in force on Lake Champlain, and resting at Crown Point sent a detachment of three hundred, mostly Indians, to land at the mouth of Otter Creek, and ravage the frontier settlements. The commanding officer at Ticonderoga refused to send off any of his troops in aid of the panic-stricken families, but allowed Col. Warner to go with the committee to raise a volunteer force from the Green Mountain Boys. A hasty levy was raised, with which the raiders were promptly repelled. All who were members of the Convention left the militia and repaired to Windsor, July 4th. A draft of the constitution was laid before the convention and read. The matter under consideration was new, of great moment, and required serious deliberation; it was debated step by step, and paragraph by paragraph. While absorbed in their duty, an express arrived with tidings that Ticonderoga had been evacuated, and that the whole frontier of the Hampshire Grants was exposed to the ravages of the enemy.