After Vermont became the fourteenth state, Chipman became a leader of its Federalist Party. In addition to his legal and political work, Chipman authored several works on government and law, served for 28 years as Professor of Law at Middlebury College, and was a satirical poet.
Chipman left the army to move to the Vermont Republic, where he attained admission to the bar and entered private practice in Tinmouth.[1] Chipman also continued his military service as a member of Captain John Spafford's Company, a unit of the militia regiment commanded by Colonel Gideon Warren.[4] He was state's attorney in Montpelier from 1781 to 1785, and a member of the Vermont House of Representatives from 1784 to 1785.[1] He was a judge of the Supreme Court of Vermont from 1786 to 1787, and served as chief judge from 1789 to 1791.[1]
Vermont's admission to the Union
On February 9, 1791, Chipman met with President George Washington to notify him officially of Vermont's decision to apply for admission to the Union as the 14th state.[5]New York had long objected to the existence of the government of Vermont on the grounds that Vermont was part of New York, a position that dated back to a pre-Revolutionary War dispute between the colonial governors of New York and New Hampshire over the right to sell Vermont land grants.[6]
In 1790, New York agreed to give up its claim provided that an agreement on the boundary between Vermont and New York could be concluded.[7] In consideration of New York giving up its claim to Vermont, Vermont paid $30,000 as an indemnity to owners of Vermont land who had received their grants from New York (about $800,000 in 2015).[8] On February 18, 1791, Congress decided to admit Vermont to the Union, effective March 4, 1791.[9]
Following his resignation from the federal bench, Chipman resumed private practice in Tinmouth from 1793 to 1796.[1] In 1833, he authored the book Sketches of the Principles of Government.[10] Chipman served as chief justice of the Supreme Court of Vermont from 1796 to 1797.[1]
Following his departure from Congress, Chipman resumed practicing law in Tinmouth.[1] He was a member of the Vermont House of Representatives from 1806 to 1809 and in 1811.[1] He was a member of the Vermont Council of Censors in 1813.[1] He was chief justice of the Supreme Court of Vermont from 1813 to 1815.[1][12] He was a professor of law at Middlebury College starting in 1816.[1][13]
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