[6-14]

[Petition to Make Strafford and Grafton Acting Counties.]

To his Excellency John Wentworth Esquire Captain, General, Governor and Commander in Chief, in and over his Majesty's Province of New Hampshire in New-England and Vice Admiral of the Same; And to the Honorable His Majesty's Council of said Province convened in the Council Chamber at Portsmouth January 22d 1772

This Memorial of the Subscribers most humbly Shews,

That since the Province was divided into Counties, the Counties of Strafford & Grafton have greatly increased in Inhabitants and Agriculture That the Division of the Province into Counties daily calls for special Laws suited to County Conveniences, which are not (perhaps cannot be) so framed, as to suit the Interest of inactive Counties; but carry their Riches into active ones. A recent Instance thereof, is, a Law made this Year, pointing what Money is paid at the General Quarter Sessions for Licences, Fines &c, (not peculiarly reserved to the King) into the County Treasury, for County Uses —

That if the Counties of Strafford & Grafton were acting Counties, it would greatly facilitate the Peopling the Government, and be a Means of adding Strength, Riches and Obedience thereto, when Law is duly administred in the Interior Parts of the Province

Whether the holding County Courts on the Eastern Banks of Connecticut River in the County of Grafton would not produce some pleasing, and real Advantages to the Government, is most humbly submitted to your Excellency's & Honors better Judgment: and we pray to be excused for giving this Hint; & the rather as it is without Representation

The Collecting County Taxes from a People who do not conceive of any Advantage they receive therefrom, serves only to agitate the Mind on disagreeable Objects - And We have understood that a Second Tax of this Nature, is to be issued in February next —

The Town of Dover provided Timber some time since, for building a Town House; which is still unused from a Principle (adopted since the County Act took place) that a Structure more noble, and Convenient for that, and holding County Courts, could be built under one Roof, with a Considerable saving to both the Town and County Not to weary your Excellency & Honors with a further Detail of Matters: As we conceive the Intention of the Silence of those Counties by the County Act, has been fully attended to; We most humbly pray, that you would be pleased in your wonted Goodness, to

Enfranchise the said Counties of Strafford and Grafton with the Priveledges of acting Counties, (or Strafford at least) and your Petitioners as in duty bound will ever Pray &ca

[6-141]

George R.

[Instructions to Governor Wentworth, 1772.]

Additional Instruction to Our Trusty and Welbeloved (L. S.) John Wentworth Esq' Our Gov' and Commander in Chief in and over Our Province of New Hampshire in New England in America, Given at Our Court at St James's this fourth Day of February 1772 In the twelfth Year of Our Reign.

Whereas Laws have been passed in some of Our Colonies and Plantations in America, by which the Lands, Tenements, Goods, Chattels, Rights & Credits of persons, who have never resided within the Colonies where such Laws have been passed, have been made liable to be attached for the recovery of Debts in a manner different from that allowed by the Laws of England in like Cases, and Whereas it hath been represented unto us that such Laws may have the conse quence to prejudice and obstruct the Commerce between this Kingdom & Our said Colonies and to affect the public Credit; It is Our Will and pleasure that you do not on any pretence whatever give your assent to, or pass any Bill or Bills in Our Province under your Gov by which the Lands, Tenements, Goods, Chattels, Rights & Credits of Persons who have never resided within Our said Province shall be made liable to be attached for the recovery of Debts due from such persons, otherwise than is allowed by Law in Cases of the like nature within this Our Kingdom of Great Britain, until you shall have first transmitted unto Us, by one of Our Principal Secretaries of State the Draught of such Bill or Bills & shall have received Our Royal Pleasure thereupon, unless you take care in the passing of such Bill or Bills, that a Clause or Clauses be inserted therein suspending and deferring the execution thereof, until Our Royal Will and Pleasure shall be known thereupon.

GR.

[6-15]

[Petition for Road from Conway to Connecticut River, 1772.] Province of To His Excellency John Wentworth Esq' Captain New Hampshire General Governor & Commander in Chief and the Honorable His Majestys Council

The Petition of the proprietors of Lancaster Northumberland Shelburn &c Humbly Sheweth

That your petitioners own lands between Conway and the upper Cohass & upon Connecticut River in said Cohass, which are Granted to us under terms of cultivation & settlement in which duty they are insuperably obstructed for want of Roads from Conway to Connecticut River on the east of the White Hills, whereby communication may be made to Portsmouth about One Hundred Miles nearer than by the present, or any other course. By such Road only can that Country be settled-Wherefore your Petitioners in behalf of themselves & the other proprietors of the aforesaid & adjoining Country, pray Your Excellency & Honors would be pleas'd to order the Surveyor General of Lands for this Province to survey & mark a proper road & issue such further order for making it passable as to your Excellency & Honors shall seem requisite to relieve your petitioners & advance the general good of the Province & your petitioners as in duty bound shall ever pray &c

[Bill from Thomas Martin, against the Province, of £3. 18. 2.

ED.]

[6-17]

[Petition from James Breckenridge, Representing Inhabitants of New Hampshire Grants, 1772.]

Province of New To His Excellency John Wentworth Esqr Capt Hampshire General, Governor and Commander in Chief in and over his Majesty's Province aforesaid, the Honourable his Majesty's Council & house of Representatives in General Assembly Convened

The petition of James Brackenridge of Bennington, now within the Jurisdiction of the Government of New York, in behalf of himself and some thousands of Inhabitants, settled between Connecticut River and a North line drawn, at Twenty Miles Eastern distance from Hudson's or Albany River - Humbly Shew

That your Petitioners Entered upon & became Setlers and Inhabitants of a Considerable part of the said land Claiming the same by virtue of Charter patents issued by the Governor and Council & under the seal of New Hampshire aforesaid, that they began in the year 1749 and Continued their improvements & Cultivations from that time when the said patents issued till the year 1764 - when they were happy in the Enjoyment of the produce of their farms, and never had the least Notice or Mistrust that Either the title, to the land or the Jurisdiction of the Government would Suffer any Alteration, neither did the Government of New York give the least warning, till his Majesty's aforesaid determination in the year 1764, at which period began our Misfortune and Loss of all Quiet, our Situation since that time has been a Continual scene of trouble & Affliction Occasioned by their frequent Lawsuits, Indictments, Imprisonments and Locations &c

Your Petitioners further beg leave to Inform your Excellency and honours that they have some time since petitioned his Majesty for Redress, but imagine our petition being from persons in a private Station had not Sufficient weight to Reach his Majesty's Royal Ear, We would therefore humbly beg your interposition in Addressing his Majesty in our behalf that he would be Graciously pleased to Confirm our titles to the Land, and Restore the Jurisdiction of the Government to his Most Loyal & Most dutiful Subjects of the Province of New Hampshire, And the Petitioners as in duty bound will Ever pray &c

Portsmouth, May 19th 1772,

In Council May 20. 1772

in behalf of the Petitioners James Breakenridge

Read and ordered to be sent down to the Honble Assembly

Geo: King Depy Sec

[6-18]

Province of

[Memorial from the Province Treasurer.]

Treasurers Office June 3d 1772New Hampshire To the Honourable General Assembly now Sitting

The Province Treasurer beg's leave to represent to the Honble Assembly, that by their Vote pass'd upon his last Accompts rendered the 26th of May last- the Treasurer is injured by reducing the Articles he charged to the Province, for his Service as Treasurer the last year, for providing a Secure place for the Province Money, and an office for transacting the buisness of the Treasury. and Supplying Fewel and other Articles for the Use of the Treasury. and also for reducing the Article of a Small Charge for extra-Service of Exchanging Money and issuing Notes &c. In Consideration of the Attendance given for the Buisness of the Treasury, and risk of Loss, in receiving and paying the Sums which pas't through the Treasury last year; and the Expence of those Articles necessary for the Official Service of the Province Treasury, more especialy if compared with the common allowance for Similar Articles in any other Situation or Character the Sum Charged by the Treasurer in his last Accompt to the Province, will appear to be greatly Short and much less than he think's in right and Justice he ought to have for the Same and the Treasurer humbly hopes the Honble Assembly will, upon further Consideration think that the Sum's charged to the Province in his last Accot is, at least, due to him for the Services, Risk, and Expence, necessary to the Province Treasury. In granting the Sums mentioned to the Treasurer for his Service as Treasurer for the last year — will oblige their respectfull Humble Servt

[6-19]

Geo: Jaffrey Treas1·

[Proceedings of the House in regard to Road, 1772.]

Province of

New Hampshire ire }

In the house of Representatives June 9th 1772. Upon a motion being made The house took under Consideration An Extract from the minutes of his Majesty's Council Relative to a Petition Sign'd by D Peirce & others Brot down from the Honble Board accompanying the Said minutes Respecting a Road to be made from Conway to Connecticut River on the East of the White Hills &c - Voted That the Petitioners have Liberty to bring in a Bill for clearing and making passable a Road from Conway to Connecticut. River on the East of the white hills where Said Road can best be