of Tobago, in her way thither, she made the Island of Barbados, the Cap' of the Brig wishing to learn the Markets among the Islands stood in for Carlisle Bay in Barbados, and while the Brig was standing off and on the Bay, she was seized by Horatio Nelson Esq' Commander of the British Ship of War Boreas, and by his Officers and People she was brought into the Harbour to Anchor and all the People belonging to the Brig were ordered out of her all the Chests and Trunks on board were broken open and the Vessels Papers and Accounts, and also the Capts own private Accounts & Papers were all taken away all these proceedings being within the space of one hour after the Brig's first appearing in the Bay - Capt Fraser produced the fullest proofs that the Brig and Cargo were American Property and belonged to the Subjects of the United States and demanded his Vessel to be restor'd to him. Notwithstanding which, on the 30th March last the said Nelson caused the Brig and Cargo to be libelled in the Court of Vice Admiralty at Barbados. For importing Goods & Commodities contrary to the British Acts of Trade" - At the same time your Petitioners (had the Vessel been tried) would have clearly proved that there was no Importation made, or attempted to be made - The libel was receiv'd and filed and some proceedings had thereon in said Court but no decisive trial could be obtaind-Afterwards on the 20th day of May last the said Nelson finding that he could not get the Vessel condemned at Barbados, sailed from thence in the Boreas and forcibly carried off the said Brig from the custody of the Court, declaring he would carry her to every British Island in the Westindies and then to England, rather than fail of getting her condemned - Capt Fraser finding the Brig carried away in the manner aforementioned, not knowing to what place she might be carried, and despairing of redress, after waiting seventy days at Barbados returned to Portsmouth Your Petitioners again employed Capt Fraser to return to the Westindies and furnishd him with Money to stand trial if he could find the Brig at any of the Islands, but he must have perished in a Hurricane on the 24 Septem' on his way from Tobago to Barbados. Your Petitioners having a valuable Brig of 192 tons burthen and Cargo which together they estimate at £2,000 Sterling while employ'd in a lawful trade seized and taken from them by mere dint of power, without colour of law, have no where else to look for redress but to this honorable Court Wherefore they pray that your Honors would interpose in their behalf and represent their case to the United States in Congress Assembled and request Congress to instruct their Minister at the Court of London to demand restoration of your Petitioners property, taken from them by lawless power or otherwise grant redress to your James Sheafe William Sheafe [7-109] [Report of Committee on Sheaffe's Petition.] The Committee on the petition of Messrs James Sheafe and William Sheafe beg leave to report that an attested copy of the petition and order of Court thereon be delivered to the Delegates for this State, and that they be desired and instructed to represent to Congress the manner of the seizure and condemnation of the said Brigantine and Cargo, and move Congress to instruct their Minister at the Court of London to demand Restoration of or Compensate for the said Brigantine and Cargo seized and condemned contrary to the Laws of Nations and of Trade. which is submitted by State of New Hamp Josh Wentworth for the Committee In the House of Representatives January 11th 1787 Upon reading and considering the foregoing Report Voted that it be received and Accepted Sent up for Concurrence John Langdon Speaker In Senate Jany 12th 1787 read & concurred [7-110] J Pearson Secy [Report of Committee on Unimproved Lands, 1787.] The Committee on Ascertaining the Waste or un-improved land belonging to the State report that they recommend that a bill be brought in appointing and fully Authorizing a Committee to Settle and Ascertain the Western line of a tract of land originally granted to Capt John Mason commonly called the Masonian line. That said. Committee agree with the Owners or Claimants of said Grant in running, marking & establishing said line in such way and Manner as they may Mutually agree. But in case the said owners or Claimants, & the said Committee should not agree in settling said line, that then the Commtee proceed to run and Mark said line agreeably to the tenor & construction of the original Grant or Grants of the same, and make report thereof to the General Court. They further recommend that some Court be perticularly impow ered, or a new Court erected to try and determine all matters relative to the performance, or Non-performance of Charter Conditions of lands, Granted in this State known by the name of Kings Grants. And that as soon as such Court be authorized or erected, that the Attorney General be directed from time to time, as the General Court shall think proper to Summon before said Court the owners or Claimants of Such Granted Towns or located lands, as the said General Court shall Suppose deficient in performing their respective Charter Conditions to show cause why their said lands should not be declared forfeit; and to Obtain before said Court an Equitable determination thereon Elisha Payne for the Comme State of Newhamp In the House of Representatives Jany 9th 1787 Upon reading and considering the foregoing Report Voted that it be received and accepted and that a Bill or Bills be brought in Accordingly Sent up for concurrence In Senate Jan 11th 1787 read & concurred John Langdon Speaker J. Pearson Sec [7-111] [Removal of Commissioner Gorham.] Portsmouth Jany. 16th 1787 State of New Hampshire S Sir The Legislature of this State view with great surprise, the order of the Board of Treasury for the sudden removal of Mr. Gorham, the Continental Commissioner appointed to settle the public Accounts of this State, from his Office at a time when those accounts are in a fair way of settlement; the whole compleated to the close of the year 1777, and the papers & Vouchers for several years after examined and in perfect readiness for Settlement - The trouble & expence of attending a Board of Commissioners at a Distance, with all the papers and vouchers from a State which on every call of Congress has been zealous to contribute largely in supplying men, money, & provisions, cannot be considered as an object of small importance, and even when this is done the Commissioners will be under a Necessity of detaining any agent that may be appointed, until they can by examination make themselves as fully acquainted with the nature of those Demands as Mr Gorham, who has spent a long time in gaining an adequate knowledge of them. The reason why much time has already been spent in bringing those Accounts to a close cannot be a matter of surprise when Congress reflect that at the early periods of the late War this State exerted itself in supplying men & provisions for the Army, repeatedly furnished Militia to guard the almost deserted Lines of our Encampments, in the year 1777 almost of itself stopped the progress of a large body of troops penetrating into this State and contributed much toward capturing the forces under General Burgoyne & in 1778 sent a large force to assist in reducing the British Army at Rhode Island & through the whole war in all other respects kept up their quota at least equal with the other States and in addition to this it ought to be considered that we had extensive frontiers to guard and owing to a dispute between this State & Vermont to Counties out of five were for a long time led to acknowledge the Jurisdiction of Vermont and deny that of New Hampshire, which prevented our receiving any assistance from those two Counties, and now renders our public Accounts very intricate & perplexing these difficulties having however with great Labor & assiduity been almost overcome and the nature of them fully understood by your Commissioner, the Legislature cannot without pain see him remov'd and the State compelled at a Distance from the files & Records of the State to wade through the same scene of difficulties and embarressments before Gentlemen who cannot without the Loss of much time & Expence have the Demands in the same train for Settlement as they now are. Congress will therefore pardon the earnest solicitation of the Legislature to have Mr Gorham continued in Office until the Accounts can be closed, if not inconsistent with the views and designs of Congress respecting the public Weal which will prevent not only a delay of Settlement but very great and unnecessary expence to the State State of Newhamp In the House of Representatives Jany 17 = 1787 The Committee for Draughting a letter to Congress respecting the Continental Commissioner on Accounts reported the foregoing, which having been read and considered Voted, that it be receiv'd & Accepted, & that the President be requested to forward a Copy of the same to Congress as soon as may be Sent up for Concurrence In Senate the same day read & concurred John Langdon Speaker J. Pearson Secy [The committee to draft this letter were: Senate, Mr. Atkinson & Mr. Wentworth; House, Mr. Pickering, Mr. Langdon, and Mr. Sparhawk. ED.] [7-113] [Samuel Hobart's Proposal, 1787.] Exeter 6th March 1787 State of New Hampshire Whereas there remains in my possession a quantity of Gun Powder, ungranulated I hereby agree with Christopher Toppan & Joseph Gilman Esq A Committee appointed by the Gen' Court, that I will granulate and deliver to them Nine hundred & fifty Pounds weight, of Powder by the first day of June, they allowing me what remains for my trouble — The above Powder is to be made as good as the Materials will admit of, & to be delivered at my Powder Mill, they to find Casks Sam1 Hobart [7-114] [Estimate of supplies needed for the Lighthouse, June 2, 1787.ED.] [7-115] [Petition in Regard to Courts in Hillsborough County, 1787.] To the Honurarable the Senate and the Honourable the House of Representatives to be Convean'd in Concord on the first wednesday of June 1787 the Petition of a Number of Towns in the County of Hillsborough Humbly Sheweth that Whereas wee your Humble Petitioners belonging to the Northern part of the Said County of Hillsborough Humbly Conceieve our Selves to be Greatly agrieved on the account of the Courts of Law being held Wholy So Near the South part of Said County Wee therefore Humbly pray your Honours to take the Matter into your wise Consideration and Grant us Relief by the Removal of Said Courts in the Centre of Said County or otherwise Grant that wee May have the Priveledge of a half Sheare Town as Near the Centre of the North Half of Said County as Will Best Commode the Inhabitants thereof Which being Done Will Greatly add to the |