And at said meeting, each voter, as aforesaid, on one paper, is to bring in votes for one person, being a reputable freeholder and inhabitant within your County, having a real estate of two hundred pounds, to serve as members of the Council for the year ensuing.

And the Clerk of your town is hereby directed to seal up all such votes under cover, and send them to the house of Mr. Green, in Wentworth, in your County, by the second Wednesday in December next, directed to Francis Worcester, Charles Johnson, and Abel Chandler, a Committee appointed to receive them.

And it is Resolved, That no person be allowed a seat in Council or Assembly, who shall, by himself or any person for him, before said choice, treat with liquor, &c. any elector, with an apparent view of gaining their votes, or afterwards on that account.

And make return of this writ, with your doings thereon, into the Secretary's office at Exeter, by the third Wednesday in December next.

M. WEARE, President,
P. WHITE, Speaker.

By order of the Council and Assembly:

Exeter, September 30, 1776.

E. THOMPSON, Secretary.

Proceedings at Town-meetings.*

Meeting at Hanover.

Hanover, November 27, 1776. Pursuant to the within precept, we notified the inhabitants paying taxes in the town of Hanover, Canaan and Cardigan, to meet at the Meeting-House in said Hanover, this day, for the purposes within mentioned, who being met passed the following votes, viz:

Ist Voted unanimously, That the Address of the inhabitants of this and other towns, to the people of the several towns through this Colony, published by their committee in July last, is truly expressive of our sentiments respecting representation, and the unconstitutional formation and procedures of the present Assembly of this State.

2d. Voted unanimously, That we will not choose a Representative as directed in the precept issued by the Assembly of this State, for the following reasons, viz:

1. Because no plan of representation is as yet formed in this State consistent with the liberties of a free people, in that the people have not universally had a full representation in any Assembly since the State

*See State Pap. N. H., Vol. VIII, pp. 421-426.-ED.

was declared independent of the Crown of Great Britain, by which declaration we conceive that the powers of Government reverted to the people at large, and of course, annihilated the political existence of the Assembly which then was; notwithstanding which they have since presumed to act in the name of the people, and in their precept undertake to prescribe and limit the mode of procedure in our choice of a Representative, while it does not appear that they are to be chosen for the purpose of recognizing the rights of the people and assuming such Government as shall be agreeable to them, though nothing of that nature has at any time been done in the State, except a plan formed by the Representatives of a part of this State, by which the whole rights of the people are assumed by that House.

2. Because the precept, in consequence of which this meeting was called, is inconsistent with the liberties of a free people, in that it directs to have different corporate towns (who have a right to act by themselves in all cases) to unite for the purpose of Choosing a Representative and Counsellor.

3. Because it limits us in our choice to a person who has real estate of two hundred pounds, lawful money; whereas we conceive that there ought to be no pecuniary restriction, but that every elector is capable to be elected.

3d. Voted unanimously, That the Selectmen be directed to make return of the foregoing vote with the reasons annexed, together with the precept, to the Assembly proposed to be held at Exeter, on the third Wednesday in December next.

4th. Voted unanimously, That we will not give in our Votes for a Counsellor as directed in the precept.

1. Because we can see no important end proposed by their creation, unless to negative the proceedings of the House of Representatives, which we humbly conceive ought not to be done in a free state.

2. Because every elector ought to have a voice in the choice of each Counsellor (in Cases where they are needful,) and not to be restricted in his Choice to any particular limits within the State. For which reason we protest against any Counsellor being chosen in this County as directed in the precept.

5th Voted unanimously, That the Clerk be directed to make return of the last vote, with the reasons annexed, and our Protest, as the Precept directs, relative to vote for a Counsellor.

6th Voted, That this meeting be dissolved and it was accordingly dissolved.

Attest:

ICHABOD FOWLER
THOMAS DURKEE

Selectmen of Hanover.

Meeting at Lyme.

At a meeting of the inhabitants of the town of Lyme, legally warned, and convened at the house of Ebenezer Green, Esq., on Monday the 25th of November, and continued by adjournment to Monday, the 2a of December inst.

1st Voted That the pamphlet lately published by the Committee of the towns of Lyme, Hanover, Lebanon and Plainfield, is truly expressive of our sentiments on Representation, and the unconstitutional formation and proceedings of the present Assembly.

2d. Voted, That we cannot comply with the precept issued to this town, in Conjunction with five other towns, for choosing a Representative, for the reasons following, viz: Because the present plan of Representation is entirely inconsistent with a free State, where every corporate town hath an undoubted right to act for themselves in choosing a member of the legislative Body; Because the elections are limited to persons of £200 lawful money, real estate, for their choice, whereas every elector in free states is capable of being elected.

3d. Voted, That the Clerk be directed to make return of our reasons for our non-compliance to the proposed Assembly that is to sit at Exeter on the third Wednesday of December next.

Voted, That we cannot comply with the direction to the choice of a Counsellor in manner proposed in the precept, for the reasons following: First, Because that in every free State the people have an undoubted right to their voice in the choice of the whole Council, either by themselves or their Representatives; Secondly, Because we cannot see any good proposed by confining the electors to certain limits within the State for their choice.

[4th] Voted, That the Clerk be directed to make return of our reasons for non-compliance to the Committee appointed for the receiving of the votes for a Counsellor, and also to enter a protest against the choice. JONA. CHILD, Town Clerk.

Test:

Meeting at Acworth.

The reason why we do not join with the towns of Unity, Acworth, Lempster, Saville, Croydon, and Newport, as we did last year, in choosing a representative, is this, viz: Then we supposed they was to act only upon the present exigencies of the Government; but now the case is much altered. The honorable Continental Congress has declared their independence of Great Britain; therefore we think that the present Assembly has not taken right methods in issuing out their precepts for the choice of Representatives and Counsellors for the year ensuing; for, in the first place, they have, as to Representative, in some incorporated towns, allowed two or three Representatives; to others, they have joined five or six towns together; whereas we think every incorporated town ought to be represented by themselves. Then, as to Counsellors, in one County they have ordered five, in some two, and in one County but one, which we look upon not according to liberty; for as this State is but one body, we think they ought to be chose by the people at large. And also they have ordered that neither of these shall have a seat in the Assembly without they have real estate to the value of two hundred pounds, lawful money; whereas we think every lawful elector is a subject to be elected.

Voted, That the above reasons be sent to the Council and Assembly of this State, which is to convene together at Exeter, the third Wednesday of this instant, and that the Town Clerk shall sign it in behalf of the town.

This done at a legal town meeting, Acworth, December 9th 1776. THOMAS PUTNAM, Moderator.

A true copy, Attest: Sam1 Silsby, Town Clerk.

Petition from Inhabitants of Marlow, &c.

To the honourable Council and Assembly of the Colony of New Hampshire to be convened and assembled at Exeter, on the third Wednesday of December instant.

The petition of the inhabitants of the towns of Marlow, Alstead, and Surry, humbly showeth; That whereas, it is the advice and direction of the Continental Congress relative to the assuming Civil Government in this Colony, have advised and directed the Provincial Congress of this Colony, previous to their assuming a form of Civil Government, that they at their Convention do grant warrants for a full and free election of Representatives in this Colony; and whereas various coupling of various towns together in the western parts of the Colony, and allowing but one Representative to a coupling, and we being differently treated from the major parts of this Colony, who are allowed a Representative to each town; and whereas the towns of Marlow, Alstead and Surry, are towns incorporated with all invariable privileges and immunities that any other towns do or may enjoy in this Colony, and being thus coupled together as aforesaid, are abridged or curtailed of the privilege of each individual town electing a Representative, which we humbly conceive cannot be construed to be a full and free election or representation of the said Colony agreeable to the advice of the Continental Congress above recited; we therefore, your humble petitioners, would beseech the honourable Council and House of Representatives, that previous to the further pursuing the plan of Civil Government, that there may warrants be granted for a full and free election or representation of each of the individual towns above-mentioned, pursuant to the advice of the Continental Congress aforesaid: thus shall your humble petitioners, as in duty bound, ever pray.

SAM GUSTIN

ABSALOM KINGSBURY.

WOOLSTON BROCKWAY JONATHAN SMITH. Committee from Marlow, Alstead and Surry. Dated Colony of New Hampshire, Marlow, December 11th, A. D. 1776.

Chesterfield-Instructions.

To Mr. Michael Creasy, Representative for the Town of Chesterfield, in the State of New Hampshire.

SIR :

Whereas it having pleased Almighty God to humble the people of this land, by permitting the tyrant of Great Britain and his minions, in the fulness of their rage, to prevail against them by subverting the Civil Constitution of every Province in his late American dominions, affecting thereby the activity of law and justice, and the introduction of vice and profaneness, attended with domestick confusion, and all the calamities attendant on a dissolution of the power of Civil Government, which, in this alarming progress, have made it absolutely necessary for each state to separate itself from that land from whence their forefathers were exiled by the cruel hand of tyranny, and to form for itself, under the ruler of all the earth, such plans of Civil Government as the people thereof should think most conducive to their own safety and advantage: Notwithstanding the importance of an equitable system of Government, as

it affects ourselves and our posterity, we are brought to the disagreeble necessity of declaring, that it is our candid opinion that the State of New Hampshire, instead of forming an equitable plan of Government, conducing to the peace and safety of the State, have been influenced by the iniquitous intrigues and secret designations of persons unfriendly, to settle down upon the dregs of Monarchical and Aristocratical tyranny, in imitation of their late British oppressor. We can by no means imagine ourselves so far lost to a sense to the natural rights and immunities of ourselves and our fellow men, as to imagine that the State can be either safe or happy under a Constitution formed without the knowledge or particular authority of a great part of its inhabitants; a Constitution which no man knows the contents of, except that the whole Legislative power of the State is to be entirely vested in the will and pleasure of a House of Representatives, and that chosen according to the Sovereign determination of their own will, by allowing to some towns sundry voices in the said House, others but one, and other none; and in a Council of twelve men, five of which are always to be residents of Rockingham County, who by the assistance of two others of said Council, have the power of a casting voice in all State affairs.

Thus we see the important affairs of the State liable to be converted to the advantage of a small part of the State, and the emolument of its officers, by reason of the other part of the State not having an equal or equitable share in the Government, to counterbalance the designs of the other. You are therefore authorized and instructed to exert yourself to the utmost to procure a redress of the afore-mentioned grievances, and in case they will not comply, to return home for further instructions. SOLOMON HARVEY, per order Com.

Chesterfield, December ye 12th, 1776.

Haverhill and other Towns.

The inhabitants of the Towns of Haverhill, Lyman, Bath, Gunthwait, Landaff and Morristown.

At a meeting legally warned, in consequence of a precept from the Assembly at Exeter, for the purpose of choosing a representative, as also to give in their votes for a Counsellor for the County of Grafton, having refused a compliance with said precept, have chosen us, the subscribers, a Committee to return the precept, together with the reasons of their non-compliance: which reasons are as follows, viz:

First. Because no plan of Representation has yet been found in this State consistent with the liberties of a free people; and it is our humble opinion, that when the Declaration of Independency took place, the Colonies were absolutely in a state of nature, and the powers of government reverted to the people at large, and of consequence annihilated the political existence of the Assembly which then was.

Secondly. Because the precept directs to have a number of different towns (who have an undoubted right to act by themselves separately) to unite for the purpose of choosing a Representative and Counsellor. Thirdly. Because we are limited in our choice of a Representative to a person who has a real estate of two hundred pounds, lawful money; whereas we conceive that every elector is capable of being elected.

Fourthly. Because that no bill of rights has been drawn up, or form