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elect one Person (having a real Estate of the Value of Two Hundred Pounds Lawful Money in this Colony) to represent them in General Congress now setting at Exeter-And to impower such Representative for the Term of one Year from the 21st of December curt to transact such Business and pursue such measures as they may judge necessary for the public Good. And in Case there should be a Recommendation from the Continental Congress that this Colony assume Government in any particular Form, which will require a House of Representatives, that they resolve themselves into such a House as the said Continental Congress shall recommend, and it is resolved that no Person be allowed a Seat in Congress, who shall by himself, or any Person for him, before said Choice, treat with Liquor, &c. any Electors, with an apparent View of gaining their Votes, or afterwards on that Account.

And the Person who shall be elected, You are to notify, that he attend at Exeter abovementioned. And make Return hereof with your Doings thereon.

By order of Congress,

MATTHEW THORNTON, PRESIDENT.

Exeter Nov. the 14th 1775.

E. THOMPSON, Secretary.

[No return was made on the back of the foregoing, as no representative was chosen. A similar precept, dated Sept. 30, 1776, was sent to the town, which was returned with the following endorsement on the back :-ED.]

[5-39]

Hanover Nov 27th 1776

Pursuant to the within Precept We notified the Inhabitants paying Taxes in the Towns 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.

1. Voted unanimously That the Address of the Inhabitants of this and other Towns, to the People of the several Towns thro' this Colony, published by their Committees in July last, is truely expressive of our Sentiments respecting Representation and the unconstitutional Formation and proceedures of the present Assembly of this State

2. Voted unanimously that we will not chuse a Representative as directed in the Precept issued by the Assembly of this State for the following Reasons Viz.

I. Because no plan of Representation is as yet formed in this

State consistant with the Liberties of a free people; in that the people have not universally had a full Representation in any Assembly since this State 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 annihillated 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 undertaken to prescribe & limit the mode of proceedure in our Choice of a Representative which 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, tho' nothing of that nature has at any time been done in this 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.

II. Because the Precept in Consequence of which this meeting was called is inconsistant 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 chusing a Representative and Counsellor

III. Because it limits us in our Choice to a Person who has a real Estate of £200. L. M. whereas we conceive that there ought to be no pecuniary Restriction; but that every Elector is capable to be elected.

3. Voted Unanimously that the Select Men be directed to make return of the foregoing Vote with the reasons annex'd together with the Precept to the Assembly proposed to be held at Exeter on the third wednesday in Dec' next.

4. Voted unanimously that we will not give in our votes for a Counsellor as directed in the Precept I. 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.

II. Because every Elector ought to have a Voice in the Choice of each Counsellor (in Cases where they are needful)— and not be restricted in his Choice to any particular Limits within the State-For which Reason we protest against a Counsellor being chosen in this County, as directed in the Precept.

5. Voted unanimously that the Clerk be directed to make return of the last Vote with the Reasons annex'd, and our Protest, as the Precept directs relative to Vote for a Counsellor. 6. Voted that this meeting be dissolved-And it was accordingly dissolved

Attest

Ichabod Fowler | Select Men
Thomas Durkee ( of Hanover

[5-40] [Vote of the Town relative to the matter in Dis

pute.]

At a meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Hanover Feb 3d 1777 Warned for considering and acting upon any matter that might relate to a Hand Bill from the Honble Meshech Weare Esq' in behalf of a Committee appointed by the assembly at Exeter Informing that the said Committee propose to be at m' pains, at Hanover on the 10th of this Inst' Feb to converse with any persons the people shall appoint in order to give them all the satisfaction they can with regard to the proceedings of the said assembly for the promoting peace harmony &c. This meeting having taken the matter under consideration and being desirous of facilitating any design to promote peace and Harmony as well as secure the Liberties of the people thro' this state Think it necessary that m' Weare be informed that this Town have heretofore appointed their Committee to join with the Committee of a number of Towns within this State for the purpose of pursuing some proper measures to obtain a redress of those Grievences we Labour under in consequence of the proceedings of the late Congress and Assembly at Exeter, that the doings of said Joint Committees have been laid before and approbated by said Town, that their meeting stands adjourned to the 13th of this Instant Feb at Mr Ordways at Lebanon; and that we think it Expedient that in this matter we act in concert with said Joint Committees as it appears to us the most likely method to answer the End proposed namely to satisfy the minds of the people and promote Harmony and peace which we Earnestly desire may be effected on reasonable Terms, for which reason we omit appointing any persons to meet the Committee at m' Pains and refer them to the aforesaid meeting at Lebanon.

Voted that the select Men be desired forthwith to send a Coppy of the Above to m' Weare

A True Coppy Attest

David Woodward Moderator
Jonathan Freeman Clerk

To The Honble Meshech Weare Esq: and the other gentlemen of the Committe appointed by the Assembly at Exeter to endeavour to satisfy those persons in the western part of the State of N. Hampshire who are Dissatisfied with the proceedings of s Assembly on their Journey to Hanover Via Walpole

[R. 2-63] [Petition of Lieut. John House, 1779.]

To the Honble the Council & House of Representatives of the State of New Hampshire in general Assembly convened

Humbly Shews John House of Hanover in the County of Grafton That in September 1775 upon the Requisition of the late General Montgomery for the People upon Connecticut River within this State to turn out to his Assistance at the Seige of St Johns Capt Israel Curtis & your Petitioner raised a Company of men who engaged as Volunteers for two months (of which Company he was chosen Lieutenant) & served at the said Seige-That in order to the Equipping & marching said Company as Expeditiously as possible the said Captain & he upon their joint credit supplyd said Company with Thirty five Blankets & Six Camp Kettles-That after the Reduction of St Johns the said Company was taken into the Continental Service & the Command thereof devolved upon him That the said Articles were worn out or lost in said Service in Canada-That the said Captain died in Canada, insolvent & your Petitioner has since been applyd to, for pay for said Blankets & Kettles & has accordingly paid for the same Wherefore he prays the matter may be taken into Consideration & that he may have an adequate Compensation granted him-& as bound shall pray &c March 24th 1779

Dismist

John House

[R. 2-64] [Petition of Thomas Clark, Soldier, addressed to the General Assembly, 1783.]

The Petition of Thomas Clark of Hanover in the County of Grafton-Humbly Shews-That at the Commencement of the present War he inlisted as a soldier during said War in the first New Hampshire Regiment - That in the year 1777 he was wounded, & rendered incapable of service-That in April 1778 he procured a Furlough and returned Home, where he remained sick, and unable to do any business during the term of Fifteen months-That on the sixteenth day of June Anno Domini 1781, he procured an able bodied Man to serve in his stead during the War, and on the same day was discharged. That he paid to the Man he so procured one hundred spanish Mill'd Dollars,

Sam1 Maccluer in behalf of the Petitioner

[R. 2-65] [Petition of Lieut. James Goold, 1783.]

To the honorable General Assembly of the State of New Hampshire Humbly Sheweth

The petition of James Gould a Lieutenant in Col° Cilley's

Regiment in Cap' Houses company in the Continental service— That your Petitioner being wounded in the Continental service in Sep 1777 and thereby rendered unfit for duty was afterwards placed on half pay-and that he has not received the depreciation money due previous thereto-*

Concord Nov 5th 1783.

[R. 2-68]

James Goold

[In a petition dated June, 1793, he, the said Goold, states that "a short time before the taking of Gen1 Burgoyne, in an engagement with the enemy he received a wound by a shot of a musquet ball through his body."-ED.]

[R. 2-61] [Peter Johnson, Bunker Hill Soldier.]

[The two following documents have come to light since the Enfield papers were in print :-ED.]

State of New Hampshire

I the subscriber do certify that Peter Johnson Now an inhabitant in the town of Enfield in said state was a soldier in Capt Goardin Huthens Compiny and Col Starks Rigimant and was personely Preasent in the Battel at Bunk hill then and there Receive a wound by a muskit ball in his Rite arm I then being a Chirurgeon in said Rigimant took care of said wound and with my own hand extracted several Peases of Boons out of said arm and found the Cords very much damaged

Certifyd By your very Humble Serv

hanover December the 21: 1788

Doctor Benjamin Tiffany

[David Curtis, Moses Jones, and David Choat, selectmen of Enfield, certified to his being unable to support his family of five small children, in consequence of said wound. Dated Dec. 15, 1788.-ED.]

[R. 2-60.]

[Soldiers' Orders, 1786.]

Sir please to pay the bearer the whole that is due to me as a

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