The fore going bill Read a third time & past to be Enacted The following petition and action of the General Assembly throw additional light on the controversy, and it is thought of sufficient importance to insert here.-ED. To his excelency Benning Wintworth Esq Governor & Commander In Chief of His Majestyes Provence of New Hampshir the honnorable his Majestys Councell and House of Representatives In General Assembly Conven'd— The pettetion of a number of the freeholders & Inhabitants of the Town of Derry field Humbly Sheweth that the first Monday of March annually is appointed by Charter to be the day for chusing of Town officers for the currant year and the usual costom of sd town hes ben to warn the Town of time and place and design of holding said Meeting with the several articles to be acted upon on sd day of posting up a coppy of Warrant at three several places in said town viz. one at John Goffe Esq one at John Hall & one at Mr Russes at Nameskeeg which was a vote of said Town for warning Town meetings in said Town but so it was that neither of the places had any notification set up and one of them particularly Nameskeeg had no coppy set up in that part of the town so that they knew not the time of Day the meeting was to be held yet notwithstanding two of the select men and town clarke did contrary to former custom with about ten or a dozen of the Inhabitants and boys & unqualyfied persons did enter and in about five minutes time chouse all the principals offi cersers for the town Notwithstanding one of the select men & the constable & several of the Inhabitants opposed them and told them it was not fair to hold the meetin before the Inhabitants came and that it was not the usual time of day that the meeting use to begin & that the Inhabitants that must pay the greatest part of the Taxes that shall come upon the town were not present-that they would be here presently yet they proceeded as aforesaid and at five minute's after eleven of the clock a considerable number came & in halfe an hour the Inhabitants chiefly came & upon hearing that the principal officers were chosen by a small number of Voters and many of them not quallified they concluded as that was the day by charter to chuse town officers, they being the largest part of the Quallified Voters belonging to said town maid proclamation that they were going to hold the town meeting & all were desired to attend and they went to the Meeting house and maid choice of a Moderator & Town clark & select men & all town officers & they were sworn to the faithful discharge of their duty as the Law directs so that their is two set of officers in said town which makes confusition we most Humbly therefore pray your Excellency & Hon's To Take our case under your wise consideration and grant that there may be a Regular town meeting in said town & that we may have town Officers chosen as the law directs and that our confusion may be brought into order and might be enabled to Raise the province taxes & mend high ways & do the necessary business of the town and that your Petitioners may bring in a bill for that end-& your petitioners as in Duty bound shall ever pray Dated at Derryfield first of May 1766. John Goffe William McClintock David Starrett Samuel Boyd Nathaniel Boyd John Stark James McCalley Samuel Stark John Rand Province of New Hamp In the house of Representatives June 26th 1766. The foregoing Petition being Read and Considered Voted-That the Petitioners be heard thereon on fryday the fourth day of July next if the General Assembly be then siting And if not then siting thereon the second day of their siting next after And that the petitioners at their own cost cause the selectmen and Town Clerk who served for Derry field for the year 1765, to be served with a Copy of this petition and Order of Court that they may appear and shew Cause if any they have why the prayer thereof should not be granted In Council Eodm die Read & Concurrd T. Atkinson Jr. Secy. M. Weare, Clr. Province of New Hamp. In the House of Representatives July 4th 1766 The foregoing Petition being Consider'd And the Parties heard thereon Voted-That the prayer of the Petition be granted And that the petitioners have liberty to bring in a Bill accordingly— M. Weare, Clr. In Council Eodm die Read & Concurr'd T. Atkinson Jr. Secy. Province of New Hampshir To the Constable of Derryfield in Said Province for the year 1765 Whereas by a special Act of the Genaral Court for Sd province passed at ther Session this Inis instant July I am Authorized to call and Govern a meeting of the Inhabitantes of Said Derryfield in order to Reform Some disorders that they have lately thrown them Selves into Relative to town officors Wherefore you are hereby Required in his Majestys Name forwith-to Warn the Inhabitants of Said Derryfield Qualified by Law to Vote in Chousing town officers to Convene at the meeting Houese in Derryfield Qualified by Law to Vote on Wednesday the 13 Day of August next at two of the Clock in the after noon to Chuese Comman & ordinary town officers for the Currant year as the Law Directs and you are to Give ten Days Notices at least to each person Qualified as aforesd which notice must be personal or left at the persons Usual place of abode hereof you may not faiel & mack Due Return NB by the above Veested act you are Subjected to the penalty of three pounds for your Refusal or Neglect John Shepard June Dated July 15th 1766 John Hall Town Clark Provinces of Nowhampshir Pursent to the foregoing precept I have Warned the Inhabitants of Sd Derryfield to Meet at time and place & for the purpuse as mentioned in Sd pre cipt pr Dated August 13 1766 Recorded Februry 28= 1767 Charels Emerson Constabl for Derryfield 1765 pr me John Hall Town Clark And it is here by Enacted that a meeting of the Inhabitants of Derry field Shall be Called for the Election of town offeceres for the Currant year 1766 on the 13 Day of Augst at two of the Clock in afternoon and John Sheeperd June' Esq is appointed to Gover Sd meeting till the whole Shall be Ended and the following persons whas Chosen to ther Respective officers as ther Names is Seat Dowen Voted John Hall Town Clark Voted John Hall Ebnezer Stivens David me Night Secelet Men Voted M' James McNight Counstable Voted Mickel me Clintock Hendry Blisdal Capt William perham Josephe Gorge Sur Veres of Higwayes Voted Joseph masten and William Nutte and David m night Taything men Voted the Sicelet men fences Veres & prayesors of Damige in the town as the Law Dereckes Voted Ellizer Robens & James Ridall Dier Keepers Voted Ebenezer Stiven Survier of Lumbor Voted Thomas Russ Sieler of Leather Voted Mickel mc Clintock & Ellizer Robens to Setill acoumptes with the Seclet-men for ye year 1766 Voted the Seclet-men tack the Invoice of the polls & And Estates of the town of Derryfield for the courrnt year Voted Joseph Gorge John pirham Samuel Boyd James perces Houge Reeafes Voted Capt William perham Clark of the Market Recorded Febry 28 1767 John Hall town Clark Province of Newhampshir To James Mc Night Counstable for the town of Derryfield Greting You are hereby Required in his majesteyes Name to Warn all the free Houlders & other Inhabitantes in the town of Derryfield that they meet at ther meeting House in Sd town upon the 22 day of Decmbr next at on of the Clock in the afternoon then and ther to acct on the y° following perticqulers (Viz) 1ly to Chues a modrator to Reglaut Said Meeting 2ly to See if the town will Reares any money prechen then what the Sicelet-men hies all Rieadey provided thies year 3ly to See How much monay the town will Reaes to Defray the Contingent Charges of the town for the present year 4ly to See if the town will Complay with the Law of the Goverment to provied wightes and mishuers or if not to defend the present Secelet men of any Coste or troble for not providing the afore Sd wightes and miushures as the Law hies provided in that Kasse 5ly to heair the Reporte of the Commitey that was Chouesen to Examing Sundry years accoumptes in behalfe of the tow to wite Conel John Goffe Capt Alix Mc Murphey & Mr Neathainel Boyd Commitey men and thies Shall be your Suficant warrant Given under our Handes and Seal Dated at Derryfield Novmbr 28 1766 John Hall Ebinzar Stivens Recorded Feb 28 1767 Seclet Men John Hall town Clark Province of Newhampshir Decmber the 22-1766 By Vertue of the within Warrant to me To me Camited I Have warned all the freeholders & Inhabitants of Derryfield to meet at time and places for the Eends within expriesed pr me James Mc Night Cunstable Recorded March 2= 1767 John Hall town Clark |