[6-52] [New Hampshire House to Massachusetts House.] Portsm° New Hamp 7th Feb 1774. Sir By Reason of several Prorogations The House of Representatives of This Province have not had an earlier Opportunity of Consulting together since the receipt of Your Letter & the Resolves Accompanying the same of the 3d of June last the Contents of which they now Observe, highly approving & Concuring therewith — By the best Intelligence we can Obtain it Appears that the British Ministry are resolved (in a great Degree if not fully) to Enslave the Inhabitants of the Colonies in America Subject to the Crown of Great Britain if by any Means they can Effect it, which much Concerns the Americans to withstand & Prevent The proposed Method of Union in all the Colonies hath ever Appeared to us (since the first recommendation thereof) to be Absolutely Necessary, for which purpose this House Adopted the Resolves of the very respectable House of Burgesses in His Majestys Ancient Colony of Virginia, and Chose a Committee of Corrospondance Consisting of Seven Persons in May last as you'l please to observe by the Inclosed Extract You may therefore Depend on the ready Concurrance of this House with the Measures tho't Necessary to be pursued by the Other Colonies in the Cause of Liberty-We would gratefully Acknowledge the Prudence & Vigilance of the Patriotic Houses of Virginia and the Massachusetts Bay in so early taking and sounding the American Alarm - Be Assured also of our Assistance (small as it may be) by Contributing all in our Power to promote a General Union thro' the Colonies, which we hope will be so Strongly Cemented as not to be Easily Dissolved· In the Name & by Order of the House &c J W Speaker The Honble Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay [6-53] [Memorial from Justices of the Superior Court, 1774] Province of To his Excellency John Wentworth Esquire CapNew Hampshire ( tain General & Commander in Chief in & over his majestys Province of New Hampshire & vice Admiral of the Same Humbly Represent the Justices of the Superior Court of Judicature &c now Sitting at Portsmouth within & for the County of Rockingham that David Foulsom of Newmarket in Said County Gent was Indicted for forging Two Setts of Bills of Exchange & At this Same Term voluntarily Came into Court Confess the Charge & Humbly prayd the Mercy of the Court after which a Great Number of the most Respectable Gentlemen in the Province appeared & Certified The Court that he was Ever before a person of an unblemished Character was Remarkable for his Integrity & uprightness & That he has Ever appeared Really penetent for the Crime which they apprehend his Imbarressed Circumstances Induced him to Commit that his youth & want of Experience with many other alleviating Circumstances plead So Strongly in his favour That though in Stricness of Law we must pass Sentence upon him for the Crime yet we Humbly apprehend him worthy of the Royal mercy and Accordingly Recommend him to your Excellencey for a pardon March 18th 1774- Theodore Atkinson Leverett Hubbard William Parker To his Excellency John Wentworth Esq' Captain General Governor & Commander in Chief in & over his majestys Province of New Hampshire & vice Admiral of the Same We the Subscribers Barristers at Law of the within Mentioned Superiour Court most Humbly beg Leave to Recommend the within named David Foulsom as a proper Subject of the Royal mercy March the 18th 1774 Jn° Sullivan [South Boundary of New Hampshire, April 8, 1774] [Belknap Papers, Vol. II., p. 319.] Mr Sproule's account of an examination of the south boundary of New Hampshire. The point at Hinsdale where the Southerly Line of the Province of New Hampshire strikes Connecticut River, Lies in 42° — 43′ 59" North Latitude and the Pine tree from whence this line begins lies in 42°41'-2"; (both Latitudes are deduced from accurate Astronomical Observatis taken by Mr WRIGHT) but had this line. been run on a due West coure deducting the Variation of the Needle the point where it meets Connecticut River should lie in the same Parallel of Latitude with the Pine Tree; now it appears the difference of Latitude is 2 Mile and 57 Seconds of the Equator, and the extent of the Line from the Pine Tree to Connecticut River is found to be 55 Statute Mile from an actual Survey; these lines form the Base and Perpendicular of a Triangle containing 59872 Acres which Quantity of Land the Province of New Hampshire would have Gaind had this line been run on a due West course from the Pine Tree, exclusive of Variation Geo: Sproule Portsmouth 8th April 1774 [6-54] [Governor Wentworth's subsequent bill in the case, Livius vs. Wentworth. ED.] [6-55] [Grafton County Justices.] List of The Justices (Now Living) For the County of Grafton vz2 A List of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the County of Hillsborough 12th of September A D 1774 John Goffe, Edward Goldstone Lutwyche, John Hale, John Shephard Junior, Reuben Kidder, Samuel Hobart, Samuel Blodget, Mat thew Thornton, Stephen Holland, Samuel Wentworth, Matthew Pattin, James Scales, William Clark, Ezekiel Chase, Jeremiah Page, James Underwood, Benjamin Page, Robert Fletcher, Andrew Fuller, Moses Nichols, George Jackman, Ebenezer Harnden Goss, Zaccheus Cutler, Isaac Andrews, Joshua Atherton, Samuel Cumings, Joseph Kimball, John Fenton. Stephen Holland Clerk [Colonel Atkinson's Orders to Captain Dennett.] [Belknap Papers, Vol. II., p. 299.] Province of New Hamp To Capt John Dennet & the Commission Officer of the First Regiment of Militia in the Province of New Hampshire Gentlemen You are without Delay to Enlist or Impress Thirty effective men to Serve his Majesty as a Guard & Protection to his Fort William & Mary at New Castle, and Make Return Imediatly to me of your doings therein with the Names of the Persons So inlisted &ca that Provision may be made for their being regularly placed in the Said Garrison for all which this is Your Warrant I am Gentlemen Your ffriend &ca Theodore Atkison Coll of the first regiment &ca Dated at Portsm° in the Prove aforesd the 15th of Decem1 12 o Clock at Noon [Colonel Atkinson's Orders to Lieutenant Beck.] [Belknap Papers, Vol. II., p. 300.] To Lieu John Beck - Greeting You Are to Notify & Warn all the Commission officers of the first regim of militia in this his Majestys Pro of New Hamp1 that are at Present within the Town of Portsm° to attend on me at my Dwelling House or at the Council Chamber & this without Delay there to receive such further orders as may Issue I am y ffriend &c T A Col' of the Sd first regimt Portsm° Xb 15 1774-7 oClk A M [6-57] [Report of a "Committee of both Houses appointed to consider of a Method for making a New proportion to be a guide for paying Taxes in this State."- ED.] [6-58] [Letter from Paul Wentworth of London.] Poland Street London the 13th Jan 1775. Honble Sir. On the application of some poor distressed people on the west side of Connecticut river, deserving the pity of all men, and the protection of the Assembly of New Hampshire; a vote was passed to desire my assistance; but unfortunately in a form, which rendered it unfit to the purpose of qualifying me, as it was intended, to render them service I shou'd have reaped the honor of expressing my acknowledgments to you, Sir, in behalf of the house, sooner; If I had not expected the instructions, which was to have followed the note. I was therefore constrained to suppress any appearance of the authority from the assembly; clogged, as it was with a precautionary restriction, which might have been (perhaps better) taken care of another way — and wanting both instruction and matter, to support the claim of your province to the jurisdiction. I did, however, make out a petition shewing the rights, and oppressive treatment of these people, and subjoined, a little irregularly indeed, a state of your claims to the jurisdiction, by way of information, reflecting some light on the good faith and equity of the title under which they settled. It is too long to charge you with, but I shall endeavor to send a copy of it to Governor Wentworth among his dispatches. These lesser concerns have been lost in the more important affairs of America, giving the fullest occupation to that department; but I conjecture that the little share I took in them, procured to me the nomination of the Congress, (at the instance of Messrs Sullivan & Folsom) to the honor of delivering their petition to the King, which I was obliged to decline, for reasons which I hope will appear to be well founded to those gentlemen; to which I added in my letter to Dr Franklin, that without having any qualifications at all, that I knew of, I should not only take a very exceptionable part in regard to M Trecothick, who is still agent though he has withdrawn himself from all business; and of the legislature of your province, from whom I never had any authority, & regularly to represent them in any capa |