New Hamp} In the House of Representatives March 16th 1779 — Voted. That the prayer of the foregoing Petition be granted, & that the Petitioners have leave to bring in a Bill accordingly Sent for Concurrence John Dudley - Speaker pro tempore In Council March 17th 1779 read and Concurred with Alteration that the whole of said premisses be sold at Vendue except the right of the heirs of David Griffeth deceased to one of said Lots - Viz that Lot laying on the highway leading from the pound to Pickerings mill so called - And that in said lot the right of said heirs be sett off to hold to them in Severalty in such a manner as to Accommodate a way to pass and repass from said highway to a lot adjoining said other Lot belonging to said heirs in a Separate right of their said Father Sent down for concurrence State of E Thompson Sec New Hamp In the House of Representatives March 17th 1779— [6–107] [Protest of Benjamin Partridge, captain of schooner "Molly," against the action of Eleazer Russel, naval officer at Portsmouth, who refused to give Partridge a clearance and permit to sail for Boston, May 1, 1779. — ED.] [6-108] [Petition of Sarah Wills, of Portsmouth.] To the Honble the Committee of Safety for the State of New Hampshire The Petition of Sarah Wills of Portsmouth Sheweth That your Petitioner being an Orphan & destitute of Friends or Relations that are able to maintain her here, or afford her sufficient help to provide a Maintenance for herself, is desirous of going to New York, where her Friends are & who have sent for her to come to them She therefore prays your Honours would grant her Leave to take Passage in the Flag now bound to New York & your Petitioner shall ever pray &c Sarah Wills Portsmouth May 3d 1779 [6-109] [Petition from Slaves, 1779.] State of New Hampshire To The Honble the Council and House of Representatives of said State now siting at Exeter in and for Said State The Petition of Nero Brewster, Pharaoh Rogers, Romeo Rindge, Cato Newmarch Cesar Gerrish, Zebulon Gardner, Quam Sherburne, Samuel Wentworth, Will Clarkson, Jack Odiorne, Cipio Hubbard Seneca Hall, Peter Warner, Cato Warner, Pharaoh Shores Winsor Moffatt, Garrott Colton, Kittindge Tuckerman, Peter Frost & Prince Whipple, Natives of Africa, now forcably detained in Slavery in said State most humbly Sheweth, That the God of Nature, gave them, Life, and Freedom, upon the Terms of the most perfect Equality with other men; That Freedom is an inherent Right of the human Species, not to be surrendered, but by Consent, for the Sake of social Life; That private or publick Tyranny, and Slavery, are alike detestable to Minds, conscious of the equal Dignity of human Nature; That, in Power and Authority of Individuals, derived solely from a Principle of Coercion, against the Will of Individuals, and to dispose of their Persons and Properties, consists the compleatest Idea of private and political Slavery; That all men being ameniable to the Deity, for the ill Improvment of the Blessings of his Providence, They hold themselves in Duty bound, strenously to exert every Faculty of their Minds, to obtain that Blessing of Freedom, which they are justly intitled to from the Donation of the beneficient Creator; That thro' Ignorance and brutish Violence of their native Countrymen, and by the sinister Designs of others (who ought, to have taught them better) and by the Averice of both; They, while but Children, and incapible of Self-Defence, whose Infancy might have prompted Protection, were seized imprisoned and transported from their native Country, where, (Tho' Ignorance and Inchristianity prevail'd) They were born free, to a Country, where (tho' Knowledge, Christianity and Freedom, are their Boast) They are compelled & thier unhappy Posterity to drag on their Lives in miserable Servitude! Thus, often is the Parent's Cheek wet for the Loss of a Child, torn by the cruel hand of Violence from her aking Boosom! Thus, often, and in vain, is the Infant's Sigh for the nur turing Care of its bereaved Parent! and thus, do the Ties of Nature and Blood, become Victims, to cherish the Vanity and Luxery of a Fellow Mortal! Can this be Right? - Forbid it gracious Heaven! — Permit again your humble Slaves to lay before this Honarable Assembly some of those Greivances which They dayly experiance and feel; Tho' Fortune hath dealt out our Portions with ruged hand, Yet hath She smiled in the Disposal of our Persons to those, who claim us, as thier Property; of them, as Masters, we do not complain: But from what Authority, they assume the Power to dispose of our Lives, Freedom and Property, we would wish to know; Is it from the sacred Volumes of Christianity? Where we believe it is not to be found! but here hath the cruel hand of Slavery made us incompetent Judges, hence Knowledge is hid from our Minds! Is it from the Volumes of the Laws of these also, Slaves can not be Judges, but those, we are told are founded in Reason and Justice; it can not be found there! Is it from the Volumes of Nature? No! Here we can read with others! of this Knowledge Slavery can not wholly deprive us; Here, we know that we ought to be free Agents; Here, we feel the Dignity of Humman Nature! Here, we feel the Passions and Desires of men, tho' check'd by the Rod of Slavery! Here, we feel a Just Equality! Here, we know that the God of Nature made us free! Is thier Authority assumed from Custom? if so, Let that Custom be abolished, which is not founded in Nature, Reason nor Religion; Should the Humanity and Benevolence of this Honorable Assembly restore us to that State of Liberty of which we have been so long deprived, We conceive that those, who are our present Masters, will not be Sufferers by our Liberation, as we have most of us spent our whole Strength, and the Prime of our Lives in their Service; And as Freedom inspires a noble Confidence and gives the Mind an Emulation to vie in the noblest Efforts of Interprize, and as Justice and Humanity are the Result of your Deliberations; we fondly Hope that the Eye of Pitty and the Heart of Justice may Commiserate our Situation and put us upon the Equality of Freemen and give us an Oppertunity of evincing to the World our Love of Freedom, by exerting ourselves in her Cause, in opposing the Efforts of Tyranny and Oppression over the Country in which we ourselves have been so long injuriously inslaved — Therefore your humble Slaves most devoutly Pray, for the Sake of injured Liberty, for the Sake of Justice, Humanity, and the Rights of Mankind; for the Honour of Religion, and by all that is dear, that your Honours would graciously interpose in our Behalf, and enact such Laws and Regulations, as you in your Wisdom think proper, whereby we may regain our Liberty & Be rank'd in the Class of free Agents, and that the Name of Slave may not more be heard in a Land gloriously contending for the Sweets of Freedom; And your humble Slaves as in Duty bound will ever Pray Portsmouth November 12th 1779 Seneca Hall Kittindge Tuckerman Peter Frost Cesar Gerrish Zebulon Gardner Quam Sherburne Cipio Hubbard New Hamp S In the House of Representatives April 25th 1780 Upon reading and considering the Petition. Voted. That the Petitioners be heard thereon before the General Assembly on the first friday of their next Session, & that they in the meantime cause the substance of the Petition and order of Court thereon to be published three Weeks successively in the New Hampshire Gazette that any person or persons may then appear & shew cause why the prayer thereof may not be granted Sent up for concurrence John Langdon Speaker In Council the same day read & Concurr'd J Pearson D. Secy [6-111] [Committee appointed to nominate candidates for Secretary of State, and State Treasurer, December 17, 1779. — ED.] [7-1] [Minutes of Court 1776-1780.] Minutes of Judgments rendered against sundry Persons convicted of counterfeiting money or of having or passing counterfeit money before the Superior Court of Judicature in the several counties from the year 1776 to 1780 In the County of Rockingham. 1776 Sept James Ryan was convicted of passing counterfeit money - Judgt That he be whipped twenty stripes &c That he pay a fine of ten pounds for the use of the State & Costs of prosecution & stand committed till sentence be performed. * not taxed 1777 Sept Term Stephen Holland for counterfeiting and passing Judgt That he be imprisoned three months, that he pay a fine of two thousand pounds and costs of prosecution * and stand committed till sentence be performed. * not taxed 1778 March Term George Wood — for passing, — Judgt That he be imprisoned six months, that he pay a fine of fifty pounds and costs of prosecution and stand committed till sentence be performed 1780 Sept Term David Carr—for passing - Judgt That he pay a fine of one thousand pounds & costs of prosecution taxed at twenty seven pounds & stand committed till sentence be performed In the County of Hillsboro' 1776 Sept Term William Stark was indicted for passing Counterfeit money & bound by recognizance to appear at that term but made default John Stinson of Dunbarton was his surety― A Scire facias issued against Principal & Surety & at Sept Term 1778 they were again defaulted whereupon judgt was rendered that they should pay the sum of one hundred pounds & Costs of prosecution taxed at thirty four pounds seventeen shillings & sixpence - Execution issued March 8th 1779 but has never been returned. Thomas Cumings was indicted for the same offence & bound for his appearance - but made default Samuel Cumings and William Pool were his sureties - A Scire facias issued against the three but at Sept Term 1778 they were all again defaulted whereupon judgment was rendered against the said Thomas Cumings for the sum of one hundred pounds or the sureties for fifty pounds each & costs taxed at thirty five pounds five shillings & sixpence - Execution issued against Pool for fifty pounds & the Costs June 10th 1779 but has not been returned 1777 Sept Term John Holland was indicted for counterfeiting — & being bound for his appearance made default Robert Reed & Israel Town were his sureties & were likewise defaulted - The Principal was bound in one thousand pounds & the Sureties in five hundred pounds each These forfeitures were never exacted. 1778 Sept Term John Hitchcock convicted of passing &c Judg1 That he pay a fine of fifty pounds & Costs taxed at twenty five pounds eight shillings & sixpence that he be imprisoned three months & stand committed till sentence be performed. Jonathan Gove convicted of having, passing &c - Judgment that he pay a fine of seven hundred and fifty pounds & Costs taxed at twenty six pounds twelve shillings & sixpence & that he be imprisoned for six months & stand committed till sentence be performed |