occurred September 28, 1890, only three days after volume XVIII., the last of the series which he edited, had been received and approved by the Governor and Council. The state had no more faithful servant, and her history has found no more devoted student than Mr. Hammond. His work is his monument. The continuation of the series has been again resumed on the plan outlined in the report of a Committee of the Executive Council which appears in the preface to Vol. XVIII. The larger part of the current volume is devoted to the documentary history of the controversy over the boundary line between New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Always important, these papers are of especial interest at this time owing to the recent action of the two states in renewing the attempt to effect a final settlement of the long standing dispute by the appointment of state commissions on either side and legislation tending to an examination and review of the issues in a spirit of comity. This material has been gathered from the state archives of Massachusetts and New Hampshire through a personal examination of the records in official and other depositories. In the Journals of the House of Representatives from 1699 to 1701 and from 1711 to 1722, heretofore unpublished, we believe we have presented an interesting and valuable contribution to the material through which the development of modern forms and methods of legislation and government must be traced. The recovery of the valuable pamphlet which contains the laws of New Hampshire passed at the session of August, 1699, sets back by seventeen years the point of interest which has been heretofore attached to the Russell edition of 1716, as the earliest printed copy of the laws of the province known to the student of legal antiquities. With the reproduction of the Journal of the House for the same period, which has already been mentioned, and the Journals of the Council, published in Dr. Bouton's Volumes II. and III., a full chapter of legislative proceedings at a very remote period is perfected. It is of interest to note that this fragment is the only portion of the records from 1679 to 1711 which is complete in the four particulars of a Council Record, Journal of the Council and Assembly, Journal of the House, and Session Laws. The reproduction of the earliest and the principal part of the official record of the first President and Council of the Province of New Hampshire from the archives of the Massachusetts Historical Society, followed by the opportune discovery and addition of similar records covering important parts of the administrations of President Waldron and Governor Cranfield, which have but recently been obtained from London, as elsewhere related, has yielded material which will hereafter be considered indispensable in the investigation of the history of that period, and without which only the outlines of the narrative of the beginning of our provincial government could be drawn. The restoration of these documents to the state by transcription, after they have remained for perhaps two hundred years undiscovered in the seclusion of English official custody or in the historical collections of a neighboring state, may be taken as a stimulus to diligent search for other important sections of New Hampshire official records which are somewhere awaiting the call to "come forth." An article in Vol. 5, Collections of the N. H. Historical Society, page 18, is suggestive in explanation of the deficiencies of our early records. Undoubtedly there remain great opportunities to be improved in the restoration of our lost and scattered official records and papers, or in the procurement of substantial copies which may serve the purpose of the originals for practical use and reference. The Calendar of Papers relating to New Hampshire in the English Archives, prepared for the New Hampshire Historical Society by Mr. B. F. Stevens, of London, will be included in a subsequent volume. It will indicate what papers in those records are in existence in London, to supplement those contained in our state collections. Should the publication of such papers as are now accessible in Stevens's Fac-similes and in similar works, be carried back over the period of our provincial history, which is quite possible, the Calendar will become more than a mere informant to those who do not have personal access to foreign records; it will be an actual guide in the use of fac-similes and printed copies which all the great libraries of this country are securing. A chronological list of documents relating to the boundary line controversy will be found in the body of this volume, immediately following the part devoted to those papers. It includes all that have been printed on that subject in this volume and the preceding ones in the series. This list is designed to serve as a special aid to the student of that important subject in searching the contents of our state publications. It is a pleasure to acknowledge the cordial assistance offered by the executives of the state and all subordinate departments. A particular expression of personal obligation is due to the Hon. Ezra S. Stearns, Secretary of State, whose advice has often been sought and wisely given; whose accurate learning and excellent judgment have been a constant aid; whose devotion to the duties of his office is untiring and whose courtesy is unfailing. Every accommodation which could be desired has also been afforded by the Hon. William M. Olin, Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in our protracted examination of the early records in his office. We are under obligations to Dr. Samuel A. Green, of the Massachusetts Historical Society, Mr. Stone, the librarian of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, and Prof. Francis N. Thorpe, of the University of Pennsylvania. THE EDITOR. His Excellency And Councell sent for the House And Delivered A Speech to the Speaker Viz: Gentellmen It Is ye useall season of your Mettinge for ye service And beneffit of ye province and I shall be glade to Consent to Any thinge for her Majesties service And your owen Defence and advantage I Hope ye Comitee of both Houses Left ye last sessions for ye Ajusting your acco1 and Debts are Redey with thayer returnes soe yt all futuere Complaynts will be Taiken Away by ye payment of ye Arrears Debts soldiers and subsistance Wee ar sensible that ye Indians are Devided Into small parties and give us Trubell Every Whear In ye ffronttears ffor prevention of This Journal of the House of Representatives is contemporary with the Records of the Council, published in New Hampshire Province Papers, Vol. II., and the Journal of the Assembly, published in Vol. III., same series. The stars mark the beginning of a new page, and the numerals indicate the corresponding volume and page of the manuscript House Journals, as arranged by the late John Farmer, and now in the office of the Secretary of State. - ED. which I have Latley strenthned ye province of Magn with on hundred Musqueteears mor yn Thaier usual garrisons which are Marthinge I ame Informed yt severael of Her Majestes good Subjettes of this province Are willing to Marth as Volunters without subsistance or wages ffrom ye province if thay Mite have a Rewarde by ye heads granted them by ye Asembley which I recommend to your Consideration we being all sensabell how much more service is to be Expeted ffrom volunteres at all times Then from Men Impresd And Drawen Into ye servise. * I-2 * I recommend to your Considerration The building A Howse for ye province and an almes House and Beidwell In this Towen for ye servis of The province Agreabell to what Is done In other Plases ye benefite of which for ye Honour of the Province the good goverment of ye pore as well as vitious peopel will soon Countervaile the Charg I have heartofore Desined Which I now repeat that there may be A Commite of both Howses to rivise the Laws of This province and Maik A faire Transcripte of Them fitt to be Humbly Laied befor her Majesty for her royls Alowence and Confirmation; which you may now Doe Soe as to have them redey to Be Transmited ye next retturn of ouer ships ffor great Brittaine: I have directed Mr Treasurer to Lay befor you ye stat of your acco he is now Entering Apon his tenth yeare since I have had ye Honour to Command hear and have past his accots home to her Majestys Exchequer I am of opinion the Howse of representatives owe him Thayer vote of thanks for his Care In ye servise of ye province soe far Endinge with his ninth years acco's and to Desire his Care for ye future In suply of subsistance and Clothing of Any souldgers To be nessarely raised for ye Defence of her Majesty good subjects of this province as ned shall be I have brought with me Colo' Rednape her Majestys Engenear: to peruse ye works at ye fort and to report The nesseary repayers which I shall Lay befor them May 9th The Howse Is Ajorned for two Howers : The house Returned According to Adjornm' present those in the Morning * Perusing the Govs Speech ordered that In Answear thereto the folowing be sent Up - Viz * 1-3 May It please your Excellency Wee have Perused Your Excellencys Speech and Shall Consider the severall paragrafes therein And Doe Our Duety In Answearing them 9 May 1711 by order of the house of Representatives Copie Sam" Keais Cler: |