Gambar halaman
PDF
ePub

COPIES OF HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS

RELATING TO THE

BOUNDARIES OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK

PART II.

FIELD WORK AND OTHER MATTERS RELATING TO THE
DETERMINATION OF THE SEVERAL BOUNDARY LINES,
AND TO THE ERECTION OF MONUMENTS THEREON.
(Continued from Senate Document No. 108, of 1873.)

DETERMINATION OF THE NEW YORK AND CANADA JOINT BOUNDARY LINE.

*

[GOVERNOR MOORE TO THE LORDS OF TRADE.]

*

New York, 12 August 1766.

*

*

From the Mohawk Country I propose to go to the north End of the lake Champlain, in order to ascertain the boundary line between. Quebec and this Province, which by His Majesty's order is fix'd at the 45th degree. The great expence which has been occasioned to this Prove by the neglect of so necessary a point, as that of fixing their boundaries, and the dispute still subsisting with the Provinces of Jersey and the Massachusets, have engaged me in this undertaking, and as the lands thereabout are intirely uncultivated, I shall have no disputes to encounter with, by the claims of persons, pretending to be proprietors of the soil, and a matter of this kind is of course much more easily settled than in a cultivated country, where the difference of the Quit rent and the other causes might give uneasiness, altho' the line should be settled with the greatest accuracy. I have wrote to the Gov' of Quebec, to inform him of my intention, and desired to meet him at a place appointed, requesting at the same time, that in case, either health or business should prevent him, that he would send up some intelligent person, who might be a witness of our transactions there. I shall on this occasion endeavour to obviate any disputes which arise in futuro, and shall not trust to my own skill and judgment, but shall take with me the Mathematical professor of the College here, and a very fine 'This seems to have been Robert Harpur.-[P.

instrument now in his possession, & every observation made, will be in the presence of several Gentlemen of Fortune in this Province who have promised to attend me in this troublesome expedition. Before I return from the Lakes I propose to take the opportunity of taking the lattitudes of several places between Albany and the boundaries, that I may be able from thence to form a more correct Map of those parts than what has hitherto been obtained. I have the honour to be with the greatest respect My Lords.

Your Lord Pps most obedient

and humble servant

H. MOORE

-[N. Y. Col. Doc., vii, 850.

My Lord

[GOVERNOR MOORE TO THE EARL OF SHELburne.]
Fort George, N York 11 Oct 1766.

After my absence of some weeks from this City, during which time I have been employed in fixing the boundary Line between this Province and Quebec and in settling some uneasiness which had arose among the Mohawk Indians, I returned to New York about an hour before the Pacquet sail which gives me just time to acknowledge the honor of your Lordships letters of the 10th of July and 9th of August and at the same time to offer my most respectful congratulats on your Lordships appointment to the office of Secretary of state; By the next Pacquet I shall beg leave to lay before your Lordship some claims made by the inhabitants of Quebec on the Lands of this Province, which occasion great uneasiness here and hope to be able by that time to procure a map of that Part of the Country which may serve to put the dispute in a proper light; whatever else may occur in which his Majesty's Service may be promoted, shall be constantly laid upon your Lordship and I have the honor to be with the greatest respect

My Lord

Your Lordships

most obedient and humble Servant

H. MOORE

-[N. Y. Col. Doc., vii, 873.

My Lords

[GOVERNOR MOORE TO THE LORDS OF TRADE.

New York. 7. Nov 1766.

I had the honor of informing your Lord in a former letter that I proposed to settle the Boundary line between this Province & Quebec as soon as I could conveniently leave this City, and it was not long

before I had an opportunity of doing it, for upon the arrival of Brigadier Carleton from England, I set out in company with him for lake Champlain, and after encountering with many difficulties occasioned by the badness of the weather, we fixed the limits on the River Sorell about two miles and a half below windmill Point, which is further to the Northward than we imagined to find it from the observations which were said to be made there by the French some few years ago; Upon our arrival at Windmill Point, several French Gentlemen came to us, there from Quebec, as well to pay their compliments to Brig' Carleton, as to request of me the confirmation of their Rights to those Seigneuries which on our observations should be found in the Southward of the 45th degree, and which were granted to them before the conquest of Canada.

*

*

*

Your LordPPS will see at one view how great a prejudice to the settlement of the Prove, the present uncertain tenure must occasion, for several other persons who have obtained His Maj" sign manual for large Tracts are desirous of taking them up on the sides of Lake Champlain, and have already gone so far, as to make actual Surveys of the lands, but are now discouraged from proceeding farther, lest after a great expence incurred they might be turned out of possession. I was in hopes that I should have been able to have sent over to Your Lord by this opportunity an actual Survey of the Lake taken by a skillful hand, in which all the French claims were to be distinguished, with the number of acres which each of them contained, and likewise the grants made to the Officers and Soldiers, under the great seal of this Provee in consequence of His Majty's Proclam which would have shew'd at one view how far they interfere with each other. The Deputy Surveyor of Canada, who attended me the whole time I was employed in fixing the line of division between the Provinces, promised to furnish me with an exact draught of all the Seigneuries on the Lake, time enough to transmit to Your Lord PP by the Packet, but I have not heard from him since my return hither.

*

tn

*

*

I have the honor to be - ettc.

-[N. Y. Col. Doc., vii, 873.

*

H: MOORE.

[GOVERNOR MOORE TO THE EARL OF SHELBURNE.]

Fort George New York Nov 8. 1766

*

I have now the honor to inform your Lordship that the line of Division between this Province and Quebec is fixed in the River Sorrell about Two miles and a half below Windmill Point, so that no part of

Lake Champlain is included in the Province of Quebec, except a small Portion of the Missicoui Bay;

*

*

*

[blocks in formation]

The great Expence in which this Colony has been engaged for some time past, and the Difficulties which still subsist in regard to Limits between this and the Neighbouring Provinces of Massachusets and the Jerseys, have engaged me to ascertain as soon as possible, the Line which his Majesty has been pleased to fix, by his Royal Proclamation, for the Boundary between this Province and Quebec. And after the necessary supplies of Government are raised, I must recommend it to the General Assembly to make Provision for the farther opening and continuing this Line, in which I flatter myself that the Province of Quebec, equally interested in it, will readily contribute, as a Mutual Benefit will be derived from it. I must at the same time earnestly request that proper measures may be taken to settle the Boundaries between the different Counties in this Province, and fix them by Authority.

*

*

-[N. Y. Legis. Council Journal, p. 1598.

*

*

H: MOORE.

[blocks in formation]

The humble ADDRESS of the Council of the Province of New York.

May it please your Excellency,

*

Sensible of the great Importance of having the Limits of the Province well established, we have great satisfaction in the early measures that your Excellency has taken to ascertain the Line, which his Majesty has been pleased, by his Royal Proclamation, to fix as the Boundary between this Colony and Quebec; and hope your Excellency's Recommendation to provide for the further opening and continuing that Line, will have the desired effect.

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]

[GOVERNOR MOORE TO THE LORDS OF TRADE.]

New York. 19. Dec 1766.

[blocks in formation]

P. S. Brig Carleton, having told me, that he intended writing to your Lord immediately upon his arrival at Quebec, to request on the Part of that Province, that the Boundary line which had been settled by us might be fixed by His Majesty's authority where we had mark'd it; I have the same request to make on the part of this Province, as it may be a means of preventing any Litigation hereafter, and quieting the minds of many who are going up early in the spring to settle in those parts.

-[N. Y. Col. Doc., vii, 885.

*

*

[GOVERNOR MOORE TO THE EARL OF SHELBURNE.]

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

Last year I was employ'd for Six Weeks in settling the Boundary Line between this Province and Quebec, & in the Negociation with the Indians, to whom I gave presents of considerable value before I left them, but on my return here no compensation was made to me for the monies laid out in these necessary services; not one shilling of it has been yet repaid although two Sessions of Assembly have been held since that time nor do I suppose it is ever intended, notwithstanding it is well known that my expences amounted to upwards of £500; By the Table of Fees sent home lately your Lordship will see how deep such a sum will sink into the scanty salary of £2000 allow'd to the Governor here, which without any Deductions together with the common Fees of Office are far from being sufficient to support him with that decency becoming the King's Representative here.

*

-[N. Y. Col. Doc., vii, 1003.

*

H. MOORE.

[IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY.]

Die Mercurij, 3 ho. P. M. the 30th December, 1767.

[blocks in formation]

Mr. Speaker also laid before the house, an account of money expended by his Excellency Sir Henry Moore, on his journey to settle the line of jurisdiction between this colony and the province of Quebec, amounting 'to the sum of

£379 11 7 And also a memorandum of sundry services performed by Mr. Ratzer, at the request of his Excellency the Governor.

Ordered, That the several accounts [including others than the above]

« SebelumnyaLanjutkan »