Its a matter of very great Surprise to me that nine months have Elapsed Since the finishing of the line on the Easterly Side of Lake Champlain and in that time I have never rec but two letters from Mr Valentine, the one Dated first of Oct', and the other the 22a of same Month nor any Acct of his proceedings, tho he in this last letter mentioned he would with all possible Expedition, prepare a Map, Copy of his Field book and Settle the Accts; from whence I concluded these papers would have long Since been transmitted to me to lay before His Excellency. Why this has been neglected I am at a loss to Account for or how M Valentine can Justify himself in not having done it. That health, and every other Blessing may attend you are the hearty wishes of Dr Sir Y' Sincere friend & humble Ser ALEXR COLDEN. Nothing I hope may happen to prevent y' attending this work, as it must give great Satisfaction to both Provinces to have it accomplished with the assistance of a person of your known Integrity and Abilities. -[N. Y. Col. MSS., xcix, 138. Sir [MR. COLDEN TO MR. SAUTHIER.] Long Island July 9th 1773. The Inclosed I should have forwarded by last post had not his Excellency desired they might be sent by you I therefore beg you will take the trouble of delivering them to the Gent" to whom they are adressed; heartily wishing you an Agreable Journey I am Sr Y' Most obd humble Srt A C [Endorsement. Copy. July 9, 1773 To M' Sauthier Inclosing a letter to Mr Collins & one to Mr Valentine.] -[N. Y. Col. MSS., xcix., 140. [IN COUNCIL.] July 12, 1773. His Excellency' communicated to the Board his Intention of going to Quebec in order to expedite the finishing the Division Line between this Province and the Government of Quebec, and recommended to the Gentlemen of the Council the Conservation of the Peace of the Province during his Absence. -[N. Y. Council Minutes (MS.), v. 26, p. 361. Sir [Gov. TRYON TO LT.-GOV. CRAMAHE.] Montreal 25th July 1773 Your Dispatch informing me of Mr Valentines incapacity to proceed on the Survey of the Partition Line between our Governments, and your intention to postpone that service untill next year, has been laid before His Majesty's Council of New York, and therepon having received the Advice of that Board that there was an urgent necessity for Running the said line this Season. I took the resolution to wait on you in Person, that we might the more readily expedite the necessary preparations; Accordingly I arrived in your Government last night, in the expectation of meeting Your Honor here agreeable to my Request, communicated to you in my Letter Dated I think the 29th of last Month. As this dissappointment is accompanied with the additional one of finding no intelligence from You, and concluding my Letter, from the negligence or Delay of the Post, may not have reached You; To prevent farther loss of time in our concerting the measures for the immediate Execution of this Essential Service; I shall take a Water Passage for Quebec on Tuesday next, where I trust I shall experience your concurrence in a matter wherein His Majesty's Interest is so nearly concerned. His Excellency communicated to the Board Copies of the Minutes of his Majesty's Council at Quebec with several Letters which passed between him and the Lieutenant Governor of that Province, relative to the running the Line between the two Governments from Lake Champlain Westward to St Lawrence River in the Latitude of 45°, and acquainted the Board that the Surveyors of both Provinces were to proceed on that Service about the middle of the present Month. On reading of which Papers it is ordered that the same be entered in the Minutes, and are as follow At the Council Chamber in the Castle of Saint Louis in the City of Quebec on Monday the Second day of August 1773 Present The Honoble Hector Theo' Cramahe Esq' Lieut Gov' William Hey C T. Hugh Finlay Tho Dunn Colin Drummond Fra Levesque Esquires John Collins Read a Letter from his Excellency the Governor of New York to the Lieutenant Governor of this Province dated Montreal the 20th July 1773, advising that he had transmitted a former Letter before he left New York proposing a meeting with the Lieutenant Governor at Montreal in order to concert Measures for expediting the immediate running of the Western Boundary Line between the two Provinces. Ordered in Consequence that Mr Hey Mr Finlay Mr Dunn Mr Drummond, Mr Levesque and M' Harrison be appointed a Committee to take the above Business into Consideration, and to report their Opinion thereon to this Board on Wednesday next. A true Copy Attest Geo Allsopp D C C -[N. Y. Council Minutes (MS), v. 26, p. 363. At the Council Chamber in the Castle of Saint Louis in the City of Quebec on Wednesday the fourth day of August 1773. Present [Same as August 2d, and James Cuthbert.] The Lieutenant Governor laid before the Board a Letter rece'd by this days Post from his Excellency the Governor of New York dated Fort George the 5th July 1773, inclosing the Minutes of his Majesty's Council for that Province of the 26th June last, earnestly recommending the immediate running of the Western Boundary or Partition Line between this Province and that of New York, to expedite which is the Object of his Excellency's Visit to this Province. Which Letter and Minutes of Council being read together with the Report of the Committee appointed the 2a Instant to consider the Expediency of carrying into immediate Execution a former Order of Council for running the said Boundary Line from the Western Side of Lake Champlain in the 45 degree of Northern Latitude, till the same shall intersect the River of Saint Lawrence. Approved the said Report and ordered the same to be filed in the Office and entered in the Book, and that the Deputy Surveyor General of this Province be directed in Conjunction with the Surveyor on the Part of New York to run the said Boundary Line with all convenient Dispatch. A true Copy Attest Geo Allsopp D C C Council Chamber Quebec August 4th 1773. At a Committee appointed the 2a Instant to take into Consideration the Expediency of carrying into immediate Execution an Order of Council of the 22a of February last for running the Western Boundary Line between this Province and that of New York, which Service was Suspended by the inability of the Surveyor of New York to attend that Business on Account of his ill State of Health. Present Wm Hey C J The Honble H. Finlay Tho' Dunn Col Drummona Who after taking the whole of the Proceedings with respect to this Matter into their Consideration are unanimous in reporting That the Suspension of this Service by the illness of Mr Valentine and the Steps of Necessity taken in consequence of that Suspension, have created Difficulties in carrying that Work into immediate Execution, which they know not well how to reconcile, and made it not an easy Matter to determine upon either the Prudence or Propriety of recommending it; Difficulties arising from an accidental Circumstance as little expected as agreeable to us, who have treated and will continue to treat upon this Subject, with all good Faith and a Sincere Desire of perfecting what we think both an useful and necessary work, at the same Time that we must confess we do not discover the necessity of that precipitation with which it is urged on the Part of the Government of New York. The Council well remember and the Government of New York will do us the Justice to acknowledge with what Readiness we embraced, and with what good Will we persisted in the Execution of the Measure originally proposed by them for running the Line of the Eastern Boundary tho' we did not look upon our Interest in that Business to be near so large as theirs, and we had neither Funds of our own to defray them nor particular Directions for charging Government at home with the Expences attending it. With the same Sincerity and the same Desire of seeing it carried into Execution we gave the necessary Directions for running the present Line to the Westward this Spring, when Mr Valentine's ill State of Health not permitting him to attend the Service we considered it as of Necessity Suspended till another Year, and the Deputy Surveyor General was ordered as we understand upon another not less interesting and important Service, the surveying and marking out a Road through this Province to the Settlements upon the Kennebec River. In this Situation we find ourselves called upon to renew our Operations and finish this Business in the Course of this year, by the personal Interposition of his Excellency the Governor of New York, to whose Station and Character We bear the highest Testimony of Esteem and Respect, and whose earnest solicitations upon this Subject we would chearfully gratify at the Expence of every Thing but our Duty to the publick, but admitting that the many other Difficulties which the unavoidable Suspension of this Service has thrown in our Way could be as readily removed as it is our Wish they should, we must still beg leave to observe that we have good Reason to hope that his Majesty's Ministers may think this no unreasonable Opportunity for reconsidering the whole of our boundary Line as setled by the Proclamation in 1763: We are not without Hopes that they may be induced by such Representations as have or may be made upon that Subject, to make other arrangements more favourable and better adapted to the Circumstances and Situation of this Province, and how far our taking such a Step as this which they may consider as decisive upon our Part may have an Influence to obstruct or wholly frustrate any such Measure deserves to be well considered, and we must for ever reproach ourselves if any inconsiderate Step of ours, under what respectable Recommendation Soever it is urged, should interrupt or prevent a Measure which We have reason to think will be adopted upon Principles either of publick Policy or private Right. Yet we are upon the whole inclined to think that as this matter must finally remain for his Majesty's determination, and it must depend upon his Majesty's Pleasure to adopt this or direct the running of any other different Line of Division between the two Provinces, and considering also that the Provisions and all the other Necessaries are already purchased, and the People to be employed upon the Service ready at the Place where the Operations are to commence, your Honour may safely give the necessary Directions for going on with the Service immediately under the following Reservations, which we consider as the only expedient for resolving the many Difficulties which have occurred, and without which we must find ourselves under the necessity of deferring the Proceedings till another Year. That every Thing shall remain between the two Provinces exactly in the same Situation as well with regard to Jurisdiction as Property after the Line is run, as it does now until his Majesty's Pleasure upon that Subject shall be known. That his Excellency the Governor of New York, will engage not to pass any new Grant or Grants of Land to the Southward of the Line, the Property of which is now or has at any Time been claimed under any Title from the Crown of France. That we do not by our Consent to the running of the Line give up or in any manner recede or depart from any Right or Claim to Lands to the Southward of the Line which have at any Time been or now are disputed between the two Provinces, but that the whole shall be submitted to his Majesty's Pleasure with Prejudice or Advantage of any kind to be taken of this Instance, which we are willing to show tho' at some Hazard, of our Desire of a good Correspondence at all Times with the Province of New York Signed -[N. Y. Council Minutes (MS.), v. 26, p. 365. Sir WM HEY PC Quebec 4th August 1773 Having laid your Letters of the 5th and 25th July together with the Minutes of the Council of New York inclosed in the former, before his Majesty's Council of this Province, I have the Honour to communicate the Result of their Deliberations upon the Subject Matter of said Letters and to acquaint you, that if you choose to accept the Terms proposed, Orders shall be given to Mr Collins in Conjunction with your Surveyor to proceed upon running of the Line, as soon as he has exe |