is Our Will and Pleasure that you do not give your Assent to, or pass any Law imposing Duties upon Negroes imported into Our Colony of Connecticut, payable by the Importer, or upon any Slaves exported, that have not been sold in Our said Colony, and continued there for the space of twelve Months.

It is Our further Will and Pleasure, that you do not give your Assent to, or pass any Act whatsoever, for imposing Duties on the Importation of any Felons from this Kingdom into Our said Colony of Connecticut. G. R.

[Indorsed]

Additional Instructions to the Governor and Company of the Colony of Connecticut. Read at the Assembly, May, 1732.

have often neglected to perform the sd condition, but returned to their former wickedness, and been at last for new crimes brought to a shameful and ignominious death: and whereas in many of his Majesty's colonies and plantations in America, there is great want of servants, who by their labor and industry might be the means of improving and making the s colonies and plantations more useful to this nation; it is enacted that Persons, who before the 20th of Jany", 1717, have been convicted of offences without the benefit of clergy, and also such as shall hereafter be convicted, except receivers and buyers of stolen goods; shall be sent to the plantations for 7 years; the Court before whom convicted to contract for their transportation. Persons convicted of offences, for which they are to be excluded the benefit of clergy, and also receivers of stolen goods, may be transported for 14 years, and the persons contracting for their transportation shall have a property in their service. Returning before the expiration of the term shall be punished with death. Contractors to give security for the transportation of such offenders, and procure certificates from the governor, &c., where landed, and they shall not be suffered to return by his default. And whereas there are many idle persons, who are under the age of one and twenty years, lurking about in divers parts of London, and elsewhere, who want employment, and may be tempted to become thieves, if not provided for; and whereas they may be inclined to be transported, and to enter into services in some of his Majesty's colonies and plantations in America; but as they have no power to contract for themselves, and therefore that it is not safe for merchants to transport, or take them into such services; it is enacted that merchants or others may contract with persons of the age of 15, and under 21, to serve them in America for 8 years. Provided such person acknowledge his consent before a justice of the peace, and sign the same with his approbation.—4 George I. Massachusetts passed an act laying a duty of four pounds per head on negroes imported into the Colony. Acts and Resolves of the Province of Massachusetts, II. 517; also chap. 10.

GOVERNOR BELCHER TO GOVERNOR TALCOTT.*

Honoble S':

About 2 months ago I recd Mr Cradock your kind Favour of 6: Oct: which I had answer'd before now, but have been something hurry'd in the Affairs of the Gen Assembly & in writing by the many ships gone to London. I hope these Things will incline your Goodness & Candour to forgive me.

I have this Day rec'd M Abbot Duplicate of your Letter of 6: Oct'. with the Favour of yours of 8: ult and have carefully enquir'd as the ships have come In for Letters from your Agent M: Wilks but have seen none, Tho' Mr Lewis tells me he forwarded a Packet to you about 10 Days since, which I suppose may be an Answer to what you wrote Cary.

By several Letters from London, as well as P Gent lately come from thence I am told Mr Wilks has a great & growing Interest at Court, which I am glad of for the sake of both the Provinces under his Care; I have made Answer to the Lords Commisers. for Trade & Plantations respecting any Laws Manufactures &c. of this Province that may any Ways affect the Navigation, Manufactures, or Trade of G1. Britain I am am afraid when the Parliament meets They'll make some hard Laws upon the Northern Colonies. a vessell that sails hence in 10: or 14: Days I shall forward to your Agent what you have now sent PM. Abbot, and be always ready to do your Honour & the Colony Every good service in my Power.

I ask your acceptance of the inclosed Prints & remain with my best Respects to yourself and good

*From the original in the possession of the Massachusetts Historical

Society.

In your Letter M Abbot I found the Inclosed 40/Bill, which I suppose you put in by mistake, so I now return it.

Gov. TALCOTT

PM. Abbot.

[L. S.]

INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE KING,

Additional Instruction to Our Trusty and Welbeloved the Governor and Company of Our Colony of Connecticut in New England in America; Or to the GEORGE R. Governor and Company of Our said Colony for the time being. Given at Our Court at S'. James's, the Fifth Day of May, 1732, In the Fifth Year of Our

Reign.

Whereas, Complaint hath been made to Us by the Merchants of Our City of London, in behalf of themselves And of several others of Our good Subjects of Great Britain trading to Our Plantations in America, that greater Duties and Impositions are laid on their Ships and Goods than on the Ships and Goods of Persons who are Natives and Inhabitants of the said Plantations: It is, therefore, Our Will and Pleasure, that you do not, upon any Pretence whatsoever, on Pain of Our highest Displeasure, Give your Assent for the future to any Law wherein the Natives or Inhabitants of the Colony of Connecticut under your Government are put on a more advantageous Footing than those of this Kingdom. It is further Our Will and Pleasure, that you do not, And You are hereby expressly forbid to, pass any Law by Which the Trade or Navigation of this Kingdom may be in any Ways affected; hereby declaring it to be Our Royal Intention, that no Duties shall be laid in the Colony

under your Government upon British Shipping or upon the Product or Manufactures of Great Britain, upon any pretence whatsoever. G. R.

[Indorsed] Instructions from his Majesty, King George 24, given at St James's, May 5th, 1732.

BOARD OF TRADE TO THE GOVERNOR OF CONNECTICUT.

Duplicate.

Gentlemen,

WHITEHALL, June 16th, 1732.

His Majesty having been pleased, upon the Address of the House of Commons, dated the 25th of the last Month,* to direct my Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations to prepare a further Representation to be laid before the House in the next Session of Parliament, of the State of His Majesty's Colonies and Plantations in America, with respect to any Laws made, Manufactures set up, and Trade carryed on there, which may affect the Trade, Navigation, and Manufactures, of this Kingdom. My Lords Comm'rs have commanded me to give you this Notice, and to desire you will immediately upon receipt hereof, send them the best and most particular Accounts you can, of any Laws made, Manufactures set up, or Trade carryed on in the Colony of Connecticut, which may in any way affect the Trade, Navigation, and Manufactures of this Kingdom, and that you will take it for a constant Rule, to send my Lords Comm's annual Returns to these Queries. I am,

Gentlemen,

Your most humble Serv1,
ALURED POPPLE.

The Honble the GovR AND COMPANY OF CONNECTICUT.

* See History and Proceedings of the House of Commons, for an account of the debates on the Bill "For the better securing and encouraging

[Indorsed] Letter from the Lords Comss to know what Laws &c we have that incumber the trade of Great Britton. 1732.

COMMISSIONERS OF THE CUSTOMS TO THE GOVERNOR OF CONNECTICUT.

S':

The Bearer hereof, John Peagrum, Esq., being Deputed by Us, pursuant to a Warrant from the Lords Commiss'rs of the Treasury, to be Surveyor General of the Northern part of the Continent of America, in the room of Devereux Bacon, deceased. And he having received Instructions from Us for the more effectual putting in Execution the Laws relating to Trade and Navigation. We desire you will please to be assisting with your Authority to the s Peagrum, and the other Officers of the Customs under his Inspection, as they shall have occasion to apply to you, and also that you will strictly comand all Officers and Ministers imployed under you to be assisting to them in putting in Execution the Laws against illegal Trade, that the service under our Management may be effectually carryed on.* We are,

[Superscribed] To His Excellency, The Governour and Commander in Chief of His Maj

Province of Connecticut.

the Trade of his Majesty's Sugar-Colonies in America," in 1732; it passed in the House of Commons, but was dropped in the House of Lords. The subject was taken up again in the next session, and the bill was passed in February, 1733- See page 287.

* A copy of Peagrum's commission is in the Connecticut Archives; Trade and Maritime Affairs, I. 99, dated Aug. 9, 1732.