you of other matters. I wish for a prosperous event

of this debate, and am, Sir,

Your's and your Colony's most

MIDDLE TEMPLE,

10th of Decem', 1725.

Faithful and Obedt Servt,

JER: DUMMER.

My, humble service to the Revd Mr. Woodbridge, to whom I'll write at large by the spring ships.

[Inclosure. Notification to Agent.]

WHITEHALL, Dec. 2, 1725.

Sir: My Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations having appointed next Thursday at 11 in the Morning, to consider the several papers before them in relation to the Boundaries between the Colonies of Connecticut and Rhode Island, have commanded me to acquaint you therewith, that you may then lay before their Lordships what you have further to offer upon this subject.

I am, Sir, your most humble servant,
ALURED POPPLE.

JEREMIAH DUMER, Esq'.

GOVERNOR TALCOTT TO GOVERNOR CRANSTON* OF

RHODE ISLAND.

Sir: I have now rec'd yours of the 20th of instant Jan, together with the Act of your Assembly impowering Commissioners, and being willing to contribute to the facilitating that matter to a speedy issue, I do now signify to your Honour that I do comply with yours for the Gentlemen Commissioners of the Colony's meeting at Capt. Thomson's at Westerly on the 15th of February next; and if our Gentlemen

* Samuel Cranston, born August, 1659; Governor of Rhode Island from 1698 until 1727; died April 26, 1727.

should not happen to get there so soon I desire yours may wait for them until the 18th day of that month, when I shall endeavour that they shall be there without fail, if inevitable Providence don't hinder them. I am with great Respect, Sir,

Your very Obedient Servant,

J. TALCOTT.

GOVERNOR CRANSTON OF RHODE ISLAND TO
GOVERNOR TALCOTT.

NEWPORT ON RHODE ISLAND, 14th March 1726.

Sir: I this minute received your Honour's of the 9th instant, and it is very unaccountable that letters sent by the post should be detained upon the road and not dispatcht to the Governour to whom they are directed, and I am heartily sorry that my letter was detain'd so long before it reacht your Honour's hands; and I am likewise very much concern'd that it hath put you upon sending this express, by reason I must now inform your Honour that the Lords Commissioners of Trade have made their report to the Lords of the Council, relating the bounds between the Colonies as follows viz1:

But as some doubts have been made with respect to their bounds even as they are stated in the Rhode Island Charter, arising from the uncertainty and variety of names given to places and rivers, and as the green line in the annexed map was determined in 1703 to be the division line between the two Colonies by the Commissioners respectively appointed for that purpose, we humbly propose that his Majestie be graciously pleased to signify his pleasure that the aforesaid green line may hereafter be the settled boundarys between the said two Colonies of Conecticut and Rhode Island. WHITEHALL,

Jan. 25th, 1728.

I. CHETWYND.

P. DOEMINIQUE.
MARTIN BLADEN.

R. PLUMER.

I. HOBART.

I have not time, (by reason your messenger is so sudden upon his return,) to give you their Lordships' preface to this report, but by the next ships our Agent adviseth me we may expect it fully confirm'd by the King, as doubtless your Honour will receive the same, so that our further treaties upon that foot will be finally determined.*

I am, your Honour's most obedient humble

servant,

Governour TALCOTT.

SAMLL CRANSTON.

GOVERNOR BURNET TO GOV. TALCOTT.

NEW YORK, March 23d 1728.

Sir: I have received the favour of your letter of the 19th instant, and join with you in the satisfaction you express of the happy agreement made by the Commissioners at their last meeting about the line of partition, and in your opinion that it would be fit to finish the line as soon as might be, for the ease of the inhabitants of both Colonys. I have laid these proceedings before our Assembly at their last meeting, and have recommended to them to raise money to go on with the work, the former stock being exhausted. They have not yet done any thing in it, and they are to meet next month again, at which time I will again recommend it to them, and when they have made. the necessary provision I will not fail to acquaint you with it, that there may be another meeting as you propose, to finish the line.

You will perceive by this that the delay was not occasioned by me, or by the commissioners, who are very ready to go on whenever the expences, which will

* See Rhode Island Colonial Records, IV. 370-73, for the Order in Council settling the boundary line between Rhode Island and Connecticut, Feb. 8, 1726.

not be small, are provided for, and therefore I cannot put that hardship upon them, till they are sure of their being defrayed by the country. This is all the reason why I have not proposed a time or place to you already, and this reason will unavoidably continue till the Assembly have done their part, which I hope they will this next session.

I am, Sir,

Your most obedient humble servant,

W. BURNET.

JEREMY DUMMER TO GOVERNOR TALCOTT.

1

Sir: My last to you was in the winter, by the way of Rhode Island, in which I acquainted you that there had been a fresh hearing between Rhode Island and us, before the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations. But as it happen'd, the first day was taken up by the Council on the other side, and a new day appointed to hear for my defence. This gave me an opportunity to make a second Brief for my Council by way of remark upon their opening, copies of both which I inclose you, as also of the Report made by their Lord, by which you'l see they are for keeping you to your own agreement at Stonington. This I fear'd from the beginning, and therefore always desir'd you to make up the difference amicably. What you writ me, that the Commissioners for Rhode Island had not full powers, I insisted on, but had not the least proof to support it. Besides, it was the duty of your Commissioners to have previously examined their powers, and not find fault, after they had admitted their powers to be good, and in consequence of it sign'd and seal'd the agreement. This therefore being but a weak reason,

I had recourse to other arguments, and maintained that the Provinces have no power by private agreements to transfer any part of their Jurisdiction to one another, and that the King has no power to revoke or annul a Patent, after he has once granted it. By this argument I defeated the attempts of Rhode Island hitherto, till at last you wrested this weapon out of my hands by your letter of the 28th of October, 1723, to the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations, wherein you submit your bounds to be determin'd by his Majesty.

This the Lords have taken hold of, as you'l see by their Report. However, I have not quite given it up, but am following it to the Committee of Council, as you'l see by my Objections, copy whereof I inclose I have four or five times attended their LordPPs you. summons on this occasion, but something has interven'd to prevent its coming to be heard. I shall write to you again very soon, and in the meantime, am, Sir.

MIDDLE TEMPLE,

6th April, 1726.

Gov TALCOTT.

Your very humble Serv,

JER. DUMMER.

To the Right Honoble the Lord President and the rest of the Right Honoble the Lords of the Committee of his Majesty's most Honoble the Privy Council.

Sheweth,

The humble Petition of Richard Partridge,

Agent for the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations in America,

That there having been some disputes between the inhabitants of the said Colony of Rhode Island