Journal, May 1758: Volume 65

Journal, May 1758

Tuesday, May 2. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Sloper.

Pennsylvania.

Their lordships took into consideration seventeen Acts passed in the province of Pennsylvania in 1755, 1756 and 1757, referred to this Board by Orders of the Lords of the Committee of Council for Plantation Affairs, dated the 18th of August and 24th November, 1756, the 19th of May, 1757, and the 31st of January last, together with Sir Mathew Lamb's reports upon the said Acts; and some doubts having arisen upon some of the said Acts, their lordships agreed to take them into further consideration to-morrow morning, and the Secretary was ordered to write to the Proprietaries of the said province desiring their attendance at twelve o'clock.

North Carolina.

Read a letter from James Abercromby, Esquire, to the Secretary, dated April 13th, 1758, submitting to the Board some observations on the paper currency of North Carolina, and inclosing:—
Copy of Governor Dobbs's letter to James Abercromby, Esquire, dated December, 1757, acquainting him that the Assembly had refused to continue him agent for the province of North Carolina.

New Hampshire.

Read the following letters and papers received from the Governor of New Hampshire, viz.:—
Letter from Benning Wentworth, Esquire, Governor of New Hampshire, to the Board, dated September 24th, 1757, and inclosing:—
Account of the quantity of bar iron made in the province of New Hampshire between Christmas, 1749, and Christmas, 1756.
Letter from Benning Wentworth, Esquire, Governor of New Hampshire, to the Secretary, dated November 13th, 1757.
Letter from Benning Wentworth, Esquire, Governor of New Hampshire, to the Board, dated January 15th, 1758, and inclosing:—
Reasons offered by the Governor of New Hampshire for passing eighteen Acts.
Eighteen Acts passed between 1st March, 1756 and 29th April, 1757.
Governor of New Hampshire's message to the Council and Assembly on April 2nd, 1756, on a bill for emitting £30,000 for the Crown Point expedition, and their answer on the same day.
Copy of Governor Wentworth's message to the Council and Assembly, April 5th, and of their answer on the 6th April, 1756.
Copy of Governor Wentworth's message to the Assembly on the 7th, and of their answer on the 8th of April, 1756.
Copy of Governor Wentworth's message to the Assembly on the 12th, and of their answer on the 14th of April, 1756.
Journal of Council and Assembly of New Hampshire, between 23rd October, 1755, and 14th December, 1756.
Journal of the Council and Assembly of New Hampshire from December 14th, 1756, to November 4th, 1757.
Journal of the Council of New Hampshire between May 20th, 1756, and August 9th, 1757.
Lists of ships entered and cleared from March 25th, 1756, to January 5th, 1758.

Ordered, that the aforementioned Acts be sent to Sir Mathew Lamb for his opinion thereupon in point of law.

Wednesday, May 3. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Sloper.

Pennsylvania.

Their lordships took into further consideration the laws passed in the province of Pennsylvania in 1755, 1756 and 1757, mentioned in the preceding minutes, and Thomas Penn, Esquire, one of the Proprietaries of the said province, attending without pursuant to notice given to him by the Secretary for that purpose, he was called in; and their lordships having had some discourse with him upon several of the said Acts, he withdrew; and their lordships agreed to take them into further consideration on Wednesday next, the 10th instant; and the Secretary was ordered to give notice to the agents for the province of Pennsylvania to attend on that day.

Massachusets.

Read the following letters and papers received from the Governor of the Massachusets Bay, viz.:—
Letter from Governor Pownall to the Secretary, dated 11th October, 1757, with copies of the Acts passed in his government in August and September, 1757, and his observations thereupon.
Letter from Governor Pownall to the Board, dated January 15th, 1758, and inclosing:—
Plan for the defence of the inland frontiers.
Letter from Governor Pownall to the Secretary, dated 17th January, 1758, and inclosing:—
Map of inland frontiers.
Plan of the Island and Castle William.
Chart of Boston Harbour.
Return of artillery and stores in the Castle.
Extracts from the records of the Massachusets Bay relative to the claims of that province and New York, 1660.
Extracts from the records of the province of the Massachusets Bay respecting the claims of that province and the New Netherlands, 1653.
Copies of letters between Governor Pownall and Lieutenant Governor Delancy, on the subject of the disputed line between Massachusets and New York.
Letter from Governor Pownall to the Board, dated January 18th, 1758, and inclosing:—
Copy of a message from the Council and House of Representatives of the Massachusets Bay to his Excellency, Governor Pownall, December, 1757.
Copy of a message from the Council and House of Representatives of the Massachusets Bay to his Excellency, Governor Pownall, January 6th, 1758.
Letter from Governor Pownall to the Board, dated January 25th, 1758, and inclosing:—
Copy of Governor Pownall's message to the Council and Assembly, January 24th, 1758.
Copy of Governor Pownall's message to the Assembly, dated January 25th, 1758.
Copy of the resolution of the Assembly, dated January 21st, 1758.
Copy of the vote of Council, January 24th, 1758.
Copy of vote of the general Court of the Massachusets Bay for the establishment made for the protection of the frontiers, January 25th, 1758.
Letter from Governor Pownall to the Board, dated February 10th, 1758, and inclosing:—
Copy of instructions given by Governor Pownall to the Commissioners of the Massachusets Bay appointed to concert with the Commissioners of Connecticut ways and means of assisting the general service.
Minutes of the proceedings of the Commissioners of the Massachusets Bay with the Commissioners of Connecticut, with Governor Pownall's observations thereon, February 8th, 1758.

Ordered, that copies of such of the aforementioned papers as relate to the boundary line between the provinces of the Massachusets Bay and New York, be made; and the draught of a representation to his Majesty, inclosing the same, prepared.

Friday, May 5. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Sloper.

Massachusets.

Their lordships took into consideration the several letters and papers received from the Governor of the Massachusets Bay, as mentioned in the minutes of Wednesday last, and made some progress therein.

Tuesday, May 9. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Hamilton.

Jamaica.

Read a letter from George Haldane, Esquire, Governor of Jamaica, to the Board, dated Grosvenor Street, May, 1758, respecting the weak state of the fortifications of the said Island.

Ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty be prepared, proposing that an engineer should be sent out with Governor Haldane to inspect the fortifications which have been erected for the security of that Island, and to report the state thereof to the said Governor, to the end that he may be enabled to take proper measures either for completing or altering the said fortifications as the case shall require.

Barbados.

Read a petition of the Rev. Thomas Barnard, rector of the parish of St. Michael in the Island of Barbados, praying that leave may be granted him to be absent from his said cure for the further space of twelve months from the expiration of the twelve months already granted him.

Ordered, that the draught of a letter to Mr. Secretary Pitt be prepared, desiring he would move his Majesty, that the petitioner may have his Majesty's leave to be absent for the further term of twelve months from the expiration of his former leave, and that a warrant for his Majesty's signature be likewise prepared to accompany the said letter, in case his Majesty should approve the same.

Wednesday, May 10. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Oswald Mr. Pelham, Mr. Sloper.

North Carolina.

Read a letter from Arthur Dobbs, Esquire, Governor of North Carolina, to the Board, dated 27th December, 1757, giving an account of his having suspended Mr. Rutherford and Mr. Murray from their seats in the Council, and inclosing:—
Copy of Governor Dobbs's letter to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, dated December 26th, 1757, in answer to their Secretary's letter of the 19th of January, inclosing the two following papers:—
Copy of the affidavit of Joseph Carruthers, Esquire, dated, 4th January, 1758, relative to accounts between the deponent and Mr. Rutherford.
Remarks upon the several articles and answers given them by Mr. Rutherford in Council.
The answer of Mr. Rutherford, Receiver General of the Quit Rent in North Carolina, to articles of charge against him.
Abstract of the Journal of Council of North Carolina of 1st, 12th and 14th December, 1757, upon articles of charge against Mr. Rutherford.
Account of the number of acres granted in the King's part of North Carolina.
Attested copies of printed notes issued as a paper currency by Messrs. Murray and Rutherford.
Governor Dobbs's proclamation forbidding the receivers of the Quit Rents to receive the notes issued by Messrs. Murray and Rutherford.
Copy of a bill passed by the Council and Assembly of North Carolina, and rejected by Governor Dobbs, entitled, An Act to regulate elections.
Copy of Governor Dobbs's speech to the Council and Assembly at the opening of the session.
Copy of the address of the Council to Governor Dobbs, in answer to his speech.
Copy of the address of the Assembly to Governor Dobbs, in answer to his speech.

North Carolina.

Their lordships took the said letter and papers into consideration, and also the memorials of John Rutherford and James Murray, Esquires, mentioned in the minutes of the 15th of March, and after some time spent therein, ordered an extract to be made of so much of Mr. Dobbs's letter as relates to the suspension of the said Rutherford and Murray, and also copies of the papers, relating thereto, to be laid before his Majesty, and the draught of a representation thereupon to be prepared.

Pennsylvania.

Their lordships took into further consideration the laws passed in the province of Pennsylvania in 1755, 1756 and 1757, mentioned in the minutes of the 3rd instant; and Mr. Penn, one of the Proprietaries, attending, as desired, together with the agents for the Assembly of Pennsylvania, they were called in; and after some discourse had with them upon the subject matter of several of the said laws, they withdrew; and the draught of a report thereupon to the Lords of the Committee of Council for Plantation Affairs was ordered to be prepared.

New Jersey.

Read an order of the Lords of the Committee of Council for Plantation Affairs, dated the 13th March, 1758, referring to the consideration of the Board the humble petition and remonstrance of Mr. Richard Partridge, agent for New Jersey, respecting the draught of an Act of Assembly of the said colony, for making current £60,000 in bills of credit, etc.

Ordered, that the said order of reference be taken into consideration on Tuesday, the 30th instant, and that the Secretary do give notice thereof to the agent for the said province.

Georgia.

Read an Order of his Majesty in Council, dated the 8th of May, 1758, approving a representation of this Board, proposing Henry Ellis, Esquire, to be Governor of Georgia, and directing draughts of a Commission and instructions for the said Governor to be prepared; as also a warrant for passing the said Commission under the Great Seal.

Ordered, that the draught of a Commission and warrant for passing the same under the Great Seal be prepared with all possible dispatch, and also the draught of a representation to his Majesty thereupon.

Ordered, that the draughts of general instructions and of those relating to the observance of the laws of trade, be likewise prepared pursuant to the said order.

Friday, May 12. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Sloper.

Massachusets.

Their lordships took into consideration seventy-three Acts passed in the province of the Massachusets Bay in 1754, 1755 and 1756; and General Shirley, late Governor of the said province, attending without, he was called in; and their lordships had some discourse with him upon the subject matter of several of the said Acts; and he being withdrawn, the draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council for Plantation Affairs thereupon was ordered to be prepared.

The following letter, representations, and report, having been prepared pursuant to order, were agreed to, transcribed, and signed.

Barbados.

Letter to Mr. Secretary Pitt, desiring him to move his Majesty that the Rev. Mr. Barnard, minister in the Island of Barbados, may have leave to be absent from his ministry for the further term of twelve months.

Massachusets.

Representation to his Majesty, with copies of the papers received from the Governor of the Massachusets Bay, respecting the boundary line between that province and New York.

Georgia.

Representation to his Majesty, with the draught of a Commission for the Governor of Georgia, and a warrant for passing the same under the Great Seal.

North Carolina.

Representation to his Majesty upon the letters and papers received from the Governor of North Carolina, respecting the suspensions of Mr. Rutherford and Mr. Murray from their seats at the Council board.

Pennsylvania.

Report was signed (fn. 1) to the Lords of the Committee of Council upon seventeen Acts passed in the province of Pennsylvania in 1755, 1756 and 1757.

Tuesday, May 30. Present:—Earl of Halifax, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Sloper.

Massachusets.

The draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council for Plantation Affairs upon seventy-three Acts passed in the province of the Massachusets Bay in the years 1754, 1755 and 1756, having been prepared, pursuant to the minutes of the 12th instant, was agreed to and ordered to be transcribed.

Read a letter from Thomas Pownall, Esquire, Governor of the Massachusets Bay, to the Board, dated Boston, March 15th, 1758, containing an account of a meeting of governors at Hartford to concert with Lord Loudoun the measures of the ensuing campaign; and inclosing:—
Copy of a letter from Lord Loudoun to Governor Pownall, dated New York, February 7th, 1758; and his lordship's proposals to the governors met at Hartford on February 24th, 1758, relative to the operations of the ensuing campaign.
Governor Pownall's speech to the General Assembly of the Massachusets Bay, on the 2nd of March, 1758.
Copy of a note of the House of Representatives on Lord Loudoun's proposals, March 8th, 1758; and of Governor Pownall's letter to his lordship inclosing copy of it.
Copy of an Act for laying an embargo upon ships and other vessels in this province, passed March, 1758.

New Jersey.

Ordered, that the consideration of the petition and remonstrance of the agent for New Jersey, respecting the Bill for emitting sixty thousand pounds in paper Bills of Credit, be postponed to Tuesday next, the 6th of June, and that the Secretary do give notice thereof to the parties concerned.