Journal, April 1742: Volume 50

Journal, April 1742

Thursday, April 1. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Keene, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Pelham.

Pennsylvania.

Mr. John Penn, Mr. Thomas Penn. Proprietors.

Mr. Weston.

Mr. Paris, solicitor for the petitioners of the province of Pennsylvania, and Mr. Sharpe, solicitor for the agent of the said province, attending, as desired by the minutes of Tuesday last, together with the gentlemen, whose names are in the margin, the Board, after some discourse had with them on the subject of the petition referred to them by the Lords of the Committee of Council, relating to the security and defence of that province, put off the further consideration thereof to Wednesday the 7th instant, when, at the desire of the several persons concerned, the Board resolved to hear what each side had further to offer, on the subject of the above petition, above mentioned.

Friday, April 2. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Pelham.

St. Christophers.

The draught of the letter to Colonel Fleming, Lieutenant General of the Leeward Islands, and Lieutenant Governor of St. Christophers, ordered by the minutes of Wednesday last to be transcribed, was laid before the Board and signed.

Tuesday, April 6. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Pelham.

England.

Wool.

Ordered that the Secretary write a letter to Mr. Oxenford, Assistant Inspector General of the Customs, desiring him to send the Board a copy of the "Account of the value of woollen manufactures exported from England from Christmas, 1715, to Christmas, 1740, distinguishing each year, and how much from London, and how much from the out ports"—mentioned in the notes of the 1st instant.

New Jersey.

Read a letter from Mr. Morris, Governor of New Jersey, dated at Trenton, December 16th, 1741, transmitting the following public papers, viz.:—
Representation of the Council and Assembly of New Jersey to Governor Morris, the 4th of November, 1741, praying for encouragement from his Majesty for the making of iron.
Journal of the Council, at a Sessions of General Assembly, begun at Perth Amboy, the 2nd of October, and ending the 4th of November, 1741.
Notes and proceedings of the General Assembly, during that session.
Six Acts, passed the 4th of November, 1741.

Ordered that a letter to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle be prepared, for inclosing a copy of the said representation to Governor Morris, together with an extract of that part of the Governor's letter, which relates to the subject of the said representation.

At the same time, ordered likewise, the six Acts, above mentioned, be sent to Mr. Fane, for his opinion thereon, in point of law.

Wednesday, April 7. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Pelham.

Pennsylvania.

Several of the people called Quakers, amonst whom were Daniel Philips, John Hayward, Josiah Martin, Simeon Warner, etc., attending without, presented a petition subscribed by them on behalf of their friends, inhabitants of the province of Pennsylvania, (in opposition to the petition from diverse inhabitants of that province to his Majesty setting forth the defenceless condition thereof, and referred to this Board by the Lords of the Committee of Council; mentioned in the minutes of the 9th of March last).

The said petitioners being called in, the Board, after some discourse had with them on the subject of their petition, agreed, at their desire, to postpone the consideration of the other petition, referred to this Board by the Lords of the Committee, as above mentioned, to a further day, in order to give the petitioners present, a reasonable time to apply to the king in Council, in the like manner, as they have done to this Board.

Thursday, April 8. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Pelham.

New Jersey.

The draught of a letter to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, for inclosing a copy of the representation of the Council and Assembly of New Jersey, to Mr. Morris, together with an extract of the said Governor's letter, having been prepared, as ordered by the minutes of Tuesday last, was laid before the Board, agreed to, transcribed and signed.

Friday, April 9. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plumer.

North Carolina.

Mr. Samuel Wragg, merchant, agent for the Assembly of North Carolina, attending, moved the Board to take into consideration an Act, passed in that Province in August, 1740, to appoint able and skilful Clerks for the several County Courts within that province, and for the better securing and safe keeping the Records of the same; whereupon their lordships agreed to consider the said Act, and papers relating thereto, on Wednesday morning next; and Mr. Wragg promised to acquaint Mr. John Sharpe (solicitor for Mr. Rice, Secretary of North Carolina), therewith, that he might attend at the same time [Wednesday 14th].

Trade.

Wool.

Read a letter from Mr. Oxenford, Assistant Inspector General of the Imports and Exports, dated this day, in answer to one from the Secretary to him, ordered by the minutes of the 6th instant, inclosing a paper, entituled,
An Account of the value of woollen manufactures exported from England, from Christmas. 1715, to Christmas, 1740, distinguishing each year, and how much from London, and how much from the out ports.

Tuesday, April 13. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell.

Maryland.

Read a letter from Lord Baltimore, Proprietor of Maryland, dated the 9th instant, proposing Abraham Janssen and William Janssen, of the parish of St. James, in the liberty of Westminster and county of Middlesex, Esquires, to be sureties for Thomas Bladen, Esquire (whom the king has appointed to be Lieutenant Governor of Maryland), for his observing the Acts of Trade and Navigation etc.

Ordered that the Secretary write to Mr. Scrope, Secretary of the Treasury, to acquaint him with the purport of the said letter, and at the same time to send him the draught of a bond as usual upon such occasions.

Trade.

Husbandry.

Read a letter from Mr. Ellis, of Little Gaddesden, dated the 8th instant, of his discoveries, relating to the improving land with peat ashes, which may be of great benefit to the Plantations, as well as to England; and desiring the assistance of money to enable him to travel the country, in order to make other useful improvements in husbandry.

Ordered that the Secretary write to the said Mr. Ellis, and inform him, that the Board have not the disposal of publick money, and advise him to apply to those who have.

Wednesday, April 14. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plumer.

North Carolina.

Read a letter from Mr. Johnston, Governor of North Carolina, dated at Edenton, December 21st, 1741, giving an account of his attempt to pass a new quit rent law, and his ill success therein; as also of his having prorogued the Assembly, desiring the Board's opinion how he is to behave in this case, and in relation to collecting the quit rents. When the Board, after some time spent in considering the subject of the said letter, resolved to take the same into consideration after the recess.

Mr. Samuel Wragg, merchant, agent for the Assembly of North Carolina, and Mr. John Sharpe (solicitor for Mr. Rice, Secretary of North Carolina), attending (as had been appointed by the minutes of the 9th instant), the Board took into consideration an Act, passed in that province in August, 1740, to appoint able and skilful Clerks for the several County Courts within that province, and for the better securing and safe keeping the Records of the same; and the Board, after hearing Mr. Sharpe's objections to the said Act, appointed Wednesday, the 28th of this month, for the attendance of the same persons, in order to shew Mr. Rice's power of appointing his deputies, as also for considering, at the desire of Mr. Sharpe, another Act of North Carolina, passed in 1740, entituled, An Act for the further and better regulation of the Town called Wilmington in New Hanover County, and to establish the Church of the Parish of St. James to be built in the said Town.

Tuesday, April 27. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene.

Plantations General.

Virginia.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, dated April 12th, 1742, referring to this Board the memorial of Mr. Dinwiddie, Surveyor General of the Customs in the Southern District of America, praying that he may be admitted as a member of his Majesty's Council in Ordinary, within his district, as was granted to Mr. Dunbar, Surveyor General of the Customs in Barbados, Bermudas and the Leeward Islands.

Trade.

Wool.

Read a letter from Mr. Lowndes to the Secretary, dated the 16th instant, desiring him to acquaint the Board that he intends, if he meets with proper encouragement, to disclose in a little time his scheme for preventing, without a register, the running of wool from Ireland in foreign parts.

Jamaica.

Read a letter from Mr. Trelawney, Governor of Jamaica, dated February 10th, 1741–2, transmitting the several public papers following, viz.:—
Minutes of Council, beginning 10th of September, ending the 22nd of October, 1741.
Council in Assembly, beginning the 20th of June, ending the 17th of October, 1741.
An Act, passed the 17th of October, 1741, for subsisting the officers and soldiers of the eight Independent Companies for six months.

Ordered the said Act be sent to Mr. Fane, for his opinion thereon, in point of law.

New Hampshire.

Read a letter from Mr. Wentworth, Governor of New Hampshire, dated at Portsmouth, March 6th, 1741–2; transmitting a map of Merrimack River from the Atlantic Ocean to Pautucket Falls, describing bounds between his Majesty's province of New Hampshire and the Massachusets Bay, agreeable to his Majesty's Order in Council, 1741.

Wednesday, April 28th. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene.

North Carolina.

Mr. Wragg, not attending, according to appointment of the minutes of the 14th instant, Mr. Sharpe, at his request being admitted, desired the Board to appoint another day for their attendance, which being agreed to, Friday morning next was accordingly appointed [Friday, 30th inst.].

Thursday, April 29th. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene.

Plantations General.

Virginia.

The Board had under consideration the Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, dated April 12th, 1742, on the subject of Mr. Dinwiddie's memorial (mentioned in the minutes of Tuesday last), and after some time spent therein, ordered that the Secretary acquaint Mr. Peter Leheup, agent for the Colony of Virginia, that they desire his attendance at the Board on Tuesday morning next.

Friday, April 30. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Keene.

Plantations General.

Money.

Mr. Alderman Baker and Captain Tomlinson attending, laid before the Board a paper, entituled, Heads for a Bill for the regulating the future payments of debts in America and for the ascertaining the value of those heretofore contracted, but now undischarged; and the same having been read, the Board took the subject of it into consideration, and agreed to reconsider the same the first opportunity.

North Carolina.

Mr. John Sharpe attending, as appointed by the minutes of the 28th instant, acquainted the Board that Mr. Wragg being indisposed, was not able to attend, but that he desired to be heard in opposition to an Act of North Carolina (mentioned in the same minutes), entituled, An Act for the further and better regulation of the Town called Wilmington in New Hanover County, and to establish the Church of the Parish of St. James to be built in the said Town; as also against another Act, passed in the same province, entituled, An Act for erecting the village called Newton in New Hanover County into a town and township by the name of Wilmington, and for regulating and ascertaining the bounds thereof; and he was accordingly heard and the objections made by him to the said Acts were supported by Messrs. Samuel Wood and Lawrence Dent, masters of vessels, witnesses produced by him; and the Board, after they were withdrawn, having taken the affair into consideration, ordered that copies of the said Acts be sent to Mr. Manley, Secretary to the Commissioners of his Majesty's Customs, and that he be desired to lay the same before the said Commissioners, in order to have their opinion whether the alterations proposed in the said Acts, so far as they relate to the Customs, may affect his Majesty's Revenue there, and that this Board may be informed of their objections to the said Acts, if they have any.