Journal, February 1746: Volume 54

Journal, February 1746

Tuesday, February 4. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Leveson Gower.

Leeward Islands.

Mr. James George Douglass, agent for St. Christophers, attending, as desired by the minutes of Wednesday last, the Board had some discourse with him, concerning the number of councillors of that, and the other Leeward Islands, as likewse with regard to those that are absent, and those that are appointed by the Governor there, to make up a quorum; and upon Mr. Douglass' desiring lists of the several Councils, in order to give the Board what satisfaction he was able upon those heads, a copy of the state of his Majesty's Councils in the said Islands, transmitted to the Board by Governor Mathew, in his letter of the 13th November last, was ordered to be made, and delivered to him accordingly.

Wednesday, February 5. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Leveson Gower.

South Carolina.

Colonel Fenwicke of the Council of South Carolina, and Mr. Fury, agent for the province, attending, as desired, the Board had some discourse with him on the subject of the paper delivered in by Mr. Fury, and read the 21st of November last, entituled, "Reasons humbly offered for granting Liberty to export Rice directly from South Carolina to any foreign Port or Place in Europe and America, without being first brought to Great Britain"; after which the further consideration of the affair was postponed to another opportunity, when the gentlemen were desired to lay before the Board the nature of the relief they expected, without intermixing their reasonings therewith, which they promised to do, as soon as they could conveniently.

Barbados.

Mr. Paris, solicitor, in behalf of the petitioner, attending, moved the Board to appoint a day for hearing counsel upon the petition to his Majesty of John Price, gentleman, heir of John Price, late of Barbados (against a private Act, passed there in June, 1720), referred to this Board by Order of the Committee of Council, dated November 29th, 1742, and read December 14th following; and Mr. John Sharpe solicitor, in behalf of the said Act, who attended at the same time, having no objection thereto, the Board agreed to hear the same on Tuesday next [Tuesday, February 11th].

Jamaica.

Mr. John Sharpe at the same time moved the Board to report upon an Act, passed at Jamaica, in June, 1744, entituled, An Act to entitle Priscilla Poynter, a free mulatto Woman, Daughter of Peter Poynter, late of Port Royal, Merchant, and her children, Charles, Priscilla and Anne Poynter, and also Mary Morgan, a free mulatto Woman etc. to the same Rights and Priviledges with English Subjects born of white Parents, which has been already laid before Mr. Fane, and to which he has no objection; the Board thereupon agreed to take the said Act into consideration to-morrow morning.

Thursday, February 6. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plumer.

Jamaica.

The Board took into consideration the private Act, passed in Jamaica, in June, 1744, mentioned in the preceding minute, and ordered the draught of a representation to his Majesty for confirming the same, to be prepared.

Friday, February 7. Present:—Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Pitt.

Jamaica.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty for confirming the private Act of Jamaica, relating to Priscilla Poynter, etc., mentioned in yesterday's minute, having been prepared, as ordered, was agreed to, transcribed and signed.

Tuesday, February 11. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Leveson Gower.

Barbados.

Mr. Sharpe and Mr. Paris, the solicitors attending, in relation to the private Act, passed at Barbados in June, 1720; the hearing thereupon, appointed for this day, by the minutes of the 5th instant, was by consent of both parties, put off to a further day, as should be agreed upon by them.

Thursday, February 18. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Leveson Gower.

Barbados.

Mr. Paris, solicitor, in behalf of Mr. Price, attending, moved the Board to appoint a day for hearing counsel upon the said Mr. Price's petition to his Majesty, referred to this Board by the Lords of the Committee of Council (mentioned in the last and several other minutes), and their lordships were pleased to appoint Wednesday in the next week, the 26th of this instant February; and Mr. Paris was desired to acquaint Mr. Sharpe, solicitor in behalf of the above Act, that he may attend likewise, with his counsel, at the same time.

Leeward Islands.

Councils.

Mr. James George Douglass, agent for St. Christophers, attending, the Board had some discourse with him, in relation to the state of the several Councils in the Leeward Islands, a copy of which (lately transmitted by Goveror Mathew to the Board) was sent him, as ordered by the minutes of the 4th instant, at his desire; and then the Board agreed to take into consideration the said state of the Councils the first opportunity.

Wednesday, February 19. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Leveson Gower.

Jamaica.

Read two letters from Mr. Trelawney, Governor of Jamaica, to the Board, dated the 24th and 30th of November, 1745.

The first, inclosing extract of a letter from Major Caulfield to Governor Trelawney, dated at Ratan, the 2nd of August, 1746, relating to the Bay of Honduras; as also a copy of a letter from the inhabitants of that Bay to Major Caulfield, dated 8th of June, 1745.

The other, transmitting the following public papers, viz.:—
1. Extract of a Minute of Council, the 11th of November, 1745.
2. Extract of a Minute of Council, the 11th of November, 1745.
Minutes of Council, from the 2nd of February, 1745, to the 18th of June, 1745.
Minutes of Council and Assembly, from the 19th March, 1744–5, to the 13th of July, 1745.
Thirteen Acts of Jamaica, passed between the 27th of April, 1745, and the 13th of July following.

Ordered that a copy of Mr. Trelawney's said letter, of the 24th of November, 1745, and of the two extracts therein inclosed, as likewise of the two extracts of the minutes of Council, transmitted with his foresaid letter, of the 30th November, 1745, be prepared, as also draughts of letters to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, for accompanying the said papers.

Thursday, February 20. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Pitt.

Jamaica.

The draught of a letter to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, for accompanying copies of Mr. Trelawney's letter of the 24th November, 1745, and of the two extracts therein inclosed, having been prepared, as ordered by yesterday's minutes, was agreed to, transcribed and signed.

Friday, February 21. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Leveson Gower.

St. Christophers.

Edward Jessop, Esquire, attending, presented to the Board a memorial setting forth his having been suspended by Governor Mathew from his seat at the Council of St. Christophers, in August, 1744, and complaining of the injustice of the Governor's proceedings in this case, and likewise praying that the Board would inform him whether the Governor had sent them his reasons for the said suspension; whereupon the Board acquainted him, that they had not received from the Governor any such reasons; he likewise at the same time presented to the Board a petition relating to the said matter, and praying that their lordships would defer the confirmation of Mr. Burt, appointed a Councillor by the Governor in his room, until their lordships should have fully heard his defence; and the Board having acquainted him, that they agreed thereto, he then withdrew.

At the same time Mathew Mills, Esquire, one of the councillors of St. Christophers, attending, informed the Board, that he intended to return to the Island soon, and execute his duty of a councillor.

Wednesday, February 26. Present:—Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Leveson Gower.

Barbados.

Mr. Paris, solicitor for Mr. John Price, attending, according to appointment the 18th instant, with Mr. Forrester, his counsel, as also Mr. John Sharpe, in behalf of the executors of Mr. Warren, with Mr. Noel, his counsel, the Order referring the petition of the said John Price to his Majesty (complaining of an Act, passed at Barbados in June, 1720, during the petitioner's infancy, for confirming and making more effectual a Decree made in the High Court of Chancery there in May 1720, in a Cause depending, wherein John Frere. Esquire, and others were Complainants, and John Price an Infant by his Guardian, was Defendant, mentioned in the minutes of the 16th December, 1742), was again read; after which, the Board heard what Mr. Forrester had to offer in behalf of the petitioner, Mr. John Price, and likewise Mr. Noel in favour of the Act above-mentioned, to which Mr. Forrester made his reply. Then the counsel etc. being withdrawn, the Board agreed to take the said petition and reference into further consideration to-morrow morning and ordered that the Secretary write to Mr. Fane, and acquaint him, that the Board desire to have some discourse with him at the same time, upon the subject of the said Act.

Thursday, February 27. Present:—Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Leveson Gower.

Barbados.

Mr. Fane attending, as appointed by yesterday's minutes, the Board, after some discourse had with him on the subject of the Barbados Act, therein mentioned, desired him to consider the said Act at his leisure, and give them his opinion thereon, which he promised to do, and to attend their lordships again on Tuesday next.

Jamaica.

The draught of a letter to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, ordered by the minutes of the 19th of February, for accompanying two extracts from the minutes of his Majesty's Council of Jamaica, of the 11th of November, 1745, having been prepared, was agreed to, transcribed and signed.

Friday, February 28. Present:—Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Leveson Gower.

Virginia.

Read a letter from Colonel Gooch, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, to the Board, dated the 10th November, 1745, inclosing the accounts of his Majesty's revenue of 2s. per hogshead, etc., arising within that colony, from the 25th of April, to the 25th of October, 1745, including £1,273 11s. 2d. for provisions sent from thence to Cape Breton, at the request of Governor Shirley and Commodore Warren.