Journal, January 1748: Volume 56

Journal, January 1748

Tuesday, January 12. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Leveson Gower, Lord Dunlop.

South Carolina.

Mr. Hamilton attending, in behalf of Mr. Peyn's petition, mentioned in the minutes of the 22nd of last month, laid before the Board a paper containing proposals of such terms, whereon he desires the grant of lands, prayed for in the said petition, might be made to the said Mr. Peyn, and the said paper being read, and some discourse had with him upon the subject thereof, he was directed to withdraw, and the same was agreed to be considered at another opportunity.

New Jersey.

Read a letter from Jonathan Belcher, Esquire, Governor of New Jersey, to the Board, dated at Burlington, the 27th of August, 1747, acquainting them with his arrival in that province, and of his having recommended to the Assembly to consider of the affair of the riots lately committed there.

Ordered that the draught of an answer to the said letter be prepared.

Jamaica.

Read a letter from Mr. Samuel Williams, Deputy Secretary of the Island of Jamaica, to the Board, dated the 14th of October, 1747, transmitting a list of persons naturalized in that Island, between June, 1746, and June, 1747.

Wednesday, January 13. Present:—Mr. Plumer, Mr. Leveson Gower, Lord Dupplin, Mr. Fane.

New York.

Read a letter from Mr. Clinton, Governor of New York, to the Board, dated the 27th of September, 1747, transmitting his reasons for the suspension of Mr. Horsmanden, together with several other papers relating thereto, and to the proceedings complained of by him, with other publick papers of that province, viz.:—
Reasons for suspending Daniel Horsmanden, Esquire, from his Majesty's Council of the province of New York.
Proofs of the allegations in the Governor's reasons for suspending Mr. Horsmanden from the Council of New York.
Extracts of the minutes of Council at New York, on the 22nd and 28th days of August, 1747.
Extracts of minutes of Council, of 21st, 24th, 25th and 27th days of August, 1747.
Extracts of minutes of Council, of the 20th and 21st of August, 1747.
A narrative of the occasion of the report of a Committee of Council of 27th August, of which the Governor complains.
A narrative of the case, on which the Council formed their address of the 24th of August, 1747.
New York.
Copy of minutes of Council of this day, the 26th September, 1747.
Copy, minute of Council, dated the 12th of September, 1747, relating to Mr. Horsmanden's suspension from the Council.
John Ascough's, Esquire, affidavit, referred to in Mr. Horsmanden's charge for suspending him.
Address of the mayor, aldermen and commonalty of the city of New York, to Governor Clinton, and the Governor's answer, the 5th of June, 1747.
Governor Clinton's messages, and resolves of the Assembly in August and September, 1747.
Copy of a letter from Governor Shirley, dated at Boston, the 24th of July, 1747, to the Honourable Mr. Clinton, Governor of New York.
The Indians' speech to Governor Clinton at Albany, and the Governor's answer, dated the 16th July, 1747.
Copy of two letters from Governor Shirley, dated at Boston, the 15th and 31st of August, 1747, to Mr. Clinton, Governor of New York.
Abstract of Colonel Johnson's letters to Governor Clinton.
Copy of a letter from Colonel Johnson, dated 24th of April, 1747, to Governor Clinton.
The Indians' Speech to Governor Clinton, the 17th of July, 1747, at Albany, also extract of a letter from Colonel Johnson to Governor Clinton, dated 14th of August, 1747.
Committee of Council's report, the 26th of August, 1747.
Petition of the inhabitants of Kinderhook to Governor Clinton, the 15th July, 1747.
What Governor Clinton laid before the Council, 22nd August, 1747, on his receiving Governor Shirley's letter of the 15th of August last, and questions to be proposed by Mr. Horsmanden to him, the 24th August, 1747.
Petition of the Coxhaukee inhabitants to Governor Clinton, per Major Collins, the 16th July, 1747.
Votes of the Assembly of New York, together with a supplement to the New York Gazette.
A list of the names of persons naturalized in the province of New York, from the 18th day of October, 1744, to the 31st July, 1747.
An account of the number of souls, white and black, in the province of New York, June 20th, 1747.
A list of the prizes and ladings therein, from the 29th September, 1745, to the 29th September, 1746.
A list of prizes and ladings therein, from 25th December, 1739, to the 29th September, 1745.
The Board of Trade's queries, answered by the Collector of the Customs.
Minutes of Council, from the 3rd of November, 1746, to the 28th of August, 1747.
Twenty two Acts, passed in New York, from the 16th June, 1746, to the end of April, 1747.

Ordered that the said Acts be sent to Mr. Lamb, for his opinion thereon, in point of law.

Virginia.

North Carolina.

The Secretary having acquainted the Board, that William Sharpe, Esquire, had applied for a copy of the petition of Mr. Paris, relating to an Act, passed in Virginia, in the year 1705, for rebuilding the Town of Williamsburgh, mentioned in the minutes of the 27th of October last; as also that Mr. Joshua Sharpe had desired to be heard in favour of an Act, passed in North Carolina, in December, 1746, for regulating Assemblies, and to have a copy thereof; directions were given that copies of the said papers should be made and delivered to him.

Thursday, January 14. Present:— Lord Monson, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Leveson Gower, Lord Dupplin, Mr. Fane.

Bahamas.

Read a letter from Mr. Tinker, Governor of the Bahama Islands, to the Secretary, dated at Nassau, the 17th of August, 1747, inclosing an abstract from the register of those Islands of what prizes have been brought in and condemned there, from October, 1740, to May, 1747, amounting in the whole to the sum of 581, 740 2 pieces of Eights.

New Jersey.

Read a letter from John Reading, Esquire, eldest Councillor of New Jersey, to the Board, dated the 25th of June, 1747, acquainting them with the death of Mr. Hamilton, and of his having taken upon him the administration of the government, mentioning the disturbances there, and promising with his next, minutes of Council and other public papers.

Massachusets.

Read Mr. Lamb's report, dated November 14th, 1747, upon 23 Acts, passed in the Massachusets Bay, in 1745 and 1746. As also his report, of the same date, upon 14 Acts, passed in the said Province, in 1746.

Jamaica

Read a letter from Mr. Trelawney, Governor of Jamaica, to the Board, dated the 14th of October, 1747, containing his observations upon the Court of Chancery, the Deficiency Law, and the complaints lodged against him by Messrs. Fuller, Sadler, and Wightwick.

Virginia.

The draught of a letter to the Duke of Newcastle, inclosing the extract of one from Sir William Gooch, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, ordered to be prepared by the minutes of the 17th December last, was laid before the Board, agreed to, and ordered to be transcribed, as was likewise the draught of one to Sir William Gooch, in answer to his said letter, ordered by the said minute.

Tuesday, January 19. Present:— Lord Monson, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Leveson Gower, Lord Dupplin.

Virginia.

The draught of a letter to Sir William Gooch, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, having been transcribed, as ordered by the minutes of the 14th instant, was laid before the Board and signed; as was also the draught of a letter to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, enclosing an extract of the said Governor's letter, ordered to be transcribed by the said minutes.

Miscellanies.

The Secretary having acquainted the Board, that Mr. Israel Hudson, late eldest clerk in the office, was dead, it was thereupon ordered that the other clerks should be advanced according to their seniority in the office, whereby the said clerks will have the following allowances, viz.:—

and Mr. Plumer having recommended Mr. Robert Blucke to supply the vacancy, occasioned by the death of Mr. Hudson, he was accordingly appointed a supernumerary clerk, with a salary of £35 per annum (being a moiety of the salary of Thomas Gedney, who was permitted to retire on the 14th of June, 1738), on condition of being admitted upon the establishment upon the first vacancy.

Thursday, January 21. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Plumer,
Mr. Leveson Gower.

Bermuda.

Read a letter from William Popple, Esquire, Governor of Bermuda, to the Board, dated the 10th of October, 1747, with a postscript of the 23rd of the same month, inclosing the duplicate of one to the Secretary, and containing an account of his proceedings in the administration of the government, and desiring the Board's direction with respect to a flag of truce condemned there; transmitting likewise the following publick papers, viz.:—
The Governor's speech to the Council and Assembly of Bermuda.
Answer of the Council, and also of the Assembly of Bermuda to the Governor's speech, September 16th, 1747.
Paper brought up from the Assembly of Bermuda by three members, 18th September, 1747.
Extract of Captain James Canton's commission.
The Governor's message and answer to the paper brought up from the Assembly of Bermuda, dated 19th September, 1747.
Additional message to the Assembly of Bermuda from the Governor.
Address of the Assembly of Bermuda to the Governor, the 26th September, 1747.
Copy of the Judge's decree in relation to the French flag of truce, the 20th October, 1747.
Minutes of Council, from the 22nd of June, 1747, to the 26th of September following.

Read a letter from Mr. Popple to the Secretary of this Board, dated at St. George's, 6th August, 1747.

Tuesday, January 26. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Plumer, Mr. Leveson Gower, Lord Dupplin.

Miscellanies.

The Secretary laid before the Board an account of the incidental charges of this office, from Lady Day to Midsummer, 1747, amounting in the whole to two hundred, forty five pounds, thirteen shillings and three halfpence; and a letter to the Lords of the Treasury, desiring payment thereof, and of the salaries due to the Secretary and under officers for the same time, was agreed to and signed.

New York.

Read a letter from Mr. Clinton, Governor of New York, to the Board, dated the 30th November, 1747, acquainting the Board with his having dissolved the Assembly, and his reasons for so doing, and inclosing:—
His speech at the dissolution of the General Assembly of New York, the 25th of November, 1747.
Extracts of the minutes and proceedings of the Council of New York, on the 3rd, 5th and 24th days of November, 1747.
A list of the Acts for the emission of paper money, to which Governor Clinton gave his assent since his arrival in his Government.

Jamaica.

Read a letter from Mr. Trelawney, Governor of Jamaica, to the Board, dated the 12th of November, 1747, inclosing copy of an Act of Assembly, passed in Jamaica, the 8th of May, 1747, for the better recovering the Quit Rents.

Read a letter from Mr. Trelawney, Governor of Jamaica, to the Board, dated at Spanish Town, the 14th November, 1747, relating to the application of the money raised by the Quit Rent law, and his opinion upon removing the seat of Government from Spanish Town to Kingston.

Wednesday, January 27. Present:—Mr. Plumer, Mr. Leveson Gower, Mr. Fane.

Leeward Islands.

Read a letter from General Mathew, Governor of the Leeward Islands, dated at St. Christopher's, the 16th of October, 1747, inclosing a quadruplicate of his letter of the 6th of November, 1746, and transmitting the following public papers, viz.:—
A state of his Majesty's Councils in the four Leeward Islands.
Antigua.
Minutes of Council, from the 22nd January, 1745–6, to the 18th of July, 1746.
Minutes of Assembly, from the 13th January, 1745–6, to the 21st July, 1747.
Three Acts, passed at Antigua in June and July, 1747.
St. Christophers.
Minutes of Council, from the 13th March, 1744–5, to 18th June, 1746.
Nevis.
Minutes of Assembly, from the 18th of March, 1746–7, to the 17th June, 1747.
Montserrat.
Minutes of Assembly, from the 25th March to the 25th June, 1747.

Ordered that the aforementioned Acts be sent to Mr. Lamb, for his opinion thereon, in point of law.

Thursday, January 28. Present:— Mr. Plumer, Mr. Leveson Gower, Lord Dupplin, Mr. Fane.

New York.

The Board took into consideration two letters from Mr. Clinton, Governor of New York, mentioned in the minutes of the 13th and 26th instant, relating to the disorderly state of affairs in that government, and ordered copies thereof to be made, and the draught of a letter, for transmitting the same to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, to be prepared.

New Jersey.

The draught of a letter to Jonathan Belcher, Esquire, Governor of New Jersey, in answer to his to the Board, dated 27th of August last, having been prepared, as ordered by the minutes of the 12th instant, was agreed to, transcribed and signed.

Friday, January 29. Present:—Mr. Plumer, Mr. Leveson Gower, Lord Dupplin.

Trade.

Ordered that the Secretary write to Mr. Wood, Secretary to the Commissioners of his Majesty's Customs, to desire him, as soon as conveniently may be, to move the said Commissioners for copies of some accounts for the information of this Board. [vide page 26.]

New York.

The draught of a letter to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, transmitting copies of two letters from Mr. Clinton, Governor of New York, ordered to be prepared by yesterday's minutes, was laid before the Board, agreed to, transcribed and signed.