Journal, March 1771: Volume 78

Journal, March 1771

fo. 54.

Friday, March 1st. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Lord Greville, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Whately.

The Earl of Hillsborough, one of His Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attends.

Plantations General.

Read a memorial of several merchants trading to North America, and in particular to the colony of Quebec, containing their answer to the objections made by the Commissioners of the Customs to the granting a bounty on Staves from North America.

fo. 55.

Ordered, that the Secretary do transmit a copy of the said memorial to the Secretary to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, and that he do acquaint him, for the information of that Board, that their lordships are of opinion, that the said answer is satisfactory.

Grenada.

Read a letter from the Commissioners for the sale and disposal of lands in the Ceded Islands to the Board, dated June 30th, 1770, relative to their proceedings in the execution of their office.
Copy of the minutes of their proceedings from April 9th to July 2nd, 1770.
Account of sales of land in the Islands of Dominica and Tobago.
Contingent Account—Vessel Hire Account—Extra Survey Account—Account of expences attending the making a new road from Leeward to Windward of Dominica, and thro' the Windward part of St. Vincent—King's Service Account for 1769 and 1770.

fo. 56.

Grenada.

The Secretary laid before the Board a draught of a Commission appointing William Leyborne Leyborne, Esquire, to be Governor of the Islands of Grenada and the Grenadines, St. Vincent and Tobago, prepared pursuant to order, and the said draught having been read, and approved, it was ordered, that it should be transcribed.

Wednesday, March 6th. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Eliot, Lord Greville, Mr.Whately.

Georgia.

fo. 57.

Read a memorial of Charles William Mackinnen, Esquire, to the Board, praying for a grant of five thousand acres of land in the province of Georgia.

Ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty be prepared, recommending an order to the Governor of Georgia to grant to the memorialist five thousand acres of land in that colony, in such parts of the province as he or his agent shall choose, upon the usual terms and conditions, on which lands in that colony have been granted to others.

Massachusetts.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty, with the draughts of general instructions and of those relating to the observance of the laws of trade, for the Governor of Massachusetts Bay, having been prepared pursuant to order, was approved, transcribed and signed.

fo. 58.

Grenada.

The Secretary laid before the Board draughts of general instructions, and of those relating to the observance of the laws of trade, for the Governor of the Southern Caribbee Islands, prepared pursuant to order, and the said draughts having been approved, a representation to his Majesty thereupon, and also upon the draught of the Commission for the said Governor, already approved, was agreed to, transcribed and signed.

Grenada, Dominica.

Their lordships read and considered several laws passed in the Islands of Grenada, Dominica, St. Vincent and Tobago, together with Mr. Jackson's reports thereupon.

fo. 59.

St. Vincent's.

Ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty be prepared, proposing the disallowance of an Act passed in the Island of St. Vincent, intituled, "An Act for the regulating the towns, rendering them healthy, establishing markets; encouraging the raising and prohibiting the exportation of cattle and other live stock from this Island, settling the price of fresh provisions, preventing the forestalling and regrating the same, for settling the weights to be used in this Island, and preventing abuses about the fishery in this Island."

fo. 60.

Some doubts having occurred in respect to those clauses in the Revenue Acts of St. Vincent, which direct the mode of issuing public money, and also in respect to a clause in the Vestry Act relative to ecclesiastical jurisdiction, it was agreed to take the said Acts into consideration on this day se'nnight, and that Mr. Jackson should be desired to attend; as also, that notice should be given to the Bishop of London, that their lordships desire his advice and assistance in the consideration of the last mentioned Act.

New York.

fo. 61.

Their lordships read and considered an Act passed in the province of New York in February, 1770, intituled, "An Act to enable all persons who are his Majesty's liege subjects, either by birth or naturalization, to inherit and hold real estates, notwithstanding any defect of purchases made before naturalization within this colony," together with Mr. Jackson's report thereupon, and the said act having a clause suspending its execution, until his Majesty's pleasure should be known, it was ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty should be prepared, proposing that it may be confirmed.

Georgia.

fo. 62.

Their lordships also read and considered an Act passed in the colony of Georgia in May, 1770, intituled, "An Act for ordering and governing slaves within this province, and for establishing a jurisdiction for the trial of offences committed by such slaves and other persons therein mentioned, and prevent the inveigling and carrying away slaves from their masters, owners and employers," together with Mr. Jackson's report thereupon, and the said Act having a clause suspending its execution, until his Majesty's pleasure should be known, it was ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty should be prepared, proposing that it may be confirmed.

Friday, March 8th. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Lord Greville, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Whately.

New York, Georgia.

fo. 63.

The draughts of representations to his Majesty, proposing the confirmation of two laws, the one passed in New York in February, 1770, the other passed in Georgia in May, 1770, having been prepared pursuant to the minutes of Wednesday last, were approved, transcribed and signed.

Grenada, St. Vincent's.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty upon an Act of the Island of St. Vincent for regulating towns, having been prepared pursuant to order, was read and considered.

Quebec.

Read a memorial of Frederick Dutens of London, merchant, to this Board, dated February, 1771, praying that he may have a grant, upon the terms therein specified, of an Island and certain tracts of land on the north side of the Bay of Chaleur.

Their lordships agreed to take the said memorial into consideration on Wednesday next.

fo. 64.

New York.

Their lordships read and considered several laws passed in New York in 1770, together with Mr. Jackson's report thereupon, and it was ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty should be prepared, proposing the disallowance of several of the said laws, the titles of which are as follows, viz:—
An Act more effectually to enable persons to recover debts in this colony on promissory notes.
An Act for the relief of insolvent debtors within the colony of New York, with respect to the imprisonment of their persons.
An Act for the relief of James De Peyster of the City of New York, merchant, an insolvent debtor, and others therein named.

fo. 65.

Georgia.

Their lordships also read and considered several laws passed in the colony of Georgia, together with Mr.Jackson's report thereupon, and it was ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty should be prepared, proposing that two of the said laws, the titles of which are as follows, should be disallowed:
An Act for preventing as much as may be the spreading of the small pox in this province.
An Act for granting to his Majesty a duty upon raw meat hide exported from this province, and for preventing the exportation of unmerchantable tanned leather.

Massachusetts.

fo. 66.

Their lordships also read and considered several laws passed in the province of the Massachusetts Bay, together with Mr. Jackson's report thereupon, and some doubts arising as to the propriety of one of the said Acts, intituled, An Act for effectually preventing the currency of the bills of credit of Connecticut, New Hampshire and Rhode Island within this province, it was agreed to take the same into further consideration on Wednesday next.

Plantations General.

Read a petition to the King of John Evans, Esquire, praying for an order to search for and a grant of such mines of gold and silver in America, as should be discovered in consequence thereof, in certain parts therein mentioned, which petition the Secretary acquainted the Board, he was directed by Lord Hillsborough to lay before the Board, his lordship having received the King's command for that purpose.

Their lordships agreed to take the said petition into consideration on Wednesday next.

fo. 67.

Wednesday, March 13. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Whately.

The Earl of Hillsborough, one of His Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attends, as also the Lord Bishop of London.

Grenada, St. Vincent's.

Their lordships took into further consideration the laws of St. Vincent's "for raising a revenue and establishing vestrys," and after some discourse with Mr. Jackson thereupon, it was ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty, on the subject of the said laws should be prepared.

fo. 68.

Massachusetts.

Their lordships also further considered a law of the province of Massachusetts Bay, "for preventing the circulation in that Government of the paper currency of the neighbouring colonies," and it was ordered, that the draught of a letter to the Governor on the subject of the said law should be prepared.

Quebec.

fo. 69.

Mr. Dutens attends on the subject of his memorial, mentioned in the minutes of the 8th instant, and is informed, that, however desirous their lordships were of encouraging an undertaking, that promised advantage to the public, yet they could not, consistent with the established rules of their proceedings, in cases of this nature, recommend what he requested; the particular location of lands and the granting them otherways than one contiguous tract being contrary to such rule.

Plantations General.

fo. 70.

Mr. Evans attends on the subject of his petition, mentioned in the minutes of the 8th instant, and is informed, that, if he had adduced proof to the Board of the actual discovery of any mines of gold and silver within his Majesty's colonies in America, in places where the digging for the ore and forming establishments for that purpose, would not be liable to objection on account of political consideration respecting the Indians, or on account of the Crown's having, by former grants, conveyed the right to other persons, they should have readily recommended the grant he requests, under proper conditions, but that they did not think fit to recommend the same, merely upon the verbal report of others, not authenticated by any evidence, or accompanied with any precise description of the places, where such appearances of gold or silver have been discovered.

Friday, March 15th. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Whately.

Grenada, St. Vincent's.

fo. 71.

New York.

Georgia.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty upon an Act passed in the Island of St. Vincent, for the regulating of towns in that Island, was further considered, approved and signed; as were also representations to his Majesty, proposing the disallowance of three laws passed in New York, mentioned in the minutes of the 8th instant, and of a law passed in the colony of Georgia, mentioned in the said minutes, "for laying a duty upon raw hides exported."

The draught of a representation to his Majesty on another Georgia Act, mentioned in the said minutes, for the preventing of the spreading of the small pox, having been prepared pursuant to order, was, after consideration, laid aside, and it was ordered, that the draught of a letter to the Governor on the subject of the said law should be prepared.

fo. 72.

South Carolina.

Their lordships took into further consideration an order of the King in Council, referring a petition of the agent for the province of South Carolina, which order of reference is mentioned in the minutes of the 20th of last month, and it was agreed to proceed thereupon on Monday, the 25th instant, and that the agent should have notice to attend.

Monday, 25th March. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Eliot, Mr. Fitzherbert, Lord Greville.

The Earl of Hillsborough, one of His Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, attends.

fo. 73.

South Carolina.

The order of the King in Council of the 9th December last, referring the petition of Samuel Garth, Esquire, agent for the province of South Carolina, relative to his Majesty's additional instruction to his Governor of that province of the 14th April, 1770, was, pursuant to order, taken into further consideration, and Mr. Garth attending was heard in what he had to offer thereupon, and being withdrawn, it was ordered, that the draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council should be prepared.

Grenada, St. Vincent's.

fo. 74.

Massachusetts, Georgia.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty upon the Revenue Acts and Vestry Act of the Island of St. Vincent, having been prepared pursuant to order, was approved and ordered to be transcribed; as were also draughts of letters to the Governors of Massachusetts Bay and Georgia, prepared pursuant to their lordships' orders of the 13th and 15th instant.

Wednesday, March 27th. Present:—Mr. Jenyns, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Eliot, Mr. Whately.

Grenada, St. Vincent's, Massachusetts, Georgia.

fo. 75.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty upon the "Revenue and Vestry Acts of St. Vincent's," having been transcribed pursuant to order, was signed; as were also letters to the Governors of Massachusetts Bay and Georgia on the subject of laws passed by them.

South Carolina.

The draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council upon the petition of the agent of South Carolina, relative to his Majesty's additional instruction to the Governor of the 14th of April, 1770, having been prepared pursuant to order, was approved, transcribed and signed.

West Florida.

Read the copy of a letter to the Earl of Hillsborough from the Governor of West Florida, containing observations upon several laws of that colony passed by himself and his predecessors in that Government, which copy the Secretary acquainted the Board, he was directed by Lord Hillsborough to lay before the Board, his lordship having received the King's command for that purpose.

fo. 76.

Ordered, that the said letter, together with the laws therein referred to, be sent to Mr. Jackson, and that he be desired to revise the said laws, and report his opinion thereupon in point of law.

New York.

Read a memorial of William Markham, Esquire, late Major in the 47th Regiment of Foot, praying for a grant of five thousand acres of land in the province of New York.

Ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty be prepared, humbly to recommend, that the request of the memorialist may be complied with.

fo. 77.

Plantations General.

Read a letter from John Robinson, Esquire, Secretary to the Lords of the Treasury, to the Secretary of this Board, dated February 23rd, 1771, transmitting, for their lordships' opinion:—
Copy of letter from John Durrand, Esquire, Contractor for supplying his Majesty's Navy with masts, yards and bowsprits from North America, praying permission to import as many masts as are wanted for the East India's Company's ships, and likewise such masts, as, when brought down to the shore, are deemed unfit for his Majesty's ships.

Ordered, that the above mentioned papers do lye by for further consideration at another opportunity.