Journal, July 1768: Volume 75

Journal, July 1768

fo. 125.

Wednesday July 6. Present:—Mr. Roberts, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Robinson.

Read the following letters received since the last meeting from the Earl of Hillsborough, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, vizt.
Miscellanies.
Letter from the Earl of Hillsborough, dated the 22nd of June, 1768, signifying his Majesty's pleasure, that the mode of proceeding at the Board upon business relative to commerce and the colonies, prescribed by the Earl of Shelburne's letter of the 26th of August, 1766, should be discontinued, and that their lordships' proceedings upon such business shall for the future be conformable to the usage and practice antecedent to the date of the said letter.
fo. 126.
North Carolina.
Letter from the Earl of Hillsborough, dated June 12th, 1768, transmitting
Copy of a letter from Governor Tryon to the Earl of Shelburne, dated March 7th, 1768, containing his observations on several Acts passed in the province of North Carolina in the last session of Assembly.
Quebec.
Letter from the Earl of Hillsborough, dated June 16th, 1768, transmitting
Copy of a letter from Governor Carleton, to the Earl of Shelburne, dated Quebec, March 16th, 1768, containing his observations on two ordinances passed in the province of Quebec for licencing publick victualling houses, and for preventing accidents by fire.

fo. 127.

Ordered that the above mentioned two letters and the papers inclosed be laid before the Board, when the Acts and ordinances to which they relate shall come under consideration.

Nova Scotia.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council for Plantations Affairs, dated June 28th, 1768, that this Board do prepare and lay before them a draught of an additional instruction to the Governor of Nova Scotia, directing him to recommend, in the King's name, to the Council and Assembly to repeal two Acts passed in August, 1767, relating to duties of impost and excise on beer, etc., and to pass others establishing the said duties on the same footing, whereon they stood previous to the passing of these Acts.

The draught of an additional instruction, conformable thereto, having been prepared, was approved, and a report thereupon to the Lords of the Committee of Council was signed.

fo. 128.

Plantations General.

The following duplicates of letters to the Secretary of State, from the Governors of several of his Majesty's colonies in America, and of other papers transmitted from the said colonies, were laid before the Board, vizt.
New Hampshire.
Letter from John Wentworth, Esquire, Governor of New Hampshire, to the Board, dated March 25th, 1768, containing his observations on Acts lately passed there; and an account of the present state and administration of government in that province.
General state of the revenue and payments out of the Treasury of New Hampshire from May 12th, 1767, to 2nd of May, 1768.
An account of ordnance, ammunition and stores at Fort William and Mary, and at Cumberland Battery.
Account of the net produce of the powder dues on the tonnage of vessels between March 25th, 1751, and March 25th, 1767.
fo. 129.
General account of the inhabitants of New Hampshire in 1767.
An estimate of quit rents that are or may be due to his Majesty in New Hampshire.
Votes and proceedings of the Governor, Council and Assembly of New Hampshire between the 10th of March, 1762, and the 15th of May, 1767.
Ditto: between July 1st, 1767, and March 24th, 1768.
Fifteen Acts passed in September, 1767, and February and March, 1768.
Massachusetts.
Duplicate of letter, No. 7, from Francis Bernard, Esquire, Governor of Massachusets Bay, to the Earl of Shelburne, dated March 12th, 1768, relative to the licenciousness prevailing at Boston, and the conduct of the Council and Chief Justice.
fo. 130.
Duplicate of a letter, No. 8, from Governor Bernard to the Earl of Shelburne, dated March 19th, 1768, relative to the opposition made to the Commissioners of the Customs, and their officers.
Copy of a minute of the Council for Massachusets Bay on the 18th of March, 1768.
Copy of an oath of William Wooton, Esquire, one of the Inspectors General of the Customs in America, March 18th, 1768.
Duplicate of a letter, No. 9, from Governor Bernard to the Earl of Shelburne, dated March 21st, 1768, relating to the proceedings of the merchants of that province.
Minutes of Council from the 28th of May to the 2nd of December, 1767.
Journal of the proceedings of the Great and General Court from the 27th of May to the 25th of June, 1767.
fo. 131.
Journal of the House of Representatives from the 26th of December, 1767, to the 5th of January, 1768.
Ditto: from the 30th of December, 1767, to the 4th of March, 1768.
North Carolina.
Letter from William Tryon, Esquire, Governor of North Carolina, to the Board, dated March 5th, 1768, requesting the King's directions with regard to issuing a writ for the election of a new member of the Assembly, in the room of one, who has resigned his seat therein, and recommending them to his Majesty's favour.
Estimate of the expence of running the Cherokee boundary line.
Journal of the Upper House of Assembly from December 5th, 1767, to January 15th, 1768.
Ditto: of the Lower House of Assembly from December 5th, 1767, to January 16th, 1768.
fo. 132.
Letter from William Tryon, Esquire, Governor of North Carolina, to the Board, dated March 6th, 1768, transmitting, Journal of the Upper House of Assembly from December 5th, 1767, to January 15th, 1768.
Letter from William Tryon, Esquire, Governor of North Carolina, to the Board, dated March 7th, 1768, containing his observations on several Acts lately passed in that province.
An Act to amend several Acts for regulating the town of New Bern, and for other purposes.
Letter from Governor Tryon to the Board, dated April 12th, 1768, relating to the conduct of Mr. Fuller, master of the Aurora brig, whom he believes to have been guilty of a breach of the Acts of Trade.
fo. 133.
Attested copies of papers, that Mr. Fuller produced and lodged in the Custom House Office of the port of Brunswick.
Bermuda.
Letter from George James Bruere, Esquire, Governor of the Bermuda Islands, to the Board, dated May 10th, 1768, relating to the provision made for the company of the King's 9th Regiment stationed there, and the interruption given to the inhabitants of those islands in raking salt at Turks' Islands and Tortuga.
Minutes of Council from October 6th, 1767, to March 1st, 1768.
Ditto: of Council in Assembly from December 14th, 1767, to 21st of March, 1768.
Bermuda.
Votes and proceedings of the General Assembly from December 14th, 1767, to the 15th of March, 1768.
Jamaica.
Letter from Walter Murray, Esquire, Deputy Naval Officer of Jamaica, to the Secretary to this Board, dated March 20th, 1768, transmitting,
fo. 134.
Naval Office lists of ships and vessels entered and cleared in Jamaica from the 29th of September to the 29th of December, 1767.
Minutes of Council from July 20th to December 23rd, 1767.
Journal of Council in Assembly from October 20th to December 31st, 1767.
Ditto: of the Assembly from October 20th to December 31st, 1767.
Sixteen Acts passed in December, 1767.
Grenada.
Letter from Robert Melvill, Esquire, Governor of Grenada, to the Board, dated May 1st, 1768, transmitting, fo. 135.
Copy of a letter from Governor Melvill to the Earl of Hillsborough No. 1, in answer to his Lordship's two first letters, relating to his being appointed one of the principal Secretaries of State, and to the transmission of all the Acts of Grenada.
fo. 135.
Copy of a letter, No. 2, from Governor Melvill to the Earl of Hillsborough, April 16th, 1768, relative to his appointment of a council pro tempore for the island of Tobago.
Duplicate of a letter, No. 3, from Governor Melvill to the Earl of Hillsborough, April 23rd, 1768, on the behaviour of the Deputies of patents, and of his Majesty's new subjects. Duplicate of a letter, No. 4, from Governor Melvill to the Earl of Hillsborough, April 24th, 1768, in answer to his Lordship's 3rd and 4th letters; containing an account of the present state of affairs in the island of Dominica; and recommending Mr. Winstone to be of the Council, in the room of Mr. Pringle, deceased.
fo. 136.
Duplicate of a letter, No. 5, from Governor Melvill to the Earl of Hillsborough, dated May 1st, 1768, containing his reasons for proroguing the Assembly of the island of Grenada; his character of the West India French; and the dispatch given to the King's affairs through his Lordship's department; and transmitting a representation of the Council to the King, and an address of the Assembly.
Duplicate of a letter, No. 6, from Governor Melvill to the Earl of Hillsborough, dated May 1st, 1768, relative to the arrival of the Lieutenant Governor of St. Vincent's and Dominica; and to the Assembly of Grenada's refusal to provide for the pressing exigencies of government.
Duplicate of a letter, No. 7, from Governor Melvill to the Earl of Hillsborough, dated May 1st, 1768, on the establishment of the Legislature of St. Vincent's; and action against the collector for taking 4½ per cent duty; and a botanical garden.
fo. 137.
Duplicate of a letter, No. 8, from Governor Melvill to the Earl of Hillsborough, dated May 1st, 1768, relating to Mr. Atwood's case, and the prospect of unanimity between the Council and Assembly of Dominica.
fo. 137.
Duplicate of a letter, No. 9, from Governor Melvill to the Earl of Hillsborough, dated May 1st, 1768, relative to the prospect of Tobago's becoming more flourishing.
Duplicate of a letter, No. 10, from Governor Melvill to the Earl of Hillsborough, dated May 20th, 1768, concerning the receipt of his Lordship's letters and Acts of Parliament; and the sentiments of the King's natural born subjects on the pretensions of his new subjects in that island.
Barbados.
Letter from Samuel Rous, Esquire, Commander in Chief of Barbados, to the Board, dated May 17th, 1768, transmitting,
fo. 138.
List of the honourable members of his Majesty's Council of Barbados, February 12th, 1768.
Treasurer's account of the number of new negroes imported into the island of Barbados from May 27th, 1767, to January 27th, 1768.
Store keeper's return of gunpowder collected from May 12th, 1767, to February 11th, 1768.
An abstract of all persons, born, christened and buried in Barbados from the 1st of January to the 31st of December, 1767.
Minutes of Council from the 3rd of June, 1767, to 11th of February, 1768.
Ditto: of the General Assembly from the 3rd of June, 1767, to 16th of February, 1768.
Massachusetts, New York.
fo. 139.
Letter from Francis Bernard, Esquire, Governor of Massachusets Bay, to the Secretary, dated May 17th, 1768, relative to Acts and to Commissaries settling the boundary line between that province and New York.
A printed conference between the Commissaries of Massachusets Bay and the Commissaries of New York, at New Haven in the colony of Connecticut, 1767.
South Carolina.
An Act passed in the province of South Carolina in April, 1768, relating to sheriffs.
Journal of the Council from the 1st of January, 1767, to 1st of January, 1768.
East Florida
Naval Office lists of ships and vessels entered and cleared in the port of St. Augustine, between the 24th of June, 1767, and 25th of March, 1768.
Georgia.
Two Acts passed in the province of Georgia in April, 1768.
fo. 140.
Ordered, that the several laws of the plantations above mentioned be referred to Sir Matthew Lamb.

Thursday July 14th. Present:—Lord Hillsborough, Mr. Eliot, Mr. Fitzherbert. Mr. Roberts. Mr. Robinson.

Miscellanies.

fo. 141.

Read his Majesty's Commission under the Great Seal, bearing date the 12th instant, constituting and appointing the Great Officers of State, together with Soame Jenyns, Edward Eliot, George Rice, John Roberts, Jeremiah Dyson, William Fitzherbert, and Thomas Robinson, Esquires, to be Commissioners for promoting Trade, and inspecting and improving the Plantations in America and elsewhere, and containing in the clause, which dispenses with the attendance of the Great Officers, an exception in respect to the Earl of Hillsborough, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State.

West Florida.

Their lordships took into consideration an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council on the 9th of October, 1767, mentioned in the minutes of the 23rd of October. 1767, referring a petition of Mr. Mease, merchant, praying for a grant of six thousand acres of land in West Florida.

fo. 142.

Mr. Mease attending, was called in, and some questions were asked him touching his ability to carry his proposals into execution; after which their lordships agreed to postpone the consideration of this petition, and he was desired to attend again, and bring with him some person of credit to whom he is known, and who may give some testimony of his ability.

Plantations General.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council for Plantation Affairs, dated May 31st, 1768, referring to the Board, for their report, the petition of Daniel Coxe to his Majesty, in behalf of himself and others, for compensation in case of a surrender of certain lands in America heretofore granted to Sir R. Heath under the name of Carolana, or that the petitioners may be permitted to make settlements thereon; or may have such other relief, as their title and losses may be thought to require.

Ordered, that the said order of reference be taken into consideration on Monday next, and that the petitioner be desired to attend.

fo. 143.

New York, Quebec.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council for Plantation Affairs, dated June 28th, 1768, referring to the Board, for their report, an extract of a letter from the Governor of New York to the Earl of Shelburne, relative to the settling the boundary line between that province and Quebec.

Ordered, that the said order of reference be taken into consideration on Monday next, and that the Secretary do prepare and lay before the Board, such papers as shall be necessary for the Board's information in this business.

New York.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council for Plantation Affairs, dated June 28th, 1768, referring to the Board, for their report, the petition of George Croghan, Esquire, praying for a grant of an additional tract of ten thousand acres of land in the province of New York.

fo. 144.

Their lordships, upon consideration of the said petition, and of the special merits of the petitioner, ordered the draft of a report be prepared, recommending the prayer of his petition to be complied with.

Nova Scotia, St. John's.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council for Plantation Affairs, dated June 28th, 1768, referring to the Board a petition of several of the proprietors of land in the island of St. John, praying that the said island may be erected into a separate government; and directing that, in case their lordships can suggest any method of carrying the measures therein recommended into execution, without an additional burthen upon this kingdom, they should lay such plan before the committee.

fo. 145.

Nova Scotia.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council for Plantation Affairs, dated June 28th, 1768, referring to the Board, for their report, two memorials of the Governor of Nova Scotia, proposing some alterations to be made in his instructions, with regard to the terms and conditions, on which lands are to be granted in future in that colony.

Ordered, that the consideration of the above mentioned two orders of reference, be postponed.

Jamaica.

Read a petition to the Board of several planters of the island of Jamaica, residing in Great Britain, recommending the confirmation of an Act passed in that island in 1758 for dividing it into three Counties.

fo. 146.

Their lordships took the said petition into consideration, together with the Act therein referred to, and ordered the draught of a representation to his Majesty to be prepared, proposing that the said Act be confirmed.

Virginia.

Their lordships read and took into consideration twenty five laws passed in Virginia in April, 1767, together with Sir Matthew Lamb's report thereupon.

Ordered, that the said Acts be taken into further consideration on Monday next, and that notice be given to Mr. Montagu, agent for the colony of Virginia, to attend; and also to Mr. Stuart, contractor for the transportation of convicts to his Majesty's colonies.

fo. 147.

Monday July 18. Present:—Earl of Hillsborough, Mr. Eliot, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Robinson.

Virginia.

Their lordships took into further consideration the laws passed in Virginia in April, 1767, and Mr. Montagu, agent for the colony, attending, their lordships had some discourse with him upon several of the said laws, which appeared liable to objection, and in particular to that, for subjecting ships, having convicts on board infected with goal fevers and small-pox, to the laws of quarantine.

fo. 148.

Mr. Montagu having stated what he had to offer in support of this Act, Mr. Stuart, contractor for the transportation of convicts, was heard in support of his objections thereto. These gentlemen being withdrawn, it was ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty on several of these laws should be prepared.

West Florida.

Mr. Mease, a petitioner to his Majesty for six thousand acres of land in West Florida, attended, with Mr. Blackbourn, a merchant, who testified to the Board his knowledge of Mr. Mease, as a merchant of credit and substance, and of ability to execute what he proposes.

Plantations General.

fo. 149.

Their lordships took into further consideration the reference of Mr. Coxe's petition in relation to his claim to Carolana under the original grant to Sir Robert Health, and Mr. Coxe attending, prayed their lordships to defer making any report in this case, until he can prepare and lay before them some proposals relative to this matter.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council for Plantation Affairs, on 31st of May, 1768. referring to this Board, for consideration and report, a further petition of several persons, praying for a charter for working mines in the country adjacent to Lake Superior in North America.

Mr. Touchet. one of the petitioners, attending, moved their lordships to suspend making any report upon the petition, until he had an opportunity of consulting the rest of the petitioners, as to the propriety of referring this matter to the consideration of General Gage and Sir William Johnson.

fo. 150.

Nova Scotia, Cape Breton.

Read two petitions, one of Mr. Wilkinson, a gentleman of the county of Surrey; the other of Lieutenant Colonel Chester, praying the Board to recommend to his Majesty to grant to each twenty thousand acres of land in Cape Breton.

The Secretary laid before the Board the following duplicate papers, vizt.
Quebec.
Letter from Guy Carleton, Esquire, Governor of Quebec, to the Board, dated May 13th, 1768, transmitting,
Minutes of Council from the 1st of January to 31st of March, 1768.
North Carolina.
Letter from William Tryon, Esquire, Governor of North Carolina, to the Board, dated June 16th, 1768, transmitting, Land Office patents granted at April Court of Claims, 1768.

fo. 151.

Jamaica.

New York.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty, proposing the confirmation of the Act for dividing the island, of Jamaica into three Counties, and for other purposes, having been prepared pursuant to order, was approved and ordered to be transcribed; as was also a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council upon the petition of Mr. Croghan, praying for an additional grant of ten thousand acres of land in New York.

Jamaica.

The Earl of Hillsborough, by his Majesty's command, laid before the Board, for their consideration and report thereupon, several letters and papers relative to the suspension, by the Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica, of several of the members of the Council of that island.

fo. 152.

New York, Quebec.

The further consideration of Sir Henry Moore's letter relative to the settling the boundary line between New York and Quebec, referred to this Board by Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, was postponed.

Thursday July 21. Present:— Earl of Hillsborough, Mr. Eliot, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Robinson.

Jamaica.

fo. 153.

New York.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty, proposing the confirmation of an Act passed in Jamaica in 1758, for dividing the island into three Counties and for other purposes, having been transcribed, was signed; as was also a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council upon Mr. Croghan's petition for an additional ten thousand acres of land in New York.

Virginia.

The draught of a representation to his Majesty upon several Virginia laws, having been prepared pursuant to order, was approved and ordered to be transcribed.

Jamaica.

Their lordships took into consideration the papers communicated by the Earl of Hillsborough, relative to the suspension of the members of the Council of Jamaica, and it was ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty should be prepared, recommending that they should be restored.

fo. 154.

Plantations General.

Mr. Touchet and others, subscribers to the petition, touching the working copper mines in the lands adjacent to Lake Superior, referred to this Board by the Lords of the Committee of Council, attended, and were heard in what they had to offer thereupon, after which it was ordered, that the draught of a report thereupon should be prepared.

Georgia.

Read a memorial of Isaac Levy, praying leave to compare some copies of papers in this office with the originals, and also to take copies of others relative to the proceedings in Georgia, relating to the islands of Osabaw and St. Catherine, and the transactions with Mr. Bosomworth thereupon.

fo. 155.

Ordered, that when the petitioner shall exhibit a list of the papers, distinguishing what copies he has and what others he wants, the Board will take his petition into further consideration.

Plantations General.

Read a memorial of Mr. Daniel Coxe, stating further matters relative to his claim to Carolana, and containing a proposal for a compensation.

Ordered, that the draught of a report upon his petition, referred by the Lords of the Committee of Council, be prepared.

West Florida.

Their lordships then took into consideration fifteen Acts passed in West Florida in January, 1767, together with Sir Matthew Lamb's report thereupon, and it was ordered. that the draught of a representation to his Majesty should be prepared, upon several of them, which appeared liable to objection.

fo. 158.

Monday July 25. Present:—Earl of Hillsborough, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Robinson.

Plantations General.

The following draughts of representations and reports were read, approved and ordered to be transcribed.
Report to the Lords of the Committee of Council on Mr. Coxe's petition relative to his claim to Carolana.
West Florida.
Representation to his Majesty on several laws of West Florida.
Plantations General.
Report to the Lords of the Committee of Council on the petition of Mr. Touchet and others to be incorporated for the purpose of working mines in the country adjacent to Lake Superior.
fo. 157.
Jamaica.
Representation to his Majesty on the case of the seven councillors of Jamaica suspended by the Lieutenant Governor.
Quebec, New York.
Report of the Lords of the Committee of Council on the papers relative to a boundary line between Quebec and New York.

New Hampshire.

The Earl of Hillsborough, by his Majesty's command, laid before the Board a letter from the Governor of New Hampshire [vide New Hampshire bundle D.51]. relative to the state of that colony, for their lordships' consideration of and report upon such parts as relate to the establishment of Counties, and the application of the quit rents for ten years to purposes of publick improvement.

Their lordships, upon consideration of what is suggested by Mr. Wentworth on these points, ordered that the draught of a representation to his Majesty thereupon should be prepared.

fo. 158.

Their lordships read and considered eighty two laws passed in New Hampshire in the years 1762, 1763, 1764, 1765 and 1766, lately transmitted by the Governor, and also Sir Matthew Lamb's report thereupon, and it was ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty on these laws should be prepared.

Friday July 29. Present:—Earl of Hillsborough, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Robinson.

Virginia.

fo. 159.

The Earl of Hillsborough communicated to the Board, by the King's command, a letter from the President of the Council and Commander in Chief of Virginia, inclosing a petition to his Majesty, a memorial to the House of Lords, and a Remonstrance to the House of Commons, on the subject of certain late Acts of Parliament, and also the minutes of the proceedings of the Council and House of Burgesses thereupon.

His Lordship also acquainted the Board, that his Majesty had been pleased to appoint Lord Botetourt to be his Lieutenant and Governor General of Virginia, and that it was his Majesty's pleasure, that this Board should prepare the draughts of a Commission for him, and also of the usual instructions.

Ordered, that the draught of a Commission, of the general instructions, and of those relating to the observance of the laws of trade, be prepared in the usual form with all convenient dispatch.

fo. 160.

The following draughts of representations to his Majesty, and of a report to the Lords of the Committee, having been transcribed pursuant to order, were signed, vizt.
Jamaica.
Representation to his Majesty on the case of the councillors of Jamaica suspended by the Lieutenant Governor.
West Florida.
Representation to his Majesty in Council on several laws of West Florida.
Virginia.
Representation to his Majesty in Council on several laws of Virginia.
Plantation General.
Report to the Lords of the Committee of Council on the petition of Touchet and others, relative to mines in the country adjacent to Lake Superior.

fo. 161.

New York.

Read a memorial of Major General Gage, Commander in Chief of his Majesty's forces in North America, praying their lordships to recommend him to his Majesty for an Order of Council, directing the Governor of New York to pass a grant to him of eighteen thousand acres of land on the Mohawk River, purchased of the Indians.

Ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty thereupon be prepared.

Plantations General.

The following draughts of a representations and of a report, were approved, and ordered to be transcribed, vizt.
Report to the Lords of the Committee of Council on a petition of David Coxe, respecting his claim to Carolana.
New Hampshire.
fo. 162.
Representation to his Majesty on those parts of a letter from the Governor of New Hampshire, communicated by the Earl of Hillsborough, relative to a division of that province into counties.
Representation to his Majesty on several laws of New Hampshire, passed during the administration of the late Governor.

Jamaica.

The Earl of Hillsborough was desired to lay before his Majesty the Board's representation on the case of the seven councillors of Jamaica, suspended by the Lieutenant Governor.