Journal, December 1740: Volume 48

Journal, December 1740

Tuesday, December 2. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plummer.

Plantations General.

Sir Abraham Elton.

Mr. Edward Southwell.

Mr. Richard Gildart.

Mr. Thomas Brereton.

Alderman Baker.

Mr. Townsend.

Capt. Tomlinson.

The Board had again under consideration the affair mentioned in the preceding minutes, particularly as far as it relates to that part of the addresses of the House of Commons, concerning the sinking and discharging of the Bills of Credit in America, and made some further progress therein. Ordered at the same time that the Secretary write to the several gentlemen, whose names are in the margin, to desire their attendance at this Board on Friday next, before eleven of the clock, in order to give their lordships such information, as they shall be able on that affair. [Friday, December 5th.]

Wednesday, December 3. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plummer.

Plantations General.

Proprieties.

Trade.

Read a letter from Mr. Lowndes to the Secretary, dated December 3rd, 1740, proposing that the House of Commons be moved to admit three clauses to be added to the Bill, which is intended to prevent exporting grain and provisions;

Ordered that the said letter lye by, to be considered at another opportunity.

Plantations General.

The Board had again under consideration the affair, mentioned in yesterday's minutes, relative to the state of the paper currency, and made some further progress therein.

Thursday, December 4. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Sir A. Croft, Mr. Plummer.

Jamaica.

Mr. Leonard Martin, solicitor for Mr. Concanen, having applied for a copy of the reasons, which Mr. Trelawney has given for the removal of Mr. Concanen from his seat in the Council of Jamaica, the Board was pleased to give leave for his having a copy of the said reasons.

Friday, December 5. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Plantations General.

Mr. Southwell.

Sir Abraham Elton.

Mr. Brereton.

Mr. Gildart.

Mr. Wood.

Capt. Tomlinson.

Mr. Townsend.

Alderman Baker.

Mr. Perkins.

Mr. Crocket.

Mr. Wragg.

Mr. Howlett.

The several gentlemen, wrote to by the Secretary, as was ordered by the minutes of the 2nd instant, together with others mentioned in the margin, attending, the Board had some discourse with them on the subject of the paper currency in America, and heard their sentiments thereupon; and after they were withdrawn, the Board took the said affair again into consideration, and made some further progress therein.

Tuesday, December 9. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Bermuda.

Read a letter from Mr. Carkesse, Secretary to the Commissioners of the Customs, dated December 4th, 1740, in answer to one from the Secretary of this Board, dated January 24th, 1738, relating to the extract of a letter from Alured Popple, Esq., Governor of Bermuda, transmitted to the Commissioners of the Customs, concerning the appointing of an officer at the great island in his Government.

Massachusetts.

Read a letter from Mr. Belcher, Governor of the Massachusetts Bay, dated at Boston, October 25th, 1740, acknowledging the receipt of their lordships' letters of the 1st and 19th of August last, as likewise of two others of the 20th and 21st of May, and promising to prepare and transmit with all expedition the accounts of paper currency required, and his own opinion as to the method of sinking or calling in what Bills of Credit are now outstanding in the Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

Read also another letter from Governor Belcher, relating to paper currency there, dated the 30th of October, 1740, and delivered at the Board by Mr. Hutchinson, a member of the General Assembly in the Massachusetts Bay, who was appointed to attend on Thursday morning next, upon the subject of the abovementioned letter. [Thursday, 11th.]

Wednesday, December 10. Present:— Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plummer.

New Hampshire.

Read a memorial from Richard Partridge, dated December 9th, 1740, relating to Governor Belcher's recommendation of Samuel Sherburne, Esq., to supply a vacancy in the Council of New Hampshire by the death of Ephraim Dennet, Esq.

Massachusetts Bay.

New Hampshire.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, dated December 5th, 1740, referring to this Board the petition of Joseph Gulston, merchant, and others to their lordships, and referring back two reports from this Board, dated 10th of August and 17th of October, 1739, relating to the separating the Government of New Hampshire from that of the Massachusetts Bay.

Ordered that the Secretary write to Captain Tomlinson, agent for New Hampshire, and to Mr. Partridge, agent for the Government of the Massachusetts Bay, to desire their attendance at this Board to-morrow at eleven of the clock. [Thursday, 11th.]

Thursday, December 11. Present:— Lord Monson, Mr. Ashe, Mr.Plummer.

Massachusetts.

New Hampshire.

Captain Tomlinson, agent for New Hampshire, and Mr. Partridge, agent for the Government of the Massachusetts Bay, attending, as desired by the preceding minute of yesterday, the Board, at their joint desire, agreed to hear what they had to offer on the subject of the Order in Council and the petition therein referred, mentioned in the same minute, on this day sennight. [Thursday, 18th.]

Massachusetts.

Mr. Hutchinson attending, as desired by the minutes of the 9th inst., the Board, after some discourse with him, referred the further consideration of the same to another opportunity.

Connecticut.

Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, dated December 5th, 1740, referring back a report from this Board in August last, upon the draught of a commission to review some disputes between the colony of Connecticut and the Mohican Indians; referring likewise the petition of Francis Wilks, agent for the said colony, relating to the said commission of review, and also the petition of John and Samuel Mason, in behalf of the said Mohican Indians against the said petition of Mr. Wilks; and Mr. Samuel Mason attending, the Board appointed him, and ordered the Secretary to write to Mr. Wilks to attend them to-morrow, in order to fix a day for hearing the merits of the said petitions. [Friday, 12th.]

Friday, December 12. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plummer.

Connecticut.

Mr. Paris, solicitor for the Masons, and Mr. Sharpe, solicitor for Mr. Wilks, attending, the Board was pleased to appoint Wednesday next to hear the merits of the petitions, mentioned in the preceding minute of yesterday. [Wednesday, 17th inst.]

Leeward Islands.

Read a letter from General Mathew, Governor of the Leeward Islands, dated October 8th, 1740 (with a postcript of the 9th October), enclosing the copy of a letter to him from the Secretary, with a transcript of some Acts of that island, passed there from 1732/3 to 1740; transmitting likewise minutes of the Assembly of Montserrat from July 3rd to September 15th, 1740; informing also the Board that there being, by Mr. John Webb's absence, but four councillors at Montserrat, he had directed the President to admit Nicholas Daniel, Esq., to that Board, till his Majesty's pleasure be known.

Tuesday, December 16. President:—Lord Monson, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Bahamas.

Wimble.

Rebecca Brigantine.

Letter from the Duke of Newcastle.

Read the case and petition of James Wimble, master of the Rebecca brigantine, on the subject of the loss of his vessel (as mentioned in the minutes of March 26th last, and a former minute of the 8th of March, 1737 /8), [vide supra, fol. 31; Journal 1738, fol. 39]; read likewise a letter from his Grace the Duke of Newcastle of the 11th inst. referring to the Board several affidavits and other papers, relating to the matters set forth in the said petition, desiring their lordships to take the same into consideration and report their opinion thereupon. Ordered that the draught of a letter to the Duke of Newcastle, upon the subject of the said petition and reference, be prepared.

Wednesday, December 17. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Mr.Plummer.

Connecticut.

Mohican Indians.

Mr. Sharpe, solicitor for Mr. Wilks (agent for the colony of Connecticut), and Mr. Paris, solicitor for the petitioners, John and Samuel Mason, attending, the Board, after having heard what they had to offer on the subject of the respective petitions of Francis Wilks and John and Samuel Mason (mentioned in the minutes of the 11th inst.), took the same into consideration, and ordered the draught of a report thereupon to be prepared.

Bahamas.

Wimble.

Mr. Wimble attending, moved the Board, that they would please to defer making their report to the Duke of Newcastle, mentioned in yesterday's minutes, till further application; to which their Lordships agreed.

Thursday, December 18. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plummer.

Massachusetts.

New Hampshire.

Mr. Paris, solicitor for Mr. Tomlinson, agent for the Province of New Hampshire, and Mr. Belcher, junr., for Mr. Partridge, agent for that of the Massachusetts Bay, attending, as appointed by the minutes of the 11th inst., the Board heard what they had each to offer for and against the petition (mentioned in the minutes of the 10th inst.), relating to the separating the government of New Hampshire from that of the Massachusetts Bay; and after the gentlemen were withdrawn, their Lordships took the same into their consideration, and gave directions for preparing the draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council thereupon.

Friday, December 19. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Massachusetts Bay.

New Hampshire.

The report upon the Order of Council (mentioned in the minutes of the 10th inst.), relative to the separating the government of New Hampshire from that of the Massachusetts Bay, having been agreed to, was transcribed and signed.

Connecticut.

Rhode Island.

The report upon the Order of Council (mentioned in the minutes of the 11th instant.), relative to the appointing Commissioners for determining the dispute between the colony of Rhode Island (fn. 1) and the Mohican Indians, having been agreed to, was transcribed and signed.