Journal, February 1738: Volume 47

Journal, February 1738

Wednesday, February 1. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Plummer, Mr. Ashe, Colonel Bladen.

Bahamas.

Read a letter from Governor Fitzwilliams, transmitting public papers, and complaining of a great scarcity of provisions in the Island of Providence, and giving an account of Cat Island and its value to encourage new settlers.

North Carolina.

Mr. Shelton attending, acquainted the Board that the Lords Proprietors never did consent that the inhabitants of Albemarle County should have any lands granted them conformable to the Deed of 1668, excepting only such, as were formerly residents of that County, before the said year. Case of the Blank Patents laid before the Attorney and Solicitor General for their opinion, in point of law.

Mr. McCulloch attending, the Board had some discourse with him, relative to the Deed of 1668, and agreed to consider of the same the first opportunity.

Thursday, February 2. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Ashe, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plummer.

Trade.

Spain.

Mr. Merritt attending, their Lordships had some discourse with him relative to the visiting small vessels in the ports of Spain, as mentioned in Mr. Keene's letter to the Duke of Newcastle, and the further consideration thereof was deferred to another opportunity; and a letter at the same time was ordered to be written to Mr. Benjamin Farrand, to desire his attendance at this Board Tuesday next upon that subject.

North Carolina.

Mr. McCulloch attending, the Board had some further discourse with him, and ordered a state of the case of the Quit Rents to be drawn up, to be laid before the Attorney General for his opinion thereon.

Tuesday, February 7. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Plummer, Mr. Ashe, Colonel Bladen.

Jamaica.

Read a letter from Mr. Trelawney, Governor of Jamaica, recommending Samuel Dicker, Esqr., to be Councillor of Jamaica, in the room of Thomas Garbrand, Esqr., deceased.

A letter from Mr. Gregory, President of the Council of Jamaica, dated November 25th, 1737, containing the copy of a representation of the merchants of Kingston on account of the capture of some ships by the Spaniards, and mentioning the want of acting Councillors, the great mortality at Kingston, and the death of two of the Council viz.: Mr. Hall and Mr. Garbrand, was read; and the Board directed a representation to be prepared, recommending Samuel Dicker and Thomas Edlin in their room, and ordered an extract of the letter, relating to the captures complained of, and a copy of the Jamaica merchants' representation thereupon, to be prepared, in order to be transmitted to the Duke of Newcastle.

Trade.

Spain.

Mr. Farrand attending, the Board had some discourse with him concerning the visiting small vessels in the ports of Spain, but he said he was not able to give them any information thereon.

South Carolina.

Jamaica.

Read a letter from Mr. Wood, complaining of the hardships attending the merchants by an excessive emission of paper money in South Carolina, and by duties laid on Negroes imported there, and by inlisting soldiers in Jamaica, and their lordships agreed to take the affair into consideration the first opportunity.

North Carolina.

Their Lordships took into consideration a draught of querys to be prepared, in order to be laid before the Attorney General, in relation to the grants and quit rents in North Carolina, and made some progress therein.

Wednesday, February 8. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer, Colonel Bladen.

South Carolina.

Read a letter from Mr. Bull, President of the Council and Commander in Chief of South Carolina, giving an account of the death of Colonel Broughton, Lieutenant Governor, and President Middleton, and recommending Colonel Joseph Blake and Charles Pinckney, Esqr., to supply their rooms in the Council.

North Carolina.

The draught of the querys, mentioned in the minutes of yesterday, was agreed to, and ordered to be transcribed.

Thursday, February 9. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

Jamaica.

A representation to his Majesty recommending Samuel Dicker and Thomas Edlin to be of the Council in Jamaica, was agreed to, and signed.

A letter to the Duke of Newcastle inclosing an extract of one from Mr. Gregory, President of the Council of Jamaica, together with a copy of a representation of the merchants of Kingston concerning the capture of some ships by the Spaniards, and the papers, referred to therein, was agreed to, and signed.

The draught of a report to the Committee of Privy Council, transmitting the draught of an additional instruction to Edward Trelawney, Esqr., Governor of Jamaica, giving him a power to grant Royal mines, was taken into consideration.

South Carolina.

A representation to his Majesty, recommending James Crockat and Edmund Atkins to be of the Council of South Carolina, was ordered to be prepared.

New Hampshire.

A memorial from Mr. Dunbar, Lieut.-Governor of New Hampshire, was read, complaining of hardships put upon him by Governor Belcher, and other matters, and the consideration thereof was adjourned to another opportunity.

Friday, February 10. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

South Carolina.

A representation to His Majesty, mentioned in the minutes of yesterday, recommending James Crockat and Edmund Atkins, Esqrs., to be of the Council of South Carolina, was signed.

New England.

Read several letters from Governor Belcher, viz., one dated September 17th, 1737, one dated September 24th, one dated November 7th, 1737 and one dated December 17th, 1737, transmitting the proceedings of the Council and representatives of New Hampshire, in relation to settling the boundaries between the provinces of New Hampshire and the Massachusets.

Tuesday, February 14. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

North Carolina.

Read the report of the Attorney and Solicitor General upon the case of the Blanks Patents in North Carolina.

Rhode Island.

Massachusets Bay.

Boundaries.

Mr. Paris, agent for Rhode Island, and Mr. Sharpe, agent for Massachusets Bay, attending, as directed by the minutes of Wednesday, January 18th, Mr. Sharpe prayed for a longer day for the hearing the dispute about the boundaries of the two provinces, and Mr. Paris's objections not being admitted, the said hearing was deferred to Tuesday the twenty-first of March next.

Bahamas.

The draught of a representation to His Majesty of the state of Chaloner Jackson's complaint against Governor Fitzwilliams, and of the Governor's defence, was read; and the further consideration thereof was deferred to another opportunity.

Wednesday, February 15. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer, Sir Archer Croft.

New York.

Read a letter from Mr. Clarke, Lieutenant Governor of New York, dated November 28th, 1737, acquainting the Board that the Assembly are upon ways and means to supply the Treasury, and promising answers to the queries sent to him.

New Jersey.

Read a letter from Mr. Hamilton, President of the Council and Commander in Chief at New Jersey, promising answers to queries, and excusing the non-attendance of any of the Council of New Jersey, in the settling the boundaries of the Massachusets and New Hampshire.

Leeward Islands.

Read four letters from Governor Mathews, one dated 20th October, 1737, one 14th September, 1737, one November 12th, 1737, and one December 10th, 1737, transmitting public papers, and promising copies of the proofs laid before the Assembly of Antigua on passing the Bill for attainting two free Negroes.

Bermuda.

Read a letter from Capt. Pitt, late Lieutenant Governor of Bermuda, dated London, Dec. 22nd, 1737, inclosing minutes of Council, Assembly, and other public papers.

Thursday, February 16. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer.

South Carolina.

The South Carolina ordinance for asserting and maintaining the rights and privileges of His Majesty's subjects there to a free and open trade with the Creek, Cherokee and other Indian nations, in amity with His Majesty's subjects, and for the better keeping those Indians in the interest of Great Britain, was read, and the Board ordered a draught of a representation to be prepared, which was afterwards agreed to, and signed.

Jamaica.

A report to the Committee of Privy Council, transmitting the draught of an additional instruction to Edward Trelawney, Esqr., Governor of Jamaica, giving him power to make grants of Royal mines, was agreed to, and signed.

Friday, February 17. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plummer.

Plantations General.

Read a letter from His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, transmitting the copy of an address of the House of Commons, desiring that copies may be laid before them of the several applications made to his Majesty for warlike stores from any of his Majesty's plantations in America, together with an account, how far the same have been granted, and acquainting their lordships with His Majesty's pleasure that they give the proper directions for complying with this address; and the said directions were accordingly given.

Tuesday, February 21. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Bladen, Mr. Plummer.

Bahamas.

The draught of a representation, relating to the complaints made by Chaloner Jackson against Richard Fitzwilliams, Esqr., Governor of the Bahamas, was taken into consideration; and after several alterations made therein, was agreed to, and ordered to be transscribed.

Wednesday, February 22. Present:—Lord Monson, Colonel Bladen, Sir Archer Croft, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Plummer.

Plantations General.

The Board having had several general instructions under their consideration, have ordered that an exact transcript be made of all such instructions as are general in their nature, and applicable to all His Majesty's Governments in America, without distinction.

That the said general instructions be digested under the several heads, to which they belong respectively, such as Council, Assembly, Militia, Courts of Judicature, Granting of lands etc.

That there likewise be a distinct transcript made of all such local instructions, as are applicable to any particular colony or colonies.

Thursday, February 23. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Pelham, Sir Archer Croft, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plummer.

Virginia.

A letter was wrote, by order of the Board, to Lord Fairfax, desiring him to inform them whether he had any objections to their laying before His Majesty for his confirmation, an Act, passed in Virginia, relating to the lands in the Northern Neck, held under his lordship.

Jamaica.

A petition of several merchants of London, Bristol and Liverpool, trading to Jamaica, relative to an Act, passed in that Island, February 19th, 1736, for raising several sums of money etc. was read; and the Board ordered that notice be given to Mr. Wood, agent for the petitioners, and Mr. John Sharpe, agent of the Island, that they do attend upon a day to hear the merits of the said petition.

Friday, February 24. Present:—Lord Monson, Mr. Pelham, Sir Archer Croft, Mr. Plummer.

Virginia.

Lord Fairfax attending, as desired, acquainted the Board he had no objection to the Virginia Act, mentioned in the minutes of yesterday.

Jamaica.

Mr. Wood and Mr. John Sharpe, attending, the Board appointed the hearing the merits of the petition of the merchants of London, Bristol and Liverpool, mentioned in the minutes of yesterday, to be upon Thursday, the 9th of March.

New Jersey.

The Board took into consideration the instructions for New Jersey, and made some progress therein.