3d By reason of the distance aforesaid, in sueing to Pownalborough Court, the bills of cost many times surmount the debt: To mention one instance within our knowledge, the debt was forty two shillings and the Cost amounted to upwards of Ten pounds.

4th We are at great charge and trouble even to get a Deed recorded, besides running the risque of being taken in passing Bagwaduce & losing the deeds, which has been the case.

Wherefore we humbly pray, for the reasons aforesaid, that your honors would establish a special Judge of Probate of Wills & for granting Letters of Administration &c, & for appointing Guardians for Minors & Orphans; to have Jurisdiction to the Eastward of Penobscot River: Also to appoint a Register of Probate.- That a Court of Special Sessions of the peace be established, to have Cognizance to the eastward of Penobscot River as aforesaid.

That two or more Justices be appointed to try causes to the amount of twenty pounds and under, with liberty of appeal; or, that a Court of Common pleas be established; to have jurisdiction as aforementioned.

That a Register of Deeds be appointed for said Eastern part of said County. And lastly, That one or more of the present Justices may be appointed of the Quorum; because there are divers cases wherein a single Justice alone, will not answer, as in taking Depositions in Perpetuam, & trying causes of forcible entry.

Should your Honors think proper to indulge us in our requests, we would beg leave to say further, that the Plantation of Machias, is the best situated on many accounts, for the holding said Courts &c; and we pray that they may be established at said place as aforesaid: All which would have the utmost tendency to promote peace, harmony & good order; Justice would be duly administered, and the oppressed find relief.

And

your petitioners as in duty bound, will ever pray &c October 22 1782

David Gardner Daniel Stone, Solomon Stone, Aaron Hanscom, Stephen Jones, Joel Whitney Nathan Longfellow, WTM Albee, J Noble Shannon Morris O'Brien George Stillman Amos Boynton George Luey David Longfellow, Joseph Walles, Jonas Farnsworth Stephen Smith WTM Tupper, David Gardner Jun' Peter Talbot, Benja Foster John Foster, Levi Foster, Woorden Foster, Stephen Munson Samuel Rich, Joseph Manson.

Petition from Inhabitants of Machias.

To the Honble the Senate, and the Honble the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

A number of the Inhabitants of Machias, and others belonging to the Eastern part of the County of Lincoln, Humbly Sheweth,

That whereas we are informed, a Petition from a number of the Inhabitants of this place and the vicinity, has lately been preferred to your Honors, praying, (for reasons therein mentioned) that a Court of Probate, a Register of Deeds, a Court of Common pleas & Sessions may be established at Machias; to have Jurisdiction to the Eastward of Penobscot River. As we had not opportunity of seeing said Petition before it was sent away, and being now fully acquainted with the contents thereof, and having for a long time suffered many and great inconveniences from the want of such arrangements higher than Pownalborough; we pray your honors that the prayer of said Petition may be granted, with this addition, that appeals may be had from the Court of Common pleas, to the Supreme Judicial Court in Boston, (as was usual, from the County of Nantucket) instead of Falmouth; as we could attend at the former place with greater ease and

convenience than at the latter-And as in duty bound your petitioners will Ever pray &c

Machias December 18th 1782

Joseph Libbee, EphTM Chase, M' Howe Alpheus Polley, Jonathan Pineo, John Berry, William Elwell, William Ray, Joseph Waller J', Jas Campbell, Benja Pettigrow, Edmund Stevens.

In Senate June 12th 1783

Read & thereupon Order'd, that this Petition be committed to the Committee of both Houses appointed the 30th May Ult:; to take into consideration the Petition of David Gardner & others, Inhabitants of Machias, to consider and report what is proper to be done thereon

Sent down for Concurrence

S Adams Presid

In House of Representatives June 13th 1783

Read & concurred

Tristram Dalton Spk'

Memorial of the Machias Committee.

To the Honble Senate & House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

The Memorial of the Committee Corrispd Inspection & Safety of Machias for & in behalf of said Plantation

Humbly Sheweth

That some time past a number of the Inhabitants of this District & the others adjacent, Petitioned the Honble Court Seting fourth the Distresses the Inhabitants were under by reason of the distance they were from the Shiere Town in this County and expence & dificulty attending thereon & requesting a Court of Common pleas, a Judge of Probate & Register of Deeds might be appointed to be held in this place the Honble Court at that time thought it best to refer

it over to the present session, at the same time Gave incouragement that relief should be Granted, The Inhabitants of this district had a legal & full meeting the 23d of May last at which time the matter was again taken into Consideration, when the Town Unanimously Voted To Memorialize the Honble General Court on the Subject Requesting in the most carnest manner To Grant them Relief & directed the Committee of Corrispondence Inspection & Safety to do it, Your memorialist therefore Humbly prays the Honble Court will be pleased To take the foregoing with their former petition into their wise Consideration & Grant them such Relief as they in their wisdom may think Fit. Your Memorialist for a more full State of these matters beg leave to Refer your Honors to James Avery Esq' agent for this plantation and your memorialist as in duty Bound &c

Read & thereupon Order'd that Cotton Tufts Esq' with such as the Honble House shall join be a Committee to take this Memorial into consideration, together with the Petition of the Inhabitants of Machias, and others belonging to the Eastern part of the County of Lincoln — and Report what may be proper to be done thereon

Sent down for Concurrence

S Adams, Presid

In the House of Representatives same day

Read & concurred & Mr Eddy & Mr Hosmer are joined Tristram Dalton Spk

To James Avery Esq

Sir

You being appointed by the Inhabitants of Machias to Appear at the General Court of this Commonwealth to sup

port the petitions from the Inhabitants of that and other Plantations respecting the Establishing Courts of Law & a Registor of Deeds &c in this part of the County so that we may have a more easey & less expences in access to Justice, we whose names are hereunto Subscribed Inhabitants of the different Plantations Sett against our Respective Names do Request you to appear in our behalf & use your influence that the said Petitions may be granted

Report of the Committee on the Petition of Inhabitants of Machias and Resolve Thereon.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

The Committee of both Houses to whom was referrd the Consideration of several Petitions from the Inhabitants of Machias & others in the Eastern part of the County of Lincoln, praying that a Register of Deeds & of Probate of Wills may be Established at Machias and that a Court of Probate of Wills, a Court of General Sessions of the peace & Court of Common pleas may be held at Machias with a right of appeal from the Court of General sessions of the peace & Court of Common pleas to the Supreme Judicial Court held at Boston, beg leave to report—

That in the Opinion of your Committee the peculiar difficulties under which the Petitioners labour for want of an easier and less expensive access to the Court of Law and