provements; many of whom have applied for a confirmation of their possessions to them, upon reasonable terms-respecting these settlers, the Committee are of opinion that those, who have applied or shall, personally apply to the General Court, for that purpose, have granted & confirmed to them said lands by them possessed, upon condition, they pay therefor, the value thereof, were they in a State of Nature. As to the other claims of individuals, or private Companies, to the said unappropriated lands which have been laid before the Committee, they will use all reasonable diligence to be in readiness to report at the next Sessions of the General Court Sam' Phillips jun' In Senate July 9th 1784 Read & accepted Sent down for Concurrence S Adams Presid In the House of Representatives July 9th 1784 Read and concurred Sam A Otis Spk' Act empowering the Gov" to renew the Licence of certain Absentees Commonwealth of Massachusetts In the Year of our LORD one thousand seven hundred & eighty four. An Act empowering the Governor, with the Advice of Council, to renew the Licences of certain Persons therein mentioned to reside within this Commonwealth. Whereas in Pursuance of an Act, intitled "An Act for repealing two Laws of this State, & for asserting the free & sovereign Right of this Commonwealth, to expell such Aliens as may be dangerous to the Peace & Good Order of Govern ment;" the Governor, with the Advice of Council, did, since the last Sessions of the General Court, grant Licences to George Spooner, John Amory, Thomas Oxnard, Nathaniel Chandler, Thomas Brattle, David Greene, & Isaac Winslow, to reside within this Commonwealth. And whereas, the said Licences will expire with the present Sessions of the General Court, & the Persons aforesaid be exposed to be sent out of this State, agreeable to the Provision made in the Act aforesaid. And whereas there will not be sufficient time & Opportunity for the General Court, in their present sessions, to inquire into the Characters & Conduct of the said Persons; Be it therefore enacted by the Senate & House of Representatives in General Court Assembled, & by the Authority of the same, that the Governor with the Advice of Council be, & he is hereby authorized & empowered to renew the said Licences, which Licences, being thus renewed, shall be, & continue in Force until the third Wednesday of the next sitting of the General Court. Sir, Resignation of Edwa Grow. York Sept 20th 1784 As the Town of York was pleased to chuse me at their Annual Meeting in May last to represent them at the General Court I am under the necessity to resign my Office as Collector of Import & Excise for the County of York - You will please to communicate this to General Court that some person may be appointed in my Room I am, Sir, With great Esteem Your most Obed' hble Serv In Senate Oct 15 1784 Read & sent down Edwd Grow John Avery jun' Esq S Adams Presid Towns which have returned their valuation. Marlboro, South Brimfield, Royalston, Weymouth, Chilmark, Lebanon, Milford, Westford, Greenfield, Truro, Chelsea, Douglas, Grafton, Hingham, Southampton, Palmer, Southboro, Shrewsbury, Stowe, Orange, Salem, Sylvester, Oakham, Lynn, Windham, Colerain, Sudbury, Bridgtown, Warwick, Wells, Pepperelboro, Greenwich, Gorham, Framingham, Stoneham, Templeton, Pepperel, Sutton. Mr. Wyman's Petition. Commonwealth of Massachusetts To the Hon Senate & the Hon House of Representatives of sd Commonwealth in General Court Assembled The Petition of Nathaniel Wyman in behalf of the town of Georgetown and Bath, the former of which he has the Honor to represent. humbly sheweth That the s Town being situated on the Sea Coast at the mouth of the Kennebec River have (during the war) been exposed to the depredation of the enemy in an uncommon manner That from the dangers to which they were exposed they have frequently been obliged to support Guards at the entrance of the s River at their own expence, while the many alarms with which they were harrassed prevented their attending to the necessary support of their families. That notwithstanding those distressing circumstances they readily complied with every requisition of Government untill the enemy got possession of Penobscut That since that period their Coasting Vessells & fishing Boats have been all captured by the numerous british Cruisers which for a Series of four years past have con tinually infested the eastern Shores and their communication with the Western ports so far cut off that a Cord of Wood has been often sold by the inhabitants of those Towns to traders from the Westward for a pound of Coffee; a thousand of boards for a gallon of New England Rum & other things in proportion That taking these their distressed circumstances into consideration the Legislature repeatedly excused them from raising their quota of three years men for the army untill the further Order of that august Body, though they were at the same time required to raise their proportion of men for the defence of the County of Lincoln which they punctually and cheerfully perform'd besides being at the extra expence of supporting Guards for their own particular security & were often obliged to give private incouragement to the Troops raised in those Towns besides the wages allowed them by the General Court, for which extra expences They have never asked for any compensation for Government that they have always borne their full proportion in raising the men aforesaid for the defence of said County but as they have lost all their Vessells, and been prevented from any fish or Lumber for four years past an enormous weight of back taxes now rests upon them & which they can never discharge without the aid of the Legislature your petitioner therefore humbly prays that the said Town may be exempted from paying the taxes assessed upon them for not procuring their three year three and five months men as in duty bound will ever pray Nath Wyman Petition of William Jones of Bristol. To the Honorb' Sennit and Hous of Representves in General Court Essembled The Petition of William Jones of Bristol in the County of Lincoln in Behalfe of said town whereas it appears to your Petitioner that said town was over Rated in the Last taxt your petitioner Prayes that a Committee may be Chosen to acrtaine the Reasons How that town Could be taxd higher then any in that County and two towns stands much higher in the State bill or velowation that said town may be releved in such Way as you in Your Wisdom Shall think Best and Your Petitioner as in Duty bound Shall Ever Praye William Jones Petition of Plantation of Raymonton. To the Honorable Senate and the Honorable House of Representatives The Petition of the Inhabitants of the Plantation called Raymontown humbly sheweth That your Petitioners Find themselves at a very great Difficulty indeed The Honorable Legislature has ordered a Tax on this Infant Plantation by what mistaken Information we cannot undertake to say An Execution has been ordered and the sheriff of the County has been among us - which induced your Petitioners to send a Petition to the Honorable Court setting forth our Poverty and Inability to bear Publick Burdens or even as yet by our utmost Industry in this Cold Wilderness to Supply our Selves and Families with necessaries of Life But to our Mortification we cannot Learn that the Honorable Court has taken any Notice of our Petition and Representation- Your Petitioners have therefore reason to conclude themselves under the most Disagreeable Imputation of Disobedience to Civil Government & of an Indisposition to that publick Duty ought to perform. |