USA > Massachusetts > Early census making in Massachusetts, 1643-1765, with a reproduction of the lost census of 1765 (recently found) and documents relating thereto > Part 2
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" As to the Conftitution of the Government of this Province; the power of making Laws ordinances &c is Vefted in the Governour Council & Reprefentatives, (which compofe the General Affembly) The Governor being appointed by the King; the Reprefentatives Chofen by the People, and the Council Elected Annually by the united Balots of the Councellors of Reprefentatives ; on which Elections the Governor has a Negative; The Laws and Ordinances thus made are fubject to the King's Allowance, or Difallowance, but their Effect not fufpended until His Majefties pleafure be known thereupon. - The Governor Comands the Militia, and appoints the officers of the fame; The Governor, with the Advice & Confent of the Council, appoints all Judges, Iuftices Marfhalls Sheriffs Coroners & other Officers belonging to the Courts of Iuftice (Saving that the Clerks of the feveral Courts, are by Act of Affembly appointed by the Iuftices of thofe refpective Courts) The Governor and Council have likewife Cognizance of all matters relating to Wills and Adminiftrations upon the Eftates of Perfons deceafed, and do accordingly Appoint the Judges of Probate and Regifters of Wills in the feveral Countys of the province. The General Affembly do annually elect the Treafurer of the province, a Commiffioner & Receiver of the Duty's of Impoft, and publick Notarys for the feveral ports; The [Iudges
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Judges and other Officers of the Court of Admiralty are appointed by the High Court of Admiralty in England.
"As to the fhipping of this province the number of Veffels of all forts cleared out the laft year at the Cuftom houfes for forreign Voyages was fix hundred and fixty feven, their Tunnage thirty five thoufand four hundred & twenty nine Tuns, the number of Men belonging ,to them four thoufand four hundred and thirty three; the number of coafters and fifhing Veffels about twelve hundred and thirty, their Tunnage about twenty five thoufand fix hundred and fifty tuns, and their Men about five thoufand and ninety - The Shipping of this province is increafed in the laft Seven years about one fifth part -
"The yearly Importation from Great Britain into this province is upwards of {250,000 fterling; at leaft {200,000 thereof in Britifh Manufactures, and two thirds of that in woollens the reft in Iron Ware, powder fhot glafs Cordage, Canvafs brafs &c. -
" As to the Trade with Forreign plantations and other parts of Europe, befides Great Britain, this Province trades to Surrinam Curracoa, Euftatia, Martinico and Cape S: Francois, where they carry lumber, refufe fifh, horfes &c, and in return bring from thence, Rhum, Molaffes fugar and Indigo - This province likewife Trades to Spain, Portugal & Italy and fend thither great quantities of dryed Cod fifh, the produce whereof is remitted to Great Britain, Except fome part of it, which is returned in falt. -
" As to the prevention of Illegal Trade, moft of the Acts of Parliament made for that purpofe are in force in this Province; and are accordingly duly executed ; the Judgments of the Courts of Common Law, as well as of the Court of Admiralty being directed and Governed by them ; The officers concerned to prevent Illegal Trade are the Surveyor General of the Cuftoms, the Collectors in the feveral ports, with the Waiters and the Naval Officers ; and at Bofton a Comptroller and furveyor & fearcher ; befides an officer Annually appointed by the General Affembly called Commiffioner of Impoft, who has Deputys in the other Ports; and thefe Officers are very Careful in the difcharge of their Duty; fo that the [breaches
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breaches of the Acts of Trade are very rare, & when difcovered they are duly profecuted & punifhed -
" The Natural produce of the Land in this Province, is Timber of divers forts ; the principal of which are Oaks and pines, which are manu- factured into Mafts, Shipp & Houfe Timber, plank, boards, ftaves, fhin- gles, clapboards &c And pitch, Tar Turpentine & Rofin are made out of the pitch pines ; The Coafts abound with fifh of divers kinds, particu- larly Whales, Cod Mackeril herring &c- And there is accordingly exported dryed & pickled Cod, pickled Mackeril Train Oyl &c; the value of the yearly Exports of the produce & Manufactures of this Countrey is above £ fterling
"There are fome few copper mines in this province, but fo far dif- tant from Water Carriage, & the Oar fo poor that it is not worth the digging- There are likewife divers Iron mines here, which yield good Oar which is Manufactured in confiderable quantities, and turns to a pretty good account -
" The number of the Militia in this Province, was in the year 1718 about 15500, and in the year 1728 about 20.000, fo that in ten years they were Increafed about 4500 - The proportion between the Militia & Inhabitants is generally Computed at one to fix, according to which rate there are now about 120000 white Inhabitants, Men, Women and Chil- dren ; The Negros are thought not to exceed 2000 in the whole province; The increafe of the People for thefe ten years paft muft be attributed partly to the healthinefs of the Countrey, and partly to the Importation of Confiderable numbers of People from Ireland.
" The Principal Fort in this province is Caftle William, which is of confiderable ftrength ; the Works being well built, moftly of ftone & brick ; there are about eighty Cannon mounted there, But the Garrifon in time of Peace confifts of no more than thirty men, befides officers. This Fort is fituate upon an Ifland in Bofton harbour, within three Miles of the Town; There have bin likewife feveral Batteries, and lines of Guns at the feveral Towns of Bofton, Charleftown, Salem, and Marblehead ; but they all now lye in ruins ; and the Cannon for the [moft
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moft part difmounted - In the County of York, formerly the Province of Mayne, there are Fort Mary at Winter harbour, built of Timber, & ffort George at Brunfwick, a ftone building, which have each of them an officer & fifteen men in Garrifon ; Befides which there are four Truck houfes for the Trade with the Indians, which are fortified and have each of them a Garrifon for their Defence -
"As to the Indians living within the bounds of this Province, They are to be diftinguifhed into thofe called Friend Indians, and fuch as have been lately in War with us; The firft who dwell within the Englifh fettlements, are entirely fubject to the Laws of the Countrey, and are brought to fome degree of Civility, and the Profeffion of the Proteftant Religion ; Their number is about 3000 men, Women and Children - The other Indians, who confift of four or five Tribes or Clans, make in all about 300 fighting men - They live in the Wildernefs on the Eaftern Frontiers of this province in a very favage manner, They have always been much under the Influence of the neighbouring French, efpecially the Popifh Miffionaries, who conftantly refide among them, and have brought them to a profeffion of the Romifh Faith - Thefe Indians have been at peace with us, now for above five years, and feem every day, more Inclined to the Englifh Intereft ; fo that there is a good profpect that this peace will long continue - The Indians of both fexes are much diminifhed within thefe ten years paft -
.
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" As to the neighbouring Indians, They are either fuch as live within the French territory, or in the provinces of New York & Nova Scotia ; The French Indians of Canada have always been in War with us, upon any rupture with either the French, or the Eaftern Indians; They confift of many Tribes, and are very numerous, and but a fmall proportion of them that ever engage in any Action againft the Englifh ; The Indians refiding within the province of New York, have frequently mixed with thofe of Canada, when they have made Incurfions upon us; The Indians of Nova Scotia, feldom, if ever come within this Province, or make any Impreffions upon us by Land ; But have often furprized & murthered our Fifhermen that have been upon that Coaft, & taken and burnt their
[Veffels ;
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Veffels ; but of late the neighbouring Indians have all lived very peace- ably & given us no Difturbance -. The numbers of thefe feveral Tribes of Indians, is but little known among us, They are all of them a ftout, hardy People, have the ufe of fire Arms, and are very Dexterous therein - Their Forts, as well as thofe of our own Eaftern Indians, are only plain fquare Inclofures, made of Loggs, or poles, without any Baftions, or other work; fo that they are not Defenfible nor will they ftay by them to receive an Enemy. -
" The French are the only Europeans that are fetled in the Neigh- bourhood of this province- In Canada, they have feveral Towns ftrongly fortified, and a great number of other Forts upon the Lakes and Rivers, in that Countrey, which are built partly for the benefit of the Trade with the Natives, partly for their protection, and partly to maintain the power of the French over them - The French King maintains about twenty two Companies of Regular Troops in this Countrey - There is another Colony of French fetled at a place called Cape Breton in the Eaftern part of Nova Scotia, and therefore not contiguous to the province of the Maffachufets Bay - The Town of Louifbourg there is of great Strength having Confiderable Fortifications about it, and near two hundred Canon mounted, and a very good Garrifon of Regular Troops, and their Strength daily increafing -
" As to the Effects of the French fettlements in thefe parts ; They have been very mifchievous to this province, thofe People, and efpecially the Priefts, exciting the Indians to Rebellion, & not only furnithing them with Arms & Amunition to profecute their Barbarous Wars, but allo fetting a price on the heads of thofe Englifh whom they fhall kill, by which means, many hundreds of poor helplefs Women and Children have been Murthered for the fake of this Infamous Reward, and that when there has been a peace fubfifting between the Crowns of England & France - Thefe French have likewife in time of Peace with the In- dians, as well as themfelves, urged the Indians to difturb our fettlem" in the Eaftern parts of this Province, by pretending to difpute the right of the Englifh to the Lands they have fairly purchafed of them, or their [Anceftors,
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Anceftors, and of which they have been long poffeffed - As to the French fettlem! of Louifbourgh upon Cape Breton, it is highly probable, That in Cafe of a Rupture between the two Crowns, it will be a receptacle and fhelter for Privateers, who will difturb the Trade of the Englifh in thefe parts, as well as to Newfoundland, and the North weft paffage and that the French there, will fet the Indians upon our Fifhermen, as it is thought they have often done in time of Peace -
" As to the Revenue of this Province It arifes in part from an Impoft laid by an Act of Affembly annually upon Goods imported into the province, ufually amounting to five Thoufand pounds of this Currency, partly from the Excife laid on ftrong Liquors by an Act made once in five years amounting to about three Thoufand pounds p Annum, & The Intereft of Bills let out, which now amounts to no more than Two thoufand four hundred pounds p annum Excepting old arrearages ; and the remainder of the annual charge is made out by the Land Tax ; the amount of thefe feveral Funds are applied for the finking of fuch Bills of Credit as have their period & Limitations in the feveral years - This Revenue is applied for the fupport of the Charges of the Gov- ernmt, fuch, as the pay & fubfiftence of the Garrifons, Building & repair- ing of Forts, & Fortifications, maintaining of Marching Forces in time of War, as alfo in Allowances to the Governor for his fupport, and to feveral officers of the Governm', together with Incidental Charges - There are no Crown Lands in this Province, nor other Revenue, but what is raifed by Acts of Affembiy, and by them appropriated to fuch ufes as they fhall Judge proper -
" The ordinary Expences of this Government for the four laft years (which has been a time of peace) were Twenty four thoufand fix hundred & feventy one pounds, nine fhillings & five pence, a year, Comunibus annis, and the extraordinary expences, for the four years preceeding (which was a time of War) fifty three thoufand two hundred & eighty one pounds feventeen fhills & four pence ; But then it muft be obferved, That for the laft four years the reprefentatives were paid out of the Publick Treafury for their attendance in the General Affembly to the [amount
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amount of about three thoufand three hundred pounds p annum, which never was done before and this is accounted as part of the Ordinary Expence ; But on the other Hand, the province is ftill in arrears for Governor Burnets adminiftration near fourteen months, which belongs to the fame four years.
" There is no Salary eftablifhed for the Governour in this province or any other officer whatfoever faving that the Pay of the Councillors and Reprefentatives for their Attendance in the General Affembly has always been afcertained by Law ; but the laft Act for that purpofe expired in September laft, and none has been fince made- The Fees of the Officers of the feveral Courts of Comon Law, Court of Admiralty, Secretary of the Province, Judges of Probate Regifters of Wills, & Officers of the Cuftoms are fetled by Law; The Governor Lieutenant Governor, Secretary Judge of the Admiralty & Officers of the Cuftoms receive Commiffion in England ; The other Officers are appointed by the Governm! here ; as particularly expreffed in the third Article.
" Bofton, April 5, 1751.
J. BELCHER."
Nothing more appears to have been done with reference to a general census of the inhabitants of the Colony until March 18, 1760, when the King sent a paper of instructions to Governor Bernard containing among other things commands as to the num- bering of the inhabitants of the Province, as follows : -
" Inftructions to Gov! Bernard. " 18 March 1760
" You fhall fend an Account to Our Commiffioners for Trade and Plantations in order to be laid before Us, by the firft Conveyance, of the prefent Number of Planters and Inhabitants, Men, Women and Chil- dren, as well Mafters as Servants, free and unfree, and of the Slaves in our faid Province ; As alfo Yearly Accounts of the Increafe or Decreafe of them, and how many of them are fit to bear Arms in the Militia of Our faid Province.
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" You fhall alfo caufe an exact Account to be kept of all Perfons, Born, Chriftned and buried, and you fhall yearly fend fair Abftracts thereof to our Commiffioners for Trade and Plantations as aforefaid."
The original document containing these instructions, signed by the King and sealed with his seal, is now in the Public Record Office, bound up with other detached documents.
It will be perceived that these directions to the Governor are identical with the instructions sent to Governor Shirley by the Lords of Trade September 8, 1741. No enumeration, however, was caused to be made under these instructions, and April 28, 1761, a circular letter was addressed by the Lords of Trade to the Governors of all the Colonies in America transmitting "queries" of the Lords of Trade. This letter and the queries transmitted therewith are recorded in the Public Record Office, and are as follows: -
" 1761 April 28th
" Circular Letter to all His Majesty's Governors in America tranfmit- ting Queries.
"To
" Governor of
Esq: " Sir,
" His Majefty having been gracioufly pleafed by Commiffion under the Great Seal of Great Britain to conftitute and appoint Us His Com- miffioners for promoting the Trade of this Kingdom, and for infpecting and improving His Majefty's foreign Colonies and Plantations; It is Our Duty to acquaint you therewith, and to defire that you will from time to time give Us frequent & very full Information of the State and Condition of the Province under Your Government as well in refpect -[to
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to the Administration of Government & Iuftice as to the Trade and Commerce thereof, and that you will alfo regularly and punctually Send Us the feveral Papers required by His Majesty's Instructions to you to be tranf- mitted .* And to the End that We may be the better enabled to form a true Judgment of the prefent State of the Province under your Gov- ernment, We muft defire your fpeedy Anfwer to the feveral Heads of Enquiry herewith tranfmitted to you, and that you will every fix Months make a Return thereto, that We may be from time to time apprized of any Alterations which may happen in the Circumftances of the Province.
" We are
" Soame Ienyns " Eª Bacon " John Yorke"
Sandys Andrew Stone
" Queries relating to His Majestys Colonies & Plantations in America.
" 1. What is the Situation of the Province under your Government, the Nature of the Country Soil and Climate? What are the principal Rivers and Harbours ? The Latitudes and Longitudes of the moft con- fiderable Places in it, or the Neighbouring French or Spanish Settlements ? + Have thofe Latitudes and Longitudes been fettled by good Obfervations, or only by common Computations ? and from whence are the Longitudes computed ?
"2. What are the Boundaries ? Have those Boundaries been Settled and afcertained and by what Authority? If any Parts thereof are disputed, by whom ? when did the Difputes arife and what Steps have been taken, or in your opinion ought to be taken to fix the true Boundary Lines ? }
" 3. What is the prefent State of the Trade of the Province, the Number of Shipping belonging thereto, their Tonnage and the Number [of
* The words in italics were omitted in the Letters to the Governors of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
t Words in italics are in the instructions to Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Georgia only.
+ Words in italics are in instructions to Connecticut only.
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of Sea-faring Men, with the refpective Increafe or Diminution within ten years laft paft, and to what Caufes is that Increafe or Diminution to be afcribed, Are any Trades, Works or Manufactures fet up or about to be fet up in the Province under your Government which are or may prove hurtful to Great Britain? If there are any fuch, how may they be fup- preffed, diverted or reftrained ?
"4. What Quantity and Sorts of Britifh Manufactures do the In- habitants annually take from hence?
" 5. What Trade has the Province under your Government with any foreign Plantations or any part of Europe, befides Great Britain ? How is that Trade carried on, and what Commodities are fent to or received from fuch foreign Countries or Plantations ?
"6. What Methods are there ufed to prevent illegal Trade, and are the fame effectual, if not, what Method may be proper, in your opinion, to be taken for obtaining so defirable an object ?
"7. What is the natural Produce of the Country Staple Commodi- ties and Manufactures : what Value thereof in Sterling Money may you annually export, and to what Places ? What Regulations have been at any time made for preventing Frauds and Abufes in the Exportation of the Produce or Manufacture of the Province, and at what time did thofe Regulations take place ?
"8. What Mines are there? Have thofe Mines been opened and worked, and what may be the reputed Produce ?
"9. What is the Number of Inhabitants Whites & Blacks ?
"10. Are the Inhabitants increafed or decreafed within the laft two years, how much and for what Reafons?
" II. What is the Number of the Militia, Under what Authority & Regulations is it eftablifhed, what is the Expence of it, & how is the Expence defrayed ?
" 12. What Forts & Places of Defence are there within your Government, in what Condition, and what Garrifons are kept therein ; [what
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what is the annual Expence of maintaining each Fort, and out of what Fund is it paid ?
" 13. What is the Number of the Indians inhabiting thofe Parts of America, lying within or bordering upon your Province. What Con- tracts or Treatys of Peace & Friendfhip have been made with them and are now in force? What Trade is carried on with them and under what Regulations, and how have thofe Regulations been eftablifhed ? *
" 14. What is the Strength of your Neighbouring Europeans ; French or Spaniards, and what Effect have thofe Settlements upon His Majefty's Colonies and more particularly upon that under your Govern- ment?
" 15. What is the Revenue arifing within your Government ; when was it eftablifhed and by what Laws or other Authority ? To what Service is it appropriated, How applyed and difpofed of, and in what Manner are the Accounts audited and paffed ?
" 16. What are the Eftablifhments Civil and Military within your Government; By what Authority do the feveral Officers hold their Places, what are the Names of the prefent Officers, when were they appointed and what is the reputed annual Value of thofe Offices, what Salaries and Fees have they ; By what Authority are their Salaries and Fees paid and under what Regulations.
" 17. What is the Conftitution of the Government in general, and particularly what Courts are there eftablifhed for the due Adminiftration of Iuftice ; when were thofe Courts eftablifhed, and under what Authority ; What are their Rules of proceeding, and how are the Judges and other fubordinate Officers appointed."
The condition of war in which the Province then was pre- vented an immediate answer to these " queries," and the Lords of Trade appear to have called the attention of the Governor to the delay.
* This Instruction was to Connecticut only.
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An original letter, wholly in the handwriting of Governor Bernard, dated April 29, 1763, is in the Public Record Office, explaining the delay and giving information as to some of the matters inquired of, as follows : -
" Bofton Ap. 29, 1763
" My Lords :
"The Secretary having prepared Copies of the Acts paffed laft Seffion to be tranfmitted to your Lordfhips, I have looked them over & do not find any thing in them but what is in ufual Courfe of bufinefs or what I have before obferved upon. The Act for continuing expiring Laws is the fame with many others which have been before approved : this Legiflature deals fo much in temporary Laws that it is become necef- fary to include many of them in one act of continuation to avoid the immenfe Multiplication of Paper & Parchment, which would otherwife follow. And as all thefe Acts have feparately received his Majefty's ap- probation I apprehend that there can be no inconvenience arife from their being continued by one act. There's a Bill to continue a former lottery bill to raife the additional Sum of 225 pounds Sterling for build- ing a bridge; The Commiffioners advanced the Money out of their own pockets & the Sum is fo trifling, that I prefume it needs no Apology.
"I am much concerned that your Lordfhips have wanted my Anfwer to your general heads of Enquiry tranfmitted to me in 1761. The whole Reafon of my delaying it has arofe from my defire of making it as complete as poffible. Many of the Queries, efpecially thofe, which are like to vary from former reports of this kind, could not be anfwered fo precifely in time of War as upon the conclufion of peace. And, as from the time, I received your Lordfhips commands, We have been continually led on from day to day with the hopes of that happy event, I have been in like manner infenfibly drawn in to poftpone this bufinefs to a greater length of time than I was aware of I think it was much above
[a
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a year that I acquainted M: Pownall of my intention to make this my firft bufinefs after the conclufion of peace and I fhall immediately with as little lofs of time as poffible, bring this matter to a fpeedy conclufion. The chief Article that will take up much time will be the Numbring the People under proper heads of Age Sex Town &c. This will take up great part of the Summer & cannot be fet about until after the Affembly meets, as I fhall want their affiftance in it. I fhall however finifh my Anfwer to the other Articles & leave this to be fent after it.
"As foon as I received your Lordfhips letter concerning the return from the impoft office I communicated it to that officer and defired him to give your Lordfhips all the further information that is in his power, which he promifed to do. I expect to receive this time enough to fend by this packet ; when I fhall acquaint your Lordfhips with the difficulties he is under in diftinguifhing between Britifh & Foreign Sugar & Molaf- fes, that your Lordfhips may judge how far the beft account he can give is to be depended upon.
"Since I have wrote the laft paragraph I have received the Account of the Impoft Officer which I hereby inclofe. From the Converfation I have had with him I write what follows, as from his own mouth.
" When I firft acquainted the impoft-officer with your Lordfhips firft order, He faid He could not take upon him to diftinguifh between Britifh & Foreign Sugars & Molaffes; for the duties He was to receive being the fame on both, it was no concern of his Office, whether they were the one or the other : and therefore he never intrefted himfelf in an enquiry from what port the goods came.
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