USA > New Hampshire > The history of New-Hampshire. Comprehending the events of one complete century and seventy-five years from the discovery of the River Pascataqua to the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety, Vol 2 > Part 9
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مطاحمة
128
HISTORY OF
1738. were the complaints againft the Governor, and the importunity of his adverfaries to profecute them, that it was neceffary to hear and difpatch them, before the appeal refpect- ing the lines could be brought forward.
It muft be remembered, that Mr. Belcher had enemies, in his government of Maffa- chufetts as well as New-Hampfhire, who united their efforts to obtain his removal from both ; but, as they fuppofed him more vulnerable in his capacity of Governor of New-Hampfhire, fo they joined in ftrength- ening the complaints, from that quarter, as a preparatory ftep, to effect his complete remo- val. Whilft he was engaged, in preparing for his defence, againft the charges, in the petition of appeal ; other attacks were medi- tating, which were conducted with fuch filence that it was impoffible for him to guard againft their effects. One of thefe was a let- ter, purporting to have been written at Exe- ter, fubfcribed by five perfons, faid to be inhabitants of that town, and directed to Sir Charles Wager, firft lord of the Admiralty. In this letter it was faid, that 'finding his ' Lordfhip had ordered the Judge Advocate ' of the Court of Admiralty to inquire into ' the riot, which had been committed there, ' (1734) and the affault of the furveyor and ' his officers ; and fearing to be brought into ' trouble on that account, they would confefs ' the whole truth. That they had been in- ' dulged, by former furveyors, in cutting all ' forts of pine trees, till the appointment of ' Col. Dunbar to that office ; who had re- 'ftrained and profecuted them; but that ' Governor Belcher had privately given them
1739. May 5.
MS copy of Exeter letter.
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' encouragement, to go on ; by affuring them 1739. " that they had the beit right to the trees ;
' that the laws were iniquitous, and ought ' not to be regarded ; that although he muft ' make a few of affifting that Irith dog of a ' furveyor ; yet he would fo manage it with ' the Council and Juftices, who were under ' his influence, that they fhould not fuffer ; ' and further to encourage them, he had ' made feveral of them juftices of the peace, 'and officers of militia. That he had al-
' fo told them not to fear any inquiry into ' their conduct ; for that he would write to ' the Board of Admiralty, in their favor ; ' and boafted, that he had fuch an influence ' over their Lordfhips, that they would be-
' lieve every thing which he fhould fay.
" That as they had now confeffed the truth, ' they hoped to be forgiven, and not profecu- 'ted in the Admiralty Court ; and begged ' that this information might be kept fecret ' till the Governor's removal, which they ' hoped would foon be effected. That what- ' ever might have been faid to the contrary, ' they could affure him that the Province of ' New-Hampfhire contained the largeft num- ' ber of pine trees, and of the beft quality, ' in all his Majefty's American dominions ; ' and, for further information, they referred ' his Lordfhip to feveral perfons then in Lon- 'don, particularly to Mr. Wentworth and ' Mr. Waldo ; the latter of whom, was agent ' to Mr. Gulfton, for procuring mafts for the ' royal navy.'
On the receipt of this letter, Sir Charles, with the candor of a gentleman, fent a copy of it to Mr. Belcher ; who immediately or-
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HISTORY OF
1739. dered an inquiry ; and it was proved to be an entire forgery ; four of the perfons whofe names were fubfcribed utterly difclaimed it, and the fifth was not to be found ; no fuch perfon being known in the town of Exeter. The evidence of this forgery was tranfinit- ted to England, with all poffible expedition ; but not till it had made an impreffion, to the difadvantage of the Governor.
Belcher's letters MS
Another artifice ufed againft him, was a memorial of Gulfton, the navy agent, and others ; complaining of the defencelefs ftate of the Province ; that the fort lay in ruins, and that the militia were without difcipline ; notwithftanding the probability of a war. This memorial was fo artfully drawn, as to throw the blame of the neglect on the Governor, without mentioning his name ; which was intended, to prevent his obtaining a copy, and being allowed time to anfwer. Another complaint was made in the form of a letter, refpecting the grant of the tract called Kingf- wood ; in which he was reprefented, as par- tial to his friends, in giving them an exclu- five right, to the whole of that territory, which they deemed, the unappropriated lands of the Province. Several parts of his ad- miniftration were alfo complained of ; and in particular the infrequency of his vifits to New-Hampfhire. This letter was figned by fix members of the Council, and a majority of the Reprefentatives.
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Gulfton's memorial was prefented to the Lords of Council ; and by them referred to the Board of Trade, accompanied by the let- ter ; and though Mr. Belcher's brother and fon applied for copies, and time to anfwer,
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the requeft was evaded ; and a report was framed, in favor of putting New-Hampfhire under a feparate Governor. When this re- port came before the Privy Council, Lord Wilmington, the Prefident, ordered it back again ; that the Governor might have that juftice which his agents had afked. By this means, he had opportunity to anfwer in his defence ; that without money, the fort could not be repaired ; that it was not in his power to tax the people ; that he had frequently applied to the Affemblies for money, to repair the fort ; to which they had conftantly anf- wered, that the people were too poor to be taxed ; and had folicited him to break through his inftructions, and allow them to iffue paper money, without any fund for its redemption ; that the militia had always been trained according to law ; and that he had conftantly vifited New-Hampfhire, and held an Affembly, twice in the year, unlef's prevented by ficknef's ; for which he appeal- ed to the journals. To corroborate thefe pleas, the Governor's friends procured five petitions, in his favor, and praying for his continuance, figned by about five hundred people. The petitions, however, did not ex- prefs the fenfe of the majority ; who had been perfuaded into a belief, that they fhould receive much benefit by a feparate Governor ; and accordingly, a counter petition being cir- culated, was figned by about feven hundred of the inhabitants.
Things being thus prepared, the com- Nov. 21. plaints were brought to a hearing, before the Printed Lords of Council ; who reported to the King, brief.
' that Governor Belcher had acted with great
1739.
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133
HISTORY OF
1739. ' partiality, by proroguing the Affembly of ' New-Hampfhire, from the fixth of July, ' 1737, to the fourth of Auguft following ; ' in d'fobedience to his Majesty's order in ' Council ; which had been tranfmitted to ' him by the Lords of Trade, and which was ' proved to have been delivered to him, in ' due time ; and, alfo by farther proroguing ' the faid Affembly, from the fecond of Sep- ' tember, 1757, to the thirteenth of October; ' whereby the Province were deprived of the ' time, intended by his Majefty's faid order, ' to be allowed them, to prepare a proper and 'regular appeal ; thereby endeavoring to ' fruftrate the intention of his Majefty's com- ' miffion.' This report was approved by the King ; and from this time, it may be conclu- ded, that Mr. Belcher's removal from the Government of New-Hampfhire was feri- oufly contemplated. The grant of Kingf- wood was alfo annulled ; and he was pro- hibited from making any other grants of land, till the lines fhould be determined.
Dec. 27.
¥740.
March 5.
This cenfure being paffed on the Gover- nor, and the complaints being at an end ; the way was prepared for a hearing of the ap- peals, from both Provinces, refpecting the lines. Which being had, the determination of this long controverfy was made on a plan entirely new. The fpecial part of the de- cree of the Commiffioners was fet afide, and no regard was had to their doubt, whether the new charter granted all the lands compre- hended in the old. It was faid, that when the firft grant was made, the country was not explored. The courfe of the river, though unknown, was fuppofed to be from
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weft to eaft ; therefore it was deemed equi- table, that as far as the river flowed in that courfe, the parallel line at three miles diftance fhould extend. But as on the one hand, if by purfuing the courfe of the river, up into the country, it had been found to have a fouthern bend, it would have been inequita- ble to have contracted the Maffachufetts grant ; fo, on the other hand, when it appear- ed to have a northern bend, it was equally in- equitable to enlarge it. Therefore it was de- termined ; ' that the northern boundary of ' the Province of Maffachufetts be, a fimilar ' curve line, purfuing the courfe of Merri- ' mack river, at three miles diftance, on the Ricordo Council ' north fide thereof, beginning at the Atlan- ' tic Ocean, and ending at a point due north ' of Patucket falls ; and a ftraight line drawn ' from thence due weft, till it meets with his
' Majefty's other governments.' The other parts of the decree of the Commiffioners, ref- pecting the northern line, and the payment of expenfes, were affirmed.
This determination exceeded the utmoft expectation of New-Hampfhire ; as it gave them a tract of country, fourteen miles in breadth, and above fifty in length, more than they had ever claimed. It cut off from Maf- fachufetts, twenty eight new townthips, be- tween Merrimack . and Connecticut rivers ; befides large tracts of vacant land, which lay intermixed ; and diftricts from fix of their old towns, on the north fide of the Merrimack ; and if, as was then fuppofed, the due weft line were to extend, to twenty miles eaft of Hudfon's riger, the reputed boundary of New-York ; a vaft tract of fertile country, on
1740.
1740.
一
134
HISTORY OF
1740. the weftern fide of Connecticut river; was an- nexed to New-Hampfhire; by which an ample fcope was given, firft for landed fpeculation, and afterward for cultivation, and wealth.
Belchers' lettere.
When this determination was known, the politicians of Maffachufetts were chagrined and enraged. They talked loudly of injuf- tice ; and fome of the more zealous propofed trying the merits of the caufe, upon the words of the charter, before the Judges in Weftmin- fter Hall ; who, it was expected, would upon their oath and honor reverfe the judgment, and tell the King that he had miftaken the meaning of the royal charter. This would indeed have been a bold ftroke. But a more moderate and pufillanimous fcheme was adopted ; which was to fend over a new a- gent, to petition the King, that he would re- annex to their government, the twenty eight new townfhips, which had been cut off, and the diftricts of the fix old towns. It was. alfo thought prudent, that the whole Prov- ince fhould not openly appear, in the affair ; but that petitions fhould be drawn, by the inhabitants of thefe towns, and that the agent fhould be chofen by them. Accordingly town meetings were held ; petitions were pre- pared and fubfcribed ; and THOMAS HUTCH- INSON was appointed their agent, and fent over to England ; where he formed thofe connex- ions, which afterwards ferved to raife him, to the chair of government in his native Prov- ince.
'Themlin- fou's obfer- vations on Maffichu- f.tts peti- tion.
MS.
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About the fame time, Governor Belcher procured a petition, from his fix friends, of the Council of New-Hampshire, to the King ; praying that the whole Province might be an-
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nexed to the government of Maffachufetts. 1740. This matter had been long in contemplation, with thefe gentlemen ; but was now produc- ed at the moft unfortunate time, which could have been chofen. Their petition was at once rejected. But that from the towns was kept in fufpenfe a long time ; till Thomlin- fon was prepared, to anfwer all the pleas, which Hutchinfon could advance, and prov- ed too hard an antagonift for him. It was finally difiniffed,* becaufe it was thought, ' that it never could be for his Majefty's for- Bow brief. ' vice, to annex any part of his Province of ' New-Hampfhire, as an increafe of territory, ' to Maffachufetts ; but rather, that it would ' be for the benefit of his fubjects there, to be ' under a diftinct government.'
Though Belcher's removal was ferioufly feared, by his beft friends ; yet he had fo much intereft with fome of the Lords in high office, that they could not be prevailed with to give him up. The war, which had com- menced between Britain and Spain, afford- ed him an opportunity, to fignalize his zeal for the King's fervice; and he determined to prove himfelf, a faithful fervant to the Crown, in every inftance; in hope that a courfe of time and fidelity might efface the impreffions, which had been made, to his difadvantage.
It being refolved by the Britifh Court, to undertake an expedition to the Ifland of Cu- ba; Governor Belcher, agreeably to the or- ders which he had received from the Duke of Newcaftle, iffued a proclamation, for the April 29.
. The ill fuccefs of this agency was probably the reafon, that Mr. Hutch- Ifon took no notice of it, in his Hiftory of Maffachufetts.
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136
HISTORY OF
Auguft 1.
Belcher's letters.
Auguft.
Thomlin-
You'sic:ters.
1740. encouragement of men who would enlift in the fervice ; 'that they fhould be fupplied ' with arms and clothing ; be in the King's ' pay ; have a fhare of the booty which fhould ' be taken ; and be fent home, at the expira- " tion of their time of fervice ; and that his 'Majefty would order a number of blank ' commiffions, to be filled up by the Gover- 'nor, and given to the officers, who fhould 'command the troops, to be raifed in the ' Provinces.' He afterwards preffed this mat- ter, clofely, in his fpeech to the Affembly ; and urged them, to make provifion, for one hundred men, and a tranfport, to convey them to Virginia; where all the Colony troops were to rendezvous ; and thence to proceed, under the command of Col. Gooch, to the place of their deftination. The Af- fembly voted, as much as they judged fuf- ficient for this purpofe ; and the Governor appointed a Captain, and gave him beating orders; but the commiffions and arms not be- ing fent, according to the royal promife, no men could be inlifted in New-Hampfhire. The Governor received commiffions and arms for four companies to be raifed in Maffachufetts ; where he could cafily have inlifted ten, had he been furnifhed according to the engagement. To this failure and not to any want of exertion, on his part, in either of his governments, may be afcribed the pau- city of troops raifed in them; and yet his enemies failed not of blaming him on this account. The Reprefentatives of New-Hamp- fhire took this occafion to frame a vote, dif- approving his adminiftration ; and upon this vote, their agent founded another bat- tery, to attack his character.
NEW-HAMPSHIRE.
In conformity to the royal determina- 1741. tion of the boundaries, orders were given to Belcher, to apply to both his governments, to join in appointing Surveyors, to run out, and mark the lines ; and that if either fhould refufe, the other fhould proceed ex parte. The Affembly of Maffachufetts delayed giv- ing an anfwer in feafon, which was conftru- ed a denial. The Affembly of New-Hamp- fhire appointed three Surveyors, to execute the fervice, who were commillioned by the Governor. They were directed to allow ten degrees, for the wefterly variation of the nec- dle ; and the work was performed in the months of February and March. George Mitchel furveyed and marked the fimilar curve line, from the ocean, three miles north of Merrimack river, to a flation north of Patucket falls, in the townfhip of Dracut. Richard Hazen began at that ftation and marked the weft line, acrofs Connecticut river, to the fuppofed boundary line of New- York. Walter Bryent began the line, from the head of Salmon-falls river, and marked it about thirty miles ; but was prevented from proceeding farther, partly by the break- ing up of the rivers, which rendered travell- ing impracticable ; and partly by meeting a. company of Indians who were hunting, and took his men for a fcouting party. In their return they found on one of the trees, which they had marked, 'the figure of a man's ' hand grafping a fword ;' which they inter- Bryent's preted, as a fignal of defiance, from the Journal. Indians.
The return of thefe lines to the Board of Trade was one of the laft acts of Mr. Bel-
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MS returns in the filoi.
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HISTORY OF
1741. cher's adminiftration. His enemies in both governments were indefatigable in their en- deavors to remove him ; and by their incef- fant applications to the miniftry ; by taking every advantage of his miftakes ; by falfe- hood and mifreprefentation ; and finally, by the diabolical arts of forgery and perjury, Douglafs they accomplithed their views. He was fuc- ceeded in the government of Maffachufetts, Jon H1, 397. by WILLIAM SHIRLEY ; and in New-Hamp- Hurchin- fhire, by BENNING WENTWORTH.
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At this diftance of time, when all thefe parties are extinct, and every reader may be fuppofed impartial ; it may feem rather ftrange, that Governor Belcher fhould meet with fach treatment, from the British Court in the reign of fo mild and juft a Prince, as George the fecond. That Mr. Belcher was imprudent and unguarded, in fome inftances cannot be denied. He was indeed zealous to ferve his friends, and hearken to their advice but, by this means, he laid himfelf open, to the attacks of his enemies ; to whom he paid no court, but openly treated them with con. tempt. His language to them was fevere anc reproachful, and he never fpared to tell the world, what he thought of them.
This provoked them ; but they had the art to conceal their refentment, and carry or their defigns, in filence, till they were ripe for execution. He had by far too mean ar opinion of their abilities, and the interef which they had at Court ; and when he knew that they had the car of the Lords of Trade he affected to think them, 'not very mighty ' Lords, nor able to adminifter life and death,' He had a confcioufiefs of the gene.
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ral integrity of his own intentions ; and 1741. appears to have been influenced, by motives of honor and juftice ; but he was not aware of the force of his own prejudices. It may admit of doubt, whether, confidering the ex- treme delicacy of his fituation, it were within the compafs of human policy, to have con- ducted fo as to give offence to neither of his Provinces, in the management of fuch a con- troverfy ; but it is certain, that his antago- nifts could not fairly fix but one real ftigma, on his character ; and that when impartially examined, can amount to no more than an imprudent ftep, at a critical time, grounded on an undue refentment of an affront ; for to fuppofe that his intention was to fruftrate the commiffion, is inconfiftent with the whole tenor of his public declarations, and private correfpondence. When his enemies met him on fair and open ground, he was always pre- pared to anfwer ; but it was impoffible to guard againft their fecret attacks. If the caufe which they meant to ferve was a good one, why did they employ the bafeft means to effect it ?
The cruelty and hardfhip of his cafe may appear from the following confiderations. He had been one of the principal merchants of New-England ; but, on his appointment, to the Chair of Government, quitted every other kind of bufinefs ; that he might attend with punctuality, and dignity to the duties of his ftation. By the royal inftructions, he was reftrained from giving his affent, to any grant of money, to himfelf ; unlefs it fhould be a permanent falary. What he received from New Hampshire was fixed, and paid
Beleber's letter to Dodding- con. MS.
Tml
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140
HISTORY OF
1741. out of the excife ; but the Affembly of Maf- fachufetts could not be perfuaded, to fettle any falary upon him. They made him a grant of three thoufand pounds, (worth about feven or eight hundred fterling) generally once in a year, at their feffion in May. He was then obliged to folicit leave from the King, to accept the grant, and fign the bill ; and fometimes could not obtain this leave till the end of the year ; once not till five days before the diffolution of the Affembly. In the mean time he was obliged to fubfift on his own eftate ; and had he died within the year, the grant would have been wholly loft, to his family. He was earneft to obtain a general permiffion to fign thefe grants ; but in that cafe the clerks of offices, in Eng- land, through whofe hands the permiffion muft have paffed, would have loft their fees. He was now in the fixtieth year of his age ; he had a family of children and grand chil- dren, whofe fole dependence was on him ; and he thought with reafon, that if his courfe of faithful fervice, and the unworthy arts of his enemies had been duly confidered ; the cenfure of his fuperiors would have been lefs fevere, than 'to deprive him of his bread ' and honor.'
Whilft he entertained the worft opinion poffible of the characters of his enemies, he had a ftrong confidence, in the juftice of the government, before which he was accufed. In one of his letters to his fon, he fays, 'I ' muft expect no favor while Bladen is at ' the Board of Trade ; but were the devil ' there, I fhould expect juftice, under the ' Britith Conftitution, corroborated by the
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' Hanover fucceffion.' The event proved, 1741. that his confidence was not ill founded. For, on being fuperfeded, he repaired to Court ; where, though his prefence was unwelcome to fome, yet he had opportunity to bring the moft convincing evidence of his integrity, and of the bafe defigns of his enemies. He was fo far reftored to the royal favor, that he obtained a promife, of the firft vacant govern- ment in America, which would be worthy of his acceptance. This proved to be the Province of New-Jerfey ; where he fpent the remaining years of his life; and where his memory has been treated with deferved refpect.
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HISTORY OF
CHAP. XIX.
The beginning of BENNING WENTWORTH's administration. War opened in Nova Scotia. Expedition to Cape Breton ; its plan, conduct and fuccefs, with a defcription of the ifland, and of . the city of Louifbourg.
BENNING WENTWORTH, Efq. fon of the deceafed Lieutenant Governor, was a merchant of good reputation in Portf- mouth, and well beloved by the people. He had reprefented his native town in the Af- fembly for feveral years, where he diftin- guithed himfelf in the oppofition to Belcher. He afterward obtained a feat in Council ; where, fenfible of the popularity of his fami- ly, and feeling the pride of elevation, he con- tinued the oppofition, and joined in the mea- fures which were purfued for obtaining a dif- tinct Governor, without any apprehenfion that himfelf would be the perfon ; till a fe- ries of incidents, at firft view unfortunate, prepared the way for his advancement to the chair.
In the courfe of his mercantile dealings, he had entered into a contract with an agent of the Court of Spain, and fupplied him with a large quantity of the beft oak timber ; to procure which, he borrowed money in Lon- don. When he delivered the timber at Ca- diz, the agent with whom he had contracted, was out of place, and the new officer declined payment. In returning to America the fhip foundered and he was faved with the crew in a boat. Thefe misfortunes deranged his affairs and reduced him to a ftate of bank- ruptcy. Afterward he went again to Spain,
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hoping by the intereft of Sir Benjamin Keene, the British Minifter, to obtain his due, but his fuit was ineffectual. About that time Thomlinfon, defpairing of Dunbar's advance- ment to the government of New-Hampfhire, turned his thoughts toward Wentworth ; and Thomas. having procured him a letter of licenfe from ters, and. his creditors in London, invited him thither. Wentworth reprefented his cafe to the Dritifh Court, complained of the injuftice of Spain, and petitioned for redrefs. Many Britith merchants, who had fuffered by the infolence of the Spaniards, were, at the fame time, clamorous for reparation. The miniftry were Ge the- ftudious to avoid a war. A negociation was razine, for man's Ma- begun, and the Court of Spain promifed ref- 1739. titution ; but failed in the performance. War was then determined on, and all nego- ciation ended. Difappointed in his plea for juftice, Wentworth made his fuit for favor ; and by the aid of Thomlinfon, who under- ftood the ways of accefs to the great, he ob- tained a promife from the Duke of Newcaftle, that when New-Hampshire fhould be put under a diftinet Governor, he fhould have the commiffion. The expenfe of the folicitation MS. Ictter- and fees, amounting to three hundred pounds of Thom). fterling, was advanced by his friends in Eng- Atkinfen. linfon and land, and repaid by his friends in New- Hampfhire.
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