USA > Rhode Island > The correspondence of the colonial governors of Rhode Island, 1723-1775, Vol. I > Part 23
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Thy assured Friend
RICHP PARTRIDGE
Inclosed is also a Copy of the Estimate of the Board of Ordinance2 and also of the Lords Comit- tees order about the plan that is wanting mentiond in my sª Letter of the 8th
1 See p. 309.
2 These documents will be found on pp. 314, 315, respectively.
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Colonial Governors of Rhode Island
16th ditto
Since the above I have been with Lord Sandys (who was at most of the Committees when our Bounda Cause was heard) and d'd him a Copy of my Petition above mentioned and talkd to him pretty fully on the affair wch I hope will be of Service to us.
R P.
As to Publick News it was expected that the death of the Emperor of Germa wod occasion considble alter- ations in the face of Publick Affairs but what that will be I dont find any Body yet knows1
To WILLIAM GREEN Esq.
Governour of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
PETITION OF RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO THE LORDS OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL.2
To the Right Honble the Lords of the Comtee of his Matys most Honble Privy Council for hearing Appeals from the Plantations.
The humble Petition of Richard Partridge Agent for, and on Behalf of, his Majtys Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.
Sheweth That, from the Date and Creation of the sª very small Colony, it hath had a Contest, touching it's Eastern Boundarys, with their powerful Neighbours, of the great Province of the Massa Bay ; Who, by their Might and Numbers, have encroached upon every Province, adjacent to them, (his Matys own province not excepted).
That, after numberless Attempts and an exceeding great Ex- pence in order to settle the s.ª Eastern Boundary, Rhode Isla in
1 The Emperor Charles VII. died on January 20.
2 Enclosed in letter of February 14, 1745.
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April 1734. very near eleven years ago, was necessitated most humbly to petition his Maty in Council to determine the sª Bound- ary. on which Occasion, the Lords of Trade reported, on the 10th of May 1738 (amongst other things) that this Matter had been contested, at different times, ever since the year 1664. And their LªShips also mentd the Inconveniences that might arise, for want of a final Settlemt, in the Matter.
That after every repeated Opposition, which the Massa. cou'd possibly give, (some of wch were reported by this most Honble Board, frivolous and vexatious, and as such were dismist, and wch appeared to be such very extraordinary Applications, that they produced a new Regulation, at your Lordships Board, in Order to check such improper Applications for the future) upon the 4th of Sept" 1740. his Matys Comm" issued, under the great Seal, Authorising sundry Comm's to Adjust and determine the s.ª Eastern Boundary, with Liberty to either Party to appeal, from the Comm"" Determination, to his Maty in Council.
That, on the 30th of June 1741. after many long, full and most expensive Hearings, the Comm's in America, made a Determi- nation, and, after Time allowed, to consider thereof, the Massa Agents there, entered an Appeal to his Majty, from the same, as likewise did Rhode Island, from several parts of the sª Deter- mination.
And, the Rhode Island Appeal from the sd Determination, by Order in Co !! of the 28th of July 1742, and the Massa Appeal, by another Order, of the 2ª of Sept! following, were referred to the Consideration of Your Lordships, in the Ordinary and Com- mon Course, as all other Appeals from the Plantations usually are, for a Judicial Determination.
That, after a great length of Time, and a most heavy Expence, the sª Appeals came on, and were most solemnly heard by Yo! Lordships, at four several long Hearings, upon the 6th 13th and 26th of Novem! and the IIth of Decm! now last. Upon which Hearings, yo! Lordships were pleased to Affirm the Comm's Determination, made upon the Spot, and upon the many long Hearings which had been there without any Variation.
That, altho' the same deprived Your Petitioners of more than Two Thirds of what they had before conceived to belong to them, Yet they, (as they always did and will) hold themselves, bound
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to Submit to your Lordships wise and equal Determination and never entertained a Thought of Doing otherwise.
That, your Lordships Report to his Majesty in Council, was accordingly drawn up, and Your Petitioners were exceedingly con- cerned, that several General Councils, shou'd successively pass, and Your Lordships Report not be layd in the Constant Method of Proceeding, before his Majesty in Council, for his Royal Plea- sure thereon ; whereby this Dispute, of Fourscore Years Continu- ance, might at Length, be brought to a Period.
But, upon enquiring, with great Anxiety, into the Cause thereof, yor Petition's late on Wednesday Night, now last, received In- formation, that the Massa Bay had presented some Pet". to Stop Yo! Lordships Report, made in Obedience to his Majestys sev- eral Orders of Refference.
That, your Petitioners are advised there is no such Instance, at any time before, upon all your Lordships Books, And are Wholly at a Loss to know, upon what Pretence, such an Appli- cation can be possably founded, your Petition's not having so much as seen, or been acquainted with, the Purport of such Petition.
That, as your Petitioners most humbly conceive, this not only affects the Course of Justice, in Matters Judicially depending before yo" Lordships on Appeals, but wou'd be, a precident, of the most Dangerous Consequence, and wou'd render Yor Lord- ships Determinations Vain, and of no Import, after so much time, taken up therein ; Besides the grievous Expence and Incon- veniences, that the keeping this matter open woud Occasion to yo" Petiti's who are overpowered, by the Might and profusion of Expence, that the great Province of the Massa Bay, always launch out into (and necessarily put their Neighbors to) on every Con- test for Extent of Power or Territory.
And, for as much, as it is the known and constant Method, of the Massa Bay, in every Instance before Yor Lordships, never to submit to any Determina? w'soever, but continually to oppose and Struggle against the same, in Order to weary out their Adverse Partys ; Of the Truth whereof, your LdShips may please to be informed, of many Instances.
Your Petitioners most humbly pray Yor Lordships, that Yor Lordships Report, in these Appeals, may not be kept back, but
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may be layd before his Maty in Co", for his Royal Pleasure thereon, in the same manner as, and according to, the Constant Course of Proceeding, in all other Judicial Appeals.1
And Yor Petitioners shall ever pray &cª
GOVERNOR SHIRLEY TO GOVERNOR GREENE.
BOSTON March 4. 174%.
Sir,
Not having been favour'd by you with an Answer to my Letter upon the Subject of the present Expe- dition against the French Settlements on Cape Bre- ton and your uniting the Forces of the Colony under your Government with those of this Province in his Majesty's Service against the Common Enemy,2 and being inform'd that your Assembly meets again this day, I take the liberty to renew my Instances to you in his Majesty's behalf upon this extraordinary Oc- casion.
I must acknowledge, Sir, when I consider'd what frequent and very large Emissions of Paper Bills of Credit your Assembly has of late made for the Con- veniency of the Inhabitants of your Colony, and how exceeding light (if any) the Taxes of your Government are, I could not entertain the least Doubt but that it would have made one Emission for his Majesty's
1 The petition of Massachusetts for a rehearing was, with this protest, referred to the Plantation Committee, and their final report, in April, 1746, rejected the Massa- chusetts petition, and reaffirmed the decision of the Commission of 1741.
2 Evidently Greene's letter of February 8 had not reached the enthusiastic and zeal- ous governor of Massachusetts. The Assembly voted to raise 150 men (see Col. Rec. of R. I., V. 102), augmented the emission of £2,500 in bills of credit to £6,250, and passed an act offering 40 shillings bounty (in money of the old tenor) to each soldier who might enlist in the Massachusetts forces. Col. Rec. of R. I., V. 102-106.
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Colonial Governors of Rhode Island
Service, and for the Support of the common Cause of the Colonies of New England, in which the Col- ony of Rhode Island has so great a Share of Interest, and more depending upon the Success of the Expe- dition than it ever had upon the Event of any Expedition since it has been a Colony; And that the Gentlemen of the Assembly would have been at least induc'd to have done so by the Example of this Government, and that of New Hampshire, (the lat- ter of which I have an Assurance will have rais'd 350 Men and provided Transports and other Necessaries for' em with a small Vessell of Force by the Middle of this Week) tho', both provinces and more especially this were before burthen'd with very considerable Taxes for the Support of his Majesty's Government in 'em. I also persuaded, myself, Sir, that tho' neither a Regard for his Majesty's Service nor the General Interests of New England should have mov'd your Assembly, yet that at this Critical Conjuncture of Affairs they would most readily have embrac'd so favourable an opportunity of promoting his Majesty's Service in the present Emergency, at least that the Gentlemen of the Assembly would not have distin- guish'd themselves by being unconcern'd for it. I cannot indeed say what part the Colony of Connecti- cut will act upon this Occasion, but I shall hope that it will not prove to be the Characteristick Difference between the Spirit of the Old Charter Governments and those commonly distinguish'd by the Name of the King's Governments, that the former have less Duty to his Majesty and Zeal for the Publick Service in pro- portion to the privileges and Indulgence they enjoy under his Government.
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Correspondence of the
The Levies in this Province go on very well, and I have a prospect of being able to send away a Body of 2000 Troops from Boston by the latter End of this Week or the beginning of next at farthest, and that I shall send 1000 more after 'em in a few days ; And that I shall be able to assemble before the Har- bour of Louisbourg by the Middle of this Month a Naval Force beyond what I expected, and which, I hope, may probably be superior to what the Enemy can send there before the Arrival of some of his Majesty's Ships of War from the West Indies and Great Britain. Of these Vessells four Ships, two Snows1 and two Brigatines besides the Country Sloop are all in the Pay of this Province.
If your Assembly could be yet influenced to con- tribute any thing towards the Expedition, their rais- ing of a Regiment of 500 Men to follow the Forces of this Province and New Hampshire as soon as pos- sible may still be of considerable Service, which I shall yet hope they will do. I am Sir,
Your Honour's Most Obedient Humble Servant W SHIRLEY.
P. S. I think M! Hutchinson in his Memorial desir'd your Government would assist us with a few Battering Pieces of Ordnance; But as Gov. Clinton has sent me ten Cannon for that Purpose with Stores and Implements, I shall not have Occasion for any more besides our own.
Gov! GREEN.
1 " A vessel equipped with two masts, resembling the mainmast and foremast of a ship, and a third small mast just abaft and close to the mainmast, carrying a trysail. Vessels are no longer rigged in this way." Cent. Dict.
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Colonial Governors of Rhode Island
DANIEL COGGESHALL 1 TO JOSIAH WILLARD.
Yours relating [to] Sundry persons accused of committing a Riot against the Authority of Your Province with the enclosed Proclamations came to the Hands of the Hon! william Green Esq' who has laid the same before the General Assembly of the Colony.2 Who have considered the same, and how far this Government have acquitted themselves of any Imputation of Skreening the Persons charged as Rioters You will easily se by the inclosed Vote of
the General Assembly.3 As this Disturbance was a Matter Foreign from this Colony the Authoritys thereof will by no means make them selves Abetors or Countenancers of the Authors thereof. And it is apprehended that the Conduct of this Colony has ever been such that there has been no room to Imagine that these Persons will find any Shelter therein. Signed by Order of the aforesaid General Assembly
per D COGGESHALL Pro Secr!
EAST GREENWICH March 7th 174%.
To JOSIAH WILLARD Esq! Secretary in Boston
1 One of the governor's assistants.
2 See letter of October 18, 1744.
3 Col. Rec. of R. I., V. 107.
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Correspondence of the
GOVERNOR GREENE TO GOVERNOR LAW.
WARWICK March IIth 174%.
our Gen! Assembly being Seting the week past enacted that our Countrey Sloop well equip'd with Ninety able men to be enlisted as Volunteirs Should forth with proceed upon the Expedition against Cape Briton and There to be Under the Command; and Directions of the Commodore, and the Gen !! Assem- bly at sd Sessions, Enacted that there should be forth- with Enlisted as Vollunteirs in this Colony at the Governments Expense, three Companies of Mar- riens, or Land fources, fifty men to each Company ; and we having Been Lately Informed that Your Government have Come into Measures to Raise a Considerable Number of Fources for sª Expedition ; and That; his Hon! M! Wollcot,1 will Likely be appointed the Second Commander of the Land fources; which will be Very agreeable to our Gov- ernm! Knowing him to be a Gentleman of Hon! I am therefore Directed by our assembly to Request of Your Hon' that, our Land fources may be annaxed to Yours 2 when they Come to the place appointed and there be under the Command of Your Superior officers, for that we have not appointed any officer above a Cap" and our Government much Raither Chuses to Join Your fources than with Boston ; 3 I
1 Hon. Roger Wolcott, of Windsor, commander of the Connecticut troops in the Cape Breton expedition, deputy governor of the colony from 1741 to 1750, and gov- ernor from 1750 to 1754. He died in 1767.
2 Col. Rec. of R. I., V. 104, 106, 107.
8 See Shirley's letter of March 4, 1745, for an explanation of this preference.
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Colonial Governors of Rhode Island
do therefore In behalf of this Colony earnestly Re- quest that Your Hon' will be please to faviour us with Joining Your fources as aforesaid, and be pleased to Let me Know per the first oportunity that I may Give Instructions accordingly I am S.
your Honours most Humble Servant
W. GREENE
P. S pleas to Direct (if You write) to be left at John Arnolds in East Greenwich
to the Honble JONAN LAW Esq"
JOSIAH WILLARD TO GOVERNOR GREENE.
BOSTON March 27. 1745
Sir,
I am directed by the Governour and Council of this Province to acquaint your Honour that they have had Consideration of the Vote of your General Assembly pass'd the sixth Instant in Answer to the Demands of this Government1 by my Letters writ- ten by their Order and dated the 18th of October last and 2ª Instant for the delivering up the Rioters fled into your Colony; And cannot but look upon this Answer as in Effect a Denial to deliver up these Men to Justice; for it is well known that two of them viz: John Brown jun! and Benjamin Burden are removed with their Families to Rhode Island, and may be taken up by your Officers every Day, but if any of our Officers come from the County of Bristol their Business is presently suspected, and so these
1 See letter of March 7, 1745.
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Correspondence of the
Men hide themselves for a short time, knowing their Danger will be soon over : But it was justly expected by this Government that upon the repeated Instances made to your Government for the Delivery of these enormous Offenders against the Authority of his Majesty's Government you would have immediately issued out Warrants for apprehending them by your own Officers, and upon their being taken that they should have conveyed them safe into the County of Bristol, and there deliver'd them up to Authority ; And this Governm: would have made no Difficulty to have acted with your Governm' in the same man- ner, if such Offenders had fled from Justice out of your Colony into this; But seeing this Justice has been denied, the Governour and Council think it no ways honourable to proceed in the way you prescribe, in which they are sure to be baffled. And they are more concerned at this manner of proceeding of the Government of Rhode Island, because they find by the Records of this Province that it is not the first Instance of notorious Offenders being sheltered in that Colony. I am Sir,
Your Honour's very humble Servant
J WILLARD Secretary.
WILLIAM GREEN Esq.
GOVERNOR LAW TO GOVERNOR GREENE.
MILFORD April 1: 1745
S' Yours of the IIth of March last I recd have sent a Copy of it to the Maj! Gen!1 Gov: Shirley has
1 Major-General Wolcott.
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Colonial Governors of Rhode Island
given him a Commission over all the forces of the Massachusetts, Connecticutt, Hampshire and Rhoad Island sent to Cape Breton and I have given a Com" to Lieut Gen1 Pepperil and to him over all the forces that go to Cape Britton and places adjacent. If you think fitt you may do the like. And to your Cap- tains, your Commissions may describe them to be- long to the Regiment of Coll' Andrew Burr of Con- necticutt
The Maj" Gen! I understand is gone down to New London and has ordered our Troops to be there on Thursday next.
doubt not but you will concert Measures with him when he shall come and joyn your forces in Order to proceed on the expedition.
Its pretty credibly reported (tho' Gov Shirley did not mention it to me) That the Paquett Boat brings News from Comadore Warren That he with three shipps will meet our forces att Cape Briton
He sends for forces to guard the Western part of his Province but our assembly have given Instruc- tions to send men on the approach of an enemy and not garrisoning. he complains of his Province being exhausted of men and money, but its their own vol- untary Act and we are drawn in by them. and I would hope for success if the Commadore comes
from your very humble servant
JONTH LAW
To the Honble W GREEN Esq'
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Correspondence of the
ROGER WOLCOTT1 TO GOVERNOR GREENE.
NEW LONDON Aprill Ist 1745
S
Your two Letters to Gov' Law of the IIth and 22.ª of March past meeting with some Gentlemen of our Councill Who knew in What manner the In- tended Expedition was lost with [illegible] by their ordering Come to my hand, that of the 22ª about five days since and the other this day
I Accknowledge the Hon! your Assembly has done my self and the field officers here in ordering the Companys you raised to go with our troops under our Chief Comanding officers I have nothing to Re- port on this years Proceeding but that you deprived them of Better officers that would be sent from your selves. I assure you if they Came they shall fare as our own Men and I shall with utmost Chearfullness do them any service I can.
I am Glad you Encline that Capt Fones 2 and any other vessells you send should Go with us, this will certainly be for our Mutual defence. I am just now Come to Town and have this oportunity to Inform you that I have ordered our forces to be all here by Saturday Next at farthest and I doubt Not we shall be under saill some time Next Week, it may be towards the Latter End of it I have discoursed with Capt [illegible] about our Joining you, he says that if we put in at Newport it will Hinder us 24 hours and it may be two or three days, I therefore
1 See note on p. 324.
2 Fones was captain of the colony sloop.
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Colonial Governors of Rhode Island
propose that if you are ready first you Come to New London and saill together from home or if you shall think it better lett me know when we may Expect to find you off Block Island I am your Hon's
Most obliged Very Humble Servt
ROGER WOLCOTT
To the Honable WILLM GREEN Esq"
PS If my proposals are not Agreeable to you lett me Know your further sentiments What is best to be done in order to join without Loss of time
CAPTAIN DANIEL FONES 1 TO GOVERNOR GREENE.
SLOOP TARTAR CANSO HARBOUR 2 Ap: 26th 1745
Hond S
This line Informs you That we got Safe into this harbour Yesterday we met with a Ship on our pas- sage which proov'd To be a french man of War3 of Near 40 Guns and after we had given him two of our Bow Chases Saluted us with four Broad Sides to the Number of at Least 60 Cannon the Ship went So well that we were oblig'd To weaken our Vessel
1 Fones was an enterprising sea captain, who represented North Kingstown in the General Assembly. He was sent to Cape Breton with the Connecticut transports, in command of the Rhode Island colony sloop, Tartar, and there distinguished himself by intercepting at Famme Goose Bay a force of 1200 French and Indians, who were advancing from Annapolis to the relief of Louisbourg. This was two days before the surrender of the fortress (see his letter of June 26). In the list of Rhode Island pri- vateers of the later French war, given in Sheffield's Privateersmen of Newport, p. 52, Fones's name appears twice, in 1757 and in 1760.
2 The rendezvous for the detachments from the different colonies, on the eastern coast of Nova Scotia.
8 This was the Renommée, of 36 guns, bringing despatches from France.
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Correspondence of the
To get Clear of him wch we Effected after 8 hours Chase; we are this day going in Chase of him in Company with Cap: Rows :
Comodore Warren with 3 other Ships of War are gone to Cape Britain : the fleet is To Sail from hence wth the first wind : all hands are well, this in haste Concludes from Hond S: yrs To Command.
DALL FONES.
To the Honourle WILLM GREENE Esq! Govern! and Commander in Chief of the Colony of Rhode Island
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR GREENE.
LONDON 3ª month the 15. 1745 Gov. Green
I wrote thee of the 25. of Ist mo. last via Boston per Cap' Adams and then sent thee a Copy of the Massach" Agents Petition to the Lds Committee of Council against their Report on the determination of the Boundary Cause which has hitherto put a Stop to its being laid before the King for the Royal Confirma on the 11th ult there was a general Coun- cil held where I attended (notwithstanding the sª Pet") in order to get the Committees Report con- firmed, but found that the sª Agent had dropt his first Petition and a fresh one thrown in agst the Re- port addressed to the King in Council, wch the Clerk of the Council shewed me, intimating that the Ld President was for having it read and referrd to the Considera of the Lords Committee, but he prevailed
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Colonial Governors of Rhode Island
with him to omit it then, and that it was not yet referr'd, but what will be done at the next or future Sitting of the Council I cannot take upon me to determine : this however will occasion some delay and Expence do all we can, however I intend in con- cert with my Solicitor do our best Endeavours for the Service of our Cause and nothing shall be want- ing in my power to get this Matter finally deter- mined - alltho' this late obstruction has given me no little trouble - and it is somewhat discouraging to be so much in advance as I am, having received no Remittance of the Colonys now for upwards of two years notwithstanding all my Remonstrances, tho' many opportunitys have offerd from Boston to London and Bristol.
the Parliamt was prorogud the 2ª Inst and the King gone over to his Germain dominions. nothing was done this Sessions about Paper Currency, but it is certainly expected they will proceed on it when the Parliam meets again.
As for other Publick News the War is card on still with vigour against the French and Spaniards. The Q. of Hungarys Army has this Spring been very victorious in Bavaria driving all before them in so much as that the young Elector of Bavaria (son of the late Emperor) is forced intirely to quit his Ally the French and brot to Terms of accomodation and peace, wch was once hoped would have been as a foundation for a general pacification at least in Ger- many this Summer. The Dutch have hitherto held out and kept off from taking part in the War any
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otherwise than by Auxiliaries afforded us by Sea and Land.
The French with a large Army are now beseiging Turnay 1 a Strong Fortified Town of the Q. of Hun- garys in Flanders with whom our Allied Army have lately had an Engagemt tho far inferiour in Num- ber (commanded by the Duke of Cumberld and Gen1 Conigsegg) to the French and endeavd to beat them out of their Trenches in order to raise the Seidge but were repulsed with the loss of 7 or 8000. Men of the English Dutch and Hannoverians killed : the Army notwithstanding made a good Retreat and are now reinforcing.
I should have told thee that the Parliam for some considerable time before they broke up had made a very Strict Enquiry into the miscarriage of the Engagemt or Sea ffight of our Fleet in the Meditera- nean with the combined fleets of France and Spain by examining the Admirals Matthews and Lestock and Sev! Captains and Sea Officers and therein dis- covd a great deal of cowardize and misconduct in some of the Capts and Lieu's and addressed the King that they together with the Admirals shd be tryed by a [word missing] Court Marshall wch is expected will be done accordingly
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