USA > Rhode Island > The correspondence of the colonial governors of Rhode Island, 1723-1775, Vol. I > Part 29
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29
1 Not in the archives. Stephen Hopkins and William Ellery were appointed. See Col. Rec. of R. I., V. 169, 170.
420
Correspondence of the
able to all Partys, as it tends rather to the Center. Especially as Merryland has absolutely refused, I have but little hopes of Vergina or Phillidelphi. I am sir
Your very humble servt
G CLINTON.
The Honble Gov! of Rhode Island.
GOVERNOR SHIRLEY TO GOVERNOR GREENE.
BOSTON May 29 1746 Sir,
I send your Honour by Express a Packet directed to you, and delivered to me (with others to the rest of the Govern's in North America) by Capt" Town- ley Commander of his Majesty's Sloop the Hinchen- brook sent hither for bringing his Majesty's Orders to the said Governours for raising a sufficient Num- ber of Soldiers to assist in an Expedition, his Ma- jesty has set on foot for the Reduction of Canada ; A full Account whereof I presume is contain'd in your Letter.1
And as your Government has born so little of the Charge of the War hitherto, in Comparison with the Burthen which the other three Provinces in New England have sustain'd; And the general Advan- tage of Success in this Affair will be so great to it
1 The Duke of Newcastle's letter to the colony, of April 9, 1746, is printed in the Col. Rec. of R. I., V. 162. It notifies the colony that five battalions, under General St. Clair, are to sail for Louisbourg, to be joined with the regulars there, and as many colonial troops as may be raised, for the reduction of Canada.
42I
Colonial Governors of Rhode Island
I presume your Assembly will engage in it with the utmost Alacrity, And I can have no Doubt but that your Honour will do every thing in your Power to excite such a Spirit in them on this Occasion as will highly recommend them to his Majesty's Favour ; And I dare undertake for the Massachusetts that nothing will be wanting on their Part that is fit, or possible to be done by them
I am with great Regard Sir, Your Honours most obedient humble Servant W SHIRLEY.
It is my Opinion that a body of 6000 Men at least should enter the Enemy's Country by the way of Albany; and that the Colonies ought to raise 10,000 among 'em in order to proceed in the propos'd Plan ; and I shall act in this Governm' accordingly.1
The honble WILLIAM GREEN Esq:
GOVERNOR SHIRLEY TO GOVERNOR GREENE.
BOSTON May 30. 1746
Sir,
I send this by Express, to Acquaint your Honour that I thought it very necessary for preventing In- telligence going to the Enemy of the intended Ex-
1 Three hundred men were raised, to be sent, with the Tartar as convoy, to Louis- bourg. Col. Rec. of R. I., V. 172. The troops promised by Newcastle never came. They were sent to Portsmouth, and after some delays, ordered on a fruitless expedi- tion against the coast of France. Shirley was informed that the demands of the European war made an expedition against Canada impossible, and ordered to get rid of the provincial levies (of which there were some 7000 at Louisbourg) on account of the expense. Parkman's A Half Century of Conflict, II. 169, 171, 172.
422
Correspondence of the
pedition,1 that all the French men, that may be sus- pected as likely to carry or send such Intelligence, should be immediately confined; and also that all small Vessels that may be employed for such a Busi- ness should be stop'd; And therefore I have by Advice of his Majesty's Council here given out such Orders with respect to this Government, And do earnestly recommend to your Honour to use the same Caution in your Government and that as soon as may be.
I am Sir
Your Honour's most Obedient humble Servant
W SHIRLEY
The honble Governour GREENE
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR GREENE.
LONDON 3ª mo. the 31. 1746 To the Gov'. Rhode Isla &c.
Agreeable to what I lately advised of our Success at last in our Boundary Cause we have obtained an Order of the King in Council for affirming the Lords Committees Report and Judgmt under the Privy Seal wch comes here inclosed and doubt not but it will be very satisfactory to the Colony.
It will now be necessary upon receipt of this Order immediatly to run and mark out these lines in order finally to close the Contest; If the Massach's Bay
1 See letter of May 29.
423
Colonial Governors of Rhode Island
would authorise Some persons to meet in order jointly to mark out the Boundary it wd be best, But as they may be out of humour and may decline it, So the business shd not be omitted if that shª be the Case) but I think it had best be done by the Colony alone rather than not to be done at all.1
I hope now the Colony will consider me as I have heretofore had some assurances given me which I must however Submit to their Judicious Considera- tion, And our Sol' Paris expects they will consider him also with a gratuity over and above his Bill of Costs, for that in the Course of the Transaction of the Affair he has been really diligent and labourd Industriously therein and was also instrumental in our procuring what we have obtained of our Rights more than the Gore of Land. I send this at a ven- ture to meet Capt Adams in the Downs who is bound to Boston so shall not enlarge but remain with due Respects
Thy Faithful friend
RP PARTRIDGE
To The Governour and Company of the Colony of Rhode Island Providence Plantations
1 Massachusetts refused to appoint surveyors to run the line, whereupon the Rhode Island men laid out the boundary by themselves, and the questions raised by their proceeding were not settled until the nineteenth century. For the act appointing commissioners see Col. Rec. of R. I., V. 197, 199. Also Shirley's letter of January 5, 1747.
424
Correspondence of the
GOVERNOR SHIRLEY TO GOVERNOR GREENE.
BOSTON June 2. 1746
Sir,
I herewith inclose a Proclamation which I have issued for raising Voluntiers for the intended Expe- dition, by which your Honour will perceive the Spirit of Our General Assembly and the Disposition which they have shewn to give the utmost Encour- agement for promoting this Undertaking,1 which, considering what We have done and suffered in the late Expedition against Cape Breton, is beyond what I could have expected from them ; I hope your Assembly (who have done so little in the last Expe- dition) will not fall below us in this
I can't but think it will be of Service for all the Governments to Enlist as many of their neighbour- ing Indians as they can, provided they are of a war- like Disposition and Friends to the English Inter- est
I am with much respect Sir
Your Honour's most Obedient humble Servant W SHIRLEY
June 8th 1746
since my writing this, which she have been sent by the last post, I hear that the Governmt of New Hamp- shire give Encouragem! for raising 1000 Men there, that Connecticutt2 has given Encouragem' for raising
1 Massachusetts voted 3500 men.
2 New Hampshire sent 500 men, and Connecticut 1000. Parkman, A Half Century of Conflict, II. 169.
425
Colonial Governors of Rhode Island
600 Men there, and as many more as shall voluntarily enlist.
W S.
The Honble WILLIAM GREEN Esq.
GOVERNOR GREENE TO THE GOVERNOR OF HAVANA.
RHODE ISLAND June 14. 1746
S!
Upon receiving a Copy of your Excellency's Let- ter To the Gov' of Philadelphia in which You com- plain against John Dennis a Privateer of this Place for makeing Slaves of 22 Free Subjects of the King of Spain,1 The Government of this Colony have Ex- amined into the Affair and finding that 9 of the Blacks taken in the Galley were brot in here by one of Dennis's Consorts and condemned as Slaves by the Kings Judge of Admiralty without any Blame on the Part of sd Dennis, They have Ordered them to be Immediately sett at Liberty, and I have wrote to the Gov! of New York where the Rest were con- demned and dare assure y: Excellency that They also will be restored to their Liberty and Sent Home by the first Opportunity, or as many of them as shall be living. It appears that four of those brought in here have been already sent back to the Havanna, three of them, to wit, Joseph Peraro, Manuel and Mingo
1 The first mention of this affair, in the Assembly records, occurs in May, 1746, to inquire into the circumstances of the detention of some English prisoners at Havana, evidently as a reprisal. Col. Rec. of R. I., V. 170. Arnold says that twenty-two Span- iards were carried north and sold as slaves, and nineteen of Dennis's crew held as host- ages. History of Rhode Island, II. 153.
426
Correspondence of the
by way of New Providence, the other to wit, Pero, by way of Jamaica : One to wit Ralph Barka is now at Sea but shall be set at liberty on his Arrival, and another, to wit Lawrence, is dead, so that I can only send You 3 by this Flagg of Truce, But I flatter my- self Your Excel"y will be hereby fully satisfied of the Honour and Good faith of this Government and I rely on your Equity and Justice to release and Send back the men You have hitherto detained on this Account. Had your Excellency certified to this Gov- ernmt that those Spanish Prisoners were freemen the Cruel Injury you So justly complain of as con- trary to the Laws of Nature and Nations had been long since redress'd or had we been truly inform'd or properly apply'd to relating to this affair there had been now no cause of Complaint for nobody can more abhorr and detest such Violence and In- justice
Such Acts of Violence and Injustice thro' the Self- ishness of private persons are not among the least Calamities of War But your Excellency may be as- sured that I shall Endeavour to prevent them for the future and If I find any other persons in the Same Situation shall Cause them to be Restored to their Liberty 1
I am with the Greatest Respect and Esteem Y! Excellency's Most humble Serv!
W G
To DON JUAN FRANZº de Inumes &c Harrastitas Gov' of the Havanna
1 The vote for restoring the Spaniards is in Col. Rec. of R. I., V. 176.
427
Colonial Governors of Rhode Island
GOVERNOR GREENE TO GOVERNOR CLINTON.
S.
You will See by the Inclosed Copy of Letters from Gov. Thomas and the Gov! of the Havannah how much it Concerns his Majesties Service that the Span- yards Carried into New York by Cap: Greenhill (Den- nis's Consort) and made Slaves should be forthwith Sent home. Those which were Condemned here by the Judge of Admiralty have been Restored to their Liberty by Order of the Gen" Assembly and I am Sending them home in a Flag of Truce. I have Ven- tured To Assure the Spanish Gov: that Your Excel- lency will Cause the Rest to be Set at Liberty, And I rely on y: Compassion to the Unhappy Men so long detained at the Havannah to send as many of the Spanish Prisoners as can be readily found to go home together in the Flag of Truce which I shall dispatch as soon as possible.1
I am s' y' most Ob and Humb Serv:
W G
To G C Esq: of New York
GOVERNOR GREENE TO GOVERNOR THOMAS.
S.
The Gen" Assembly have ordered all the Spanish prisoners mentioned in the Gov' of the Havannahs Letter that were made Slaves here to be forthwith Set at Liberty And I am Sending home in a Flag of
1 See preceding letter, and note.
--
-----------
428
Correspondence of the
Truce all that can be found I have likewise wrote To Gov. Clinton in the most pressing Terms in favour of the Best who were Carried into New York.1 You may Satisfy the Gov' of the Havannah that this Governm: Abhors Such Violence and Injustice And that if he had Certified us those Blacks were Free- men We Should have Set them at Liberty notwith- standing the Judge of Admiralty had Condemned them as Slaves. I doubt not you will as readily In- tercede wh him in favour of Dennis's Men he has so long detained and hope y: Good Offices for them will be as Effectual for their Deliverance as they have ben for those Spanish prisoners
I am s! &c
To the Hon! G T. Esq. Gov. of Pensylvania.
GOVERNOR SHIRLEY AND ADMIRAL WARREN TO GOVERNOR GREENE.
Sir,
BOSTON July 7. 1746.
The Committee of War having represented to Us the difficulties they meet with in purchasing the ne- cessary Supplys of Provisions, that are wanted for the Forces to be employed in the Expedition against Canada, and as We apprehend this Difficulty is in a great measure owing to the prohibition laid by some of the Southern Governments upon the exportation of provisions in order to obtain their own supplys
1 See the two letters immediately preceding this.
429
Colonial Governors of Rhode Island
for the same design which by this time may be Com- pleated, We must desire you now to take off said Prohabition if there be any such in your Govern- ment, and to forward as much as may be Such Sup- plys to us as hist Majestys service demands, and you may assure the Coasters that they shall be at free Liberty to return forthwith notwithstanding the Embargo laid upon the Shipping here, and as it is thought expedient, that Such an Embargo shou'd take place here in order to preserve our Seamen for his majestys service, We hope you will likewise judge it necessary to come into the like method within your Governm' or it will prove fruitless in this,1 We are Sir,
Your Honours most Obedient humble servants
P WARREN W SHIRLEY
The Honble WILLM GREEN Esq.
ADMIRAL WARREN TO GOVERNOR GREENE.
BOSTON 16th July 1746
Sir
I have the Honour of yours, dated the 1 1th 2 by the Post, and wish that your Government coud have raisd a full Regiment of one Thousand Men for the Expedition now on foot against Canada ; This woud have given your Colony great credit, and your Hon-
1 Greene's answer to this letter is printed in Col. Rec. of R. I., V. 187.
2 Probably that printed in Col. Rec. of R. I., V. 183. The date was omitted from the draught.
430
Correspondence of the
our an opportunity of appointing a Colonel, and all the proper Field Officers to it. As you observe the Number of your Privateers, to be sure, takes up many Men,1 but I concieve they resort to you from all the Colonys, and too often from his Majesty's ships ; I am very sensible they do great service, but were they now restraind from their private Pursuits, and encouraged to engage in the intended Enterprize, an Addition by that means might be made to your Quota, and it woud look better, as upon the Success of this Expedition depends so much the well being of all his Majesty's Dominions, especially in America. Surely if the French were in our situation, upon this Continent, and We in theirs, they woud not leave one of us upon it in six Months, and why our Colo- nies shoud any of them hesitate one moment about any Expence, shoud it even fall upon them, I cant account for, but I dont suppose it will, as We are told from England the Expence of the late Expe- dition was under the Consideration of Parliament and great Room to believe the Colonys woud be reimbursed. Their all is now at Stake, and future Generations will have the greatest Reason to blame the Conduct of the Present, if they dont embrace so glorious a Prospect as they now have to extir- pate a most troublesome Enemy, who will probably grow more formidable to our Posterity, than they are at present to us. I presume you will think of sending the Forces you have raised to Nantasket, as soon as possible, under the Care of your Colony
1 Greene says, in his letter referred to above, "more than three thousand " Rhode Island men were in arms.
431
Colonial Governors of Rhode Island
Sloop, to take the Benefit of the Convoy that will go with the Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Connecticut Troops, to the Rendezvous at Louis- bourg
The Men you mention that were raisd for the Vigilant upon the Faith of your Governments are all discharged, except a very few now out in the Chester, whose Captain (as the Kings Service woud not ad- mit of my parting with them without getting Men in their Room) is ordered to change them into any Ves- sell he may, during his Cruize, meet with, bound to such of the Colonys as they may desirous of going to, and I have also directed him for their Encourage- ment, to pay them their Wages, as I have done all the others, a thing I dare say never done before, and what I flatter my self will convince your Legislature, that I have taken the greatest Care to keep their faith with those Voluntiers inviolable, and I hope they will be assured that I shall upon all Occasions demonstrate myself a well Wisher to the Colony of Road Island, by doing it every good Office in my power
I am with great Regard Sir Your most Obedient Humble Servant P WARREN
You will please as a Distinction from the others to order all the Vessells you send upon the Expedi- tion to Wear a broad blew Vane, with a large white Ball in it, at their main Topmasts or Top Gall: Mast- heads
The Honble Govern! GREEN
432
Correspondence of the
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR GREENE.
LONDON 5th month or July 26th 1746
Gov". Green
Understanding thou art again Elected Gov! of the Colony of Rhod Island &cª I now address my Self to thee to inform thee that I have some time since sent over the Order of the King in Council under the Privy Seal for establishing the Boundarys which has been so long depending with the Massach's agreable to the Judgmt of the Lords Committee in xber. 1744. and also duplicates of the same which I hope will gett safe to hand and be very acceptable to the Col- ony and wherein I may say I left no stone unturned to bring that Affair to so good an Issue.
As for the Accot of the Colonys Charge and Ex- pence relating to Cape Breton the same with my Petition to the King has been (on a Refference) under the Consideration of a Committee of Lords of the Council and now I have the Satisfaction to tell thee that they have agreed to Report back to the King in our favour and to propose that he wou'd be pleas'd to recommend it to Parliam' at the beginning of the next Sessions together with the Massachu's Demand and that in the mean time the Several Demands may be referrd to some proper persons to liquidate them.1 but I am told its likely that it will be upwards of a Year yet before the money will be paid however I intend duely to pursue it, and if you have a further Subsequent Charge lett me have it in time duely
1 See the following document.
433
Colonial Governors of Rhode Island
proved and Authenicated to carry into Parliament to be added to our first Acco! and as there will be an absolute necessity of Expence for this and paying my Solicitor his former Bill of Costs &cª I earnestly intreat that Remittances may be made me with all Ex- pedition and which I pray thou wouldst be so kind as to recommend to the House of Representatives that I may be encouraged Chearfully to pursue the Affairs of the Colony under my Care.
I have not yet had a Plan of your Fortification sent me over wch was required by the Ministry here and which I wrote for some time since; till that comes nothing can be further done in obtaining a Grant for the Stores required - I was very lately at the Office of Ordnance and am informed of the same there.1
As for Publick News the Warr with France and Spain continues still, but as the King of Spain is lately deceased it is thought that Circumstances will in time prove an advantage to this Kingdom. the Rebellion now seems to be quelled and pretty well over, and the Governm' are now busyed in the Tryal of the Rebells of whom several Officers are already Condemned. for the I refer to the Prints herewith sent and remain, with due Respects to thy Self and the Gentlemen of the Council
Thy and Their faithfull Friend,
RICHP PARTRIDGE
My Brother in Law Belcher is by the King ap-
1 See Greene's letter of August 1, 1746.
434 Correspondence of the Colonial Governors
pointed Gov' of New Jersey in the room of Gov" Morris decd and kissd his hand for it the 22d Inst :
To The Governour and Company of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations New England
WILLIAM SHARPE TO RICHARD PARTRIDGE.1
Dear Sir
WHITEHALL 17 June 1746
I took care of yo! Petition during your absence, - and have the Satisfaction to tell you that the Lords have agreed to report to the King in your favour, and to propose that his Majesty would be pleased to recommend it to Parliam at the beginning of the next Sessions, together with the Massachusets De- mand, And that in the mean time the several Demands may be referrd to some proper persons to liquidate them, I am most truely
D! S! yo! very obed Servant
W : SHARPE
1 Enclosed with letter of July 26, 1746.
END OF VOLUME I.
The Riverside press Electrotyped and printed by H. O. Houghton & Co. Cambridge, Mass., U. S. A.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.