USA > Rhode Island > The correspondence of the colonial governors of Rhode Island, 1723-1775, Vol. I > Part 3
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1 Col. Rec. of R. I., VII. 42.
2 See Col. Rec. of R.I., VII., for the correspondence and evidence upon the subject.
3 Col. Rec. of R. I., VII. 310.
XXXIV
Introduction
commissions for the Army of Observation to the governor for his signature ; and he promptly refused to sign them. In this emergency the Assembly took the extraordinary step of declaring Governor Wanton's election null and void, on the ground that he had not appeared to take the oath of office (although prevented by illness), and that he had refused to sign the military commissions. "By all which " (says the resolution) " he hath manifested his intentions to defeat the good people of these colonies in their present glorious strug- gle to transmit inviolate to posterity those sacred rights which they have received from their ancestors." In June, Wanton appeared and demanded to be sworn into office,1 in a message dealing at some length with the various points at issue. His justification was not satisfactory, and in the autumn session following, the Assembly pronounced the office of governor vacant, and Joseph Wanton "totally inimical to the rights and liberties of America, and therefore rendered totally unfit to sustain the said office." 2
There has seemed to be an advantage in grouping political and military events about personalities so similar in character and mental poise as were the four Wantons. Of the other Rhode Island governors in the period under review - the Wards, William Greene, and Stephen Hopkins - the last- named left an impress upon the Rhode Island of his time far more lasting than that made by his contemporaries and rivals. Hopkins began his political life as representative for Scituate in 1732, and served in that capacity for six years. In 1741 he came to Providence, and from that time his name is identified with the public life of his new home, where he soon became a guiding spirit. In 1744 he was sent as deputy to the Assembly, and served with but two intermissions until 1752. In 1750 he was one of a commit- tee appointed to report upon the emissions of bills of credit
1 See his letter in Col. Rec. of R. I., VII. 336.
2 Col. Rec. of R. I., VII. 393.
XXXV
Introduction
made by the colony.1 This committee was instructed to draw up the answers to certain queries of the Lords of Trade, and their report is a statement of facts, pure and simple. The bearing of these facts upon the prosperity of the colony, and the ruinous policy of the clamor for paper emissions, - which few public men in a community governed by popular elections could withstand, - is set forth by Gov- ernor William Greene, in his message to the Assembly, and that in terms which admit no equivocal interpretation.
In the following year Hopkins was made chief justice of the Superior Court, his qualifications being those of many a magistrate elected to fill the position of judge by his fellow townsmen because of his well-known integrity and solid common sense. He was still chief justice when elected gov- ernor in May, 1755. Hopkins resigned the former position, and a new chief justice was elected, but did not qualify for the office. The Rhode Islanders turned back to Hopkins, and in the August sessions of the Assembly he was again called upon to fill the position, and held it, together with that of governor, until May, 1756, when a new chief justice was chosen.
Hopkins's first administration coincided with the opening of the French and Indian War. As a delegate to the pro- vincial congresses of 1746 and 1754, he had become familiar with plans for military aggression and defence, and had learned the necessity of careful organization and combined effort on the part of the colonies. He had listened to Frank- lin's " Plan of Union," and felt with him that there was no repose for the thirteen American colonies so long as the French were masters of Canada.
Early in 1755 Rhode Island sent one hundred men to Crown Point, and in August, upon the arrival of the news of Braddock's defeat, the Governor called a special session of the Assembly and asked for reinforcements. Another
1 This report is in Col. Rec. of R. I., V. 283.
XXXVi
Introduction
hundred and fifty were forthcoming, to be "sent by land unto Albany," and by the end of the year, successive addi- tions had brought the number of the colony's levies up to seven hundred and fifty. Shirley's letter of January 2, 1756, gives his proposed plan of campaign for the coming year, which was to prove so full of cruel disappointments for him ; and the progress (or lack of progress) during the summer months is detailed in the letters from Winslow, Angell, Governors Shirley and Hardy of New York, and others who figured less conspicuously upon the scene of war.
Great anxiety, amounting almost to panic, was felt upon receiving news of the loss of Oswego. Governor Hopkins writes to Lord Loudoun in October that Rhode Island will augment her quota from sixty to four hundred men, who shall "move forward with the Utmost expedition." They were not called upon to do so, as Loudoun replied that the season was too far advanced to undertake military opera- tions, and in November the troops were disbanded. The usual appeal for men came in the following February, and a contingent of four hundred was voted. Before the tardy spring had fairly established her foothold in bleak New Eng- land, evidence arrived of a new spirit which had breathed upon that exceedingly material stronghold, the Colonial Office. William Pitt was Secretary of State from December, 1756, to April, 1757, and his letters of February 4 and 19 were a call to arms which infused energy and enthusiasm even into the formalities of official correspondence. Unfor- tunately for the colonies, Pitt's term of office was too brief to enable him at this time to reconstruct the organization of the army and the personnel of the military staff. The cam- paign of 1757 closed even more discouragingly than that of the previous year, for upon the loss of Fort William Henry no fate seemed too gloomy for the panic-stricken forebodings of the Americans. The atrocities of the Indians (bad in reality) were exaggerated, and by every post the news was expected that the French were in New York. Pitt's char-
xxx vii
Introduction
acterization of the season's operations as "the last inactive and unhappy Campaign" (writing in December) was no overestimate of the situation. Rhode Island did exert her "utmost endeavors " in response to the summons of the great war minister, and in March, 1758, put one thousand men into the field. The military successes of the next two years - Ticonderoga, Niagara, Louisbourg, and Quebec - are too well known to require description here. Major Wall's letter of September 17, 1758, tells a later generation of the part played by the Rhode Island troops in taking Fort Frontenac.1 Again, in 1759, a regiment of one thousand men was voted, since "the King hath been pleased, by a letter from the Right Honorable William Pitt, Esq. ... to acquaint this colony that he expects the several governments will raise at least as many men as they respectively raised the last year, and as many more as their circumstances will admit."
In the Seven Years' War, as in that of 1745, the part taken by Rhode-Islanders was played far more upon sea than upon land. Newport led all other colonial ports in the number of her privateersmen.2 More than sixty vessels were commissioned. Some which had seen similar service ten years before were again fitted out for expeditions against the French. Commodore Abraham Whipple was said to have captured twenty-three prizes in one year's cruise. Shef- field tells us 3 that a prize when captured was brought in and condemned, and then commissioned under English colors to serve against her old masters. The French retaliated by lying in wait for the slave-traders who ran from Newport with cargoes of rum to the African coast, and thence to the West Indies with negro slaves. In this connection a quota- tion giving the experience of Governor Joseph Wanton may be found interesting : " I, Joseph Wanton, being one of the
1 In Col. Rec. of R. I., VI. 166.
'Sheffield, Privateersmen of Newport, pp. 52-55, gives a list.
3 Sheffield, pp. 27-29.
xxxviii
Introduction
people called Quakers, and conscientiously scrupulous about taking an oath upon solemn affirmation, say that on the Ist day of the month commonly called April, A. D. 1758, I sailed from Newport in the Snow, King of Prussia, with a cargo of 124 hogsheads of rum, twenty barrels of rum, and other cargo ; that on the twentieth day of the month called May, I made Cape Mount on the west coast of Africa ; that I ran down the coast and traded until I arrived at Annamibo, where, while at anchor, on the twenty-third day of the month called July, when I had on board fifty-four slaves, twenty ounces of gold-dust, and sixty-five hogsheads of rum, I was taken by a French privateer of sixty guns, fitted out of Bor- deaux, called LeCompte of St. Florentine, having on board between 500 and 600 men, while my vessel had but three small pieces and eleven men." The injury to the commerce of Newport during this period of plunder and reprisal was very great, and it was during these years that the sister city at the head of Narragansett Bay began her political and com- mercial rivalry.
Under the leadership of such men as Stephen Hopkins and James Brown, the father of the "Four Brothers " of Revolutionary times,1 Providence had become prosperous, and was so early as 1743 keenly alive to the disadvantages of its political subordination to Newport. The election of a governor from Warwick, William Greene, in that year, was practically the first departure 2 since 1657 from the tradi- tional selection of a resident of Newport for that position. The Greene family was, however, identified with Newport interests, both by business connections and by intermarriage with the Wards, prominent merchants of the colonial me- tropolis. Richard Ward was successively secretary, deputy- governor, and governor of Rhode Island, and his second son, Samuel, became noted as a skilful leader of partisan politics,
1 Nicholas, Joseph, John, and Moses Brown.
2 Joseph Jencks was the one exception, and it will be remembered that he was obliged to remove himself and family to Newport.
xxxix
Introduction
and the rival of Stephen Hopkins in the unfortunate feud which was so long the chief political interest.
This episode interests us, notwithstanding the belittling nature of its personalities and its tendency to obscure all the larger public issues, because it shows us on a small scale the antagonism in opinion and interests of the prosperous and conservative elements of a community when arrayed against those of the poorer and comparatively ignorant. The agri- culturist of the northern counties was, for instance, ever loud in his cry for paper money, while the Newport mer- chants fought the mania as a species of financial suicide, even going to the length of petitioning for the royal prohibi- tion.1 With the merchants of Newport were arrayed the planters of South County. This was the party of possession, and its political machine, if primitive, was well adapted to achieve satisfactory results. Not until the election of 1755 was its ascendency effectively disputed. In that year Stephen Hopkins was elected governor after a severe strug- gle and by a narrow majority, -the first successful candi- date who was not backed by the mercantile oligarchy of Newport. It would be a profitless task to detail the progress of this struggle between the Ward and Hopkins factions during the next thirteen years. Those documents illustrat- ing the episode which occur in this series will be found pro- vided with sufficient annotation to explain their bearing on the situation in general.
Stephen Hopkins continued his useful public career long after the conclusion of the compromise of 1768. He repre- sented Providence in the General Assembly from 1770 to 1775, and at the same time occupied his old position as chief justice of the Superior Court. All his energy and ability was thrown into the cause of the colonies during these years of trial, and his influence extended far outside the borders of Rhode Island. His ready and forceful pen
1 See Col. Rec. of R. I., V. 311.
xl
Introduction
contributed several noteworthy pamphlets to the literature of the Revolution, and his decisions as chief justice in the Gaspee cases are matters of common knowledge.1 Under his influence slavery was forbidden in Rhode Island.2 It is probably safe to say that no public improvement, whether intellectual, political, or purely utilitarian, took place within the forty years between 1744 and 1784 which was not largely helped by the cordial and intelligent cooperation of Stephen Hopkins, and, in the majority of instances, due to his vigorous personal initiative.
In conclusion the editor takes pleasure in acknowledging the courtesy of the officials of the department of the Secre- tary of State for Rhode Island, through whose kindness the archives were made accessible.
A personal debt of thanks for kindly assistance and crit- icism is owing Dr. G. P. Winship and Dr. William MacDon- ald of Brown University, to Mr. William B. Weeden, and especially to Dr. J. Franklin Jameson of Chicago University.
The thanks of the public, no less than of the editor, are due to the Colonial Dames of Rhode Island, whose patriotism and public spirit have made these volumes possible.
GERTRUDE SELWYN KIMBALL.
1 For an account of Hopkins's life and services, see Mr. Foster's Life, in Historical Tracts No. 19, 2 vols.
2 Col. Rec. of R. I., VII. 251-253.
A LIST OF THE TERMS OF ADMINISTRATION OF THE GOVERNORS REPRESENTED IN THIS COLLECTION
1698, March.
Samuel Cranston to
1727, May. Joseph Jencks
1732, May.
William Wanton 66
1734, May. John Wanton
1740, July 15.
Richard Ward
April 26, 1727, d. May, 1732. December, 1733, d. July 5, 1740, d. May, 1743.
1743, May.
William Greene
May, 1745.
1745, May.
Gideon Wanton
May, 1746.
1746, May. William Greene 66
May, 1747.
1747, May.
Gideon Wanton
May, 1748.
1748, May.
William Greene 66
May, 1755.
1755, May.
Stephen Hopkins
May, 1757.
1757, May.
William Greene 66
February 22, 1758, d.
May, 1762.
1758, March 14. Stephen Hopkins 1762, May. 1763, May.
Samuel Ward Stephen Hopkins May, 1765. Samuel Ward May, 1767.
May, 1763.
1765, May.
1767, May.
Stephen Hopkins
May, 1768.
1768, May. Josias Lyndon
May, 1769.
1769, May.
Joseph Wanton
" November, 1775, deposed.
CONTENTS
GOVERNOR CRANSTON TO RICHARD PARTRIDGE, NOVEMBER 26,
PAGE I723 .
The General Assembly on the proposed annexation of Rhode Island to New Hampshire.
I
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO THE LORDS OF TRADE, FEBRUARY 10, 1722 13 Transmitting Governor Cranston's letter.
GOVERNOR JENCKS TO GEORGE II. . 15
Petition for cannon.
RICHARD WARD TO THE MASSACHUSETTS ASSEMBLY, MAY 27, 1731 . 18
Boundary commissioners.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR JENCKS, AUGUST 23, 1731 · 19 The Sugar Bill - His account.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO DEPUTY-GOVERNOR WANTON, FEBRUARY, 4,1732 20 Bills of credit - The Sugar Bill.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO THOMAS SANDFORD, FEBRUARY 2, 173I
.
24
Governor's negative vote.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO DEPUTY-GOVERNOR WANTON, MAY 3, 1732 . 25 The Sugar Bill - Advance in salary.
JOSEPH JENCKS TO THE GOVERNOR, COUNCIL, AND HOUSE OF DEP- UTIES, MAY 4, 1732
Farewell message. 29
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WILLIAM WANTON, JULY 10, 1732 30 Bills of credit - His account.
THE COMMISSIONERS OF CUSTOMS TO GOVERNOR WANTON, AUGUST 12, 1732 32 John Peagrum's credentials.
GOVERNOR WANTON TO THE SPEAKER AND GENTLEMEN OF THE LOWER HOUSE, JANUARY 27, 1733 33 Depreciated paper currency.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WANTON, FEBRUARY 28, 1733 34 The Sugar Bill.
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Contents
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WANTON, MARCH 3, 1733 . 35 Asks £100 a year for seven years.
GOVERNOR BELCHER TO GOVERNOR WANTON, APRIL 30, 1733 . · 36 Massachusetts Boundary Commission.
GOVERNOR WANTON TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY [APRIL OR MAY, 1733] 37
Death of Abraham Borden - Cannon for Fort George - Simul- taneous election of Deputies.
WILLIAM JENCKS TO DEPUTY-GOVERNOR WANTON, JULY 2, 1733 ·
38 Additional boundary commissioners.
THE COMMISSIONERS OF CUSTOMS TO JOHN PEAGRUM, SEPTEMBER 1, 1733 39
Appointment of customs officers.
CHARLES CARKESSE TO JOHN PEAGRUM, OCTOBER 4, 1733 40 Recommending Mr. Robert Robinson.
GOVERNOR WANTON TO JOSIAH WILLARD, OCTOBER 26, 1733 · 4I Issue of £100,000 in bills of credit.
JOHN PEAGRUM TO GOVERNOR WANTON, JANUARY 7, 1732 . 42 Insisting that Mr. Robinson be sworn.
INSTRUCTIONS TO JOHN PEAGRUM 44
Enclosure in the preceding.
JOHN PEAGRUM TO GOVERNOR WANTON, JANUARY 21, 1732 · 46
Error in former letter.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WILLIAM WANTON, FEBRUARY 4,173 46
Twenty Mediterranean passes - Report of the Lords of Trade - Iron furnaces.
GOVERNOR BELCHER TO THE GOVERNOR OF RHODE ISLAND, MARCH 5, 1734 . 48
Outrage on Jonathan Draper.
DEPOSITION OF JONATHAN DRAPER . 50 Enclosure in the preceding - Richard Blood's deposition.
JOHN PEAGRUM TO GOVERNOR WANTON, MARCH 22, 1732 53 Urges swearing of Mr. Robinson.
WILLIAM JENCKS TO DEPUTY-GOVERNOR WANTON, MARCH 23, 1734 54
The Draper outrage.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WANTON, APRIL 30, 1734 · 55 · Laws, manufactures, and trade in the colonies.
THE GENERAL COURT OF MASSACHUSETTS TO THE GOVERNOR OF RHODE ISLAND, JUNE 13, 1734 . 57
Boundary line - Draper - Henry Josselyn - Jonathan Jenkes.
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Contents
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WANTON, JUNE 29, 1734 61
Further supply of money.
THE SECRETARY OF RHODE ISLAND TO RICHARD PARTRIDGE, SEP- TEMBER 6, 1734 . 63
The Report on Laws, etc., in the colonies.
THE SECRETARY OF RHODE ISLAND TO RICHARD PARTRIDGE, DE- CEMBER 20, 1734 65
Appeal relating to "the gore" - Augmentation of salary - Colo- nel Lewis Morris.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WANTON, JANUARY 29, 173% . 67 The Report on Laws, etc., in the colonies - Decision on ques- tion of governor's negative vote - Rhode Island petition referred to Lords of Trade.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO JAMES MARTIN, APRIL 10, 1735 . 69
The Massachusetts boundary - The petition - A map of the col- ony - New Jersey's share in expense of opposing the Sugar Bill.
THE LORDS OF TRADE TO THE GOVERNOR AND COMPANY OF RHODE ISLAND, JUNE 17, 1735 . 72
Request for list of duties imposed in the colony.
THE GOVERNOR AND COMPANY OF RHODE ISLAND TO THE LORDS OF TRADE, DECEMBER I, 1735 73
Reply to the preceding.
GOVERNOR WANTON TO RICHARD PARTRIDGE, DECEMBER I, 1735 . 74 Evidence on Massachusetts boundary - Letter to Sir Charles Wager - Salary.
THE GOVERNOR AND COMPANY OF RHODE ISLAND TO SIR CHARLES WAGER, OCTOBER I, 1735 76
Begging aid in securing cannon.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WANTON, FEBRUARY 6, 1735 . 78
Answer of Massachusetts agent concerning the boundary.
GOVERNOR WANTON TO RICHARD PARTRIDGE, MAY II, 1736 80
Promising further evidence on the boundary question.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WANTON, DECEMBER 31, 1736 . 80 Commissioners of Massachusetts and New Hampshire boundary dispute.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WANTON, MAY 5, 1737 82 Bill encouraging importation of pig iron.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WANTON, OCTOBER 18, 1737 . 84 Enclosing the following.
F. J. PARIS TO RICHARD PARTRIDGE 85
Dr. McSparran's affair.
xlvi
Contents
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WANTON, APRIL 29, 1738 . . . 86 A hearing on the boundary dispute - The Iron Bill - Jamaica merchants' complaints against Spain - The Sugar Bill.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WANTON, MAY 20, 1738 90 Text of Iron Bill.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WANTON, JUNE 21, 1738 . 94 Copy of the Massachusetts agent's boundary petition.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WANTON, AUGUST 19, 1738 95 Public stir about war with Spain.
JOHN PEAGRUM TO GOVERNOR WANTON, AUGUST 25, 1738 96 Joseph Wanton made Deputy-Collector.
GOVERNOR BELCHER TO GOVERNOR WANTON, SEPTEMBER II, 1738 . 96
Quieting settlers near the boundary line.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WANTON, NOVEMBER 3, 1738 .
.
97 The Committee of Council's decision on the boundary.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WANTON, FEBRUARY 10, 173§ . 100
Boundary commissioners - The Iron Bill.
THE LORDS OF TRADE TO THE LORDS OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL, DE- CEMBER 21, 1738 102
Enclosed in the preceding - Names of commissioners.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WANTON, FEBRUARY 12, 1738. 103
Order of King in Council on boundary question.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WANTON, MARCH 15, 173§ .
. 103
Expense of Commission.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WANTON, APRIL 10, 1739 The Iron Bill.
105
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WANTON, APRIL 27, 1739 106
Solicitor Paris's bill.
GEORGE II. TO THE GOVERNOR AND COMPANY OF RHODE ISLAND . 106 Reprisals upon Spain.
THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE TO THE GOVERNOR AND COMPANY OF RHODE ISLAND, JUNE 15, 1739 109
Enclosing the preceding.
THE LORDS OF TRADE TO THE GOVERNOR AND COMPANY OF RHODE ISLAND, JULY 5, 1739 III Enclosing the next two documents.
ADDRESS OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS TO THE CROWN, JUNE 13, 1739 . III Bills of credit.
ADDRESS OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS TO THE CROWN, JUNE 13, 1739 . . II2 Rates of gold and silver in 1700, 1710, 1720, 1730.
xlvii
Contents
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WANTON, JULY 10, 1739 War with Spain.
I13
JOSIAH WILLARD TO MESSRS. PETER BOURS, GODFREY MALBONE, AND JAMES MARTIN, JULY 16, 1739 115
Massachusetts vote on boundary commissioners.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WANTON, AUGUST 10, 1739 The sugar act - Bills of credit - The war.
115
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WANTON, SEPTEMBER 5, 1739 II7 The war - Postscript dated the 11th.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WANTON, OCTOBER 5, 1739 . . 118
Public news.
CIRCULAR LETTER TO THE GOVERNORS OF MARYLAND, CONNECTICUT, AND RHODE ISLAND [1739] I20
Colonial paper currency.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WANTON, OCTOBER 26, 1739
.
.
I2I
War against Spain.
THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE TO THE GOVERNOR AND COMPANY OF RHODE ISLAND, OCTOBER 29, 1739 I2I
Official notice of the war.
GOVERNOR WANTON TO GOVERNOR BELCHER, NOVEMBER 12, 1739
·
122
Counterfeit bills - The additional sugar act.
GOVERNOR WANTON TO RICHARD PARTRIDGE, NOVEMBER 12, 1739
.
123
The sugar act - Bills of credit.
GOVERNOR WANTON TO JOSEPH TALCOTT, NOVEMBER 12, 1739
124
Mason's affair - The sugar act.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WANTON, JANUARY 2, 1728
.
125
Boundary Commission - Sugar act- Bills of credit.
THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE TO THE GOVERNOR AND COMPANY OF RHODE ISLAND, JANUARY 5, 1788 127
Colonial troops for the war.
THE GOVERNOR AND COMPANY OF RHODE ISLAND TO THE LORDS COMMITTEE OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL [JANUARY 19, 1788 ?] . 131 Petition for settlement of Massachusetts boundary.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WANTON, MARCH 20, 17&8 . . I38 The boundary.
ALEXANDER SPOTSWOOD TO GOVERNOR WANTON, APRIL 3, 1740 . 140
Troops for the war.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WANTON, APRIL 4, 1740 142 Colonial paper currency.
5
xlviii
Contents
THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE TO THE GOVERNOR AND COMPANY OF RHODE ISLAND, APRIL 5, 1740 143 Enclosing the following.
GEORGE II. TO THE GOVERNOR AND COMPANY OF RHODE ISLAND . . 146 Instructions for raising troops.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WANTON, APRIL 12, 1740 . · 147 Paper currency.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WANTON, APRIL 17, 1740. . . . 148 Bills of credit.
THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE TO THE GOVERNOR AND COMPANY OF RHODE ISLAND, APRIL 18, 1740 . 149
Encouragement of trade and privateers.
GENERAL SPOTSWOOD TO GOVERNOR WANTON, APRIL 26, 1740 .
.
.
150
Pay for troops.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WANTON, MAY 2, 1740
152
Colonial currency.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO MESSRS. SANDYS AND CAMPBELL I55 Against the resolution concerning paper currency.
THE LORDS OF ADMIRALTY TO THE GOVERNOR AND COMPANY OF RHODE ISLAND, MAY 20, 1740 159
Letters of marque.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR WANTON, JUNE 19, 1740 161 Bills of credit - Boundary Commission - Postscript dated July 5.
GOVERNOR BELCHER TO GOVERNOR WANTON, JUNE 30, 1740 163 Ship from the Canaries.
COLONEL WILLIAM BLAKENEY TO THE GOVERNOR AND COMPANY OF RHODE ISLAND, JULY 7, 1740 . 164
Payment of troops.
COLONEL WILLIAM GOOCH TO GOVERNOR WANTON, JULY 8, 1740 . . 165 Supplies for troops.
GOVERNOR RICHARD WARD TO COLONEL GOOCH
167
Two companies equipped.
GOVERNOR WARD TO COLONEL BLAKENEY, JULY 17, 1740
I68
Number of men enlisted.
JOSIAH WILLARD TO GOVERNOR WARD, JULY 17, 1740 169 Private notes of hand.
ANDREW STONE TO THE GOVERNOR AND COMPANY OF RHODE IS- LAND, JULY 20, 1740 . 170
Distribution of prizes of war.
LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR CLARKE TO GOVERNOR WARD, JULY 21, 1740 171 Rendezvous of troops.
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Contents
COLONEL BLAKENEY TO THE GOVERNOR AND COMPANY OF RHODE ISLAND, JULY 21, 1740 I71
Pay for levies.
GOVERNOR WARD TO COLONEL GOOCH, JULY 24, 1740 174 Number of troops raised.
COLONEL BLAKENEY TO GOVERNOR WARD, AUGUST 18, 1740 . 175 .
Transports.
JOHN COURAUD TO THE GOVERNOR AND COMPANY OF RHODE IS- LAND, AUGUST 22, 1740
176
Enclosing the following.
THE LORDS JUSTICES TO THE GOVERNOR AND COMPANY OF RHODE ISLAND, AUGUST 21, 1740 176
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