USA > Rhode Island > The correspondence of the colonial governors of Rhode Island, 1723-1775, Vol. II > Part 7
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Correspondence of the
As for the £6332.12.10. Sterl. our Cape Bre- ton Expence Granted by Act of Parliament, and which was the full of our Demand for £36096.1.2. - Rhode Island Currency - it is to be paid by the Lords of the Treasury who have at several times been Solicited for payment of the money and par- ticularly the 27 Ult. the Agents Attended and were called in to the Board and were with them upwds of an hour but no Resolution was come into about the Paym! the Lords being willing to get all the Infor- mation they could about the manner of paying the Money so as it may be most advantagious to the 4 Colonys in General, respecting the fatallity of the Great load of the Publick Bills of Credit at present circulating amongst them which they want to be Satisfied will be called in by degrees and Sunk with this money - but as the Agents insist upon the Pay- ment of the money down the Lords are a good deal puzled about it and are yet come to no certain Re- solution although Several Schemes have been laid before them ;
Amongst other Matters it was intimated they sup- posed we had proper Authority to receive the Money, upon which I produced them my Power signed by Governour Green1 which they read and made no objections to it at all so that I find it is Authentick enough for the Purpose. I beleive it will not be long before we shall know their Resolution how they will Act in the Affair.
In Obedience to the Vote of the House of Repre- sentatives 2 sent me by Gov! Wanton I now send
1 See Col. Rec. of R. I., V. 182.
2 Col. Rec. of R. I., V. 226.
1
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Colonial Governors of Rhode Island
Copys of my acco's from the beginning of my Agency down to the last Acco! Sent in 1746 which has been done with labour and some difficulty - and my Sub- sequent account must be deferrd to come hereafter.
As to Publick News the King remains still at Han- nover and well, whose Return we expect in 8ber next.
it Seems to be the general Opinion of People that the Peace will be settled and Concluded now in a Short time,1 for the rest I refer to the Prints now sent thee and remain with due respects to thy self and the Gentlemen of the Council.
Thy and their Assured Friend,
RICHP PARTRIDGE
my acco's abovesaid will come to the hands of And! Oliver Esq and Co: in Boston to be forwarded with the News Papers sent per this Conveyance
To WILLIAM GREEN Esq" Governour of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR GREENE.
LONDON 7ber the 24th 1748.
Govern'. Green,
My last to thee was of the 12th Inst.2 and am yet without any of thy favours.
Agent Bollan for the Massachusets3 has lately thrown in a Memorial to the Lords of the Treasury
1 The peace of England and Holland with France was signed October 18, 1748.
2 Not in the archives.
3 See note on p. 36. Bollan was made Advocate-general of Massachusetts after Shirley's promotion.
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Correspondence of the
in order to procure payment of the Cape Breton money, which they have reder'd to the Attorney General together with his Power of Attorney for receiving it for the Attorney Genl to make his Re- port upon, with respect to the payment and also if his Authority is Sufficient, and at the same time a Petition from diverse New England Merchants1 was presented to the Board representing (as I understood it) the bad State that Country is in by the heavy load of Bills of Currency circulating there desiring a Stop may be put to the payment of the money till that be regulated and Some Method effectuated for paying off and Sinking those Bills &cª which was received and read, but what the Lords of Treasury will do in Consequence of it is at present altogether uncertain.
As for our £6332.12.10. granted by the Parliament on the Same footing, I expect we must fare as all the rest do - which was hinted to me some time since by the Secry to the Board and at the same time he intimated (when I urged the payment of the money) that if the New England People did not call in their Bills of Credit and Sink them with this money at the same rate as the Exchª was then viz : at about 1000 per C: it wou'd be the errantest Job that ever was.
I have been thinking therefore that if the Colony of Rhode Island woud pass an Act that so much of their Bills of Currency shoud be called in and
1 Meaning, merchants trading to New England. Felt says, " Merchants in London, who had commercial relations with ours, petition the Lords of the Treasury that the reimbursement for capturing Louisbourg may not be paid to New England until they establish the rate for redeeming their bills." Historical Account of Massachusetts Currency, p. 119.
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destroyed1 as this money amounted to at the rate of the Exche above mentioned and send me over the Act duly Authenticated empowering me therein at the same time to receive the money of the Lords of the Treasury or of whom else it may concern and to give discharge for the same, least they should hesi- tate hereafter at my being empowered by the Gov. only, which indeed they have not objected to yet, I say if this were done I am apt to think I could obtain Payment of the money, and least this Method should not have the desired Effect, I would also propose that your Governmt should also pass an Act empowering the Gov: or some other proper persons to draw on the Lords of the Treasury for the said money in 2 Bills of Excha one for £4000 and the other for the remainder payable to myself as their Agent and send me over the Act, and at the same time to write a letter of advice of it to the said Lords - and when I have them by me I can take the most Suitable Method, as I shall be advised, by one near that Board on whom I think I can depend - if this Course be pursued I dont See but it must be effec- tual, all which is humbly Submitted by
Thy assured Friend,
RICH? PARTRIDGE
probably it will be objected that the Colony may make as much more of their Bills of Credit imedi- atly after they have got the Money.
I should have told thee that Ten days ago the Lords of the Treasury proposed to the Agents by
1 The Assembly called in and destroyed £88,725 in bills of credit, amounting to about £8000 sterling. Col. Rec. of R. I., V. 262, 263. VOL. II.
1
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Correspondence of the
a Paper Signed by their Secretary West that we should have one third part of the money paid down (as granted by Parliament) for which we were to give Security in the Exchequer that it shall be duely applyed and to account for the Same hereafter, for that the Lords of the Treasury apprehend they can- not be justified in issuing, without such Security.
this we look upon to be unreasonable and what is not required by the Act and therefore shall not comply with it - and probably the said Lords will recede from their Proposal.
R. P.
definitive Treaty of Peace not yet Signed To WILLIAM GREEN Esq!
Governour of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR GREENE.
Governour Green
LONDON 9ber the [24-30] 1748
In my last to thee of the 5th Inst. per Cap: Rich- ards I advised thee that the Lords of the Treasury had referrd the Affair of the Cape Breton money to the Kings Attorney and Sol' Gen"! who were to con- sider it and make their Report, accordingly they sent for the four New England Agents as also notice was given to the New England Merchants who had Peti- tioned against the money being paid till some Regu- lation shoud be fixed respecting the Bills of Currency circulating there or to that Effect - and accordingly
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Colonial Governors of Rhode Island
the Agents with several of the Petitioners attended accordingly the 15th Inst. and after a pretty deal of Arguing upon the Subject Matter we withdrew and we must wait for the Result of the Attorney and Solicitor General which they are to Report to the Lords of the Treasury which I dont hear is yet done, but by what I observed it will be much of this Nature Viz! That the Lords of the Treasury shoud pay the respective Sums of Money granted by Parliam: into the Bank of England with the Consent of the sev- eral Agents, there to remain till their Constituants shoud send over a Satisfactory acco! to the Treasury respecting the Application and disposition of it,
But of this I cannot be certain off till we see their Report as aforesaid, Our Authoritys were also exam- ined, whether the Powers we had for receiving the money were Authentick for that Purpose - and sev- eral of them were objected to, but as to mine they made no manner of hisitation about, but seemed to allow it to be good and Sufficient.
it is strongly Suggested and I believe intended that at the next Sessions of Parliam endeavours will be used to have an Act passed to Regulate or prevent the Emitting of Paper Bills of Credit in the Plantations, be pleased therefore to let me have Instructions how to Act therein, in the mean time I shall exert my Endeavours to Vindicate the Rights and Priviledges of our Charter
xber 2ª
Since writing the foregoing the Attorney and Sol! General have made their Report to the Lords of the Treasury a Copy whereof comes inclosed,1 thou wilt
1 See following document.
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See by it that they have represented our Case in the most favourable Light of any of the Agents but as yet I cannot say what the Lords of the Treasury will do about it till I apply again, in my next I expect to be able to give thee a further Account.
The King got Safe home the 22ª Ult. and the Par- liament met the 29th when the King made a Speech to them which I send thee with the News Papers to A" Oliver of Boston. I am with due respects
Thy assured Friend.
RICHP. PARTRIDGE
To WILLIAM GREEN Esq. Governour of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
REPORT OF THE ATTORNEY AND SOLICITOR GENERAL.1
Copy of the Kings Attorney and Sol' Generals Report to the Lords of the Treasury on their Referrence Concerning the Money granted the 4 N : E : Governm" by Parliam: viz:
To the Right Honourable Lords Comm's of his Ma- jestys Treasury.
May it please your Lordships
In pursuance of your Lordships desire signified to Us by M: West in his Letter of the 21st of Oct! last, Representing that your Lordships having had under Consideration the paym' of the several Sums granted by Parliam: last Session to reimburse the several Provinces and Colonies in North America the
1 Enclosed with letter of November [24-30], 1747.
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Colonial Governors of Rhode Island
Expences they have been at in taking and Secur- ing Cape Breton to which Paym! your Ld Ships were very desirous of giving all proper dispatch ; And that the Agents for the said Colonys, on the one hand having applyed for the immediate Payment of the said Sums, and produced Copy's of the Powers under which they Claim the Same; And the Mer- chants Trading to New England having on the other hand, Offered Reasons in a Memorial against Such Paym' and that your Lordships not being well Satisfied that what the Agents call their Powers are Sufficient Authority's on which Such large Sums may legally be issued, as well by Reason of the dates of Some of them being Antecedent to the Grants, as because they do not Appear to be derived from legal Acts of the General Assemblys, Your LordShips were pleased to transmit the said Several Memorials and Powers to Us to take the same into Considera- tion together with the Votes of the House of Com- mons and Clause of Appropriation, And to desire our Opinion whether these Powers are such as do oblige or will in Law Sufficiently justify your Lord- Ships to Issue the Sums without Accot, to the Agents respectively ; Especially as the Agent of the Principal Province has refused to give Security for Answer- ing the Trust in him reposed and Accounting in the Exchequer for the Same.
We have taken the said Several Papers into Con- sideration (all which are herewith return'd to your LordShips) and have been Attended by the respec- tive Agents, and by some of the Petitioners in the Petition of the New England Merchants to whom
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Correspondence of the
we thought it Proper to give Notice of this Refer- ence.
As to the Powers to M: Bollan from the Massa- chusets Bay, and to M' Palmer from Connecticutt they are only Votes of Assembly; But as they have no Letter of Attorney under the Seal of the Provinces who are Corporate Body's by Charter from the Crown and cannot regularly make Attorneys but under their Common Seal, We are of Opinion that those Gentlemen are not properly Authorized for that pur- pose. And tho' general Agents have been some- times made by Votes of Assembly, and Such Agents have Acted on the foot of Such Authoritys, which have been Acquiese't yet in a Matter relating to the Revenue, and issuing large Sums of Publick money given by Act of Parliament, out of his Majestys Treasury We conceive nothing should be done but according to the Strict Rules of Law. Nor do we think that the giving Security, if offered, for due accounting for the Money Would be a Sufficient ground to dispence with those Rules in the present Case
With respect to M' Partridges Power from Rhode Island ; As he produced to Us an Authority under the Seal of the Province (a Copy of which was sent to Us from your Lordships) We are of Opinion Your Lordships may be well Justified in paying him the Sum Appropriated by the said Act to Rhode Island, upon his giving a proper Receipt, and leaving with your LordShips his said Power.
However as the Merchants of New England have by their Petition Represented the inconveniences
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Colonial Governors of Rhode Island
arising from the Paper Credit given in that Province as well as in the Massachusets Bay, and desired the Payment of these Sums might wait, till it be seen, what Steps woud be taken there, to redress that Grievance ; M: Partridge acquainted Us, that he was willing the Money Appropriated to Rhode Island might be placed in the Bank till further Instructions from his Province.
As to New Hampshire, It appearing from an Ex- tract of Cap: Thomlinsons Letter to M: West, which he likewise confirmed to Us, that he cannot produce at present either the Original or a Copy of his Power, and representing such Power as he has to be only a general Power of Agency not adapted to his Par- ticular Purpose, We are of Opinion Your Lordships cannot be Justified in issuing to him the Money given to that Province, tho' from his Character and general Sense of the Merchants, We dont conceive any doubt of his being their general Agent.
All which is humbly Submitted to Your Lordships great Judgment
D. RYDER W. MURRAY
23ª Nov: 1748.
RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO GOVERNOR GREENE.
LONDON Xber. 17th 1748.
Governour Green
Since I writ thee last which was of the 2ª1 Inst. when I sent thee a Copy of the Kings Attorney and
1 See the preceding letter.
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Correspondence of the
Sol: Generals Report to the Lords of the Treasury 1 I have exhibited my Memorial to the said Lords Soliciting for the Payment of the £6332.12.10. for our Expence Granted by Parliament towards the taking and Securing Cape Breton of which Memorial I herewith send thee a Copy2 and have thereupon been called in before them urging what further occurrd to me for the Payment, but the Chancelor of the Exchequer altho', he owned my being duly Authorized to receive it Agreeable to the Attorney and Solicitor Gen's Opinion, yet intimated that the money was as Safe in the Exchequer as in the Bank of England and that probably something wou'd be moved in this Sessions of Parliament touching that Matter and that till then they had come to a Reso- lution to Suspend the payment - in Short accord- ing to my apprehension they seem determined to fix upon Something to regulate the Affair relating to Paper Currency in the Plantations before the money be paid.
Govern !. Shirley hath lately writ to that Board con- cerning the Accounts of the Expence attending the Canada Expedition in the Several Governments in the Plantations and perticularly respecting Rhode Island and Connecticutt as if some part of the Charges was proper to be disallowed 3 but hath not sent over the accounts yet. The Lords took no
1 See the preceding letter.
2 See the following document.
3 See Shirley's letter to Wanton, November 24, 1747:
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Colonial Governors of Rhode Island
-
Notice to me hitherto of what he has writ, and whether they will or not is uncertain I am Thy assured Friend
RP PARTRIDGE
To WILLIAM GREEN Esq! Governour and Commander in Chief of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plan- tations New England
MEMORIAL OF RICHARD PARTRIDGE TO THE LORDS OF THE TREASURY.1
To the Lords Comm's of The Treasury
The Memorial of Richard Partridge Agent for the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations in New England Humbly Sheweth That Several Merchants and others Trading to New England had lately by their Memorial to your Board represented the inconveniences that the several Provinces of that Country laboured under on account of the large quantitys of Paper Bills of Credit circulating there, praying that the money granted by Act of Parlia- ment for the taking and Securing to the Crown of Great Britain the Island of Cape Breton and its dependencys may not be issued until some Effectual Measures be taken there for establishing an equitable Rule for discharging their said Bills of Credit &cª and that you were pleased to referr the Considera- tion of their said Memorial to the Kings Attorny and
1 Enclosed with letter of December 17, 1748.
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Correspondence of the
Sol! Gen! together with the Several Powers or Au- thoritys of the respective Agents of the said Pro- vinces for receiving the Summs granted us aforesaid for their Opinion thereupon.
That your Memorialist is informed that the said Attorney and Solicitor Gen! have made their Report upon your Order of Referrence to them wherein they have Signified that they have taken the said Several Papers into Consideration and after having been attended by the Agents as well as by the Merchts Petitioners in the Opposition, Reported respecting your Memoriallist that the Money Appropriated by the said Act for the said Colony of Rhode Island may be safely paid him upon his giving a proper Receipt and leaving with you his Power. But that in Consideration of the Reasons therein alleged your Memorialist offered that the said Money Appropri- ated to Rhode Island might be placed in the Bank till further Instructions from the said Colony. That the Sum granted by the Appropriating Act is Six thousd three hundred and thirty two Pounds Twelve shill.s and 10 pence.
Wherefore your Memoriallist Humbly prays that you would be pleased to give directions that the said Sum of £6332.12.10. may be placed in the Bank of England accordingly on Your Memoriallists giving a proper Receipt and leaving with you his Power of Attorney for receiving the same, and the said money there to remain till Your Memoriallist shall receive further Instructions from his said Colony
All which is humbly Submitted
R. P.
LONDON. Dec: the 5th 1748.
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Colonial Governors of Rhode Island
PETER BOURS AND OTHERS TO RICHARD PARTRIDGE.1
NEWPORT June 18th 1749.
Sir,
The Letters I have lately recd from You with that directed to the Committee who disposed of the Ster- ling Money on your hands have been communicated to the General Assembly; who have ordered me to inform You that on examining the Accounts of your Agency, they find four hundred Pounds sterling charged November 21st 1744. as a Reserve in your Hands for future Services, for which they judge You ought to have given Credit, inasmuch as all the Ex- pences from that Time to this which you have been at on the Colony's Behalf are charged in your several Accounts, the Article of Eighty two pounds Sterling charged as a Loss on the Bills of Exchange you drew payable to Mess's Oliver and Phillips, the As- sembly expect a further Explanation of the Equity and Reasonableness of before they can readily allow it, and as to the Article of Commissions for negotiat- ing the Affair of the money advanced by this Gov- ernment for the Canada Expedition, they have voted You two per Cent for receiving the same; as they have also an hundred Pounds Sterling as a Gratuity for your extraordinary Trouble respecting the Bound- ary Line between the Province of the Massachusetts Bay and this Colony, the Remainder of your Account seems to meet with Approbation.
You have herewith Sufficient Power to qualify you
1 See note of Assembly appointing the committee, and giving instructions as above. Col. Rec. of R. I., V. 267. This and the two following documents are printed as one letter in the Records, V. 270.
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Correspondence of the
in Behalf of the Government to receive the money we have advanced for paying the Officers and Sol- diers rais'd for the Canada Expedition together with attested Copies of the muster Roles and the Oaths of the Committee who received the money from the Government to pay the Same, and doubt not as it was expended at the Request of the duke of New- Castle in Behalf of the Crown that we shall on your application be immediately reimbursed.
As to M' Lockman's Petition1 relating [to] the naval office We doubt not but that the two Acts of Parliam: made in King Charles 2ª and King Wil- liam's Reigns relating to said Office will sufficiently vindicate the Colony's Conduct in rejecting his Pa- tent, and as to his Aspersions so liberally cast on Us, was his Character as well known in London as it is in Rhode-Island he would not have Access to any publick Board to spread his false Reports which it is obvious are only the Result of his Disappoint- ment.
PETER BOURS Jos : WHIPPLE JUNR THO CRANSTON
GOVERNOR GREENE TO RICHARD PARTRIDGE.
[June 18, 1749.]
We are surprised at Governor Shirley's writing as You inform Us he has to the Lords of the Treasury,2
1 See vol i. pp. 227, 233, notes.
2 See Partridge's letter of December 17, 1748.
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Colonial Governors of Rhode Island
You have been informed that the chiefest Part of the Charge of the Transports and Provisions in our Accounts was owing to the Attempt We made of suc- couring Nova Scotia at the pressing Instance of M' Shirley in Conjunction with Admiral Warren 1 and in Obedience to his Majesty's Instructions to this Colony anno 17452 Copies of which You have here- with to support those Articles, We are perswaded on strict Enquiry You will find that all the Expence the Province of the Massachusetts was at on the same Occasion and at that very Time has been by their Governor charged to the Crown and very likely paid to them before now, and as Admiral Warren was in Newport when our Forces Sailed for Anapolis and assured Us he would serve the Government whenever in his Power the Gen! Assembly have ordered me to address him for his friendly Assistance 3 in this Case and to desire him to declare before the Board who will enquire into these Charges in our Accounts, what he knows of the Conduct of the Colony relating to that Undertaking, inclosed is a Letter to him for that Purpose which You are to wait on him and to deliver your self if he be in London. And to inform him of the Difficulties We are under and to solicit his kind Interposition to serve Us as far as may be consistent with Justice which no Doubt he will readily do.
I am
Y: Friend and most humble Serv!
1 See letter in Col. Rec. of R. I., V. 192.
2 Col. Rec. of R. I., V. 132, 162.
3 Col. Rec. of R. I., V. 268.
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Correspondence of the
INSTRUCTIONS FOR RICHARD PARTRIDGE.1
As to the Bill in Parliament relating to the Paper Currency, the Assembly expect You will Strenuously oppose it, since should it pass into a Law it would annihilate all the Legislative Power granted to this Colony in their Charter, and as we judge that we have not acted any Thing to forfeit those Priviledges We hope on an impartial Consideration we shall not be Stripped of them, the Multiplicity of the Paper Bills emitted by New-England ought to be considered as owing in a great Degree to the Expeditions the Inhabitants have ingaged in for his Majesty's Ser- vice, Witness the Undertaking in 1710. to reduce Port-Royal and Canada which first gave Occasion for Striking off Bills of Credit and Witness the remark- able Cape Breton Exploit which procured such an Inundation of them from the Province of the Massa- chusett's Bay which has overwhelm'd that Province and the other Governments of New England. Also and we would observe that all the Money allowed us on Acct of the Canada Expedition has been appro- priated to the Sinking the whole Amount thereof in Bills emitted by this Colony as will also that which is granted us by Parliament for the Cape Breton Undertaking as soon as You shall have received it June 16, 1749.
IN THE HOUSE OF MAGRIS June 16, 1749.
Gen.
Resolv'd that a Letter be drawn agreeable to this in Substance and Signd by his Hon! the Gov! and
1 Enclosed with preceding letter [June 18].
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Colonial Governors of Rhode Island
Sent to the Agent and there with be Sent the Copy of the Entry of Burning the Money at the last Ses- sions of Assembly in Providence1 and also the Act Impowering the Gov: to draw Bills for what is due to the Colony for what the Colony paid to the Soldiers raisd for the Canada Expedition 2
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