[Still another bears the following names :-ED.] Samuel Johnson Moses Morss Samuel Currier Jonathan Eastman John Calfe William Griffin Thomas Emery Edmund Morss Moses Emery Walter Little Moses Richardson Joseph Noyes Jun William Moulton Joseph Chase Benjamin Kimball Abraham Johnson Barthol Heath Peter Morss [The town of Atkinson opposed the foregoing petition— see Vol. XI, page 132. Hampstead petitioned the next year for the privilege of sending one by themselves, which was granted.-ED.] [5-14] [Petition relative to Paper Money, etc., 1786.] State of New To the Honb' General Court for said state to be Hampshire conveaned at Concord on the first Wednesday of June Instant Humbly Shews The subscribers Inhabitants of the Town Hampstead in the County of Rockingham in said state that your petitioners Labour under many & very great Difficulties on account of the great scarcity of a Circulating medium of trade also great uneasiness has arisen in the minds of your petitioners and many others on account of a Claim Lately made to the uncultivated Lands within this state and as Your Honours are the guardieans of the Rights and priviledges of the people and as we have no other regular way of redress that your Honours would take our case under your wise Consideration and grant us releaf by acting on the following particulars 1stly that yould not allow those persons purchesers of the Allen Claim so called any part of their Claim within this state 2oly that not any of those persons that are purchesors of said Allens Claim hold any Commision of profit or Honour within this state for the space of one year 3ly that the General Court take up the matter Respecting the Masionan title to certain Lands in this state which we think their title is not Good and that those Lands Claimed by them be Converted to the use of said state. 4thly that there might be a Bank of paper money made to Redeem this states security 5ly that the General Court petition Congress to Redeem the Continental paper Currency that is in the treasury in this state the same being more than our proportion of the same. 6ly that the ports & Harbours in this state be opened and a free trade for all Except Refugees. Hampstead June 1st 1786— Joseph French Joseph Conner Jonathan Eastman John Eaton Samuel Kelley John Colby Joshua H. Noyes Joshua Corliss Willim moulton [For legislative action on the paper money question, see Atkinson Papers, Vol. XI.-ED.] [5-15] [Relative to Revolutionary Matters.] State of New Hampshire To the Hon' the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened The Petition and Memorial of the Inhabitants of Hampstead in said state to your Honours respectfully sheweth-That early in the late war with great Britain your Memorialists not only willing to comply with every requisition of the Honb' Legislature, but anxious to have their quota of men in the field, gave to several persons considerable sums of money over and above what the public promised as an inducement to engage in the defence of the Country-amongst others they hired one Bradley Richards to serve three years in the Continental army and paid him therefor Thirty pounds besides promising to take care of and supply his family in his absence which they did to the amount of upwards of twelve pounds more than he left money with them to make provision with-That before said term expired the Army Petitioned the General Court to have the depreciation of the then paper currency made up to them which said Court agreed to do on the following conditions, namely, that all supplies Gratuities Town Bounties &c should be allowed in part satisfaction for the depreciation and accordingly ordered the Several Towns to charge the state with the Sums by them advanced as bounties or Supplies, as may be seen by a Resolve of the Legislature of the 26th of March 1779 in order that each Town in the state might bear an equal proportion according to their proportioned value and also to reward the volunteer in as full and ample a manner as the hired SoldierThat in consequence of the method pursued by the Legislature there was with-held from the said Bradley Richards the Sum of forty two pounds and upwards of the depreciation that would have been his due had not the Town paid him said Sum-That afterwards (to wit) Jan. 16th 1782 an Act passed the Legislature which entitled the Several Towns to receive the Sums by them advanced-That the said Richards has now brought an Action against your Memorialists for said Sum of forty two pounds and upwards for money had and received which if he should recover it would open a door by which every Soldier Similarly circumstanced might recover what has been stopped out of their depreciation on account of the Sums to them severally advanced by Towns and Individuals which would intirely frustrate the righteous design of the Legislature and leave the burden upon such Towns as were foremost in the cause while Towns that did not exert themselves nor procure any Soldiers but such as enlisted for the public bounties only would go free of any part of said burden. Your Memorialists taking the matter into consideration & knowing that hundreds if not thousands, of Actions might be commenced on the same footing which might occasion much uneasiness in the state and also knowing that Several persons have been busy in procuring at small expence powers to recover said sums thus deducted from the soldiers depreciation, thought fit to state the matter to your Honours, not knowing, but that you in your wisdom would think proper to interpose so far as to point out some method of relief whereby your Petitioners and others in Similar circumstances may be saved harmless, or point out such remedy as to your Honours shall appear most agreable for which Interposition of your Honours, your Petitioners at this time pray &c John Hogg in behalf of said Inhabitants [5-18] [Petition for a Magistrate, 1788.] To his Excellency the President the Honble the Council of the state of New Hampshire The petition of the subscribers freeholders and Inhabitants of the Town of Hampstead in said State in behalf of themselves & others Humbly shew That the Honble John Calfe of said Hampstead Esq' is the only person Commissioned as a Justice of the peace in said Town-that he is one of the Justices of the Court of common Please in the County of Rockingham and sustains other public offices & appointments in said state which Occasions his being absent from said Town a great part of the Time By means whereof the good People in said Town & the vicinity thereof often labour under great difficulties & embarrasments in transacting their business, for want of some other suitable person being appointed to the office of Justice of the peace in said Town-That the subscribers are fully sensible it is not their Constitutional right to nominate or appoint a person to that office yet they entertain Such an opinion of the Candor & good intention of your Excellency & Honours that it is only necessary for you to be made acquainted with the wishes and real interest of the Citizens of this state to ensure your favorable attention-The subscribers therefore take the liberty to mention as their opinion that Major Edmund Moores, of said Hampstead is a Gentleman well qualified for the office of Justice of the peace, and would give great satisfaction to the most reputable part of his acquaintance and would render service to the people in this vicinity & do honor to himself & those that should appoint him-much might be said in favor of this Gentlemans quallifications and Character in life & respecting the services he has rendered his Country in the day of tribulation but as the subscribers have already trespassed on the patience of your Excell & Hon_—___ Therefore only beg leave to request that the said Edmund Moores may be appointed & Commissioned a Justice of the peace for the County of Rockingham and as in duty Bound will Pray [5-19] [Certificate of Nails made, 1791.] State of New HampTM To his Excellency Josiah Bartlett Esq These certify that James Shepherd of Hampstead has made it to appear to us the Subscribers that he has bona fide made and caused to be made one hundred thousand of Six- penny nails in his work shop in said Town since the Certificate given in his favour the last year Hampstead June 27th 1791. Wm marshall Tho' Muzzey for Hampstead |