[P. 215.] Anno Regni Regis Georgii Secundi Magnae Brattaniae, Franciae Hibernae Vicesimo Sexto Annoque Domino 1752.

A JOURNAL OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

At a General Assembly of his Majesty's Province of New Hampshire began and held at Portsmouth in said Province on the second Tuesday in September, being the ninteenth (1) day of said month, 1752, in the twenty.sixth year of his Majesty's Reign.

Tuesday, September 19th 1852.

[From Journal of Council and Assembly.]

Province of New Hamp1.

New Assembly.

At a Council & General Assembly, called by the Kings Precept on the second Tuesday in September being (according to Act of Parliament for altering the stile) the 19th Day of the sd month, 1752.

The Sheriff made return on the Kings Precept for Electing members of the General Assembly, viz. That he had Issued Precepts to the several Towns & Precincts named in the said Writt, and the Persons returned are as follows:

(1) This record is according to the New Style which is here for the first time used. The reformation in the calendar proposed by Pope Gregory XIII, in 1582, was adopted by Act of Parliament in Great Britain in 1751, by which Act 11 days in September, 1752, were retrenched. and the third day was reckoned the fourteenth. Hence if according to the Old Style the second Tuesday in September was the eighth day of the month, then according to the New Style, it would be the nineteenth.-ED.

Hampton Falls, Meshech Wear Esq.
Newington, Mr. Jno Knight jun.
Stratham, Cornt Thomas Wiggin jun.
Londonderry, Jno Mcmurphy Esq.
Durham, Joseph Thomas
Greenland, Clemt March, Esq.
New Market, Capt. Isrl Gillman
South hampton, Jno. Page Esq.
Chester, Lieut Silvanus 'Smith

Plastow & Hampstead, Lieut Thos Hale

Salem & Pelham, Mr. Henry Sanders

Dunstable & Merrimack, Mr. Jona Lovewell
Rumford

Thursday September ye 21st 1752.

[r. 216] The Honble Theodore Atkinson and the Honble Richard Wibird, Esqs. came into the House and said that his Excellency the Governour directed them to administer the oaths appointed to be taken instead of the oaths of Supremacy and allegiance, and accordingly administered the said oaths to the following gentlemen who afterwards subscribed the said oaths and the Declaration and then they informed the members that it was Excellency's pleasure that they should Immediately proceed to the choice of a Speaker-and present him for his Excellency's approbation. Members present and sworn. (a)

(a) Journ.Coun. & Assem. Sept. 21, 1752. Said oaths administered agrecably to Directions to Twenty-three members returned by the Sheriff as Elected in the several Parishes Towns &c. to serve in General Assembly & which were all that was returned Except Richd Waldron Esq, returned for the town of Hampton, & Lieut. Silvanus Smith for Chester.

Clem March Esq.
Capt. Israel Gilman
John Page, Esq
Lieut. Thos. Hale
Mr. Henry Sanders

Mr. Jonathan Lovell

for Greenland

for Newmarket

for Southampton

for Plastow & Hampstead for Salem & Pelham

for Dunstable & Merrimack

Soon after the afores members were sworn Mr. Secretary by his Excellency's order adjourned the General Assembly till three of the clock in the afternoon.

Post Meridiem. Met according to adjournm'nt A motion bcing made by some of the members whether the House would immediately proceed to the choice of a Speaker-It was thought necessary that a copy of his Excellency's Commission should be layd before the House. Whereupon Meshech Wear and John Macmurphy Esqs. were desired to wait upon the Secretary and get a [P. 218.] copy of said Commission, who return'd and said he had it not in his office but as soon as it could be had the House should have it.

About sunset the Secretary came into the House and adjourn'd the General Assembly by his Excellency's order (as he said) till tomorrow morning Ten of the clock.

Fryday, Sept. 22d 1752.

Met according to adjournment, And the copy of the Governours Commission being brought into the House it was Read, and then some of the members making a motion that a message be sent to his Excellency to enquire of him if he had any instruction or Instructions relating to the choosing a Speaker, and Meshech Wear and John Macmurphy Esqs. were desired to & accordingly waited upon his Excellency to make the above enquiry, who delivered the message & soon afterwards Mr. Secretary came into the House and said his Excellency's answer was that he did not know that he had any Instruction or Instructions relating to the choice of a Speaker, but if they referr'd to what Places should send mem-bers the General Assembly had had already what related to that, or words to that purpose.

[P. 219.] And then the House proceeded to bring in their votes for a Speaker, which being Examined it appeard that the Honorable Meshech Weare Esq. was chosen Speaker of the House by a majority of Votes, and was accordingly conducted to the chair. And then Matthew Livermore, Thos. Millet Esqs. Mr. Henry Sherburne jun. Peter Gilman & Thomas Bell Esqs. were appointed a Committee to wait on his Excellency and Inform him that the House had made choice of Meshech Wear Esq. to be

their Speaker, which message they deliver'd and returned to the House & soon after Mr. Secretary, the Honorable Richard Wibird & John Downing Esqs. came into the House and said that his Excellency approved of the choice of Meshech Wear Esq. for their Speaker and that his Excellency ordered the House of Representatives to give their attendance at the Council Chamber. The House Immediately attended, and his Excellency the Governor read the following Speech to them.

Gentlemen of the Council & of the Assembly

Notwithstanding the unhappy situation of the public affairs, I have been prevented by the Providence of God from meeting you in General Assem[P. 220.] bly untill this time, and it will be the greatest difficulty now, to give my attendance on the present sessions.

I shall therefore recommend the Restoration of a happy union between the Respective Branches of the Legislature, and a due observance of the several Powers each branch is invested with, which must prevent all unnecessary controversys & Issue in the peace and prosperity of the Province.

It will give me great satisfaction to meet you at a time of such difficulty, disposed sincerely and with one voice, to extricate the Government out of its present and growing distresses, and unless a speedy Remedy is found and applied, the Posture of your public concerns will not only bring the Government into the deepest disgrace, but the consequence may be of a more dangerous nature.

Gentlemen of the Assembly

Upon Examining into the public funds and enquiring into the Just demands on the Government, you will find it necessary to supply the Treasury with a sum equal to such demands; in like manner, to defray the growing charges of the Government, & such other contingencies as are not already provided for, among other things I must recommend to your [P. 221] consideration the condition of my house, and making an adequate grant for the arrearages due on my salary, and an alteration in the time of payment.

The State of his Majesty's Fort William & Mary, where the Royal Bounty has placed so many valuable stores, demands your Immediate care, and the Honor and safety of the Government requires it.

It should be your early care to have a Recorder chosen, and the Excise put under proper Regulations, and it being your province more Immediately to make the Provision I have recommended, I shall not doubt of your discharging that part of duty with the utmost readiness and the strictest justice.

The several sums his Majesty has been graciously pleased to Repay towards defraying the Expenses of the Louisbourg and Canada Expeditions will amount to about £30,000 Str. clear of all deductions & other charges. You will therefore look into the State of these Expeditions and in support of the public faith make provision for all things that were engaged to be executed in the Act for emitting the sum of £60,000 in order to the cailing in and sinking said Emission, & I shall direct the Treasurer to prepare his accounts for your Inspection & Government herein.

I have his Majesty's Additional Instruction given at Whitehall April [P. 222.] 16th 1752, with other matters and things to lay before you which shall be communicated by messages at proper opportunitys in the course of the session, & as they relate to his Majesty's service and the good of the Government they must merit your attention.

Gentlemen of the Council & of the Assembly

The Acts for altering the sitting of the Courts of Appeal & the Superior Court of Judicature are not to be found in the Records of the Secretary's office whereby many inconveniences may arise, before a copy of these Acts duly authenticated can be obtained from the Plantation office, I must therefore recommend the speedy passing of an Act for establishing the sitting of said Courts & every other matter relative thereto, that may be expedient.

I Recommend to you unanimity and Dispatch in all your public Business and whatever is for his Majesty's service & the prosperity of the Government, you may be assured of my hearty concurrence with you in. B. WENTWORTH.

Council Chamber in Portsmouth,

September the 22d 1752.

Copied from the original speech.

Mr. Speaker asked for a copy thereof and the original was sent by Mr. Secretary. Mr. Speaker and the House being returned to their own Room they made choice of a clerk, and Matthew Liver[P. 223.] more was chosen Clerk of the House, and was sworn to the faithful discharge of that office by Meshech Weare Esq.

Voted, That the High Sheriff be directed to lay all his Precepts for choosing Assembly men & the Returns thereon before this House & Mr. Israel Gilman is directed to inform the Sheriff thereof. Voted That the Secretary be desired to lay the Kings writ for calling this Assembly and the Sheriff's Return thereon before this House and Coll. Peter Gilman is directed to Inform him thereof.

Mr. Sheriff. Packer brought in to the House his Precepts and the Returns thereon and delivered them to the Speaker. Coll. Gilman Brought in the King's writ for calling the Assembly and the Sheriff's Return thereon and laid it on the Table, and then the King's writ & ye Return thereon and the Sheriff's Precepts &. the Returns thereon were read.

And then the Speaker adjourn'd till nine of the clock to-morrowmorning.

Saturday Sept. 23a 1752.

Met according to adjournment. And after some debate Mr. Knight was sent to the Secretary to get the copy of the charter of Southampton, Plastow, Hampstead, Salem, Pelham, Dunstable, & Merrimack, soon after which Mr. Secretary brought into the House the Council Book wherein the sd Charters were recorded and the same were read in the House out of the sd Council Book, and soon after Mr. Secretary came into the House and adjourn'd the General Assembly till Monday next eleven of the clock in the forenoon.