several Bills being read the Lieut. Govern' assented to, (viz.): An act for the payment of the care of wounded soldiers. An act for administering the oaths, &c. An act for settling a Ferrie, &c. An act for continuance of the Law about the Post, &c. [P. XXX.] Whereas there was a Bill offered for raising of six hundred pounds for payment of debts due to the soldiers & subsistance and for keeping out of thirty men three months to range the frontiers, The Lieut. Governor sent for the assembly and desired to know the meaning of the six hundred pound Bill; whether if he should press 40 or 50 men besides the 30, whether they should be paid out of the 600 lb. Answered, noe. The Lieut. Govern' declared they having sent formerly to Boston for 50 men, and declared it to be of absolute necessity, and now to tie up but to thirty men, judged it an infringing of the King's prerogative, & did acquaint them that unless they would put the 30 men & grant the Bill in general for his Maj'ty's fort and payment of the King's soldiers in service, he should not accept of the Bill. The Assembly desired the Bill to consider of it, wch was delivered to them. After some time the Assembly and both Houses met. The Lieut. Govern' demanded if they had considered of the Bill. The speaker of the House answered they had, and could not alter it. Upon which the Lieut. Govern' declared they were going about to deprive him of the power of the King's prerogative, wch he was invested with, & therefore did dissolve them; & in his Maj'ty's name they were dissolved. At a General Assembly begun and held at Present, The Lieut. Govern", Nath Fryar & Shadrach Walton, Esqrs., appointed by Ded. Potest to present the Association to be signed and to administer the oaths appointed to the members of the Assembly, made their return; That the persons following signed the Test and Association & took the oaths appointed: Jno. Plaisted, Samuel Levitt, Jno. Redman, David Larans,* Jno. Hall, Tho. Chesley, Rich Jose, Theodore Atkinson, John Tuck, Samuel Dow & John Hatch. The Lieut. Govern' having recommended to the Assembly the choice of a speaker, presented John Plaisted. Both Houses being met, the Lieut. Govern' made this speech: You Gentlemen of the Council and Representatives,—now assembled,- Having in the last Assembly laid before them the absolute necessity of raising money for the defense & support of the Hon' of his Maj'ty's Governm1, notwithstanding all which there is nothing done; Had I not out of my own estate advanced money for provisions for the out garrisons, from March to August last, the soldiers there being posted must have needs been drawn off and the Frontier Garrisons [P. XXXI.] deserted: You are not unacquainted how the enemy lately designed an attack both by sea & land, and had not God strangely diverted them, they might have been masters of this place; which God forbid! and am informed they design to be here early the next Spring. Upon my now coming into this Province, I sent for all the Militia officers to know the state of the place & what was proper to be done; they signified the country was indebted five hundred pound, & that it was of absolute necessity provision was made for subsis tance and pay of the soldiers for time to come, and some effectual care might be taken that provisions may lye ready, and the charge of the towns, for a march of three or four days upon the attack of * Lawrence? the enemy; and for effecting the same, humbly offered that an Assembly might be called; wch Assembly you are. There is likewise absolute necessity raising money for securing of his Maj'sty's Fort and Stores, considering how much your safety depends thereupon. In case the Frontier places be deserted & his Majesty's Fort lost by reason of not due care taken for security & defense of the same, the fault will sorely lye at your doors. Doe acquaint you what money you shall rayse, shall goe to these ends for wch raysed, and shall be willing the same shall be security for those that shall advance money for the use and ends afores. I offer to yr consideration that you would propose wages for suport & defense of this governm', that I may by this conveyance lay the same before his sacred Maj'ty. As to the King's prerogative, which by his Royal Commission Iam invested with, I shall in nowise part with; and on the other hand, his Maj'ty's subjects' Liberty and Property neither will I infringe. Desiring you would take into serious consideration & be expeditious in dispatching what's laid before you, wherein the happiness and benefit of his Majesty's subjects in this government doe so much depend. Vote from the Assembly to desire that the Honble the L. Govern' would send out Warrants to make choice of two men in the room of Mr. Pickring & Mr. Clements. The Lieut. Govern' declared to the house, they should send for them to their house; for their refusal ought to be before the house. Answered, they had no officer to send. The Lieut. Govern' told them if they desired it, he would apoint a Messenger, and that he would strengthen them in any thing they desired for the Liberty and Property of the Subject. [P. XXXII.] A vote for raising six hundred pounds past both houses. Mr. Elliott and Hen. Green, Esqrs., apointed comitty to draw up the said Bill. Rich Jose and Sam" Levitt apointed to joyn with them. Prorogued to sit at Hampton, Tuesday, the 22a inst. The Lt Governor sent for the other House, & again recommended to them his last speech, & desired their speedy dispatch. A particular acctt of what debts are already due from the Province recommended to the Assembly for their consideration (viz.): To 40 Soldiers in Garrisons, Pay & subsistance from $ £520 00 00 061 11 00 To Capt. Walton for himself and soldiers from 10th 091 15 00 To due to sundries whose accts are ready past . 022 00 00 To John Battson for mending the house at the Fort 005 00 00 To a flag for the King's Fort 016 00 00 To due to balance the Treasurer's accott 021 6 4 £737 12 4 A vote was sent up for continuing the act of Impost & Excise, and a vote to give unto his Maj'ty the sum of six hundred pounds for payment of soldiers and subsistance for time past, & to come. The Assembly sent up an answer to the L Govern's speech (viz.), That they was very sensible of the necessity of raising money for pay & subsistance of the soldiers, but such was their poverty & scarcity of corn, and noe prospect of a better crop this year, that they could raise no more at present than £600:00:00, as see our file. A vote was sent to the Assembly that an humble address might [P. XXXIII.] be made to his most Sacred Majesty to send a General Govern' over these his Governments, and to annex us as in his princely Wisdom as he shall see meet. The Lieut. Govern' desired Robt. Elliott and Joseph Smith, Esqrs., to carry the following accotts to the Assembly, and lay before them the necessity of raising money for those ends, or else the men must be drawn off and the Frontiers deserted, or that provisions must be impresst (viz.): For a place for the King's stores For 6 1-2 mo for the soldiers' subsistance & pay £55 00 00 . 520 00 00 91 15 00 12 00 00 £700 15 00 |