[P. 376.] Province of New Hampshire. At a Council and General Assembly The Honble John Usher, Esq., Lieut. Governour, Mr. Secretary Story was sent as a message to call the House of Representatives to this Board, who accordingly came; and his Honour the Lieut. Governour was pleased to make the following speech: Gentlemen: Her most gratious Majesty having sent his Excellency General Francis Nicholson, Esq., with forces for reducing of Canada and Newfoundland; It is expected that the government in these parts give their ready assistance by raising of soldjers to join in conjunction with the Queen's forces, to whom God grant success and victory, the happy fruits of which will tend to the safety, wealth and prosperity of these her Majesty's dominions and plantations, and more peculiar to this her Majesty's Goverment, that for many years have been insulted, waisted and consumed by a cruel, barbarous and perfidious Enemy. By his Excellency the Governour's precept, you are here called together for raising your quota of men, providing transports, provisions, &c., for carrying on the above Expedition. Her Majesty's service requiring his Excellency the Governour's presence at the Congress, remote from his Goverment, to consult in this great design: I am therefore come to expedite matters of so great an importance. Gentlemen, You addressed her most gratious Majesty in October last, that she would be gratiously pleased to send ships of war and forces for the reducing Quebec, &c.; Upon which address from yourselves, and others from our neighboring Goverments, General Nicholson [P. 377.] is now sent as before mentioned, whose conduct, courage and prudence, is well known to us all, in the reducing of Port Royal (now Annapolis Royal) last year, which if please God to give him success in the reducing of Can ada, it will be of great advantage to us and our posterities hereafter. I do not in the least doubt of your ready compliance with the Queen's expectations from you, and your proceedings to be such as will demonstrate you her Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, in your dispatches. Her Majesty is at great expense and charge in this affair, and hath sent clothing, &c., for our soldjers and many presents of value to our friend Indians and Mawhawks, &c. His Excellency the Governour's expectation and pleasure is, that all other business be laid aside, and only with all chearfulness to forward soe good a designe for the reducing the common enemy, pursuant to her Majesty's expectation, and that care be taken, for mony to be raised at the next sitting of this General Assembly, for payment of soldjers, transports, sailors, &c., and for all present expenses and charges upon the said Expedition. I shall contribute what I can for her Majesty's service and good of her Majesty's province, and hope you will speedily determine what is recommended to you. JOHN USHER. The following letter from his Excellency the Governour was read at this Board, the Representatives being present: Boston, 9th June, 1711. Gentlemen: I herewith send you a copy of her Majesty's Instructions to myself, referring to the Expedition to Canada, which I desire you to keep secret yet. You have alsoe enclosed an Embargoe in obedience to her Majesty's said Instructions, which you must presently publish and acquaint the fort and officers of the customs with, and see it observed. And I doe further direct you to call the Assembly, the prorogation notwithstanding, to sit on Thursday next, and acquaint them with the said Instructions and let them be read [P. 378.] in their House; and let them know that the vast force that is coming, and the whole expedition, is in answer to their repeated Addresses, and is the last effort of those Goverments, and by the favor of God will end in our security and establishment, and therefore that I desire and expect their unanimous vote. That there be a number of men not exceeding one hundred, with officers, raised for the service of the Expedition. That the Treasurer provide three months' victuals, transports, and other necessaries for the said men. That the Assembly will at their next session take care for the payment of the wages and subsistance and other charges of the said force. These votes will be cheerfully agreed by the Representatives, I doubt not; Thank them then and dismiss them to the prorogation, and express the votes to me. The whole fleet consists of ten frigates and eight battallion of foot, cannon, stores, arms and clothes for all the soldjers, which will save in a great part of our charge. Major Plaisted brings this and will acquaint you anything necessary. Let us be private in the affair as long as we can, lest it get to Quebec or Placentia. With my service to the Speaker and Gentlemen of the Assembly. I am, Gentlemen, Your very humble servant, To the Gentlemen of the Council of New Hampshire. J. DUDLEY. Pursuant to the above letter the following Instructions was read at this Board and sent down to the House of Representatives, as alsoe a copy of her Majesty's bounty relating to the said Expedition : ANNE R. [P. 379.] [SEAL.] INSTRUCTIONS for our trusty and well beloved Joseph Dudley, Esq., our Captain General and Commander in Chiefe of our provinces of the Massachusetts Bay and New Hampshire, in America, given at our Court at Saint James, the sixth day of February, 1710, in the ninth year of our Reign. Herewith wee send you a duplicate of our Instructions to our Governour of New York, relating to a resolution we have taken for the reduction of Canada and New Foundland, by which you will perceive our intentions, and to which we refer you in all things as fully as if the same were again particularly repeated in these our Instructions; And our will and pleasure is, that you doe in all respects conform your selfe thereunto, and give your aid and assistance to all the several matters and things herein contained, as if the same were in these presents repeated and particularly ordered and directed. Our will and pleasure further is, that you doe observe and perform the several matters and things here in after contained on your part to be performed and observed: 1. Wee hereby direct that at least one thousand able bodied men be raised by you in New England, and that the said men be well disciplined and exercised, and if you shall want any experienced Officers for that purpose, our Governour of New York will spare you some of the Sergeants we have ordered thither by these ships; and if there be any want of Arms and ammunition you will receive the same by the squadron we intend to send to New England, which may arrive there about the latter end of April next. 2. That you provide transports, provisions and other necessaries for the said thousand forces, to be ready at the arrival of the squadron at Piscataqua, and also several flat bottomed boats for the landing our forces at Quebec, or other place where there may be occasion to land; the said flat bottomed boats to hold sixty men each; Wee also direct that several vessels of fifty or sixty tunns each be provided good sailors, to be sent up the said river Canada with Land forces, as occasion may offer. 3.* [P. 387.] Province of New Hampshire. At a Council and General Assembly held at Portsmouth by adj', on Friday the 15th of June, 1711. Present, The Honourable John Usher, Esq., Lieut. Govern', The following vote was sent up from the House of Representatives and read at this Board: May it please your Honour, Mr. Secretary Story showed us his Excellency's letter of the 11th instant, relating to one member of this house attending him to Connecticutt, to the Congress there; and the day appointed to be at his house, being past already, and considering therein, its said if he was proceeded, they were to follow; Wee think it very unlikely, if not impossible, for any person to be of service. [The Instructions, evidently incomplete, abruptly end.-ED.] Wee have his Excellency's letter and your Honour's Speech under consideration, and shall endeavor the Queen's and Province's service therein with all expedition. June 15th, voted by the House of Representatives. 15th June, 1711. Read in Council, who consented to this vote, and the Secretary is ordered to write to his Excellency about the same, and send him a copy of this vote. Cha. Story, Secretary. The foll. letter was sent to his Excellency: In obedience to your Excell letter respecting two gentlemen to attend your Excellency at the Congress, your Excellency's letter was laid before the General Assembly, who would readily comply therewith, but the late notice rendering it impossible for any to be there timely enough, doe humbly beg your Excellency's excuse therein, and shall be ready on all occasions to forward the expedition and observe such further orders and directions from your Excellency, from time to time, in all things relating thereto. we are your Excellency's most humble servants. Per order of the Council, Cha: Story, Secretary. Adja till 2 o'clock, Post Merediem. [P. 388.] Province of New Hampshire. At a Council and General Assembly held at Portsmouth, on Friday the 15 of June, Post Merediem. Present, The Hon. John Usher, Esq., Lieut. Governour, Adja till to-morrow morning 10 of the clock. |