Journal, February 1768
Tuesday, February 2nd. Present:—Lord Clare, Mr. Jenyns,
Mr. Dyson, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Robinson.
Newfoundland.
fo. 31.
Read a report of his Majesty's Attorney and Solicitor General
upon the question stated to them in Mr. Pownall's letter of the
17th of April last, touching the validity of certain claims of
property and possession on the Coast of Labrador within the
government of Newfoundland.
Their lordships took the said report into consideration, together
with the Earl of Shelburne's references on this subject, mentioned
in the minutes of the 7th of April, 1767, and after some conversation with Governor Pallisser thereupon, it was ordered, that the
draught of a representation to his Majesty should be prepared.
The following draughts of representations to his Majesty, and
reports to the Lords of the Committee of Council, having been
prepared pursuant to order, were approved, and it was ordered,
that they should be transcribed, vizt.,
fo. 32.
North Carolina.
Representation to his Majesty upon the letter from the Governor
of North Carolina, relative to a Court of Exchequer in that colony,
referred by letter of the Earl of Shelburne, mentioned in the
minutes of the 17th of December last.
Quebec, New York.
Representation to his Majesty upon disputes which have
arisen in respect to the property of lands on that part of Lake
Champlain, now within the Province of New York. referred by
the Earl of Shelburne's letter, mentioned in the minutes of the
17th of December last.
Massachusetts.
fo. 33.
Representation to his Majesty on several letters from the
Governor of Massachusets Bay, respecting an attempt of the
Assembly to appoint an agent for the province, independent of
the Governor and Council, referred by Lord Shelburne's letter,
mentioned in the minutes of the 17th of December last.
East Florida.
Report to the Lords of the Committee of Council upon the
petition of Messrs. Robert Johnston and Thomas Ridout Johnston,
praying for a grant of lands in East Florida.
Thursday, February 4th. Present:—Lord Clare, Mr. Jenyns,
Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Robinson.
Plantations General, Nova Scotia, Georgia, East Florida.
fo. 34.
West florida, Senegambia.
Lord Clare having informed the Board, that the House of
Commons had voted the several sums proposed in the estimates
for the service of the colonies of Nova Scotia, Georgia, East
Florida and West Florida in America, and also for the Colony of
Senegambia in Africa, and for general surveys in America, it was
ordered, that copies of the estimates for the service of America,
should be transmitted to the Secretary to the Earl of Hillsborough,
and a copy of that for the service of Senegambia to the Secretary
to the Earl of Shelburne.
New York.
Their lordships then took into consideration two Acts passed
in the New York in 1767, together with Sir Mathew Lamb's report
thereupon, and the said Acts and report were read.
fo. 35.
It appearing that the Act for making provision for quartering
his Majesty's troops had had its full force and effect, and that it
was not liable to the objection stated to the Act passed for the
same service in the year 1766, which had been repealed by his
Majesty, their lordships did not think it necessary to make any
report thereupon.
New York, Massachusetts.
It appearing by the minutes of Council in New York, that the
Act for appointing Commissioners to establish a line of jurisdiction
between New York and Massachusets Bay, had been recommended
by the Governor, in consequence of some directions from the Earl
of Shelburne, a letter to the Earl of Hillsborough was signed,
desiring to be informed what were the orders sent to the Governor
on this occasion.
Barbados, Massachusetts, Bermuda.
Their lordships then took into consideration several laws
passed in Barbados, Massachusets Bay and Bermuda in 1767,
together with Sir Mathew Lamb's reports thereupon.
fo. 36.
Massachusetts.
Ordered, that the draught of a representation to his Majesty
be prepared, proposing the repeal of an Act passed in Massachusets
Bay in 1767, intitled an Act to empower Abigail Conqueret of
Lancaster in the County of Worcester, wife of Lewis Conqueret,
mariner, to commence and prosecute to final judgment and execution,
certain action or actions against Francis Morris and Thomas Legget,
of Leominster in the said county; and for subjecting the said Abigail
Conqueret to the action or actions of the said Francis Morris and
Thomas Legget, as though she was sole and unmarried.
fo. 37.
The following representations to his Majesty and report to the
Lords of the Committee of Council, having been transcribed
pursuant to order were signed; as were also letters to the Earl
of Hillsborough, inclosing the said representations, and desiring
him to lay them before his Majesty.
North Carolina.
Representation to his Majesty upon the letter from the
Governor of North Carolina, relative to a Court of Exchequer in
that colony.
Quebec, New York.
Representation to his Majesty upon disputes, which have
arisen in respect to the property of lands on that part of Lake
Champlain, now within the Province of New York.
Massachusetts.
Representation to his Majesty on several letters from the
Governor of Massachusets Bay, respecting an attempt of the
Assembly to appoint an agent for the province independent of
the Governor and Council.
fo. 38.
East Florida.
Report to the Lords of the Committee of Council upon the
petition of Messrs. Robert and Thomas Ridout Johnston, praying
for a grant of lands in East Florida.
Virginia, Jamaica.
Their lordships then took into consideration the draughts of
representation to his Majesty on four private Acts and one
publick Act of Virginia, and upon Donaldson's Act of Jamaica,
and the said draughts having been approved, it was ordered,
that they should be transcribed.
fo. 39.
Friday, February 5th. Present:—Lord Clare, Mr. Jenyns,
Mr. Dyson, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Robinson.
The following representations to his Majesty having been
transcribed pursuant to order, were signed, vizt.,
Virginia.
Representation to his Majesty on four private Acts passed in
Virginia, proposing that two of the said Acts may be disallowed,
and two others confirmed.
Representation to his Majesty, proposing the confirmation of
an Act of Virginia relative to the City of Williamsburgh.
fo. 40.
Jamaica.
Representation to his Majesty, proposing the confirmation of an
Act of Jamaica for naturalizing John Donaldson, a free mulatto.
Grenada.
Read a letter from the Earl of Hillsborough to the Board, dated
February 2nd, 1768, referring to their lordships, for their report,
several papers respecting the suspension of Thomas Atwood,
esquire, from the execution of his office of Assistant Judge of the
Supreme Court in the Island of Dominica.
Read a letter from the Earl of Hillsborough to the Board, dated
February 2nd, 1768, referring to their lordships, for their report,
a printed collection of the laws passed in the Island of Grenada
since the establishment of legislature there, and an ordinance for
establishing an Assembly in Dominica.
fo. 41.
Ordered, that the last mentioned letter be taken into consideration on Tuesday next.
Tuesday, February 9th. Present:—Lord Clare, Mr. Jenyns,
Mr. Eliot, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Robinson.
Grenada.
fo. 42.
Their lordships took into consideration the letter of reference
from the Earl of Hillsborough, mentioned in the minutes of Friday
last, and the ordinance of the Governor and General Council of
the Grenada Islands, for establishing an Assembly in the Island
of Dominica, having been read, it was ordered, that the draught
of a representation to his Majesty thereupon should be prepared.
New York, Massachusetts.
Read a letter from the Earl of Hillsborough to the Board, dated
February 5th, 1768, transmitting,
Extract of a letter from the Earl of Shelburne to Sir Henry
Moore, dated December 11th, 1766, containing directions
relative to the line of jurisdiction between the colonies of
New York and Massachusets Bay.
fo. 43.
Thursday, February 11th. Present:—Lord Clare, Mr. Jenyns,
Mr. Eliot, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Dyson, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr.
Robinson.
Plantations General.
The draught of a representation to his Majesty, upon the several
important matters contained in the Earl of Shelburne's letter of
reference of the 5th of October, 1767, having been prepared pursuant to order, was read and considered.
fo. 44.
Friday, February 12th. Present:—Lord Clare, Mr. Jenyns,
Mr. Roberts, Mr. Dyson, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Robinson.
Grenada.
Their lordships took into consideration the laws of Grenada,
transmitted with the Earl of Hillsborough's letter of the 2nd
instant, and made some progress therein.
fo. 45.
Tuesday, February 16th. Present:—Lord Clare, Mr. Jenyns,
Mr. Roberts, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Robinson.
Grenada.
Their lordships made a further progress in the consideration
of the laws passed by the first General Assembly of the Grenada
Islands, and it was ordered, that the draught of a representation
to his Majesty should be prepared, proposing that several of the
said laws relating to the Militia and Martial Law, the appointment of a Treasurer, and the disposition of publick money, the
establishment of a Court of Chancery, and the election of representatives, should be repealed, as having been passed without
clauses suspending their execution until his Majesty's pleasure
could be known, and being liable also to many other objections.
fo. 46.
Thursday, February 18th. Present:— Lord Clare, Mr. Roberts,
Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Robinson.
Plantations General.
Read a letter from the Earl of Hillsborough, one of his Majesty's
Principal Secretaries of State, dated the 17th instant, signifying
his Majesty's pleasure, that this Board should prepare and lay
before the House of Commons, copies of such accounts of manufactures set up in the colonies, and the publick encouragement
given thereto, as have been transmitted to their lordships, pursuant to the Duke of Richmond's letter of the 11th of July, 1766.
Copies of the said accounts having been prepared, together with
a list thereof, Lord Clare was desired to present them to the
House of Commons, pursuant to his Majesty's command.
Massachusetts.
fo. 47.
The draught of a representation to his Majesty, proposing the
disallowance of a private Act passed in Massachusets Bay in
June last, having been prepared pursuant to order, was approved,
transcribed and signed.
Newfoundland, Trade, Georgia.
The draughts of two representations to his Majesty, upon claims
to certain tracts of land and exclusive fishery on the Coast of
Labrador, and upon the papers relative to the establishment by
the King of Denmark of an exclusive company at Altona, for
carrying on the herring fishery, having been prepared pursuant to
order were approved and ordered to be transcribed; as was also
the draught of a report to the Lords of the Committee of Council
upon Mr. Levy's petition.
Grenada, Dominica.
The Secretary laid before the Board a petition of Monsieur
Nicolas Crocquet Billigny to Governor Melvill, with his consent
thereunto annexed, praying license to assign a lease of certain
lands in Dominica to his children, and that his non-residence
may be dispensed with.
fo. 48.
Their lordships, upon consideration of the case, ordered the
Secretary to certify their consent, as far as their authority extends.
Friday, February 20th. (fn. 1) Present:— Lord Clare, Mr. Jenyns.
Mr. Roberts, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Robinson.
Grenada, Dominica.
fo. 49.
Their lordships took into consideration the complaints exhibited against Mr. Atwood, the Assistant Judge of the Island of
Dominica, referred by Lord Hillsborough's letter of the 2nd
instant; and Mr. Atwood attending, their lordships had some
discourse with him upon the subject matter thereof; whereupon
it was ordered, that the several memorials and depositions
thereunto annexed, containing the particular charges against
Mr. Atwood, should be delivered to him, for his answer thereto.
Tuesday, February 23rd. Present:—Lord Clare, Mr. Jenyns,
Mr. Roberts, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Robinson.
Grenada.
fo. 50.
The draught of a representation to his Majesty upon an
ordinance of the Governor and General Council of the Southward
Carribbee Islands, for establishing an Assembly in Dominica,
having been prepared pursuant to order, was approved, and it
was ordered, that it should be transcribed.
Nova Scotia.
Read a memorial of several merchants of London trading to
Nova Scotia, complaining of two laws passed in that colony in
August, 1767, for altering the duties of impost and excise on spirits.
Ordered, that the said memorial, together with the laws complained of, be taken into consideration on Tuesday next, and
that the memorialists have notice to attend.
Jamaica.
Read a memorial of the agent for Jamaica, praying the Board
to take into consideration and report upon an Act passed there in
1758, for dividing the island into counties.
fo. 51.
Plantations General.
Read a letter from the Earl of Hillsborough, dated February
20th, 1768, transmitting, for the Board's report, the copy of a
petition of Henry Bostwick, on behalf of himself and others,
praying for a grant of all mines discovered or to be discovered in
the country adjacent to Lake Superior.
Thursday, February 25th. Present:—Lord Clare, Mr. Dyson,
Mr. Roberts, Mr. Robinson.
Plantations General.
fo. 52.
Read a letter from Mr. Boddington, Clerk to the Board of
Ordnance, to Mr. Pownall, signifying the request of the principal
officers of the Ordnance to be informed of the allowances made to
the Surveyors General of the Northern and Southern Districts of
America.
Ordered, that the Secretary do acquaint Mr. Boddington with
the allowances made to those officers, as contained in the estimates
laid before Parliament.
Grenada, Dominica, Quebec, Georgia.
The draught of a representation to his Majesty upon the
ordinance for establishing an Assembly in Dominica, having
been transcribed pursuant to order, was signed; as was also a
representation to his Majesty accompanying a draught, in the
usual form, of a Commission for the Governor of Quebec; and a
report to the Lords of the Committee of Council on Mr. Levi's
petition, relating to his claim touching the islands on the Coast
of Georgia.
fo. 53.
Quebec, Newfoundland, Trade, Denmark.
The draughts of representations to his Majesty on the claims
to certain tracts of land and fishing posts on the Coast of
Labrador, and on the letter from Mr. Woodford, relative to the
herring fishery, were further considered.
Friday, February 26th. Present:—Lord Clare, Mr. Jenyns,
Mr. Roberts, Mr. Robinson.
Nova Scotia, St. John's.
fo. 54.
Read an Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council for
Plantation Affairs, on the 9th of October last, referring to this
Board, for their consideration and report, a petition of the officers
of the 78th Regiment, praying that their lots in the Island of St.
John may be exempted from quit rent for ten years, or that they
may have an additional tract granted them on the continental
part of Nova Scotia.
Their lordships took the said order of reference and petition
into consideration, and it was ordered, that the draught of a
report thereupon should be prepared.