|
| Sept. 3. |
469. R. Shelton to Governor Craven. The public bus'ness
having call'd some of the Lords Proprietors out of the town,
their Lordships commanded me to inform you that they have
directed warrants for the sale of land to be issued out of the
Secretary's office etc. (v. Aug. 21). They further herewith send
you the proclamation for publishing the peace concluded between
H.M. and the French King, upon the receipt whereof you are
forthwith to cause the same to be publish'd in the usual places of
your Colony under their Lordships' government, and that you
give notice to all privateers and commanders of ships within your
Province to ceas hostilities with the French King's subjects,
according to the tenor of the said proclamation. Encloses letter
from the Board of Trade (? Aug. 27) about sending prisoners
with evidence from the Plantations. Refers to warrant for Mr.
Trott's leave of absence. (Aug. 22.) As to the letter their
Lordships receiv'd from you and the Council, relating to the
boundaries between South and North Carolina, their Lordships
took that business into their consideration, but thought it a
matter of such consequence, that it requir'd to be more maturely
consider'd of, and therefore adjourn'd it for that time. I shall
take care to lay it before their Lordships at their next meeting,
and shall endeavor all I can to have a determination of that
matter in your favor. Signed, R. Shelton. [C.O. 5, 290. pp.
71–73.] |
Sept. 8.
Windsor Castle. |
470. Lord Bolingbroke to Lt. Governor Moody. I hardly
expect that this letter should come to your hands while in England, but will not however neglect to acknowledge yours of Aug.
20th. Tho' the order for the surrender of Placentia be directed
to the Marquis de Vaudreuil, who as Governor of Canada is the
proper officer, yet we never made the least doubt but that notice
hereof had been sent from France in time, to prevent any dispute.
A memorial received a few days since from the Duke D'Aumont,
gives indeed some reason to apprehend the contrary. He
pretends that the French at Placentia cannot remove till next
spring, nor the place be by consequence till then evacuated.
Should this be so, the difficultys you foresaw would arise, and
H.M. must in this case depend on your discretion to conduct
things, and to manage the officers of the French King, so, as to fall
on some expedient wch. may secure the intents of the Treaty, and
answer H.M. expectations. I have heard that there are several
habitations, and a pretty large Colony, round the fortress of
Placentia. If so, it naturally offers itself, since the sovereignty
is the Queen's, that the military power be yeilded to you, that you
take immediate possession of the forts with the Queen's troops,
and that those of France continue, till the season shall permit
them to leave the Island, in the adjacent dwellings. During this
interval of time, you will I am sure, by a strict discipline and by
the best regulations you can make, prevent all manner of disorder,
or surprize. I have nothing more to add, but my sincere wishes
that you may have a prosperous and successful voyage, etc.
Signed, Bolingbroke. [C.O. 324, 33. pp. 5 and 2 (a).] |
Sept. 10.
New York. |
471. Governor Hunter to Mr. Popple. I shall not trouble
their Lordps. with much by this doubtfull conveyance (ye Drake)
only begg that you'l inform them, that I believe there was an
omission in ye pardon of ye negroes, for besides ye three which
H.M. has been pleased to pardon, there were other two vizt.
Tom a negroe belonging to Rip Van Dam Esq., and Coffee a negroe
belonging to Mr. Walton, who were recommended by ye Bench
itselfe as proper objects of mercey there being noe manner of
convinceing evidence against them and nothing but ye blind fury
of a people much provoked cold have condemned them, they lye
still in prison. In mine of June 23, 1712, I gave their Lordps. an
account of their case and ye inducements for mercey, soe I humbly
intreat their Lordps. would please to recommend them to it
There is likewise a negroe woman who was indeed privy to
ye conspiracey but pleading her belley was repreived. She is
since delivered but in a wofull condition ever since, and I think
has suffered more than death by her long imprisonment. If their
Lordps. think fitt to include her, I should be pleased, for there
has beene much blood shed already on that account, I'm afraid
too much, and the people are now easey. The Five Nations are
hardly to be disswaded from sheltring ye Tuscarora Indians,
which would imbroil us all. I have sent some men of note with
them to disswade them, but I am not able to furnish out of my
own pockett the presents they expect upon all such occasions, and
there is noe fond for it here. By a ship (the Hunter's prize formerly
Sweepstakes) bound for England in ten days, I shall write more
fully to their Lordps. Our Assembly here meet ye first of October
to as little purpose I believe as formerly; that in ye Jerseys ye
2nd of November, which will doe their duties I make noe doubt
notwithstanding ye impotent efforts of an arrogant party. P.S.
I have reced. their Lordps.' letter of May 8th by ye way of
Virginia. The peace was accordingly published here with ye usual
solemnities on ye 18th of August last. Signed, Ro. Hunter.
Endorsed, Recd. Jan. 15, 1713/14, Read June 21st, 1715. Addressed.
1¾ pp. Enclosed, |
|
471. i. An Ordinance for regulating and establishing fees.
New York, Oct. 19, 1710. Signed by the Governor in
Council, R. Hunter. Endorsed as preceding. Printed.
20 pp. [C.O. 5, 1050. Nos. 81, 81 i.: and (without
enclosure) 5, 1123. pp. 274, 275.] |
Sept. 10.
New York. |
472. Governor Hunter to the Earl of Dartmouth. Encloses
following. Signed, Ro. Hunter. Holograph. 1 p. Enclosed, |
|
472. i. Duplicate of No. 471. [C.O. 5, 1085. Nos. 15, 15 i.] |
Sept. 14.
Virginia. |
473. Lt. Governor Spotswood to the Council of Trade and
Plantations. It is chiefly to accompany the inclosed representation from the body of the Council of this Colony that I do myself
the honour of writing to your Lordps. at present; the declining
circumstances of this country for some years past occasioned by
the low value of their tobacco, would have prevailed both with
the Council and Assembly to make representations of this nature
long ago, had they not been diverted from it by perswading them to
wait till the war should be ended; but the late advices they recieved
from their correspondents that the merchants in this trade had
(with H.M. leave) applyed to the Parliament for a moderation of
the high dutys, have prompted the Council to the resolution no
longer to delay setting forth to your Lordps. the miserys to which
the country is reduced; and as I hope there is nothing in this
representation undutifull to H.M. or disagreable to your Lordps.,
so I hope you will not judge it either impertinent or improper
for me, if (being so earnestly solicited as your Lordps. will observe
by the copy of the inclosed Address) I recommend this matter to
your Lordps'. favour, as well in regard I am perfectly convinced
of the truth of many of the matters of fact represented, as in
consideration of the prejudice which will arise to H.M. service
and the trade of Great Brittain, if the people of this country
compelled by necessity should abandon the tobacco trade and
apply themselves to other manufactures, etc. Finding that
several persons have kept possession of lands by virtue of entrys
and surveys without takeing out patents or paying the quit-rents,
and that by the practice of this country such entrys are construed
to give a title so as to exclude any other person from taking up
the same land; and observing also that divers tracts of land fallen
to H.M. by right of escheat are possessed without taking out patents
or paying the composition due for the same; I have with the
advice of the Council issued a proclamation requiring both those
who hold new land, and those who possess escheated land, to sue
out grants within a short time limited, or otherwise that their
lands shall be disposed of to others; this has had so good an
effect that above 100 patents for new taken up land have been
bespoke within this month since the proclamation was issued;
and people who have possessed escheated lands for many years,
without a title have also applyed themselves for grants. In the
same proclamation, I have enjoined all persons desiring grants of
escheated lands to survey the same before they obtain patents:
against which regulation divers applications have been made to
me under pretence of the charge of surveying; but considering
the true reason of this objection doth not proceed from the charge
(which is inconsiderable) but from the restraint on fraudulent
practices, I shall not give way thereto. For by the former
method of passing away escheated lands, the grants were not made
according to the true quantity, but according to what the
petitioner thought fitt to suggest, and people finding how easily
they could defraud the Crown with a double advantage to
themselves, both in the payment of the composition and of the
quit-rents, have made use of that licence with great freedom, and
thereby obtained much larger quantitys of land than are expressed
in their grants, which cannot now be remedyed because tho the
true quantity hath been concealed, the grant is made for all that
the former Patentee held within his ancient bounds. Having on
former occasions, and more particularly in my last letter represented to your Lordps. the case of those people who entered for
and surveyed lands before the death of Governor Nott, with my
humble opinion that grants of such lands be allowed, according to
the Acts of Assembly then in force, I shall only beg leave to explain
myself that I did not intend thereby the conditions of seating
and planting mentioned in the Act passed in 1666, but that
in 1705, except only where the entrys were made before the
passing of this last Act, which are not above two or three; your
Lordps. will be pleased to consider that however the Governor
might be mistaken in passing that last law, yet by the constitution
of this Government it remained a law to the subject, untill it was
formally repealed and how much clamour it will occasion among
the people, if that to which they concieve they have a right by a
positive law should be denyed them: besides the difficulty in
which the Governor must be involved (if any case under this
circumstance should come before the General Court) in giving his
judgment between an Instruction and a law, wherein tho his own
reason may incline him for the former, yet every member having
an equal vote, their oaths (being to judge according to law)
will carry the judgment for the latter. Since the South Carolina
Indians dispersed the Tuscaruros, these have settled themselves
near our frontiers: and it is believed are joined by some of the
Northern Nations, from whence frequent incursions have been
made and divers murders lately committed which hath exceedingly alarmed the people, and induced sundry of the owners of
remote plantations to withdraw their familys and stocks: for
preventing of which, besides that I formerly mentioned to your
Lordps., I have ordered out divers partys in search of those
Indians, but without any effect, occasioned partly by the
unwillingness of the people to march far from their homes, but
principally from the inexperience and want of conduct in the
officers, of which there is not one in this whole Colony that ever
hath been in any imployment or action in an army, so that I am
obliged now to undertake an expedition in person, and intend
to take with me 200 voluntiers out of the Militia of the countys
most apprehensive of the danger (for those that are far enough
from it are little inclined to adventure themselves) and with this
force and our tributary Indians either endeavour to bring those
Indians to a secure peace or to drive them further from our
frontiers. I hope the encouragements of 12d. a day pay together
with provisions and ammunition and the conveniency of tents.
which I have already provided, and with the concurrence of the
Council resolved to defray out of the £1000 given by the Assembly
for the relief of North Carolina, will obtain the small number
of men I desire, especially when joined with the advantage of
taking prisoners, in case I'm obliged to declare war, which the
Council have unanimously advised me to do, if the Indians refuse
to submit to a peace. The death of several of the Council and
the absence of others having reduced the number under nine,
and some even of those infirm and unable to attend I have been
obliged to make use of the power granted me by H.M. Instructions
to fill up the vacancy by calling to that Board Dr. William Cocke,
etc. The difficulty of getting together on a sudden emergency a
sufficient number of the present Council, because of the remoteness
of their dwellings, and the little choice there is of persons fitt to
be added makes me the more earnest for the admission of Col.
Bassett in his former rank at that Board, which hath hitherto
hindered his being sworne. Here are many instances where the
like favour hath been granted to others, some of which I mentioned
May 8, 1712, and shall now only add one more to witt the case of
Coll. Richard Lee, which differs only from this, that he quitted
at the Revolution upon a scruple of taking the oaths, and Col.
Bassett declined because he was apprehensive his health would
not permitt him to attend that service: yet when the former had
overcome his scruples he was admitted again in his first station.
And since Col. Bassett has always shewed himself well affected
to the Government, and is a gentleman of as fair a character and
of as plentifull an estate as any in the country I hope your Lordps.
will judge him worthy of the same favour as others have had,
especially when his entering again into publick business, is
occasioned more through my importunity in regard of the want
of persons of his character to serve H.M., than any ambition of
his own, tho I cannot press him to submitt to an inferior rank than
what he hath formerly held. In my letter of Dec. 15, 1710, I
gave your Lordps. a large account of the inconveniencys, which
the people here labour under by the unequal division of the
countys and parishes, and the difficulty of remedying the same by
the Assemblys, with the doubt I had whether that matter were
proper for their cognizance tho it is a power they have constantly
exercised, upon which I should be glad to receive some direction,
for as these inconveniencys are still increasing, and that I perceive
the people will be contented from what authority soever their
redress comes, so I am far from seeking to increase the power
of the Governor, unless it shall be thought more agreeable to
H.M. service that the distribution of the people into countys and
parishes be made by him rather than by Act of Assembly. And
tho by perusing the Records of this country I am the more
perswaded that many things have heretofore been permitted to
be treated in the Assemblys, which would not have been allowed
of in England, and that this regulation of countys and parishes
may be made with less partiality by the Governor, yet I am
unwilling to introduce an innovation from the ancient practice
without H.M. particular directions or your Lordps'. approbation.
Signed, A. Spotswood. Endorsed, Recd. Read Jan. 7th, 17 13/14;.
4¾ pp. Enclosed, |
|
473. i. Address of the Council of Virginia to Lt. Governor
Spotswood, Sept. 11, 1713. Pray the Governor to
support their following Representation. Signed, Robert
Carter, John Custis, James Blair, Hen. Duke, John
Smith, John Lewis, W. Byrd, Will. Fitzhugh, Wm.
Cocke. Endorsed, Recd. Jan. 8th, 17 13/14;. 1¾ pp. |
|
473. ii. Council of Virginia to the Council of Trade and
Plantations, Sept. 11, 1713. Many of the disadvantages
which the tobacco trade hath for some years laboured
under have been sufficiently made out of late by the
merchants in England, but it is more properly our part
to represent the unhappy effects upon this Colony.
It is hardly possible to imagine a more miserable spectacle than the poorer sort of inhabitants, whose labour
has not for several years afforded them cloathing to
shelter them from the violent colds as well as heats to
which this climate is subject. The importation of
British manufactures and other European commoditys
by the merchants, whereby in former times the planters
were plentifully supplyed with cloathing, etc. in exchange
for their tobacco is now in a manner wholly left off,
and the small supplys which some merchants yet
adventure sold at such prodigious rates as they please to
put thereon, whereby many familys formerly decently
cloathed and their houses well furnished are now
reduced to rags and all the visible marks of poverty.
The credit of the merchants and more considerable
planters, which seven years ago was as flourishing as
any other of H.M. plantations is now sunk to an incredible
degree: those who either by their own industry had
acquired, or from the more prosperous fortune of their
ancestors received considerable estates, have instead of
improving thereof in the way of the tobacco trade, by
a continued decay of that commodity, so far involved
themselves in debt, that they have now little left but
the melancholy prospect of their ruined posterity. A
large stock of negroes heretofore accounted the chief
riches of this Colony, has only contributed to the more
speedy undoing of their owners, for he who has made
the best crops of tobacco has but the more effectually
diminished his estate, while that commodity has served
only to bring him in debt besides the entire loss of his
principal adventure: so that the bills of exchange of
many considerable planters and traders which some years
ago were as of good credit as any in H.M. plantations
will not now pass for the smallest sums, etc. It will
not appear so strange that many have left off planting
as that there should be any yet so dareing as to prosecute
a trade which brings in nothing but ruine. Had these
calamitys been occasioned only by the accidents of
war, or the variableness of trade in markets, we should
silently wait for better times. But there are many
reasons that induce us to believe that the calamitys
attending this trade will not wear off without great
assistance from the Government. The dutys are now
so high that the people of this country who commonly
import the tobacco at their own risque into Great
Brittain, have neither money enough of their own
nor credit to take up on interest so much as is necessary
for defraying so large an expence, and the greatest
part of the merchants to whom we are obliged to entrust
the sale of our tobaccos are likewise unable to comply
with those high duties, their necessitys for money to
discharge their bonds at the Custom house forcing them
to part with our tobacco at such low rates as barely
pay the dutys, freights, their own commission and other
charges, and very often the consigner is brought in
debt even for a great part of these, etc. The new
invented method of makeing the ships storehouses and
charging 2s. a hhd. for every month the tobacco is on
board is owing to the same want of money to discharge
the dutys, and a heavy burden upon our trade, etc.
Many frauds in running tobacco without paying the
dutys, to the ruine of fair traders, is likewise owing to
the high dutys, etc. Since the whole dutys were transferred to the importer, the merchants charge commission
on the full sales, etc. Hence many planters have taken
to the manufactures of cotton, flax and hemp. Pray
that the duties may be moderated and charged on the
consumptioner (or retailer) and not on the importer,
and that all frauds be discouraged, and for that end all
damaged tobacco which pays no duty to the Queen,
nor yields any profite to the importer be destroyed,
so that it may not be shipped off, to recover a drawback
and then be relanded by sinister means, etc. Signed,
Robert Carter, Jno. Custis, James Blair, Hen. Duke,
Wm. Cocke, John Smith, John Lewis, Will Fitzhugh.
Endorsed, Recd. Read Jan. 7th, 17 13/14;. 5 pp. [C.O.
5, 1316. Nos. 100, 100 i., ii.: and (without enclosures)
5, 1364. pp. 5–14.] |
| Sept. 15. |
474. Memorandum of a new Commission for Trade and
Plantations. [C.O. 389, 37. p. 63.] |
| Sept. 16. |
475. Rev. Saml. Beresford to the Council of Trade and Plantations. The great goodnes and indulgence wherewith your
Lordships have receiv'd my former addresses in our late Governor's
time upon my suspension from H.M. Council, give me ye confidence
again of approaching to your Lordships on ye same occasion. Mr.
Lowther has suspended me from ye Council, giving for reason
thereof my marrying a gentleman here without his lycence, etc.
I acknowledg I ought to have had ye parent's consent for his
son's marriage; but I had ye young lady's consent, wch. is most
material; and besides there's nothing more common here, than
for old, covetous fathers to seem to deny their approbation,
for no other cause, but that they may avoid being oblig'd to
provide for them, and this was very likely to be ye case here; and
I was made very sure yt. his opposition would continue no longer,
than till they were married; besides I knew how ye father had
encouraged ye conversation between his son and ye gentlewoman,
and had married his only daughter to her brother but a little
before. So yt. indeed there's no more in it, but having been bred
a Presbyterian he's willing to shew a spite. The Governour has
instigated him to petition against me to give him an opportunity
of removing one from the Council, who would never give in to his
measures, yt. so he might ye better carry on his designs by gaining
a majority of his own creatures in ye Council; I humbly conceive,
I have good reason to say this; because, there were two bills
(one to keep inviolate ye freedom of elections, ye other appointing
an agent, and private committee of correspondence) wch. the
Assembly had pass'd to serve their turns, wch. ye majority of ye
Council opposed, and therefore he was forc't, ye better to carry
his point to call a Council, to meet within five hours after ye date
of ye summons, (when some of ye members live at 12 and 14 miles
distance) where were present none but his own 5 creatures, who
pass'd ye same. The gentleman I married is above 23 years
of age, and has been trader (on his own account) and been in
employments out of his father's jurisdiction for some years;
and on many reasons wch. may not be proper to offer to your
Lordships, solicited me to marry him, which I did, purely to prevent
ye inconveniencys he lay under, and not for any advantage to
myself, etc. I was forc't to trouble you, since the Governour has
inflicted a secular punishment upon me for an ecclesiastical offence,
if any there be. Signed, Saml. Beresford. Endorsed, Recd. Nov.
11, Read Jan. 21, 17 13/14;. 3pp. [C.O. 28, 14. No. 9; and
29, 13. pp. 80–84.] |
Sept. 21.
Treary. Chambers. |
476. Mr. Lowndes to Mr. Popple. Encloses following. The
Lord High Treasurer requests that the Council of Trade and
Plantations will consider not only this petition but the whole
matter relating to that part of St. Christophers which was lately
in the hands of the French and report what they conceive to be
most for H.M. advantage in the managing and setling the revenues
which may arise from the same. Signed, Wm. Lowndes.
Endorsed, Recd. 21st Sept. 1713, Read 23rd March, 17 13/14;. 1 p.
Enclosed, |
|
476. i. Petition of Capt. William Stephenson, Commander of
H.M.S. Jolly, to the Lord High Treasurer. Prays for
H.M. confirmation of a grant of a plantation made by
Governor Douglass to petitioner, in the French part of
St. Christophers. 1 p. |
|
476. ii. Governor Douglas' grant of land referred to in preceding.
"for three years with an equitable title to H.M. bounty
for the same in case the whole Island should remaine
unto H.M. upon the next Treaty of Peace," etc. May
22, 1713. Signed, Walter Douglas. 1 p. [C.O. 152,
10. Nos. 13, 13 i., ii.] |
| [Sept. 24.] |
477. Petition of Thomas Bernard to the Council of Trade and
Plantations. Petitioner, who has a considerable estate in that
Island, prays to be appointed to the Council of Jamaica, Charles
Long and Edmund Edlyn having been many years absent
without H.M. licence etc. Endorsed, Recd. 24th, Read 25th
Sept., 1713. 2 pp. [C.O. 137, 10. No. 27; and 138, 14. p. 40.] |
Sept. 24.
Whitehall. |
478. Lord Bolingbroke to the Council of Trade and Plantations. Encloses following for their report, "that I may lay ye
same before H.M. on Sunday next." Signed, Bolingbroke.
Endorsed, Recd. 24th, Read 25th Sept. 1713. 1 p. Enclosed, |
|
478. i. Petition of Jeremy Dummer, Agent for the Massachusetts Bay and Connecticut, to the Queen. Several of
the ships of the said Governments have been captured
by Spanish privateers after the suspension of arms took
place, as they were lading salt at Tertuda, on a pretence
that that Island do's belong to the Crown of Spain.
Your Majesty's subjects have ever believ'd it to be free
and common as the ocean, it having never been inhabited
nor is it capable of it, inasmuch as the whole Island
is either rock or barren sand, and has no fresh water
on it. Your Majesty's American subjects on the Continent have in all times past supply'd themselves there
with very near all the salt they expend in saving their
provisions, and especially in curing their fish, which is
the principal branch of their returns to Great Britain
for the woollen and other manufactures they purchase
here. If they are debarr'd fetching salt from thence,
they will not only be oblig'd to pay exorbitant rates for
it at the Dutch Plantation of Curaco, but the very being
of their fishery will entirely depend on the favour of the
Dutch. They are the only sufferers, no other nation,
not even the Spaniards themselves, ever fetch salt
from thence. Prays H.M. to secure for her subjects
free access to Tertuda. Signed, Jer. Dummer. 1 p.
[C.O. 5, 866. Nos. 6, 6 i.; and 5, 913. pp. 451–453.] |
Sept. 25.
Bermuda. |
479. Capt. Bennett to the Council of Trade and Plantations.
Having considered what may attend me when succeeded by Capt.
Pulleyne, doe pray leave to acquaint and address your Lordps.,
that this Governmt. is on several accounts indebted to me in a
considerable summe, the particulars of which I cannot yet
ascertain, having not received my brother Sir John Bennett's
charge of postage of letters and packets, and other disbursemts.
(which he placed to my acct.) from 1702, since which time he has
transacted for the country (by their repeated request) in their
cause and disputes between Mr. Jones and them: and understanding said Jones is comeing with my successor, and concludeing
he will insinuate all he can to prevent justice being done me,
doe therefore most humbly entreat your Lordps.' insinuations
on Capt. Pulleyne, that he as soon as may be call the Assembly
together and sincerely and heartily recommend to them that
measures may be taken to answer my just demands (the Treasury
being low) and if in case Jones does not come with the Governor,
I still beg the same favour of your Lordps., least the Assembly
(to save mony) will not enter into consideration of anything but
what is earnestly proposed by him, etc. Signed, Ben. Bennett.
Endorsed, Recd. Jan. 5, Read Aug. 30, 1714. 1¾ pp. [C.O. 37,
9. No. 31; and 38, 7. pp. 195–197.] |
Sept. 25.
Whitehall. |
480. Lord Bolingbroke to Lt. Governor Moody. The Duke
D'Aumont having some time ago delivered a memorial, setting
forth that the new settlemt. wch. the French are making upon
Cap Breton, would not be in a condition to receive the troops
wch. are now in Placentia, and therefore that the place could
not be evacuated, till spring, I dispatched a letter to Ireland,
etc. (v. Sept. 8), and writ at the same time to Mr. Prior to
represent to the Court of France, that the Treaty positively
stipulates the delivery of the place within seven months from
the exchange of the ratifications, that they might if they had
pleased, at the same time as they sent a fregat to take measures
for establishing a new colony at Cap Breton have dispatched such
orders as were necessary to be given for punctually fulfilling this
article of the Treaty, and what inconveniencys you and the troops
under your command must be exposed to, if at this season of the
year the Governor should refuse you admittance. In answer
to this, I have received a letter from Mr. Prior, accompanyed
with the most Xtian King's orders to Monsr. Costebelle, for the
immediate surrender of Placentia, all which are herewith transmitted to you. You will observe, Sr., that the King's orders
are positive, and unconditional, and you will therefore take
possession of the forts and places that are now in the hands of
the French, in as full and ample manner as is intended by the
Treaty. But his most Xtian Majesty having desired, that the
Queen would be pleased to permit his troops, and other subjects,
inhabiting on Newfoundland, to continue there this winter, H.M.
considering that it may be impracticable, so late in the year, to
remove them to Canada, or any new settlement. wch. the French
may intend to make, has thought fit to consent hereunto. You are
therefore to dispose them in those places where they will give least
annoyance to the Queen's troops and to use your best endeavours
to prevent, by a strict discipline, all manner of disorder, insinuating
if you find it proper, to them, that their being permitted to
stay on the Island, is only a courtesy, and the effect of H.M.
goodness. As there are no doubt several persons who have been
employed by the French in their fishing, and on other services,
and who may be usefull hereafter to the Brittish subjects inhabiting on Newfoundland, I beleive I need not give you a hint of
taking all proper methods to induce them to continue there, tho'
it is certain we have no right to detain them, if they resolve to
leave. Signed, Bolingbroke. Enclosed, |
|
480. i. Matthew Prior to Lord Bolingbroke. Fontainebleau,
Sept. 29/18, 1713. In obedience to your Lops.' commands
of the 8th inst. O.S. I laid before Monsr. de Torcy the
contents of the Duke D'Aumont's Memoriall, accompanied by another from myself, of wch. I send your Lop.
a copy; both wch. Monsr. Torey having represented
to the King, I am enabled to send your Lop. this order
from the King and instruction from Monsr. Pontchartrain
to the Governor of Placentia for the surrender of that
fort and place. The order your Lop. sees is pure and
unconditional, as the Article requires, and as we
would have it. The French troops at Placentia cannot
be transported to Canada or Cap Breton before the
next spring, there being no place yet ready in the latter
of these Colonies to receive them. The King therefore
desires of the Queen that which by your Lops.' letter
I perceive will not be refused, that the troops and
other inhabitants may stay this ensuing winter at
Placentia. But as the order is unconditional (as I
just now observed) and the Article executed, so this
permission on H.M. side is only to be looked upon as a
favour and the effect of her goodness. Whether the
troops remaining still there proceeds from a neglect in
Monsr. Pontchartrain, or that Monsr. Desmarck (wch.
now he obliquely, insinuates) has not enabled him to
remove them, it avails not to determine. The Duke
D'Aumont's memorial came out of his quiver, as you
suspect, and whence we shall never find any arrow
pointed with justice or wing'd with honour. Even these
three last days while this affair has been before the King,
Monsr. Torcy and myself have received twenty cross
conundrums and odd propositions from him upon that
subject. To prevent all misunderstanding therefore
that may happen from any former order he may have
sent, Monsr. Torcy desires (supposing that H.M. thinks
it reasonable that the troops should stay) that by the
same conveyance by wch. your Lop. sends this order to
Col. Moody (wch. I beleive you will do without any loss
of time) you will likewise add H.M. pleasure as to the
troops and inhabitants, which together with their own
King's order will serve as a rule to those who command
there; and likewise that you will send back a messenger
hither, wth. a copy of such H.M. direction, that this
Court may likewise forward it to their people at
Placentia by the way that they may judge most proper.
As to the latter part of the Duke D'Aumont's Memorial
that the French should fish this next year in all the
harbours in the Island, Monsr. Torey was really ashamed
of the proposition, and I can assure you the King in
Councill never gave such order to the Duke D'Aumont
(however this must not be said). This too was a
refinement of Monsr. Pontchartrain, who I believe has
done himself no good in his master's favour by these
wise and honourable strokes of ministry. I have
answered the first part of the Duke D'Aumont's
Memorial, by telling Monsr. de Torcy that your Lop.
has writ to the Governor of Dunkirk to take care that
what may be found there belonging to his most Xtian
Majty. shall be consigned to his officers; the King is
informed thereof, and satisfied as to that point. I
write this letter without cypher, Barton bringing the
packet. Signed, M. Prior. Copy. |
|
480. ii. Matthew Prior to Monsr. de Torcy. Fontainebleau,
Sept. 26th, (N.S.) 1713. The Queen has commanded
me to convey to the King, that it is with the utmost
surprise that Her Majesty finds that the least difficulty
is being made with regard to the cession of the town and
fort of Placentia, and without entering into a particular
discussion of what is formally stipulated on this subject
in Article 13 of the Treaty of Peace, that the Most
Christian King will cause to be delivered to those who
shall be there for that purpose within the space of seven
months from the day of the exchange of ratifications
of the Treaty and sooner if it can be done the town and
fort of Placentia and other places which the French
might still possess in the said Island; and without
repeating the explanations, which have already been
agreed upon between their Majesties' ministers, the
Queen orders me to acquaint the King that the officers
and troops destined to take possession of the place
were to sail from Ireland Aug. 20th last, and ought
therefore to arrive in Newfoundland before the beginning
of the winter. Whereupon Her Majesty is entirely
convinced that the King will please to dispatch to the
Commander of the fort or other His officers at Placentia
without any loss of time the necessary orders for the
evacuation of the fort and the surrender of the place.
This will prevent any inconvenience which might otherwise arise in the execution of the Queen's commands,
and She will receive it as a fresh indication of the good
faith with which the King has acted during the whole
course of this negotiation, and of the friendship which
the Queen designs to cultivate and ever to increase with
His Majesty. Signed, Matt. Prior. French. Copy. |
|
480. iii. M. de Pontchartrain to M. de Costebelle, Governor
of Placentia. Fontainebleau, Sept. 29 (N.S.), 1713.
Encloses the French King's order to surrender immediately the fort and town of Placentia and other places
in Newfoundland held by the French according to the
13th Article of the Treaty of Peace, etc. Signed, Pontchartrain. French. Copy. |
|
480. iv. Order of the King of France that M. de Costebelle,
surrender Placentia as preceding. Fontainebleau, Sept.
29 (N.S.) 1713. Signed, Louis. Directed to Mr. Phelypeaux, Governor of Canada. French. Copy. |
|
480. v. Copy of the 13th Article of the Treaty of Utrecht,
April 11, 1713. French. [C.O. 324, 33. pp. 4a, 5a–12.] |
