Ministry, who have flagrantly used, and are still using, their utmost efforts to bring the inhabitants of the very extensive Continent of America into a base and servile subjection to arbitrary power, contrary to all the most sacred ties of obligation by covenant and the well-known Constitution by which the British empire ought to be governed: Your petitioners, not to be prolix or waste time, when the whole Continent are in so disagreeable a situation, would, however, beg leave to remonstrate, in as short terms as possible, the very peculiar situation in which your petitioners have, for a series of years, been exercised, and are still struggling under. Perhaps your Honours, or, at least, some of you, are not unacquainted that, at the conclusion of the last war, the above-described premises, which your petitioners now inhabit, was deemed arid reputed to be in the Province of New-Hampshire, and, consequently, within the jurisdiction of the same; whereupon, applications were freely made to Banning Wentworth, Esq., then Governour of the Province of New-Hampshire, who, with the advice of his Council, granted, under the great seal of said Province, of your Honours' petitioners, a large number of townships, of the contents of six miles square, each. In consequence of which, a great number of your petitioners, who were men of con siderable substance, disposed of their interest in their native places, and, with their numerous families, proceeded, many of them, two hundred miles, encountering many dangers, fatigues, and great hardships, to inhabit a desolate wilderness, which is now become a well-settled frontier to three Governments. This was not all our trouble; for, soon after the commencement of those settlements, the monopolizing land-traders of New-York, being apprized that the Province of New-Hampshire had granted the said lands, and that settlements were actually making, did present a petition, as we have often heard, and verily believe, in your petitioners' names, praying that the same lands granted by New-Hampshire might be annexed to the Province of New-York, on account of its local and other circumstances, for the benefit of the inhabitants. Your petitioners, not being apprized of the intrigue in this case, were mute. Therefore, as no objection was made, why the prayer of the petition should not be granted, his Majesty was pleased, with advice of Council, on: the 24th day of July, 1764, to grant the same. Immediately after, the land-traders of New-York petitioned the then Governour of that Province for grants of land, some parts of which had been previously granted to your petitioners by the Governour and Council of New-Hampshire. The dispute then became serious. Your petitioners, then, petitioned his Majesty for relief in the premises. His Majesty was pleased to appoint a Committee, who reported to His Majesty in the premises, and His Majesty was pleased to pass an Order in the following words

"At a Court at St. Jame's, the 24th day of July, 1767.

"Present: The King's Most Excellent Majesty, Arch bishop of Canterbury, Lord Chancellor, Duke of Queensbury, Duke of Ancaster, Lord Chamberlain, Earl of Litchfield, Earl of Bristol, Earl of Shelburne, Viscount Falmouth, Viscount Barrington, Viscount Clarke, Bishop of London, Mr. Secretary Conway, Hans Stanly, Esq.

"His Majesty, taking the said Report into consideration, was pleased, with the advice of his Privy Council, to approve thereof; and doth hereby strictly charge, require, and command, that the Governour or Commander-in-chief of His Majesty's Province of New-York for the time being, do not, upon pain of His Majesty's highest displeasure, presume to make any grant, whatsoever, of any part of the lands described in the said Report, until His Majesty's further pleasure should be known concerning the same.

"WILLIAM SHARP.

"A true copy. Attest:

"GEORGE BANYAR, Deputy Sec'y."

The many intervening and unhappy disputes which have since happened between those land-traders of New-York and your petitioners, would take up too much time, under the present situation of publick affairs, to recite; as Captain Heman Allen and Dr. Jonas Fay, who we have appointed to present this to your Honours, will be furnished therewith, should they find your Honours' admittance, and such particulars be thought necessary. Let it suffice here, only to mention that the oppressions from these overgrown land-traders of New-York were so grievous, that your petitioners were again induced, at a great expense, to petition His Majesty; in consequence of which, a Committee was appointed, and made a report in favour of your petitioners, which is too prolix to be inserted here.*

We are called on, this moment, by the Committee of Safety for the County of Albany, to suppress a dangerous insurrection in Tryon County. Upwards of ninety soldiers were on their march, within twelve hours: after their receiving the news; all inhabitants of one town, inhabited by your petitioners, and all furnished with arms, ammunition, accoutrements, and provisions, &c. Again, we are alarmed by express from General Woosler, commanding at Montreal, with the disagreeable news of the unfortunate attack on Quebeck, (unfortunate, indeed, to lose so brave a commander,) requiring our immediate assistance by troops; in consequence of which, a considerable number immediately marched for Quebeck, and more are daily following their example.

Yet, while we, your petitioners, are thus earnestly engaged, we beg leave to say, we are entirely willing to do all in our, power in the general cause, under the Continental Congress, and have Seen, ever since the taking Ticonderoga, &c., in which your petitioners were principally

*Extract from a Report of the Lords of Trade to the Committee of His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Couneil, for Plantation Affairs, dated DECEMBER 3, 1772.

Upon the fullest examination into all the circumstances, which, at present, constitute the state of that district between, the rivers Hudson and Connecticut, out of which, the greatest disorders and confusion have arisen ,it seemeth to us, that the principal objects of attention in the consideration of any measures that can be suggested for restoring publick tranquillity, and quieting possessions, are,

First, Those townships, which, having been originally settled and established under grants from the Government of the Massachusetts-Bay, fell within this district, by the determination of the northern boundary of that Province, in the year 1740.

Secondly, Those grants of land, made within this district, by the Government of New-York, previous to the establishment of the townships laid out by the Governour of New-Hampshire, after the conclusion of the peace; and which land now lies within the limits of some one or other of those townships.

Thirdly, Those townships, which, having been originally laid out by the Governour of New-Hampshire, either continue in the same state, or have been confirmed by grants from New-York; and, also, those which have since originated under grants from the latter of those Colonies.

With regard to those townships which fall under the first of the above-mentioned descriptions; when we consider their nature and origin, and the numberless difficulties to which the original proprietors of them must have been subjected in the settlement of lands, exposed to the incursions of the Savages, and to every distress, which the neighborhood of the French, in time of war, could bring upon them; and, when we add to these considerations, the great reason there is to believe that the grants were made upon the ground of military services against the enemy; we do not hesitate to submit to your Lordships, our opinion, that the present Proprietors of these townships, ought, both in justice and equity, to be quieted in their possessions and, that all grants whatsoever, made by the Government of New-York, of any lands within the limits of those townships, whether the degree of improvement, under the original grant, had been more or less, are, in every light which they can be viewed, oppressive and unjust. But, as we are sensible that such subsequent grants made by the government of New-York, however unwarrantable, cannot be set aside by any authority from His Majesty, in case the grantees shall insist on their title; we submit to your Lordships, whether it might not be expedient, in order to quiet the original Proprietors in their possessions, to propose that all such persons who may claim possession of lands within the limits of such townships, under New-York grants, should, upon condition of their quitting such claim, receive a grant under the seal of New-York upon tho like terms, and free of all expenses, of an equal number of acres, in some other part of the district lying between the rivers Hudson and Connecticut; and in case where any actual settlement or improvement has been made by such claimants, that they should, in such case, receive fifty acres of waste land for every three acres they may have improved.

With regard to those grants made by the Government of New-York, which fall within the second description, and upon which any actual improvement has been made; they do appear toils to deserve the same consideration; and that the Proprietors thereof ought not to be disturbed in their possessions, whether that improvement be to a greater or lesser extent, But we beg leave to observe to your Lordships, that, in both these cases, no consideration ought to be had to any claim, where it shall appear that no regular possession has ever been taken, and no actual settlement ever, been made.

With regard to those townships, which fall within the last mentioned description, we submit to your Lordships our opinion; that, provided such townships do not include land within the limits of some antecedent grant, upon which actual improvement has, at anytime, been made, it would be advisable they should be confirmed as townships, according to the limits expressed in the grants thereof; and that all persons having possession of any shares in tire said townships, either as original grantees, or by purchase, or conveyance, and upon which shares any actual improvement or settlement has been made, ought not, in justice, to have been, or to be, in future, disturbed in the possession of' such shares; nor ought they to be bound to any other conditions, whether of quit-rent, or otherwise, than what is contained in the grant.