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yet appropriate for divine Worship , I have directed a Church to be built at my sole expence in theCentre of the Township, and shall set apart a large Farm as a Glebe for the Incumbent; Thesemeasures I am persuaded will contribute greatly to the peopleing of that part of the Province, formany wealthy Persons, inhabitants of this Town, on seeing what I have done and still propose todo, have associated themselves together in sufficient Numbers to be entitled to Townships there, andhave taken all the necessary steps to carry their Plans into execution, many People being actuallyemployed in Surveying and dividing into different Lotts the Lands they have taken up. I havelikewise had a. Township laid out and vested in Trustees for the use of the Ministers of the Gospelaccording to the Communion of the Church of England, and another for the use of the College here,that the opportunity might not be lost of improving the morals as well as fortunes of the New Settlersin so distant a part of the Province.
This was our Situation when I had the honor of receiving your Lordships Letter signifying HisMajesty’s Commands that no more Grants should be made in that part of the Province, till HisPleasure should be made known, and although I apprehend that the Lands claimed under the NewHampshire charters were the only Lands intended to be included in this injunction, yet as I wouldnot presume to put any construction on the orders I have received which might appear forced, Ihave given notice that no Grants of any Lands whatsoever will be made on the Connecticut River till His Maty’s Pleasure is known as this order will strike a damp on some of our settlers and moreespecially on the last mentioned adventurers who having kept clear of all the New Hampshire Grants,looked upon themselves to be perfectly Safe in their Proceedings. It would be of signal service to theProvince to receive His Majesty’s comm ds before that ardor which they have hitherto shewed incarrying on settlements is abated. I mention this as I think it a Public Concern and I hope bywhat I have already said of the share I have had in these Transactions that it will appear to yourLordship that my private emolument has not been attended to in the Plan I have pursued but thatI have acted entirely from motives of Public Concern. No advantage could possibly arise to mebut by keeping the Lands in my own hands the profits of which even in this case would be distantand precarious, The Expence immediate & certain ; By granting them in the manner already men-tioned I flatter myself that I shall have the satisfaction oi setting on foot manufactures highlybeneficial both to this Province and Great Britain and my utmost ambition in carrying this Projectinto execution was to have His Majesty’s approbation of my conduct in the attempt
Having thus set down at large the steps which have been taken in regard to the Lands on theConnecticut River I shall now proceed to answer with as much brevity as possible the substanceof Mr. Robinson’s Petition who says that it is in behalf of himself and One Thousand Grantees.
That there was such a number of Grantees I will not take upon me absolutely to contradictbecause I can not do it with such certainty as could carry manifest proof with it, but by what Ihave already mentioned with regard to the settling this Part of the Country I am persuaded thatthere is not one half that number on the Lauds and no longer ago than this morning I was confirm 11in my opinion by two persons who came to make application for Lands in that Quarter, and I havelikewise been credibly informed that there are in Robinson’s Petition the names of a great number ofthe Inhabitants of this Town and the adjacent Provinces, who never were upon the Lands or everintended it, and had only purchased shares to dispose of them again. A few days before the Peti-tionrs left this Place I had some imperfect information of their Intention & endeavoured to get asight of the Petition and the Names subscribed to it but could not succeed in either as it was keptso very secret I thought it my duty to give what information I could of some Persons concerned init to the Lords Comm” for Trade and Plantations and wrote a Letter to the Board of Trade dated
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