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greatly increase His Majestys Revenue. The difficulties which have obstructed the grants of thoselands for some years past being removed, will most effectually promote the grant of that Tract ofLand, designed as I am informed for the Society for propagating the Gospel, and of other Tractswhich the Trustees of the College and Church in this City have petitioned for.
These matters are mentioned my Lord with entire submission to your judgment and His MajG*pleasure by, My Lord,
Your Lordp’s most obedient and faithful servant,
Cad WA READER CoLDEN.
GOT. WENTWORTH TO LT. GOT. COLDEN.
Portsmouth New Hampshire : 10 Feby 1770.
Sir I have had the honor to receive your Letters of the 2' 1 and 20 th December last.
Inclosed are Depositions, which I beg Leave to present, relative to M r Wells Conduct. They aretoo plain and evident to leave a doubt of his having attempted to injure the King’s Service, and tofrustrate the Laws for preservation of pine Timber : his Subsequent assiduity to the like evil pur-pose is not less Strange than unworthy—for a Judge to receive an alienation & take possession of theEffects of persons under criminal prosecutions at the Kings Suit, while the suit was yet pending,Whereby great cost is thrown on the public, altho said Persons were legally and most indisputablyconvicted—is an Event so singular and so totally destructive of the effectual Administration of theLaws, that it can Scarcely be parralleled, altho’ the Return made by the Marshal] of the Court on theExecution now in the Court at New York particularly specifys it of Mr. Wells. It is hence unne-cessary to add any further Instance of prejudices excited against these Laws, as injuring theproperty of Landholders in general—or of “ Spightful” prosecutions—Those Calumnies, the first willbe despised when duly considered, the second, my conduct does and shall refute : but attemptingto mislead an officer, countenancing open, daring Trespassers, & aiding, in throwing the charge oftheir prosecution, on the Crown ; are so heinous in any Subject, but in a Judge so highly ruinousand dishonourable to the Service ; That I think it my Duty to the King, herein again to assure you,that every public Mischief must result, to the Department of Surveyor of Woods, if Mr. Wellscloath’d with the power and Influence of Magistracy, may still be an Example of counteracting &frustrating such useful and essential Laws, w th Impunity.
At the time that I am thus compelled to complain of the only opposition I have ever rec d inexecuting the Law's : I must beg you will permit me the greatest pleasure in doing Justice, in myacknowledgments of the just, legal, and impartial administration of the Court of vice Admirality;from whence I have experienced the most candid and disinterested conduct. Supported by Abilitiesthat are an honor to a Court , and the highest Blessing to a Country.
Towmrd the just and effectual prosecution of these Trespassers, it is my Duty herewith to transmitto your Honour & the Council, a Memorial praying that the Lands, where the Trespass was committed(being then the property of the Delinquents) may be escheated to the King; according to the ExpressTenor of that Grant by which they held—I presume that upon the Overt Act, the premises revestedin the Crown, and that all Subsequent Conveyances are futile ; therefore I doubt not but that theMemorial will be effectually & early considered.
I very sincerely join with you in regretting the unhappy state of that District under your Govern-ment as communicated tome, in your Letter of the 20 th December; and will with the greatest pleasure