Band 
Volume IV.
Seite
424
JPEG-Download
 

424

CONTROVERSY RESPECTING THE NEW HAMPSHIRE GRANTS.

That the greater Part of those Settlers were purchasors for very small Considerations, and notoriginal Patentees of New Hampshire .

That at that time the Degree of Cultivation even in the Tracts that had inhabitants was exceedinglyinconsiderable.

G. That since that Time this Deponent verily believes the Settlers in that Country, haveincreased Ten fold under the Claims of New Hampshire , and that they are almost altogether Pur-chasors of the New Hampshire Titles at a very small consideration, and this Deponent believesthey settled there in general, expecting they should be obliged to obtain New Grants under theProvince of New York—That by much the greater part of this Country is claimed under NewHampshire by Persons who have never attempted a Settlement thereof, That even at this Day thisDeponent does not know one Tract that is settled and improved according to the Terms expressedin the New Hampshire Letters Patent, anil that but a few of the Tracts granted by the late GovernorWentworth there, in proportion to the number of his Grants, have to this Day any Inhabitants, orbeen in any Degree Cultivated.

H. That by the Law of New Hampshire every Township chooses annually select men, and avariety of other publice officers, and are authorized to hold Town meetings, all which are on thePlan of the like Regulations in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay. That the Public Taxesare levied by Warrant from the select men.

I. That the Deponent is acquainted with the Lots granted to Lieutenant Ethrington a reducedofficer in Wethersfield and Springfield that these were Lots reserved by the late Governor Went-worth for himself as was his usual Custom, that besides these this Deponent hath never heard ofany Lands to the East of the Green Mountains being granted by the Government of New York ,that were comprized in any of M r Wentworths Patents.

K. That this Deponent hath never heard of any Ejectments, or any other action being broughtby any Person claiming under New York , against any Person Inhabiting to the Eastward of theGreen Mountains in that Country, nor of any Person there being imprisoned except for Criminaloffences, and some few in suits brought by the Inhabitants there against each other, and this Depo-nent is satisfied that no such Events could have happened without his hearing of them.

L. That this Deponent does not know or believe, that any one of the Inhabitants of that Coun-try was a Soldier in his Majestys Regular Forces at any Time during the last War, but that a fewof them served as Rangers.

M. And this Deponent further saith, that since his Majestys Determination of the Boundary asaforesaid, many of the Townships within the Province of New York to the Eastward of the GreenMountains have continued to regulate themselves* and to elect their Town Officers and levy theirTown Taxes in Conformity to the New Hampshire Patents, and the Laws of that Province, and notagreeable to the Laws of New York, which have not been the Rule of their Conduct—And this Depo-nent understands and believes from the general Conversations, that this hath been done to facilitatethe annexing, of this Country to New Hampshire .

Af That about two years ago, in a Conversation this Deponent had with the present GovernorWentworth he said to this Deponent, that he the Governor should advise the People there to regulatethemselves according to their Grants from New Hampshire , that he did not know a better Rule theyhad to go by ; that he did not doubt if they would be at any Pains in Sollicitations, but that the Landsmight be got back to New Hampshire , that they had he thought been very slack in it, and thathe would advise the People to go on settling under the New Hampshire Grants or words to thatEffect.

0. And this Deponent further saith, that for more than two years past, the People between the