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CONTROVERSY RESPECTING THE NEW HAMPSHIRE GRANTS.

LORD DARTMOUTH TO G0V R TRYON.

[Lond. Doc. XLIII. ]

Whitehall October 14* 1773.

Sir The inclosed extract of my letter of this day’s date to General Haldiband will inform you thatthe King does not think fit that His Majb’s Troops should be drawn out in aid of the Civil powerin the Colonies, unless in cases of absolute and unavoidable necessity ; and that your requisitionin consequence of the advice of your Council is not under all the circumstances of it approved by hisMajesty. I am ettc Dartmouth .

APPLICATION FOR AN ARMED FORCE

TO PROTECT THE SETTLERS OF DURHAM FROM THE BENNINGTON MOB.

To His Excellency William Try on Esquire Captain General and Governor in Chiefin and over the Province of New York and the Territories depending thereon inAmerica Chancellor and Vice Admiral of the Same.

The Petition of Benjamin Hough and many other of his Majesty’s Subjects inhabiting theCounty of Charlotte and the North Eastern District of the County of Albany .

Humbly Sheweth

hat the Petitioners are faithful Subjects of his Majesty and have always Demeaned themselvesdutifully towards Government.

That without the least Provocation on their Part, they a.re involved in the greatest Danger andDistress, from the violence of a riotous set of men distinguished by the Name of the BenningtonMob, and who in defiance of the Dictates of Justice and Compassion , daily perpetuate the mostflagrant Acts of Cruelty Outrage and oppression against all who submit to the Authority or holdunder the Title of the Government of New York. That they often Assemble in great Numbers andtravelling armed from Place to Place Spread Terror and Desolation in that Country, insulting andbeating the Persons, burning and demolishing the Houses and Destroying the property of all whoare so unhappy as to become the objects of their Fury.

That so great are their Licentiousness and Presumption , that contented with the Lands which theyare suffered to possess and the unimproved Part of the Country which they daily seize and disposeof without Molestation, they have formed the inhuman Resolution to strip every Inhabitant of hisproperty who restrained by a sense of Duty will not engage in their Excesses.

That by the most insolent Menaces, they have intimidated Several of the Magistrates appointedby this Government for that District from Qualifying on their Commissions ; and against the few whohad Resolution to disregard their Threats, they denounced Destruction. Two they seized andbrought to an ignominious Trial before Judges appointed by their own Authority, avowedly foraccepting their Ofiices when they were forbidden by the Chiefs of the Mob. Their Houses theysentenced to be burned or demolished and compelled them to renounce their Commissions and engagethat they would no longer execute the Duties of their Stations. The Coroner of the County theyalso attempted to seize, and because refusing to submit to their Tribunal he made his Escape, theysentenced his House to be burned to the Ground, which was vigorously executed in open day;and not contented with this Revenge they hunted after and pursued him, openly proclaiming that