of unreasonable delays in making application for relief, It is therefore Resolved, That no application to the General Court for the payment of wages, drawn by forged orders as aforesaid, shall, after the first day of December next, be admitted. And the Secretary is hereby directed to publish this resolve, in the Independent Chronicle, Massachusetts Gazette, the Newbury Port, Falmouth, Worcester, Springfield and Plymouth newspapers, for the space of six weeks. February 15, 1786. Chapter 17. Chap. 17 RESOLVE ON THE PETITION OF JAMES ATHEARN, ESQ; OF TIS Chap. 18 BURY, EMPOWERING HIM TO TAKE POSSESSION OF THE On the petition of James Athearn, Esq; of Tisbury, in the county of Dukes County and Commonwealth aforesaid, setting forth, that in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and seventy, on the request of Joash Panue, Indian man, on the Gay Head, in the county aforesaid, to build him a dwelling house after the English manner; and it appearing to this Court that the said Athearn did build a small house for the said Indian, amounting to Twenty-seven pounds, seven shillings and eight pence, for which he has received only Eight pounds: Therefore Resolved, That the prayer of said petition be granted, and the said James Athearn is hereby authorized and empowered, to take possession of said house, and convert it to his own use, or improve said house where it now standeth, with one fourth part of one acre of land adjoining said house. February 15, 1786. Chapter 18. RESOLVE ON THE PETITION OF SETH STONE, DIRECTING THE On the petition of Seth Stone, one of the Collectors of taxes for the town of Medford in the year 1780, praying that a sum of the old continental bills, now in his hands, which he received for taxes within the time limited for receiving the same, may be received into the treasury of this Commonwealth; for reasons mentioned in said petition. Resolved, That the Treasurer, be, and he is, hereby directed to receive of the said Seth Stone, the said bills, Chapter 19. RESOLVE ON THE PETITION OF HANNAH BURNAM, EMPOWER- Chap. 19 ING HER TO SELL PART OF THE TWO LOTS OF LAND MEN- On the petition of Hannah Burnam, praying that she may be empowered to sell certain lands in Bridgetown; for reasons set forth in said petition: Resolved, That Hannah Burnam, administratrix on the estate of Reuben Burnam, late of a place called Bridgetown, in the county of Cumberland, her late husband deceased, be, and she hereby is, empowered to sell part of two lots of land in said Bridgetown, which the said Reuben in his life time, bought of Richard Peabody, and to make and execute a deed or deeds of sale, and conveyance of the same, she observing the rules and directions. of the law, for the sale of real estate by executors and administrators, and first giving bonds to the Judge of Probate for the county of Cumberland, that the proceeds of the sale shall be disposed of according to law. Chapter 20. February 20, 1786. RESOLVE FOR DISCHARGING GUARDS AT THE MAGAZINE IN Chap. 20 BOSTON. Whereas it appears to this Court that it is unnecessary to continue the guards now doing duty at the Magazine in Boston: Resolved, That the Commissary General, be, and he hereby is, directed to discharge the said guards from any further service at the Magazine aforesaid. Chapter 21. February 20, 1786. RESOLVE ON THE PETITION OF SAMUEL FISK, AUTHORIZING Chap. 21 THE JUDGE OF PROBATE IN MIDDLESEX COUNTY, TO APPOINT On the petition of Samuel Fisk, as administrator on the estate of William Smith, deceased, praying that the Judge of Probate, for the county of Middlesex, may be empowered to grant a further time to the Commissioners appointed to receive and examine the claims of the creditors of the estate of Braddyl Smith, Esq; late of Weston, deceased, represented insolvent, that thereby he may have an opportunity to exhibit a claim against said Braddyl's estate, as administrator on the estate of said William Smith: Resolved, That the prayer of said petition be granted, and that the Judge of Probate of Wills, for the county of Middlesex, be, and he is, hereby authorized and empowered, on application, to appoint Commissioners to examine the claim of the said Samuel Fisk, as administrator on the estate of the said William Smith, for the term of one month from the time of their appointment for the purpose aforesaid, that he may have an opportunity to exhibit his claim within the term mentioned; any law to the contrary notwithstanding. February 20, 1786. Chapter 22. Chap. 22 RESOLVE GRANTING A TAX OF THREE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY FOUR POUNDS THREe shillingS AND FIVE PENCE, TO BE Whereas it appears, from an estimate of the Justices of the Court of General Sessions of the Peace for the county of Barnstable, that the sum of Three hundred eighty-four pounds, three shillings and five pence will be necessary for defraying the charges of the said county, for one year next ensuing the first Tuesday of December last: Resolved, That there be, and hereby is, granted a tax of Three hundred eighty-four pounds, three shillings and five pence, to be apportioned and assessed on the polls and estates within the said county of Barnstable, and collected, paid and applied for the use of said county, agreeably to the laws of this Commonwealth. Chapter 23. February 20, 1786. Chap. 23 RESOLVE ON THE REPRESENTATION OF JOHN LUCAS, ESQ; IN BEHALF OF EDWARD BATES, A SOLDIER, ENTITLING HIM TO On the representation of John Lucas, Commissary of Pensioners, in behalf of Edward Bates, a soldier in the seventh Massachusetts regiment; Resolved, That the said Edward Bates, be, and he hereby is, entitled to an annual pension, equal to three-fourth parts of the pay of a soldier, to commence on the first day of January, 1780, and continue till the further order of this Court or of Congress. February 20, 1786. Chapter 24. RESOLVE ON THE PETITION OF SETH WARREN OF LANES- Chap. 24 BOROUGH. Whereas Seth Warren, of Lanesborough, in the county of Berkshire, hath petitioned for a new trial in an action brought against him by one David Ensign, in favour of a pretended Henry Nichols, at the Court of Common Pleas, held in the county of Hampshire, in May, 1785, for reasons set forth in the petition, and the adverse party was notified to shew cause the second Wednesday of the present sitting of the General Court, why the prayer of the petition should not be granted; but although duly notified, did not appear: Therefore Resolved, That the petition of said Seth Warren be so far granted, as that he shall be, and hereby is, empowered to enter his appeal in the action aforesaid, at the Supreme Judicial Court, to be holden at Northampton, in and for the county of Hampshire, on the fourth Tuesday of April next; and the same Court are hereby authorized and empowered to proceed thereon in the same manner as they might by law have done, if the said Seth Warren had entered his appeal in due season; any law, usage or custom to the contrary notwithstanding; and that execution in the mean time be stayed. February 20, 1786. Chapter 25. RESOLVE ON THE PETITION OF THE PARISHIONERS OF THE Chap. 25 FIRST PARISH IN BEVERLY, GRANTING ONE HUNDRED On the petition of the parishioners of the First Parish in Beverly, praying for an allowance for their expences in settling as their pastor, the Rev. Mr. McKein, in the place of the Rev. Joseph Willard, who was chosen and appointed President of Harvard College: Resolved, That the sum of One hundred pounds, be, and hereby is, granted to the said parish; the said sum to be allowed and paid out of the public treasury, to the order Chapter 26. Chap. 26 MESSAGE FROM HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR, BY THE SECRETARY. Gentlemen of the Senate, and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives, The extravagant importation of foreign manufactures, since the conclusion of the war, has greatly injured our own, particularly those in wool. The quantity of woolens imported, their superior fabric, and the cheapness of them, have not only in a great measure put a stop to our looms, and to the several other modes of manufacturing our wool, but have thereby been a principal cause of the decrease of sheep in this Commonwealth. This decrease, as we are now necessitated to manufacture for ourselves, is universally felt and regretted, and it has become necessary to apply some remedy to this evil, which for several years has been a growing one. You will therefore allow me, Gentlemen, to recommend to you, to apply some effectual remedy accordingly, and at the same time to project some method, by which we may obtain models of several machines, or the machines themselves, lately invented for manufacturing woolen cloth, by the use of which there would be a saving of much labour and expence, and the cloth would be manufactured in a superior manner. COUNCIL CHAMBER, February 21, 1786. Chapter 27. JAMES BOWDOIN. Chap. 27 MESSAGE FROM HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR, BY THE SECRETARY. Gentlemen of the Senate, and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives, As the encouragement of every useful manufacture in the Commonwealth has now become necessary, it is my duty to mention to you a very important one, important to us, as a free and independent people, that our existence as such may depend on the establishment of SO |