Whereas it appears to this court, that by an agreement made between a Committee of the General Court and John Thomas, Esq; and Hannah, his wife, of Kingston, and John Thomas, of Plymouth, all in the late province of Massachusetts Bay, bearing date the 23d of November, 1768, that the offer, benefit and privileges of keeping and tending the light house on an island called the Gurnet, at the entrance of Plymouth harbour, is reserved to the said John, Hannah and John, owners of the said island, and their heirs and assigns:

Resolved, That the owner or owners of the said island, and their heirs and assigns, shall on or before the first day of January, every year, certify to the Governor for the time being, in writing, the name of the person to whose immediate care the said light house shall be committed, who shall be subject to such rules relating to the keeping and tending the said light house, as the Governor, with the advice of the Council, shall from time to time order and appoint:

Resolved, That the Selectmen of the town of Plymouth, or their successors in office, be, and they are, hereby empowered to inspect the said light house, and see that the same be well tended and kept, and make report thereof to the Governor, once at least in every year.

Resolved, That the resolve of the General Court, passed the 2d of July, 1783, so far as it relates to keeping and tending the light house on the said island, be, and it hereby is, repealed. March 11, 1786.

Chapter 95.

Chap. 95 RESOLVE EXEMPTING JAMES LOCKE AND OTHERS, PROPRI

ETORS OF THE TOWNSHIP OF TOWNSEND, FROM PAYING
A CERTAIN SUM MENTIONED IN A RESOLVE OF THE 17TH
OF MARCH, 1785, AND EXTENDING THE TIME FOR MAKING
IMPROVEMENTS, AND GRANTING AND CONFIRMING SAID
TOWNSHIP TO CERTAIN PROPRIETORS.

Whereas by a resolve of the General Court, of the 17th of March, 1785, a Township, called No. 3, surveyed by Rufus Putnam, Esq; A. D. 1784, was granted to certain Proprietors of Townsend, on certain conditions, to be performed by the said Proprietors, as mentioned in the said resolve; and as it appears to this Court improper to insist on a compliance with all the conditions mentioned in the said resolve: Therefore

Resolved, That the said Proprietors, be, and they are, hereby excused and exempted from paying the sum of Eight hundred and seventy pounds, mentioned in the said resolve, and that the time for settling and making improvements in said Township No. 3, shall be, and hereby is, extended to the expiration of six years from the 17th of March instant, and the time for transmitting evidence by each Proprietor to the Secretary's office, of his being a Proprietor, is hereby extended to the 17th day of March, 1787.

And it is further Resolved, That the said Township, No. 3, be, and it is, hereby granted and confirmed to such of the Proprietors of said Township of Townsend, and other persons interested therein, as have not heretofore received compensation for the lands lost, by running the New Hampshire line, and to their heirs and assigns, with the reservations, and on the provisos and conditions expressed in the said resolve of the 17th of March last, except so far as relates to the payment of the money from which they are exempted, and to the time of settling and transmitting evidence to the Secretary, which is extended by this resolve. March 11, 1786.

Chapter 96.

MESSAGE FROM HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR, BY THE Chap. 96

SECRETARY.

Gentlemen of the Senate, and Gentlemen of the House

of Representatives,

I have just received an act of Congress of the 3d instant, on the subject of their resolutions of the 30th of April, 1784. In those resolutions it was recommended to the Legislatures of the several States, to vest Congress for fifteen years with power to prohibit goods, wares or merchandize from being imported into, or exported from any of the States, in vessels belonging to or navigated by the subjects of any power with whom these States shall not have formed treaties of commerce, and to prohibit the subjects of any foreign State, unless authorized by treaty, from importing into the United States any goods, wares or merchandize, which are not the produce or manufacture of the dominions of the sovereign whose subjects they are. By the said act it appears, that four States, of which Massachusetts is one, have enacted laws conformable to these recommendations; that three other States have also

complied with them, but have determined the time of commencement differently, so that there will be a difference in the duration of the power granted; that three other States have passed laws in pursuance of the recommendations, but so inconsonant to them, that they cannot be deemed compliances; and that three other States have passed no acts whatever, relative to the subject, and all the said deficient States are earnestly solicited to pass laws, exactly conformable to the aforesaid recommendations.

The letter of the Secretary of Congress, together with the said act, will be laid before you for your further information.

COUNCIL CHAMBER, March 13, 1786.

Chapter 97.

JAMES BOWDOIN.

Chap. 97 RESOLVE ON THE PETITION OF JOHN CALDERWOOD AND

OTHER INHABITANTS OF FOX ISLANDS CONFIRMING THOSE
ISLANDS TO THE SETTLERS, WHO SETTLED THERE BEFORE
THE 1ST DAY OF JANUARY, 1784, THEIR HEIRS AND ASSIGNS,
ON CERTAIN CONDITIONS.

Whereas it appears to this Court, from a survey and plan of certain islands laying in Penobscot bay, within the county of Lincoln, called Fox Islands, taken by Rufus Putnam, Esq; in the year 1785, that the said islands contain in the whole, sixteen thousand, five hundred and twenty-seven acres (and that not more than one half of said islands, are of any value) whereon were seventy-two settlers, before the 1st day of January, 1784; and whereas John Calderwood and others, settlers on the said islands, have petitioned this Court, for a grant of the same to them, their heirs and assigns: Therefore

Resolved, That all the islands belonging to and composing the division of the Fox Islands, as described in the aforesaid plan, viz.: bounded westerly and northerly on Penobscot bay,-easterly on Fox Island bay (which separates these islands from the Isle of Holt and Deer Island divisions of islands); and southerly on the Atlantic ocean; be, and they hereby are, granted and confirmed, with all the privileges and appurtenances to the same belonging, to John Calderwood and the other settlers, who settled there before the 1st day of January, 1784, their heirs and assigns, on condition the said John Calder

wood and others interested as aforesaid, appropriate (of
good land) two hundred acres for the use of the ministry,
and two hundred acres for the use of a grammar school,
and that they pay into the treasury of this Common-
wealth, within one year from this date, on interest, the
sum of One hundred and eight pounds, in specie, for the
expence of surveying the said islands, and other charges;
and also the sum of Sixty-six pounds, seven shillings, in
consolidated securities of this Commonwealth; provided,
that where any original settler has sold, or otherwise dis-
posed of his improvements, to any other person, the pur-
chaser of such improvements, his heirs and assigns, shall
hold the same lands, which such original settler would
have held, by virtue of this resolve, if there had been no
such sale or disposition.
March 13, 1786.

Chapter 98.

RESOLVE GRANTING TO HUGH ORR, ESQ; AND OTHERS, 4 Chap. 98

COMMITTEE APPOINTED BY THE GENERAL COURT, THIRTY
POUNDS, NOW IN THEIR HANDS, AND DIRECTING SAID
COMMITTEE TO PAY One hundreD FORTY-SEVEN POUNDS,
FIFTEEN SHILLINGS AND TEN PENCE, IN SPECIE; AND
TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY-Three POUNDS, TWO SHIL-
LINGS AND EIGHT PENCE, IN LOAN OFFICE CERTIFICATES.

Whereas it appears by the examination of the accounts of Hugh Orr, Esq; and others, a Committee appointed by a resolve of the General Court, to purchase certain military stores, and to perform other services relative to the same, that there is in the hands of the said Committee, a balance of Two hundred twenty-three pounds, two shillings and eight pence, in Loan Office certificates; and also a further sum of One hundred and seventy-seven pounds, fifteen shillings and ten pence, in specie, which the said Committee are ready to pay to the order of the General Court: Therefore

Resolved, That there be allowed to the said Committee, jointly, out of the specie balance now in their hands, the sum of Thirty pounds, in full compensation for their services in executing their commission as aforesaid.

And it is further Resolved, That the said Committee, be, and they are, hereby directed to pay to the Treasurer of this Commonwealth, the aforesaid sum of Two hundred and twenty-three pounds, two shillings, and eight pence, in Loan Office certificates; and also the further sum of One hundred and forty-seven pounds, fifteen shillings and ten

pence, in specie, taking duplicate receipts for the same,
one of which, the said Committee shall lodge in the Sec-
retary's office; and upon so doing, the said Committee
shall be fully discharged.
March 13, 1786.

Chapter 99.

Chap. 99 RESOLVE ABATING THE PLANTATION OF SYLVESTER, IN THE

COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND, ALL THE TAXES, EXCEPT ONE
HUNDRED AND FIFTY POUNDS, AND DIRECTING THE TREAS-
URER TO CREDIT SAID TOWN.

Whereas the Committee appointed to view the circumstances of the plantation of Sylvester, in the county of Cumberland, have reported that said plantation ought to be abated part of their taxes: Therefore

Resolved, That the plantation of Sylvester, in the county of Cumberland, be abated all the taxes with which they are now charged, except One hundred and fifty pounds; and the Treasurer of this Commonwealth is hereby directed to credit the said plantation accordingly. March 13, 1786.

Chapter 100.

Chap.100 RESOLVE MAKING AN ALLOWANCE TO WILLIAM HARRIS, FIRST

CLERK IN SECRETARY'S OFFICE.

On the petition of William Harris, first Clerk in the Secretary's office:

Resolved, That the resolve of December the first, 1785, so far as it respects the pay of eight shillings per day to the Deputy Secretary, be, and it is, hereby repealed: And it is further

Resolved, That the sum of nine shillings per day, be allowed and paid unto William Harris, from the said first day of December, as first Clerk in the Secretary's office, for each day employed in said business, and that the Committee of accounts, in auditing the said William's account, govern themselves accordingly. March 13, 1786.

Chapter 101.

Chap.101 RESOLVE ON THE PETITION OF THOMAS KNIGHT, GRANTING

HIM LIBERTY TO PRESENT HIS PAY ROLL FOR HIMSELF AND
MEN, WHO SERVED IN THE YEAR 1780.

On the petition of Thomas Knight, praying that the time set by an act of the General Court, passed February