and shall do everything in my Power to encourage his Majesty's Subjects to fit out Ships to act as privateers against the Enemy. Capt. Jelfe deliver'd me also your Grace's Packet directed to the Governours of his Majesty's other Provinces and Colonies on the Continent of North America, all which I dispatch'd forward within three hours afterwards by trusty Expresses by Land to the respective Governours, except that to the Comander in Chief of Nova Scotia, for the Conveyance of which I have caus'd an Express Boat to be hir'd by the Assembly, which is to Sail for Annapolis Royal with the first fair wind.1 Before my Receipt of your Grace's Letter I had Issu'd a proclamation with the Advice of his Majesty's Council here for preventing any Ammunition, Stores, provisions or Merchandize of any kind from being carried to any of the French settlements or Territories by his Majesty's Subjects of this Province, and had Recommended it to the Assembly to pass a Law with severe penalties in it for the same End:2 and shall endeavour to use all methods, which may be proper and most effectual for that and the other purposes mention'd in your Graces Letter; and am wth the most Dutifull Regards, My Lord Duke, Your Grace's most Obedient, and most Devoted Humble His Grace the Duke of Newcastle. W. SHIRLEY. Shirley's attention during the period between the receipt of this letter and the Louisbourg campaign appears to have been devoted in large part to the welfare and defense of Nova Scotia. His letter to Newcastle of July 7 (post, p. 131) gives an illustration of this attention shown in the forwarding of troops, and leads one to expect further activity in the Northeast as the war progresses. See Shirley to General Court, May 31, 1744, ante, p. 122. SIR, WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO JOHN STODDARD 1 Boston, 2d June, 1744. I have just now recd. his Majs declaration of War Against the French King with his Majs Orders to publish it, I would not delay to Inform you of it till the Copies of it are printed off; But I desire you would forthwith send to all your Frontier Towns & Settlements in your County to Advertise them hereof and to put them upon all Possible Care not to Expose themselves to be Surprised by the Enemy. I desire 1 Original, Historical Society of Pennsylvania. On the same date Shirley sent to other governors a copy of the declaration of war received from St. James, following the same with the Act of the Massachusetts Assembly making provision for the Albany Congress. In reply to one such letter came the following from Governor Law of Connecticut (Conn. Hist. Society, Law Papers 2, 11): SR. Milford June 19 1744 I had the favour of Yours of the 2d Instant with the Proclamation of Warr as also the Act of your Asembly on the 5th I recd on fryday night following. Respecting Comrs for the Congress att Albany our Assembly had Provided in Case Such an Occasion should happen that with the advice of the Council I should send Comrs but the time was so farr lapsd as to Render that impracticable so I gave a Comn to Govr Wolcott and others who proceeded on Monday following hoping to meet with your Comrs at Sheffield. I would also inform your Excellency That wee have appointed a Comtee of Warr att Hartford who are impowered to send forces to youer Assistance in Case of any Invasion or Eminent danger thereof upon Request made To W SHIRLEY ESQR I Subscribe You Excelencies very humble Servant The correspondence with Rhode Island is in Kimball, Corres. Col. Govs. of Rhode Island (1, 259, 262). On Jun. 5 Secretary Willard of Massachusetts asked that the southern colony appoint commissioners to the Albany Conference, the reply coming from Governor Greene on June 8. also that you would forthwith fit out a proper number of men to Scout in Such Places on your Borders where they may be Most Likely to discover Any Motion of the Enemy Especially Such as may be Sent out from the French fort at Crown Point I am Sir Your most Humble Servant To the Honble Colo. Stoddard W. SHIRLEY. P. S. I have receiv'd yours by Col. Dwight, which will be of great service; I will take care of your own Interest: and approve much of your scheme for carrying on the War, I shall govern myself very much by it. W. S. WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO JOHN STODDARD1 PROVINCE OF THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY (SEAL) By his Excellency the Governour You are hereby ordered forthwith to impress or enlist out of the Regiment of Militia under your Command one hundred able Bodied Effective Men for the Defence and Protection of his majesties Subjects in the Western frontiers of this Province against the Enemy to be posted and disposed of in such manner as I shall farther Order, and you must Take effectual Care that the said Men be compleatly furnished with Arms and Ammunition for all which this shall be your Sufficient Warrant Given under my hand and Seal at Boston June the 3d 1744. W. SHIRLEY. To John Stoddard Esqr., Collonel of the Regiment of Militia in the County of Hampshire. Original Mass. Hist. Society, Colonel Israel Williams Manuscripts 71, D p. 8. See also Shirley to Col. Thomas Bowen, June 13, 1744, directing him to forward men to Stoddard. Ms. in Boston Public Library, No. 225. WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO THE MASSACHUSETTS COMMISSIONERS' [Commission] William Shirley Esqr Captain General and Gov(SEAL) ernour in Chief in and over his Majestys Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England To all unto whom these Presents Shall Come GreetingKnow Ye that by and with the advice of the Great and General Court or Assembly of his Majestys Said Province of the Massachusetts Bay at their Session begun and held Boston the thirtyeth of May Last I have Constituted and Appointed and by these presents do Constitute and appoint Authorize and Impower, John Stoddard, Jacob Wendell, Thomas Berry, John Choate and Thomas Hutchinson Esqrs or any three of them Commissioners for and In behalf of this Province to appear at the City of Albany or Elsewhere within the Province of New York on the twelfth of this Instant June or as Soon after-wards as may be, then and there to Treat with his Majestys Governour of New York aforesaid or with any Commissioners that may be appointed on the Part of that Province or with any Commissioners that may be appointed on the part of the Governments of New Hampshire Connecticut and Rhode Island or any of them, and on the part and Behalf of this Province to make Such agreements and Stipulations with the aforesaid Governour or Commissioners or any of them Either Joyntly or Separately 1 Original, Conn. Hist. Society, Law Papers, 5, 14. Printed : Conn. Hist. Society Coll. 11, 174. These commissioners were appointed to meet the Indians at Albany. An account of the negotiations of the commissioners from Connecticut and Massachusetts with the Indians giving speeches of both parties is in ibid. 11, 185-197. On June 29 the Journal of the Massachusetts Commissioners was given to the House of Representatives at Boston (Mass. Archives, Journal of the Assembly). as they Shall think Equal and Necessary for the aforesaid Several Governments or any of them to Enter Into for their Mutual Safety and Defence or for annoying the Enemy In the Present Warr Such Agreement to be binding and Obligatory on the aforesaid Respective Governments and every of them. And also to Treat with the said Governments or Commissioners Chosen by them Respectively, Either Separately or Conjunctly as they Shall Judge best in order to Accomplish the Ends above mentioned. And Further as a Treaty Is Intended between the Province of New York and the Indians bordering on the Said Province to be held at Albany aforesaid on the before mentioned twelfth of June Instant, I do by these Presents by and with the Advice of the Great and General Court aforesaid Constitute and Appoint the Said John Stoddard Jacob Wendell Thomas Berry John Choate and Thos Hutchinson or any three of them Commissioners for and in behalf of this Province to Treat with and Engage the Friendship of the Indians Commonly Called the Six nations of Indians or any other Nation or Tribe of Indians Whatsoever which shall be there (having first Obtained Leave of the aforesaid Governour of New York for that Purpose) to the Province of the Massachusetts Bay. And the Said Commissioners are also Hereby Impowered to agree to act and Transact any other Matter and thing for the Weal Safety and Defence of this Province as they may Judge Proper In and about the Premises according to Such Instructions as they have herewith Received. Given under my hand and the Seal of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay aforesaid at Boston the Eighth Day of June in the Seventeenth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign. Lord George the Second over Great Brittain France & Ireland King Defender of the Faith &c. Annoque Domini one Thousand Seven Hundred and forty four. By His Excellency's Command J. WILLARD SECRY. W. SHIRLEY. |