The Connecticut courant — Hartford, Conn., 1774-05-24 00:00:00, page 1

Mr. WATSON,
Since frequent mention if made in tie paper?, of the
Statute of Quo Warranto, perhaps the following
Scrap of Hifiary may infarmSome of t'he Origin and
future of th^t Statute, and excite inOthers aDread
of its being made life of in tbit Country.
DURING the troubles which trofe io the reigns of
Kins John and Henry the third, several per
iuiM had appropriated to themfelvcs, land* to which
they had no just tide The citswo itfdf was a foff/r
er by this dilorder. To remedy this evil. and give
every one h’* OW°> tht parliament, in rhe Sth year of
Edward the Fhfl, psffrd so ad, in itfelf very just. It
imported that aft who were in poOioo of coctefled
estates, ihould be obliged to (htW how they required
then, and produce their title before rhe judges, io
order to be examined. This ffatdte. from the Erg
Jilh word Warrant was ftilsd ^ao Warranto ; as
mneh as to fay aosfl which serves ror foundation or
ftcority of poffeffioo : so that the ^uo Warranto ii
proper y a right to demand of any p^rfoo, by what
Warrant or title he holds the estate io dispute. This
regulation was just and necessary : but the King, mif*
hd by ill advice, and a desire ofamaffing mooey, made
ofc of it. contrary to the detigo of parliament, to
oppress hit fubjiih. As be wss fcafible that among
the great numbers who held lands of the ctowo, it
could not be butthat many had loft their titles ; he
was refolded to take advantage of their misfortune, co
der colour of patting the statute of ^uo Warranto in
execution. To that end be published a proclamation,
enjoining ail persons who held lands of the crown, to
Jay their titles before the judges of the realm This
proclamation was locked upon as the faurce of a very
^reat grievance. And indeed, those that were
attacked, and could not produce their ergna! titles,
though they prov’d a long puff, Son, were forced to
pay large him* to the King to preserve their eflatea.
This,grievance would have gone mu,ch farther, had
not a flop be’en pat to it by the Bari of Warren. The
Earl appearing before the judges, was required to so iw
the fuodtmemal title, by virtue Vfhercot be held his
lands ? He answered by drawing an old rusty sword
out of the scabbard, snd faying to the judges. This is
the infirument by which my ancefiors gained their efiate,
and by this 1 will defend it as long as I live. *
So bold an aofwer Teemed likely to involve the Earl
io trouble ; but it had quite « contrary efftft. The
King found by it how difficult it would be "to\xaA
upon the nobility on so frivo'ous a prettnee, without
falling into great incoerenisocics. He saw plainly,
there were (till among the Ehrens, pedons as ready to
hazard all in defence of their rights and properties, as
those io the times of John and Henry 111 Besides,
he thereby knew how nnjuft his preteafions appeared to
she pcop'e, as indeed they were. Tbcfc canfiderati
ons inducing him to revoke his proclamation, the peo,
pie expressed their joy io keb a maouer as p'aiu’y
Ihowed how ranch they relented this cpprcQLo. On
the other hand, tbe King’s moderation turned more to
his advantage than his injufticc had done to his injury.
His subj fls blamed the mioidry for whatever was odi
ous in hts coodudt, and aferibed to him the honor of
^reforming what was smTs in his prude-tce. What
glory soever this prince had acquired by his victories,
his eorqueft over hiinfclf on this cccsGdn, gained him
nore honour than »H his warlike exploits. It is
infinitely left glorious for a foVereiga to ft-Adue pro
ticcts and kingdoms, which belong not to him, than
«o desist vo’ontarify from a pretetfion which he difee
vers to be urjaft.
* Rapin's Hitl. Eng. Vol. I. P 359.
LONDON, April 2.
The following is a true Cipy of the Petition to the
House of Lords, against the Boston Port Bill, signed by
snoft of the American Geotlcßjeß naw in Town, and
presented by the Earl of Shelburne.
To the Right Hon. the Lords Spiritual and Temporal,
hj Parliament affemblsd.
The humble Petition of f: ler al Natives of America,
z r “ She wet h,
your Petitioners, being ratites es his
JL Msjefty’s dominions io America, are deep
ly interefUd iu every proceeding of <bis Right Honour
able House, which touches the life, liberty or property,
of any perfoocr perlons in the laid dominions.
‘‘ That your Petitioners coocievc shtnsfrlves sod
their fellow fabjteh to be entitled to the R'gfif* of na
tural jaftiee, and to the common law of England, as
•heir unalienable birthright : That they cppfehsnd it
to bean invariable rule of natural jaflice, that no mtn
fttall be condemned Unheard ; and that according to law,
no person or persons can beju^ged without being cahhd
updo to aofwer, and feeing permitted to hear the evi
dence against them, and to make *»cir deduce.
“ Thst it is therefore wish rhe deepest concert) they
Dndeditsd that there is Metre this Bg-t Hue.
The ' CONNECTICUT COURANT,
’
From May 24, to May yr 1774.
House a bill of pains sad penalties, to he in-fl fled on
the town of Boston for a trepift ccmmiued by lomc
perfoor unkaowa upon the property of the E»ft lidia
Company, without the said town having been apprized
of sny acculation being brought ngdnft them, or per
mitted to hear the evidence, if there be any, aed 10
wr.ke thtir defence.
” That th© bill takes away immediately from the in
habitaots of the town the use of propepty to the amount
of feverd hundred thousand pounds, veiled io quays,
wharffi ftor<». Brc. Thai it win reft>:a n’ny ihou;
fends of hisM/jefty’s fubjefts f;?rn fu -'ftlkg them^cs
and ihcir fautilt^s by ih.eir uFqd «u plpymeot* ' Thai
it will punifti the iqooctnt for 'he g-i ’/ ; aD 'l
Ihcald al! the repartttaO rcqi’ifc'd by bill be made,
the rcllora ion of thst property, or ayb part of if, is
fuffercdl to depend sole y upon the Will f the Crown.
•* Your Petitioners concciFe fueb prSceedfog to be
dire&ly repugnant ;o every pttuc’p^ us !.. v and joffice ;
and that under such a piece lent no our, or body of
men, could e> j -y a monirnt s f cartiy { for if judgment
be immcdia-eiy to follow an accafstion, the accuftd,
unacquainted withhbe chsrge, and devrred fiArn de
feadtng themfshes every frr.ee against falfcactuSii
on will be pu led doA'o, joffice will pp longer be a
ftiiefd, eor innocence ae exemptioc fro^ ponifhmeDt.
“ Your Petiiioners beg leave to sepufebt, that the
hw in America mioifters ;edrels lor iejary feftiin
cd there ; and thtycvn moil truly afS m that it is
administered in that ccuo»ry w- h »s mveh impartiality
as io any other part «f his Majiffy’s d^mioiqfls In
preofof this, they appeal to an instance cf gfeat noto
riety, in which, under every circqmftinc /tbat cculJ ex
afpCratc the prop e end ottiutb the eourfe of justice.
C»pt Preftoo Sod his H diets h«d a fair trial, aad a fa
vacirahle retdia. The doc dourle of hwAhus manifeft
ly holding rut fedreh, they Cannot hd? confider the
imtryoGtiufo of Pair iamen’ary Power to be as unotcef
fary a( it H arbiTary and u j aft. <
Your Pc’iuOners cunei.ve that thb;R'glitHonour
able House being the fupr ma jodkituretef’his natioo,
ate too weft scqaMrtcd with the iov^lab c rules of
joftice, to require any fonhtf c j <2iaci to the bill a-,
gaiolt the toWd 0. Baftcn oow uu ,i-t co-Gdrration.
“ They thrtforc trail and'pray, that fku Right Ho
nousab cHoufe wil> no* pTsaWI which is, to condemn
and pcoilh prrfeos uobc.td. and tbercfrU: deprived of
that privilege^which every pciacipljt ftMvffrce, & every
p-sft ce of hrv t-. ti;c me e ft incitviduai, the ''
- privilege of I coring and coptroeerring the evidence a
gain/t him, sud m Jntainhg bi® iococcocc.
‘‘ And your Pcti’ir dc t s, as in duty
bound, (hall c<-er pray,”
Signed.
Stephen Soyre William Lee Setyomin Frank‘in. Willi
am Midaleton Henry Laurens Ralph Izard laac
Motte John Sitis, Hugh Williamson Thomas Bar
ker, John Boylfion, Arthur Lee, Thomas Rufan,
Phi ip i\eyle Edward Bancroft, fohn Peronneau,
Peeke Fu ler, Edward Fenwicks William Middlton,
jun. Thomas Pinckney, William Hafel Gibbs.Thsmas
Bromßetd Jafhua Johnson, John H blon, Daniel
Bowly John Alleyne, William Blake, John Baien
dine, J Williams
B O S T O N, May ^6-
YeGerday being the anniverlary appointed by th©
Rsyal charter for the deSion of his Mrjefty’s ccuncel-*
lors of the province, the Great and General Court or
Affcmh’yof the province mot at the State house io
town : After the usual oaths were administered to the
geotlt'Men who were re’urned to serve as members of
the honourable hcofe of reprelent^tives, and the decla
rations fubferibed by them, they defied the Hon.
ThomasCushivg, Esq; for their fpeakcr, who being
presented to his Excellency the Governor for hit ap
probation, according to the direction of the Royal ex-
P amatory charter, his Excellency was pleased to fend a
mcffvgc isl writing to the house, Ggn-ifytcg his epproba
bstion «f Grid c!e£tion : The house then made choice
of Mr. Samuel Adams, for their Clerk-——— After
which the Governor, and Council for fall year, with
rhe honourable house ReprefeotaHves. were attended to
the Old 0-ick meeting house bv bit Exc-dicery s com
pany of Cadets, where a very excellent difeourfe w«s
preached by the Rev. Gao Hitchcock,of Pembroke.
fro!» these words in Proverbs xxix, 2 When the
righteous are its authority the people rejoice ; lut vuhen
ttoe •wicked bear rule, thepcop'e mourn After lermcn
the company of Cadets with their band of mofic. ef
carted hfs Excellency Governor eagk, atter>' l er< by
the -ecretftry, hiph Sheriff, members oi his V-j-fly’s
Council on? house of RtpreUntaiivcs, the iffi ers of
thc'iroup I hoifc company of Artillery, Grcns'dicrs,
and other mi rtii, tffi cr», wi’h a l^rge number of the
Clergy and o’b' r g?ntlerHeii)to Espcotl-H^ll, where an
e’-’g.m entertarnwi-nt wav provided. After dinner
rnany loyal 'ovlh were drank. The in the federal
baucjjgs were qrsd oa the qgG»4 J S’
The Hod. Commons house of AffemKiy being met.
;n the afternoon, made choice of the following gentle
men as Coutscellon, fcr the enfuiog year, viz.
For the fate colony of MASS^CHVSETI 8-BAYs
The Honourable.
Samur! Danforth, Esq; j hn Wiotbrop, Esq;
Jnho Erving. Esq- « Timothy EhDtelfon.Bfqg
Jaimes Bowdoin, Esq, *3 r,'j<min AuHto, Esq;
Jamts Pi is Esq; ' e Akhird Dttby, jdn Efq*
S^ranrl Drxter, Esq; j '*William Phillips, Esq;
Xnemas Ward, EfT 1 * •'Hchaiid Farley, F.fq;
Benjtmin Greeolevf, E r q; ■ *jau.cs P'rtfcott, Esq/
Caleb Cuihlng, Esq; । * John Adams, Efq';
Samuel Phillips, Esq; I * Norton Qoincy, Efq*
For the late eshny o/’PLYMO’J TH.
Ths BiAiourthje
Oiis, F/q; | Wa^cr Specter, F/q;
WiftiaU fever, E r q,- | Jeratbmad Powcrt,’ fffq;
For the late province of MAINE.
The Hooourvble
Jeiemiah Powell, Esq; . Ffctmaa, Esq;
Jedediah PreWe, hfq;
For S A G A D A H O C K’
The HuncnraWe Berjamin Chsdborr.e, Esq;
At L A ' R G E .
George Leonard, ji n Ffq; (*) Jedediah Flfter, Es;?
The ghotlenKU wi ; h thu (*) mark) tbers uct of the
etuneft kft ye?r.
Tfiic Lift as Ciusce’lorr chufen yeOerday being this
d«y.’g^eafcle 10 t! c diteflinn of tho Royal Charter,
presented Io his Exca'lency. he wis pleased to NEGA
TIVE, the f^Hoeing Gsg lemea, viz the Hon. J.mes
Bowdoin, Samuel Dexter, Jahn Winthrop. Timoihy
DaoieKon, Bet j >mio Muffin, William Phillips,Michael
Far cy. James Pm'cot!, John Adams, Nor’on Qainty,
J remish Bowers,Enoch’Frtsrr?n. and Jedediah Foster,
Efqrs. in the whole! hittcco ; the olhtts were appro
bated.
The following is 2 pretef of th© Merchants sn^:’
Traders of this town, unanimetfty voted at a very full
meeting the 24’h toftant, viz.
“ WHERE 5S a paptr called an address to govern
nor Hu’cbiofqn. has been handed abcut and signed in a
.private manned bytoc'dry pefteps, which it is Lbi ff'le
vhwfctvcs Nf’erchanty, r l raerrs «sid oitei'i of the town -
es Bofloo. f-aod whcrcis the Sferdpnts and Trader*
da y noiifyd ard jnct,"having been refilled a copy of
fsfd paper, although vq^efled ty shew ccam’ttte and
swreheodvog Lid addrefa i» iosteded to j. ft fy »d
---miniflration of Mr Huichinfon vheo governor of die
province ;we hereby utterlydifc'aim said address, aud
diff, ova me.fure so c’aodcfticely conduced, apd fa.
icjurionr in in tendency.”
Where one persons figas “ 2 paper" in fsveur of
the exporter of To&ahiMki and Scalping Koives.ibou 4 -
fiodi pmfe the wretch whose e&tpiory will be exccta
ted to the latest period of time.
Letters fretn Philadelpb a. Rew York ar.d Conn fti
cut, (hew us that all is in motion throughout the co'e-»
nies thus hr; and we may realocably conclude thought
the whole extent of them Philadelphia w?s just be
ginning to stir the 17th cu’rent, New York, has railed
a committee of fifty mcrchsnts to deliberate end com
municate, ac-d Connecticut has enrdiftreffis under the
confideratioo of their General Assembly. A few para
graphs from ene of their letters, we cacnot emit com
municatiog. “ I could hardly have believed that the
rage of a wicked junto of tyrsnis could ha^e forced
through z Britifti parliament (corrupt and venal as S
know it io be) an aiS so impolitic, so urjuft and inhu
man. lam persuaded I (peak the general fcEtitsienis
of this Colony when 1 fay that I am far from thinking
Bofloa is fuffering this (Ircke of minifteria! vengear.ee
for themfelve only. No verily you are fuffeting ie
the common caole ; and the aothors of your diftrefs*
in'eod by crushing you to intimidate the rest, srd by
repeating the trows, to humble and fu’ jucate this long
injured, eppreffed, and too patient country. I trust
the cqjooits will, as members of the fame body fee! the
p»in you endure, and resent the injury as if done to
themfelvjs. This muff cocvibcc Lord North and the
world that his political and prophetic abilities arc much
on 2 ptr 't'he ear'v and unremitting zeal of Boflom
sod your Colony Their former and later efforts ia
the glorieus cause of freedom, whi e it has jnftly enti
tled yon to the warmed retards of benevolence and
gratitude from ihc lifter cjlonies, has exposed yon to
the rage of ihofe who hate the laws of humcnity ——
Would rrample on the rights of mankind— —Tread
cut Empires and quench the stars to fauste their loft of
power and dominion Bat be of good cheat! I ven»
sure to fay every thing we hear bodes well. Buffon
one of the forcmoft uffertors and defenders of the com
men cause is cot, rauft cot and will not be cruffied by
iheiron rod of power. The plan of fnfpending trade
will eertainly do the woik, but even if it IbonM fails
evr have other means in our power ; aod far better b»4
wc4ied io th« ftrueglc than yield the point-”
[Number 492. J