The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1770-1772, 1772-06-04


the fubjeefs of other chriffian fate TO deter
mine the extent, was before the date OF
James's grant to the Plymouth company:
Now though am by no means enthuii-
afically fond of James or Charles's abio-
lutte indefea(able, and divine right, to all or
any part of the yaf territory they 70 gener-
ouAy granted, yet fhall vigourou1y main
tain that their grants were inconteitibly va
lid aeainff themlelves, their fucceilors, or
any per[on claiming BY or under them.
No more full and abfolute alienation OF
property, territory and jurifdietion. was ever
made by man than in the cafe before U.S. and
if the mof folemn aas, performed with the
matuteh elaboration, and for the greateR
pciiible emolument of both the contracting
parties, are worthy any fhare of our regard,
we mutt fuppofe the prelent to be 10 in
mott eminent degree.
The right gained by difcovery 10 pE6sd in
favour Of royal fovereignty, is readily dif-
cerned to be lof in dereliaion, as eaGly and
certainly as it was gained BY diicovery,
and therefore initead OF thoie heroes being
obliged to the puiilanimous James or the
obffinate Charles, thofe blemiihcs of royal
ty were infinitely indebted to them, who
improved the intoleiable evils of their go
vernmeht, to the exteniion and fecufity OF
their Empire. But charters, it feems, are
with fome people very uncomfortable things
which may be revoked, curtalled, conifru-
cd TO mean fomething, any thing, or mo-
thing, inf as it 6iits the ambition and ava
rice Of the parties who would fondly poi
1efs themfelves of the lands they convey.
In the Gettiement of the line between
the MzGachufetts and New Hampfhire in
the year 1877, il was plead, that to Unfit
upon the extent Of the Mafachufetts to
reach three miles north of every part of
Mefimack river, and thence weffward to-
wards the fouth fea, would nearly ruin that
government and kind administration In
ftead Of carrying the line weftward from
the mott northefly, were pleafed to order
it to go'from three miles north of the mott
fouthcrly bend of the whole ifream. But
how wonderfully can intereh eulishten
people! Regardless ofthe narrow limits OF
w-Fismpfhire, as well as the fee fimPle
of the MalIachufttts, Mr.. Fox and afoci-
ates contrive an entire new Gcheme, and all
az once we hear claim Of z very fingular
nature, extending fron Delaware Bay to
the weffern banks of Connecticut river.
| This il feems 10 derived from the Dutch,
but all the trace of it that remains in reach
of human power was the exprefiion of that
fort in the Duke of York's patent, granted
by Charles the fecond. Through the
whole of this eGay we admit the actual poi
lefIion and inhabitancy of the Dutch to de-
feat our claim to every inch fuch poHefion
covered, but we mutt Unfit on proper evil
dence of the poHefion which 70 Pitifully
contracts our effate OtherwIie for any
thing that has yet been done, our property
in ali the lands fron Atlantic ocean,by
three miles northw sveIy, part ct Me
rimack River and the anne diHance fouth-
ward OF Charles's River, continuing the
fame breadth to the fouth fea or PaG &c
an on the weR, excepting only q e,
remains indefeafable.
II is universally allowed that the riverMe-
rim1ck Iof=s that nameat the junction ofPe-
miqewaHst river waters of the Winnepifiau-
exc pond, about fifty miles northward OF the
prefent line between US and New-Hamp-
ihire; taking from US an area Of nifty by fe-
venty miles Of country, which, however in
furious to US, we could in fonne meafure put
up with, fit really went to the acccmmo-
dation of our Neighbours, and We had an
equivalent for it elfewhere or if at any
rate we could be fatis6ed thar it was to be
ditfributed TO our fellow fubjeefs, in the IA
Iufzrv manner of the New Euuian1 cold.