The Kansas herald of freedom., 1856-02-09

OSN' ANs oNNAOSNB Oh N'aN Oe-- -
March, 1740, that the northern bounda-
ry of the province of Massachusetts, be
similar curve line, pursuing the course OF
the MerriEac river, at three miles dis
tant on the north side thereof, beginning
at the Atlantic ocean, and ending at a
point due north of Patucket falls; and a
straight line drawn from thence due
west until it meets his Majesty's other
governments.
This line was surveyed by Richard
Hazen. in 1741, when fort Dummer was
found to lie beyond the limits of Massa
chusetts TO the north +; and, as the king
of Great Britain repeatedly recommend
ed to the assembly of New Hampshire
to make provision for its support, it was
generally supposed to have fallen within
the jurisdiction of that province, and,
being situated on the, west side of the
Connecticut, it was supposed that New
Hampshire extended as far westward as
Massachusetts that is, to line twenty
miles east of Hudson river.
In the year 1741, Benning Wentworth
was commissioned governor of the prov
inee of New Hampshire On the Sd of
January, 1749, he made grant of a
township of land six miles square, stu
ated, as he conceived, on the western
border of.New Hampshire, being twenty
miles east OF the Hudson. and SIX miles
,,o,tI, of No L,e,t+s Inc ri,ic toxrn
ship, in allusion to his own name, he
called Bennington. About the same
time, correspondence was opened be-
tween him and the governor OF the prov
ince of New York, in which. were urged
their respective titles to the lands on the
west side of Connecticut river yet with
out regard TO these interfering claims,
Wentworth proceeded to make further
grants.
These grants had amounted to fifteen
townships in 1854, but, this year, hostil
tiles were commenced between the French
and English colonies, which put stop
to further applications and grants till the
close of the war, i'll 1861. During this
war, the New England troops opened a
road from Cbarlestown, in New Hamp
shire, to Crown Point, and by frequently
passing through these lands, became
well acquainted with their fertility and
value and the conquest of Canada hav
ing finally removed the danger of set
Ting in this part of the country, these
lands were now eagerly sought by ad
venturers and spectators.
The governor of New Hampshire, by
advice OF MS council, now ordered a sur
vey to be made of Connecticut river for
sixty miles, and three tiers of townships
to be laid out on each side. AS the ap-
plications for lands still increased. fur
ther surveys were ordered to be made,
and so numerous were the applications,
that during the year 176l. no less than
sky townships of six miles square were
granted on the west side of Connecticut
river. The whole lumber of grants, in
one or two years more. had amounted to
one hundred and thirty eight. Their
extent was from Connec; icut river on the
east to what was esteemed twenty miles
east of Hudson mver, so far as that river
extended to the northward, and after that
as far westward as lake Champlain.
By the fees and other emoluments,
VIII ca Wentworth received in return for
these grants, and by reserving five hun-
dred acres in each township for himself,
he was evidently accumulating a large
fortune. The government of N,w York,
wishing 10 have the profits of these lands.
became alarmed at the proceedings OF
the governor of New Hampshire, and de-
termined to check them For this pur-
pose, Mr.. Golden, lieutenant governor OF
New York, on the 28th of December,
1763. issued proclamation. in which he
recited the grants made by Charles IL.
| to the Duke of York, in 1864, and in
1874, which embraced among other parts
call the lands from the west side of Con-
necticut river to east side of Delaware
| bay" Founding his claim upon this
grant, he ordered the sheriff of the coun-
| ly of Albany to make returns OF the
names of all persons who !lad taken pos
| session of lands on the west side of The
Connecticut, under titles derived from
the government of New Hampshire.
To prevent the effects which this proc
Iamation was calculated to produce, and
to inspire confidence in the validity oi
the New Hampshire grants. the governor
Iof New Hampshire, on his part, puI
forth counter proclamation, on The
18Th OF March, 1854, in which he de-
clared that the grant TO the Duke OF York
was obsolete that New Hampshire ex-
tended as far west as Massachusetts, and
Connecticut. aud that The grants made
by New Hampshire would be confirmed
lby the crown, it the jurisdiction should
be aitered. He exhorted lie settlers &c
be industrious aud diligens in cultiyatins
| their lands. and not TO De intimIdated BY
The threatening of New York. He re-
lquired all the civil officers to exercise Iu
lrisdiction as far west as grants had been
made. and to punish all disturbers OF the
peace. This proclamation served TO quiet
che minds of the settlers. Having pur-
luhased their lands under charter from 1
royal governor, and after such assufan
Ices from him, they had no idea that
controversy between the two provinces
respecting the extent of their Jurisdlc
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