to the last Extremities for the Necessaries of Life and that altho' our attention has since been more turned to Agriculture yet from the Barrenness of the Soil and the severe Droughts that have been in these parts of the Country for six years past (one year only excepted) Our Produce has never been near equal to the necessary Consumption of the PeopleThat this Deficiency could be made up only by importations by water which are attended with such a Risque that the Price is vastly enhanced to the purchaser that the pressing necessities of the people (the painful Sense of Hunger) oblige them to part with every vendible article of Property at the Buyer's price in Order to procure necessary Bread for their Families,― That the Scarcity of Hay, Occasioned by the Droughts, has diminished their Stocks of Cattle and that these, and the many other Burdens and Disasters of the War have greatly impoverished them. Your Petitioner would further shew, That, Since the Enemy have been in possession of the Harbour on the Mouth of Penobscot River, we have severely suffered from the Encroachments and Depredations of these our hostile Neighbours, who, beside almost entirely suppressing our Lumber Trade, incessantly infest our Rivers, with their Armed Boats and prey upon every Species of our Navigation from the Lumber Vessel to the smallest Canoe that floats on the Tide - That, hence, we are in a manner deprived of the Privilege of the Fishery in and about the Mouths of the Rivers, which, heretofore, was Considerable and a great means of Support to Numbers of People. Your Petitioners would also further shew, That all the Measures of Government that have as yet been adopted to protect us & Our Lumber Trade from the Encroachments of the Enemy in our Neighbourhood have proved ineffectual for that purpose. That last year, in particular, the Guards Ordered By Government for the Defence of the Eastern parts being stationed at Kennebec River, we were left defenceless and exposed to the continual Depredations of the Enemy That at this time there is not a Single Vessel belonging to the Town & scarcely one to either of the Rivers on which the Town lies, to Carry our Wood & Lumber to Market or bring any Supplies of Provision or Money to the place; and,— that, as Our Crops were almost wholly Cut off last year, this Town now exhibits a most striking Scene of poverty & Distress. From a sufficient acquaintance with the Circumstances of Individuals, your Petitioners can aver that there are many families in this Town that are now, & have been for some time, destitute of Bread and have no means to obtain any; and that there is not Money Eno' in the Bounds of the Town to pay the smallest State Tax now laid upon us & that at present there is no apparent possibility of procuring it. ¶ Your Petitioners would therefore humbly Recommend the Town of Newcastle, under its present Circumstances, to your Honour's most wise, serious and good Consideration, and pray your Honours to Grant us that Relief which Necessity compels us to ask, Viz A Remittance of the Taxes laid upon us by Government the two Last Years and an Exemption from State Taxes for the future, till an Alteration of Circumstances shall put it in our power (which now it is not) to fulfil the Requisitions of Government from us. ¶ And your Humble Petitioners as in Duty Bound Shall Ever pray &c¶ James Little Newcastle May 6, 1782 Select Men of Newcastle Petition of Inhabitants of Sudbere, Canada. To the general Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts ¶ The humble petition of the subscribers Inhabitants of Sudbere Canada In the County of Cumberland & the Com monwealth of Massachusetts we renew our petitions Humbly Shewing for that whereas your petitioners have Bin much Distressed by the Injoyns coming to the Town last Summer & killing & robing & leading off our Nabors which we have Never heard of them sence We are much distressed In our minds fearing least we Should faull a pray Into the hands of those Saviges Whose mercys is cruelty We most humbly Presume on your goodness being assured by sundry Examples of your Compassions that you will Think of and pity the Distressed therefore as an object Truly Deserving Compassion we most humbly Implore And petition this honored assembly To Consider many Difficulties we Labor under and grant us a garde of about Forty men To Scout up and down Androscoging river And Elsewhere: whare It shall be thought most Necessary. If we cannot have redress. We must Leave our Land on which we begin to raise our bread corn And our families must suffer for Lack of bread: It is an Excellent track of Land we are Loth to Leave it and That we may have redress is what we pray for therefore This honored assemblys Compliance will greatly oblige your humble servants and they as in duty bound will Ever pray Being appointed Agent to Colon' Allen, Superintendent of Indian Affairs in the Eastern Department, who has Instructed me to Come and Receive what Government may be pleased to Grant him in Consiquence of his Memorails & Representations for which purpose I have already waited five Weeks. The Several papers Respecting the said Department were Immediately on my Arrival, Laid before his Excellency, who judged it most Expedient to Lay them before the Honoble General Assembly, the time of their meeting being at hand, I was directed to wait Since the Recommittment of Col° Allans papers the Report haveing been Returned & during several day past Coud not be taken up, and, fearing that thro' the Multiplicity of the Important Business now before the Honoble Hous, the Session woud End before it coud be Call up, Impressed with this Apprehension, as allso Colo' Allan Deplorable setuation, not Only for want of necessary Assistance for Carrying on his Superintending business, but even destitute of subsistance his Store being Exhausted & himself as well as others in the Employ is Starving, Also Alarmd at the withdrawing of the Indians to St Johns, where (Father Henley) an Irish Priest is now Exerting himself to Retain them in the British Interest, an Insinuating Genius as he is may Probably make advantage of the Coolness of the Indians for the Americans Viewing them selves neglected These Several Considerations have Induced me to take the Liberty in the manner of Informing Your Honor of the Anxiety I am in to know the ditermination of Government on this Subject which Urges me earnestly to Intreat with all Submission that Col° Allans Papers may be Acted upon, that a speedy & definitive Dicission may be Obtained, as soon as possible ¶ Having heard first the Report Red & finding some Meterial Matters not Attended to I further take the Liberty to Solicite those perticulars might be Reconsidered, that is Leave of Absence for Col° Allan to Come westward to settle his accounts, several Applications have been but no Answer coud yet be obtained Also Leave to Remove Artilary & Ordnance Store to Passamaquody. Likewise the Supplys Solicited for Are Curtaild when the Whole are Inadiquate for the purpose of Retaining the Indians in our Interest at this Juncture My Solicitude to Answer the Intentions of Col° Allan in procuring Aid to Enable him to pursue his Instructions from Congress I hope will not be deemed Amiss by Your Honour, I am a Stranger & rather unacquainted, in this Business, but seeing no Other prospect of perfering it to the Hono House to which it is referd thro You encouraged me to this presumption of troubling Your Honour -¶I am with all Respect Your Honours Most Obd Hum' Servant bl Lewis Fred Delesdernier Agent & Secretary to Col° Allan. Certificate in Favor Aaron Babcock. This Certifies Boston June 4 1782 That the sum of Four hundred & sixty five pounds nine shillings 9 pence became due from the late Board of War for this Commonwealth the ninth day of July one thousand seven hundred & seventy nine, to Aaron Babcock, Esq' for the loss of one sixteenth part of the Ship General Putnam on the Expedition to Penobscot, which when paid to him will be in full for said sixteenth part and appurtenances. ThomR Ivers Pet. Roe Dalton Comte for settling the a/c of the late Board of War His Excellency the Governor & The Hon' Council of the Com monwealth Massts |
