No sooner was the Stamp act repealed and the offices opened again, but Petitions were preferred by many of the Inhabitants here for grants of Lands on the Connecticut River, but as I apprehended it would be highly improper to issue any till the Rights of those persons were ascertained who set up claims under New Hampshire Charters, an order was published by the advice of the Council requiring all persons holding or claiming Lands under such Grants to appear by themselves or their Attorneys and produce the same together with the Deeds, conveyances, or other instruments by which they derived any Title or Claim, before the Governor in Council within three months from the date of the order, and that the Claims of those

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who should not pay due Obedience to that order would be rejected. This had the desired effect, 'and altho' it was not strictly complyed with as to the Time limited, no advantage was taken of such Delay, and in a few months, Petitions Memorials &«« were lodged by Persons sent up from thence setting up claims to ninety six Townships; of this Number no less than twenty one were deemed to be in this Government before his Matys order in Council for fixing the Limitts on the Connecticut River, as they were within twenty miles of the Hudsons River and within the same distance: of the Waters of South bay and the Lake Champlain. It was Imagind that this was only by way of Experiment to try how far this Province would carry its indulgence towards them, as it has not yet appeared to us . that any kind of settlement was ever made on any of those claims exéept in the Townships of Shaftsbury Bennington & Pownall which were ordered by advice of the Council to be confirmed to those who were actually settled there.