That these Papers respect certain Complaints against Samuel Wells Esq', one of the Judges of the inferiour Court of Common Pleas and one of the Justices in the Comunission for the Peace, in the New County of Cumberland; which is Part of that Territory formerly claimed by New Hampshire, but by his Majestys Order in privy Council of the 20th of July 1764, declared to belong to the Province ot New York.

Mr' Wells is charged with Endeavours to frustrate the arrest of certain Persons prosecuted in the vice Admiralty Court of | this Province, for cutting Pine Timber in a Tract called the Township of Windsor, granted under New Hampshire ; and with taking a Conveyance of their Effects, pending the suits, to prevent a Recovery of the Penalty which the offenders had incurred.

He has been informed of these accusations, & in Vindication

of himself laid before us his own Declarations upon Oath with {

646 CONTROVERSY RESPECTING THE

the Depositions of William Dean, Willard Dean, William Dean Jun', Ebenezer Fisher & Daniel Whipple, with William Deane's bill of sale, and the affidavit of James Duane Esqt, who was Proctor for the Defendants in the vice admiralty Court.

Upon examining these Papers, we cannot see sufficient cause © to advise, either a Removal of M' Wells from the Places he holds, or any Prosecution against an Officer, who we are informed sustains a fair Character, even in a District, where there are not wanting some Persons, to whom, from their attachment to the unjustifiable Claim of the Province of New Hampshire, & his zeal in asserting the Right and Jurisdiction of this Colony, he must be peculiarly obnoxious.