That beside this, their pretended Legislature in June last passed an Act declaring that if any Person within this pretended State shall after the first day of September next accept hold or exercise any office, civil or military, other than shall be derived from the said pretended State, he shall for the first Offence, pay a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds, lawful money ; for the second offence shall be whipped on the naked Back, not exceeding forty stripes, at the Discretion of the Court; and for the third offence shall have his

NEW HAMPSHIRE GRANTS. 985

right ear nailed to a Post and cut off, and be branded in the ~ Forehead with the Capital Letter C. on a hot Iron.

Having understood that repeated application had been made on the Part of New York, to the Grand Council of america, to interfere in settling their internal Troubles; the loyal Subjects of that State upon the Grants, have aiuited with much Impatience the Lieusure of your honorable Body to examine into the matter, and recommend something adapted to the Restoration of Peace and Tranquility) They conceived that by the third Article of the Confederation the States had Severally bound themselves to assist each other against all Force offered to, or attacks made upon any of them on account of Sovereignty, or on any other pretence whatsoever ; and therefore that the general Interest required the honorable Congress (as soon as they possibly could) to use their Influence, in putting a Speedy at to this political Schism.