Paroles were issued, and at times provided with restrictions upon opinion of the governor. Paroles were also disallowed. 4 Petitions were received from prisoners, heard and disposed of. and were sometimes referred by the legislature.® The board took cognizance of defamation of military officers or its own members, by binding the guilty party, or exacting a satisfactory concession. 7 When General Stark discharged a negro, a prisoner of war, and said he had done it by consent

of the commissioners, they disowned it and immediately informed the sheriff that the negro was in no wise under their directions, hence they could not give their "assent or dissent

to his discharge.''® May, 1778, Stephen Bell, the Albany In

jailer, reported that the jail was overcrowded, whereupon the

board ordered the removal of a number of prisoners to the fort. Prisoners were sent to Albany from Dutchess and other

' July 30; August 8, 1778. •August 1 1 77 ®- •

•Junc 14, 24; September 10, n, 1778. Sec also July 13, 1780. •September 28; October 30, 1778; January 12; February 22, 1779. • Octol>cr 1, 31, 1778. • Voter and Proceedings of the Assembly. First session. Kingston: John Holt. 1777. p. 15. 'June 24. 1778; May 27, 1779. •September 14. 1778.

Introduction 45

counties. 1 A tory from Hartford, Conn., who held a major's commission in the British service, was sent from Northampton jail by the council of Massachusetts to be confined by the Albany board, and was released on December i, 1778, on a