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Minutes of His Majesty' Council

Minutes of HM Council: 7 August 1738

(King George II)
Alured Popple, Governor of Bermuda

Att a Council at the house of his Excellency the Govr Monday the 7th day of August 1738.

Present: His Excellency Alured Popple Govr
Andrew Achinleck Esq.
Coll Francis Jones
Coll John Butterfield,br> Coll Nath Butterfield
Leonard White Esq
Robert Dinwiddie Esq
Samuel Burrows Esq

Capt Samuel Spofferth having been summoned to appear before this Board by the order of his Excellency the Govr, he accordingly appeared. And desired to be excused rom qualifying himself at this time, but that he would give his reasons hereafter in writing to his Excellency if he should see cause then to refuse.

A dedimus was then directed to Leonard White and Robert Dinwiddie Esqrs. Members of this Board empowering them to go to the House of Assembly and qualify the members lately returned which was done.

Whereas boisterous weather often hinders this Board meeting psuant to their adjournment, it is thereupon aggrees that for the future if Tuesday of the day generally appointed for the meeting be foul weather that the members of this Board repair ti Town the next fair day following without further notice.

Three members from the House of Assembly attending acquainted the Governor that their house had chosen Nathaniel Bascome Esq their Speaker and his Excellency declared that the approval therein being desired the House with their Speaker would attend him in Council forthwith.

Soon after the house and Speaker attended accordingly whereupon his Excellency the Governor spoke to them in the words following vizt.
"Gentlemen of the Council, Mr Speaker and Gent of the Assembly, His Majesty having been pleased to honour me with the commission as Governor and Commander in Chief of Bermuda, I thought it my duty to call you together that we may jointly consider what we are empowered to do, for promoting His Majesties interest and the prosperity of thses islands.
I am convinced you must believe His Majesty's Commission and Instructions for the preservation of his Royal prerogative and your severall rights and privileges here and therefore I flatter myself my steady adherance thereto will be the sure means of establishing that unanimity which I hope will always (?) among us.
Gentlemen, upon my application to His Majesty for supply of stores for the use of these Islands His Majesty was graciously pleas'd to order fifty barrels of powder, some cartridge paper and (?). I have accordingly lodged them in your magazine as you will see per the powder officer's receipt which I now lay before you. As this supply was granted before I received your address to the King for stores it was not presented; but it will now be necessary to return an unanimous address of thanks for the stores already sent. Upon the subject of powder of which thses islands have lately been so destitute, I should be sorry to mention what may in some degree have been the cause of it could noat at the same time point out a remedy. The powder duty, the Acts for laying it, would in great measure have supplied the want of these islands. But as the Governor's house has constantly been supplied with firewood bought with the produce of this duty, your magazine have wanted powder, I would therefore recommend to you the application of this duty as it was first intended for the use of the magazine and as for any advantagge that may have accrued to me for being supplied with firewood would readily give it up being desirous to contribute everything in my powder for the advantage of this Country.
Mr Speaker and Gentlemen of the Assembly, I should speak to you upon a point which lays me under some difficulty from my being concerned in your determination upon it, and it will be impossible for me to say anything that can appease. Disinterested, I shall only lay before you some articles of my instructions relating to myself, and not doubting you will impower me to support the Honour and Dignity of Government here, in as ample manner as any of my predecessors, assuring you at the same time that my cheif aim will always be fore the good and welfare of these Islands and that any reasonable proposition for the advantage of them shall very readily meet with concurrence.

Copy of the Governor's twenty six instruction:
26th. And whereas our former Lieut-Governors of our said Islands were impowered to receive the profitts accruing by the lycence grants for fishing of whales, computed to them as part of their sallary at the amount of one hundred pounds per annum. But being since informed that it would be for the benefit of our good subjects that the fishing for whales in all parts of our American Dominions should be laid open We have thought fitt to order the amount to be laid open accordingly by Circular instructions to all our Governors in America and we do declare it to be our will and pleasure that you shall not for the future pretend to any such claim nor give any manner of discouragement to the fishing of our subjects upon the coasts of our said Bermuda Islands under your government but on the contrary that you shall give all possible encouragement thereto and it being highly reasonable that our good subjects of our said Bermuda Islands from the advantages they will receive by the fishing of the usual acknowledgement paid for the lycense above-mentioned should supply the deficiency thereby occasioned in the appointment for your support, our will and pleasure is that you recommend in our own name to the Assembly of Bermuda tyhat they do take the proper means for raising and paying an adequate sallary to you in lieu of the profit that did arise to you in granting such lycenses not exceeding the annual sum of one hundred pounds.

Copy of the Governor's twentyseventh instruction:
27. But as it has been represented to us that the above appointments are not present sufficient for the support of our Governor there, and the dignity of that our Government, we are graciously pleased to permitt and allow that the Assembly of our said Islands may by an Act or Acts settle upon you such sum and sums in addition to your sallary as they shall think proper for the keeping up and repairing of the house allotted for our Governor for the time being and you are hereby allowed to give you assent to any Act or Acts of Assembly for the said purpose; provided the sum or sums be settled on you and your successors in that Goverment or at least on you during the whole time of your Government there and provided the same be done by the first Assembly after your arrival on these Islands.

A copy of which speech and Instructions Mr Speaker desired, and copy thereof was accordingly delivered to him.

Adjourned to Tomorrow Morning