Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 2
The act for altering the Several Infr. Courts thrô the Government is passed & will be in this days papers.1So that all Writs now to be filed for our County must be to the first Tuesday in May next as I suppose. However I conclude you will see the act & Judge for your self. It's uncertain whether the Court will rise this week I rather think it will not. The Excise Bill & fee Bill occasion great Difficulty2, & whether they will be got thrô this Sessions is Doubtfull. We have no remarkable news. Please to let me know my family know I am well. yrs. &c.
monday morning 25 feb. 1765. I had no opportunity of sending to you last week not seeing one person from our your way in Town. have herewith sent you the act. yr.
"An Act determining at what Times and Places the several Inferior Courts of Common Pleas and Courts of General Sessions of the Peace shall be held within and for the several Counties of the Province for the future" was passed by the House of Representatives on Feb. 19, by the Council on Feb. 26, and enacted on Mar. 2 (Journals of the House of Representatives, 41:256, 282, 286).
A bill regulating fees of the Province's civil officers was rejected twice by the House on the same day and returned to the Senate. The House also resumed consideration of an excise bill, but after a long debate, voted for further consideration of it (Journal of the House of Representatives, 41:256, 260).
You are acquainted with Capt. Cobbs affairs, & the methods which have been proposed with regard to Security. I1 should be greatly Obliged to you if you would Inform yourself fully of his Estates at Taunton & Attleborough: what Quantities of Land he has in each place: & whether the Lands in each place lye together, or in separate peices: & what Buildings & Works are upon each peice in both said Places: & should be glad you would also inform yourself of the value of each Estate & of each Tract or peice of Land which lyes in severalty by itself with the Buildings thereon. Computed at a moderate rate: & get such a Description of the several Estates and Tracts of which they are composed as will be sufficient to draw a Deed by: & inform yourself whether they are Subject to any Incumbrance: & pray let all this be done in the most secret manner. & your Inquierys made so as to be as free from Observation & as little to Capt. Cobbs prejudice as possible. Be so good as to advise me particuarly upon the Several articles above as soon as may be & I will take Care that your Trouble therein shall be duely Acknowledged. I am Sr Your very humble Servant
SAMUEL F
PS: I should be glad you wd. get such Information of the Value of the 324Estates, as that you may be fully Satisfied in your own mind & Judgmt. at least that they were not set too high, & I think you need not might do this by enquiring of different persons of Judgmt. who are acquainted with the Lands without the formality of persons to be chosen to apprize as this wd. be attended with observation: & would be unncessary as we are not about to purchase the Estate, & so dont want to know the Value to a greater exactness than to be certain that the sum at which they are put shall be within Bounds that we may know whether when we have Sufficient to make a full & ample Security.
Samuel Fitch (1724–1799) graduated from Yale in 1742, practiced law in Boston, served as advocate general of the Admiralty Court (1770–1776), and left Boston as a loyalist in 1776 (Law in Colonial Massachusetts, 343–344).