Boston March 13th. 1786.

Gentlemen in compliance with your request respecting this Petn. & State of Facts contained in it I have given all the attention to it which my Engagements at the Supreme Court would admit of & upon the whole it appears to me there are two chances in favour of a Condemnation, the first is that the place where I suppose it can be proved the Vessel Anchored & broke bulk was in this Cmnlth., perhaps it can be proved that She was nearer to the Island reputed to belong to us: if she was not anchored in a harbour of the Hampshire Island, I think she must be considered as being in this state as the water between the Islands if not divided must be in Commn, the 2d ground of confiscation I ground on the words as well as the spirit of the Nav. Act Vizt. “there shall not be landed from on board any ship &c any Goods &c in any Port &c” how tho the Goods seized were brought from the vessell into Nypt. in a Hamptons vessell, yet were they not truly landed from a british vessell and landed in a Port in this Cmnlth, were they ever landed till they got to Npt. I dont know that it is necessary for the Brit Vessell to be in Port she may be hoving off it—phaps the Law might be plaint but it never could be the Intention to allow Goods to be in upon us in that manner. I think therefore the libel had better be presented, to the Sup. J. Court & their Jud. will settle the matter.

Yr. hle. Servt., RTP

Dft. ; on verso of Hodge and Tufts to RTP, Feb. 18, 1786 (above).

Taunton March 18. 1786. Sir,

Inclosed is your writ vs. Durfee Served as you will see, the Offr. could find nothing beside to Attach. The Action Murphy vs. Scot was Entered & contind. the Action Ingraham vs. Jones was Contd.

Murphy went off before I recd. your Letter or I should have sent your Bedstead at Crockers which you wrote for.

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We had a Small Court the Increase to me in the money way was verry Small but to make up matters I had this week an addition to my family of a fine Girl1 (on which I give you Joy) Mrs. Padelford & the Girl is finely. Please make my respects to Mrs. Paine and Believe me to be your Sincere

Friend & Humbl. Servt. Seth Padelford

Also I Inclose to you an Excon. vs. Henderson & a writ vs. Stoughton which I beg you to Deliver to a Coroner—the money on the Excon. I have so long been out off that want it & the offr. Sheriff has had a long time to pay it in. I will Endeavour to Serve you as much in any way I can. Yours &c.

S. Padelford

RC ; addressed: “Honorable Robert Treat Paine Esqr. Boston Hond. by Capt. Smith”; endorsed.

1.

Ann “Nancy” Padelford (1786–1817) was one of fourteen children, seven of whom died in infancy. She married in 1804 Samuel Edgar Cooke of Tiverton, R.I., who had been one of her father’s law clerks.