tic ocean and ending at a point due north of Pawtucket falls, and a straight liue drawn from thence due west till it meets with his Majesty's other governments.'

This decision cut off from Massachusetts as claimed and granted by her, twenty-eight townships.

Among these towns was Tyngstown. This decision left the proprietors of this town in a very unpleasant situation. They had evidently carried things with a high hand, with a strong Province to sustain them and had treated their Scotch Irish neighbors rather distantly, not to say rudely; and now to be deprived of their granted powers, and to be really intruders upon the territory themselves, was anything but pleasant.

CHAPTER XII.

Want of harmony among the Scotch Irish and Puritans.-Entails evils upon their posterity.-Effects upon religion and education.-Deposition of Gov. Belcher.-New Hampshire formed into a separate Province.- Benning Wentworth appointed Governor.-Takes the oath of oflice.-Calls a new Assembly.—Message.-Indian war.—Taking of Louisburg-Indian attacks. Scout under Capt. John Goffe.-Roll of this scout.-Attack at Hopkinton.-Scout under Capt. John Goffe.- Letter from Goffe.-Attack on Contoocook.-Governor Wentworth's Message.-Difficulties of cros-ing Suncook.-Goffe goes against the Indians.-His Roll.-Scout under Capt. Samuel Barr.-His Roll.-Canada expedition.- Attack at Rochester.-Scout under Capt. Nathaniel Drake.-Scout under Andrew Todd.-His Roll.-Scout under Capt. Daniel Ladd.-Massacre at Pennacook.-Fort at Amoskeag.-Fear of French invasion.-Col. Atkinson's Regiment ordered to New Castle.Ordered to winter quarters on the Winnepesaukee.-Build a Fort near Union Bridge.-Attack at Suncook.-Attack at Epsom. - Mrs. McCoy's captivity.Sabattis and Christo.- Garrisons under Capt. Goffe.-His Roll.-Attack at Hinsdale.-Treaty of Aix La Chapelle.-Peace.

The controversy as to the lines, was but a small part of the difficulties under which the first settlers of this town labored. This, after the final settlement of the line in 1741, would have soon been forgotten, and if not, would have been remembered with waning asperity. There was another more important and more abiding cause of contention and strife. The people were of different races, different religion, and different manners and customs. A bitter feud existed between the Scotch Irish sectarians in the city of Londonderry, which broke out in open strife and collision, when the citizens were upon short allowance, and a powerful army besieging the city, and little more of harmony could have been anticipated among a people, in

the wilds of America, made up of Scotch Irish Presbyterians, and New England Puritans. The ancestors of the two races had imbibed bitter prejudices against each other, and the children inherited their prejudices. They were inculcated in nursery tales, strengthened at the fireside, and unchecked even at the altar. The Scotch Irish, naturally clannish, had 'ittle fellowship for those outside their limits, while the Puritans, naturally dogged, were equally inclined to limit their acquaint

ance.

An intermarriage among them was considered dishonorable, and seldom one occurred, for near half a century. In short, no kind feelings existed among them naturally. And as we have seen,they had but just got seated upon their lands, before the controversy as to the lines was introduced, which increased the natural prejudice, and ill will betwixt them. The Scotch Irish thought their title to these lands, legally and morally good, and they considered the Massachusetts men as intruders, and very readily came into the belief that the claim of the government of Massachusetts to the lands at Amoskeag, was founded upon a mere quibble, and was morally and legally void. On the other hand, the Massachusetts men looked upon their Scotch Irish neighbors, as mere foreign adventurers, squatters upon land to which they had no rightful claim. Such continuous causes of controversy and strife, not only produced their ill effects upon the people of that day in the settlement; but they formed a state of feeling, a state of society, antagonistic to the greatest good of the little community, and which like a hereditary disease, descended to their posterity, entailing evils upon them, over which they had little control, and which would yield to no treatment save that of adversity and the slow hand of time.

The most noticeable of these evils, and to be placed down as entirely the result of this state of things, was the want of stated, church or school instruction for three quarters of a century. United, but small in numbers, the entire population could hardly have supported such instructions; but divided as they were, it was impossible.

Another matter was settled this same year, of great importance to the people of the province at large. This was the deposing of Governor Belcher from his office, and erecting New Hampshire into a separate Province. It was thought by his friends that the death of Lt. Governor Wentworth, in 1730, was hastened by the harsh treatment of Governor Belcher.

This fact tended to increase the opposition to Belcher, as the friends of the deceased Governor naturally took sides against him.

The new Lt. Governor, appointed to succeed Wentworth, Col. David Dunbar, was also a determined enemy to Belcher. Accordingly, soon after his arrival at Portsmouth, a formidable and systematic opposition was formed against him, and a complaint was framed containing several allegations against him and duly signed and forwarded to his Majesty, as before suggested.*

The opposition gained great strength, at home and in England, and upon the appointment by the Crown, of new Coun sellors, Benning Wentworth, and Theodore Atkinson, who had married his sister, the very head and front of the opposition to the Governor were placed in his Council. Messrs. Wentworth and Atkinson, took their seats at the Council Board, Oct. 12, 1734. Their appointments were anything but pleasing to Governor Belcher, and he essayed to eject them, but their influence was too well established at court, and his attempt was fruitless.

Meanwhile, the opposition to the Governor continued to increase, as it every day became apparent to the people of the Province, that he favored the unjust ciaim of Massachusetts to a large portion of the lands of the, Province, although he had publicly avowed himself as "a common father to both provinces." Many people interested in the "Masonian Proprietary," and other lands falling within this claim of Massachusetts, called him an unjust father, and accused him of hypocrisy. All such joined the opposition to the Governor with a will, and they at length made formal complaints against him to the King, some of them with good foundation, and so well authenticated, as to lead to a hearing before the Lords of Council, who reported to the King in effect, that Governor Belcher had been guilty of great partiality towards the province of Massachusetts in regard to her claim to the lands in dispute betwixt her and the province of New Hampshire, "thereby endeavoring to frustrate the intention of his Majesty's commission," which had been appointed to settle the line in dispute betwixt the two Provinces. Then there was another portion of the people of the Province, who opposed Governor Belcher, neither from personal dislike, family feud, or private interest, but from an honest conviction, founded upon common sense, that the Province

See p. 166.

would never flourish, as long as it was a mere appendage to the government of Massachusetts, to swell the salary of its Governor, and of no other importance to him than to be visited once a year during the session of the Assembly, to make a speech, be feasted, and receive his salary. All such men opposed Governor Belcher, not from any enmity to him, but that he might be removed to make room for a separate government and a separate Governor. All these joining in the complaint against Belcher, his friends could not withstand the opposition, and the King having approved the report of the Lords of Council, the downfall of Governor Belcher was considerd inevitable.

At length in 1741, the enemies of Belcher, both in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, having made common cause against him, importuned the ministry with so much assiduity, that he was dssplaced, and New Hampshire was erected into a separate government. His successor in Massachusetts was William Shirley, and Benning Wentworth was made Governor of the province of New Hampshire. His appointment was peculiarly gratifying to his friends in Portsmouth, and to a large majority of the people of the Province, while many of the people saw in the erection of New Hampshire into a separate government, a prestige of sure success to the Province.

Governor Wentworth was received at Portsmouth with every demonstration of joy. He was escorted into town by an appropriate cavalcade, amid the joyful acclamations of thousands of people assembled to welcome him to his home, which he had left in misfortune, and to which he now returned in triumph. Compliments were showered upon him on every side, and he was hailed as the deliverer of "New Hampshire from contempt and dependance."*

The Governor having opened his commission in due form on the 13th of December, 1741, and the same having been publicly read, he took the oath prescribed, and forthwith ordered a proclamation to be made "to continue all officers, Civil and Military in their places till further orders." The King's writ was issued for calling a new assembly on the 13th of the following January. Upon the meeting of the assembly, Andrew Wiggin, Esq, of Stratham, was chosen Speaker, and Geo. Jaffrey, Clerk. These were friends of the new Governor, and he was not without a powerful influence in the House, as his brother Mark Hunking Wentworth, Esq., was a member from

See N. II. Records.

Portsmouth; his brother-in-law, Thomas Packer, Esq., was the member from Greenland; and a relative, Jotham Odiorne, Esq. was the member from New Castle. In fact, a very large majority of the House was favorable to the new administration. In the Council, Hon. Theodore Atkinson, a brother-in-law of the Governor, had been qualified as Secretary, and on the fourteenth of January presented the speech of Govornor Wentworth to the Assembly, which was read, and commenced as follows:

"Gent. of the Council and of the Assembly: His Majesty out of a tender regard to the future Happiness and Prosperity of his faithful subjects in this Province, has been graciously pleased to answer the united applications to the throne to separate the Government of this Province from the Massachusetts Bay. An event, which if rightly improved will (under the direction of Heaven) be a lasting advantage, and will be the means of Replenishing your Towns with People, of Extending and enlarging your Commerce, and since it has been his Majesty's Pleasure to commit to my charge the Royal Commission, I shall in all faithfulness to the Trust committed to me, Strictly Support the Honor, Interest and Prerogative of the Crown, and endeavor that the Government shall be prudently administered, That the Public concern, Shall be conducted with Integrity, and that your Civil and Religious privileges Shall not only be preserved but advanced to the extent of my power."

Governor Wentworth next adverted to the settlement of the "Boundary Question," thus:

"His Majesty's great wisdom and impartiality in determining the difficulty with the Massachusetts Bay, (which has subsisted in one shape or other upwards of three score years) is the highest instance of that paternal care, his Majesty extends to all his subjects, though never so remotely placed, and should Excite a Generous ambition in all orders of persons in the Goverument, who should be the first in duty and obedience to his Royal person, family and Governmemt. This has been your Character and in consequence of that dutiful behavior to your Sovereign, you are now beginning to reap the fruits of your past obedience."

But the town and Province had but little respite from trouble.

Governor Wentworth had but just got quietly seated in the administration of his government, when the war betwixt Brit