Legal Papers of John Adams, volume 1

127 King’s Offer of Settlement<a xmlns="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0" href="#LJA01d024n1" class="note" id="LJA01d024n1a">1</a>: 27 May 1774 King, Richard

1774-05-27

King’s Offer of Settlement: 27 May 1774 King, Richard

King's Offer of Settlement1

27 May 1774

Richard King To those Imediately Consirned in his action of review against them Depending &c. and any others that the matter of that action may Consern

I am Sensable that when a man has Entered the field in order to do him Selfe Justice against those from whom he has receved an Injury then To offer Terms to his adversary is often Constered a weakness of mind, or want of abillity, notwithstanding its being hild fourth in the highest authority as a Duty. But well knowing that you must be Sensable that the Witnesses produced on the former Tryall are produced again (if no other) and that their Evidence alone would have ben Sufficiant in point of Proof, Even had not a duty of the highest Authority Indused Two of you to make a Confession (partial as it was) Sufficiant for my purpous.—Matters standing thus I think it Safe Honourable and frindly to acquaint you that I now stand ready to accept of a much less Sum then the damages and Charges I have sustained amounts to rather then put my Selfe to further Cost to Effect the future of and that upon proper Security Given for such Sum as may be agreed on. Time also shall be given upon simple Intrest for the payment thereof; If I have no answer within Seven days I shall Take it for granted you Treat this as a waist paper, and hold my Selfe at liberty to do the Same. Yours,

Richd. King Scarborough May 27th. 1774 1.

FC, in King's hand and signed by him. NHi:Rufus King MSS. Perhaps in response to this appeal, the three Stewarts defaulted. Min. Bk. 99, SCJ Cumberland and Lincoln, June 1774, N–4, N–6. See the beginning of Doc. XIII below. See also note 3 above.

Deposition of Jonathan Sayward<a xmlns="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0" href="#LJA01d025n1" class="note" id="LJA01d025n1a">1</a>: 29 June 1774 Sayward, Jonathan

1774-06-29

Deposition of Jonathan Sayward: 29 June 1774 Sayward, Jonathan

Deposition of Jonathan Sayward1

29 June 1774

Jonathan Sayward of York in Said County of York, Esqr. Testifys and Says that He very well knew Josiah Beal who ~~lately~~ some years Since was an Inhabitant of the Town of York, but now if liveing re-128sides in some part of Novaskhotia Government as the Deponent Supposes That he was in poor circumstances with respect to Substance when he left York, which is 8 or 10 year ago, and He has never heard that He said Beal has since his remove from York mended his Worldly circumstances.

Jonathan Sayward

Querys put by Mr. King,

Do you Know that Josiah Beal has now any Estate Real or personal in the Town of York?

Answer. The deponent says He does not Know that He Has, any, or that He has not.

Have you heard that said Beal has a grant of two Thousand acres of land in Novascotia Government?2

Answer The Deponent has no remembrance that he has ever heard of such a Grant of land to said Beal.

Verification omitted. 1.

York, 29 June 1774, SF 139645. In a clerk's hand, signed by Sayward. Presumably “Deacon” Jonathan Sayward, a loyalist sympathizer, who retained his power in the community after the Revolution. See 1 Adams Family Correspondence 111 note. Sayward had earlier refused an offer of preferment for fear of the Sons of Liberty; see Sayward to Thomas Hutchinson, 22 Aug. 1769, 26 Mass. Arch. 328.

King seems to have been trying to bring out that Beal had been bribed by the defendants to leave the Province. Beal was probably one of the rioters; his note of hand for £139/12/1 had been among those destroyed. SF 139590.