278 The Corporation’s Petition to be Heard

    [August 9–13 1723]

    To the Honourable William Dummer Esq. Lieutenant Governour and Commander in Chief in and over his Majesty’s Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, the Honourable his Majesty’s Council and Representatives in General Court assembled the ninth day of August 1723.

    The Memorial of the President and Fellows of Harvard College in Cambridge within the Province aforesaid. Humbly sheweth That Whereas we are this day informed That the Honourable the House of Representatives upon the reading of a memorial signed by Mr. Nicholas Seaver and Mr. William Welstead have proceeded to revive their Resolve of November 22, 1722 relating to the report of a Committee upon a memorial of the Overseers of Harvard College, and have sent it up to the Honourable Board for Concurrence.

    And whereas we did then by a Memorial presented to the General Assembly pray to be heard and that a day might be given us for that end, which we not obtaining do still think it our bounden duty to renew our humble petition for.

    Wherefore, we the Corporation of the College do humbly pray that a day may be still given us by the General Court for a hearing upon the said resolve, before it be any further proceeded in. And your humble memorialists (as in duty bound) shall ever pray &c.

    May it please your Honours

    Most humble and Obedient

    Servant John Leverett in the name and upon the desire of the Corporation of Harvard College

    In the House of Representatives August 13, 1723.

    Read and the question being put whether the prayer of this petition should be granted. It passed in the negative.

    Nemine Contradicente

    John Clark, Speaker.

    College Papers, 1. 67 (No. 143). The first part of the document contains a resolve relating to President Willard, dating from the 1780s, and is omitted. The Council finally heard the Corporation’s statement, dated August 23, 1723; it is printed in Quincy, History, i. 546–556 (App. LVII).