7507

Commonwealth
of Massachusetts

By his Excellency John Hancock Esq.
Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

To Nathan Dane Esquire

Whereas in pursuance of a resolution of the General passed the twenty
third of February last, you have constituted & appointed an Agent
to arrange & enforce the claims of this Commonwealth against the
United States which are soon to be considered by Commissioners appointed
for that purpose John Hancock

Now therefore Know ye, that do by these presents & in pursuance
of the said Appointment commission you the said Nathan Dane esquire
an Agent for this Commonwealth to meet the Commissioners appointed by
an Ordinance passed the United States in Congress Assembled the Seventh
of May 1787 & confirmed by the present Congress for getting the
Accounts between the United States & individual States as New York
for the purpose of Arranging & Settling the accounts & claims
of this Commonwealth against the United States & as far as you may
find it expedient to support & advocate the same before the said
Commissioners. And you are hereby Fully authorized in the name &
behalf of this Commonwealth before the said Commissioners to appear,
pursue, answer & defend in all matters & things touching the
said Claims & Accounts of each & any of the respective States
against the said Agent shall most conduce to the interest of this Commonwealth.
And I do further authorize & empower you the said Agent to lay before
the commissioners aforesaid an estimate of such hopes as have risen
to the inhabitants of those towns in this Commonwealth which have been
destroyed by the British & American Troops in the course of the
late war & use your utmost endeavors with said Commissioners to
obtain a just allowance for such hopes & to make report to the Governor
of this Commonwealth of your proceedings from time to time as you shall
deem it expedient to communicate

In Testimony whereof I have caused the publicity Seal of the Commonwealth
aforesaid to be hereunto affixed

Given
at the Council Chamber in Boston the fourth day of March A.D. 1790 and
in the Fourteenth year of the Independence of the United States of America.
By his Excellency’s Command
John Avery Secretary