Minutes of HM Council: 15 May 1749

At a Council holden at the house of His Excellency the Governor on Monday the 15th day of May 1749.

Present:
His Excellency Wm Popple Esq Governor
Leond White Esqr
Samuel Burrows Esqr
Samuel Spofforth Esqr
John Harvey Esqr
Henry Corbusier Esqr

Samuel Burrows having been recommended to His Excellency ont he 2nd inst as a person fitt to be commissioned as Chief Justice of the Court of Assize Common Pleas, etc., He this day declined accepting of such commission.

The the several members of Council present having been successively proposed, they also (each of them) declined.

His Excellency then moved to the Council to recommend some other persons (not on Council) sufficient to Act as Chief Justice.

The Council replyd it was out of their power to recommend any person they thought worthy of the commission that would accept of it.

His Excellency then moved to the Council, what must be done to prevent the stagnation of Justice in these islands.

The Council advised that John Reeve, Esqr, Attorney General, and John Slater, Esqr, Councelor learned in the Law, should be consulted on this occasion and give their opinion thereon.

Doctor Forbes having laid before the Governor and Council a bill for looking after the Goverment negroes, amounting to fifteen pounds two shillings and fivepence during the time of the President, His Excellency was of the opinion that the bill ought to be paid out of the Public revenue or the King's rents and the Council was also of the opinion that the said bill ought to be paid but not to be made a precedent for the future. Which was passed accordingly.

Adjourn'd to tomorrow two o'clock afternoon.,br>