“The 1699 petition of Deliverance Derry Pittman is a good beginning for analysis. Pittman was the widow of John Derry and the wife of Nathaniel Pitman, and her petition provides a clear picture of a family destroyed by international disputes. The colony of New Hampshire was on the northern edge of English settlement, bounded by Massachusetts to the east and south, the Connecticut River to the west, and New France directly to the north. Because of its location, the colony was intimately involved in the numerous territorial disputes between the empires of England and France. Native Americans took sides in the disputes, with many New England tribes siding with France. Deliverance Pittman and her family were caught in the imperial and . . . “
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The Power of Petitions: Women and the New Hampshire Provincial Government, 1695±1770
After much research into the Article 31 and 32 Redress and Remonstrance processes in New Hampshire (Archives on Fruit Street), i came to the conclusion that after 1984, “Petitions” continued to be heard by the NH Legislature as instructions and recommendations . . .
[Art.] 32. [Rights of Assembly, Instruction, and Petition.] The People have a right, in an orderly and peaceable manner, to assemble and consult upon the common good, give instructions to their Representatives, and to request of the legislative body, by way of petition or remonstrance, redress of the wrongs done them, and of the grievances they suffer.
June 2, 1784
However, “Claims for Redress” by way of Article 31 were no longer seen as Petitions to be granted at His Excellency’s good pleasure. Those Claims were given the full weight of a Claim at Common Law for actual Harm, Injury and/or Loss . . as of Right and By Authority of the People who did create the Government for the “State of New~Hampshire“.
[Art.] 31. [Meetings of Legislature, for What Purposes.] The Legislature shall assemble for the redress of public grievances and for making such laws as the public good may require.
June 2, 1784
Amended 1792 generally rewording sentence and omitting “for correcting, strengthening and confirming the laws.”
