[RayMonD] PRE-LOYALIST SETTLEMENTS OF NOVA SCOTIA 115 
CT: 
To the Honourable the Council of the State of Massachusetts-Bay. 
The Memorial of Alexander McNutt, Humbly Sheweth, 
That your Memorialist did present a Memorial bearing date 17 Aug’t last re- 
questing redress for Injury done to his Brother and him by a Privateer from the Port 
of Boston. That Thomas Francis, the Master of the said Privateer was at that time 
in Boston, and Mr. Oliver, one of the owners, went with your Memorialist to the 
aforesaid Francis’ house and found several of the Articles in his possession marked 
with my name. 
I had no time then to spare for taking care of the said Articles and Mr. Oliver 
assureing me that he would not only take Special Care of what was there found, but 
use every Endeavor to find more before my return, and from my Application to the 
Honorable Council and Mr. Oliver’s promises I rested Content. 
Upon my return waited upon Mr. Oliver who Informed me that the said Francis 
had Sailed for South Carolina and had carried all my Articles with him; this I must 
Confess is Treatment very Different from what I had a right to Expect. That the 
Villians who not only Robed me of my Property, but upon my resistance Insulted me 
with blows, should be permitted to escape with Impunity, seems very Extraordinary 
—and is such treatment as I should not have Expected from Either the Christian or 
the Gentleman, and what makes the Case still worse, that I cannot be permitted to 
pass and repass through the Country Unmolested, even tho’ I Injure no man, for on 
the 8th Inst., I was Arrested at Salem as a Doubtful Character. 
How I can be Justly Considered in a Double Capacity and treated as both Whig 
and tory seems a Parradox tome. I have always spoke my sentiments Clearly, and 
would have readily added correspondent Actions, had I had a Call in Providence so to 
do, being well Convinced that the Cause of God will admit of no Neuterallity, and 
I Challenge even Enmity itself to produce one single Instance in which I have de- 
viated from the Resolves of Congress since 1774. 
Before I left Nova Scotia I had Sustained a Loss in my Property of re of 
Forty Thousand Pounds Str., and probably much more since, and Dr. Prince, with 
others of like kind applied to Britain for my lands (and of consequence for my Life) 
representing me as disaffected, which application was supported by Govr and Council 
at Halifax, as your Memorialist was Informed. The Inference I would make is that 
there cannot be two Contradictory Rights Equally true at one and the same time; 
if Dr. Prince with Britain Claimed a Right to Rob and plunder McNutt on pretence 
of his being a Whig, then Certainly the Privateer called Congress from this Port had 
not a Right to Rob me as a tory—yet so it is.—The truth is neither had a Right to 
what Providence gave me. 
Since I first set out for redress have travel’d by Land and Water, on foot and on 
Horseback upwards of two Thousand Miles and have Expended above five Thousand 
Pounds, and above thirteen months time without obtaining the least redress. I 
know it is not a proper time for individuals to give unnecessary trouble, and therefore 
shall make no remarks at present upon the treatment I have received but leave it to 
the Consideration of Your Excellency and the Honorable Council. 
All which is most humbly submitted. 
ALEX’R. MCNUTT. 
17 July, 1779. 
