266 HISTORY OF COHASSET. 



The Petition of a Committee in behalf of the Inhabitants of 

 the Second Precinct of the Town of Hingham humbly Sheweth 



That the Said Inhabitants by Reason of the badness of the 

 Roads, the difificulty of the Season and their distance from the 

 place where their Town Meetings are always held, the most of 

 them living more than five and many Six or Seven and Some 

 nine miles as the Road goes are often deprived of the Priviledge 

 of having a Voyce in the Affairs transacted at the Annual Meet- 

 ing in March, and they are obliged to Assemble Oftner than 

 would be Necessary if they were seperated into a District or 

 deprive themselves of the Priviledge ; That they have been de- 

 prived of the Tax Raised on a Considerable part of the Real 

 Estate within Said Precinct towards the Support of the Schools, 

 and also for the Repairs of Highways which are naturally so 

 Rough as to require a greater Expence for Repairs tlian Perhaps 

 all the other Roads in the Town. And that they are also Obliged 

 (although Consisting of more than One hundred and thirty Fam- 

 ilies) to Travel to the Centre of the first Parish for the Banns of 

 Matrimony Certificates, Records &c : which is a very great 

 Burthen, and that undoubtedly Some necessary Records are neg- 

 lected which in time may prove very detrimental and many more 

 Difficulties might be mentioned : — Wherefore your Petitioners 

 humbly pray that your Excellency and Honors would be pleased 

 to Sett off all the Lands lying in Said Precinct into a distinct and 

 Seperate District, and that the Inhabitants may be vested with all 

 the Priviledges of a Town, that of Sending Representatives to 

 the General Assembly only excepted : Notwithstanding that they 

 may yet enjoy the Priviledge of joining with the Town in the 

 Choice thereof. And that they may also enjoy their Rights in 

 the Town Wharfe So called ; and in the Powder House, Arms and 

 Ammunition &c. and that they have a Right of Taxing the one 

 half of the Grist Mill at Straits pond So Called or Otherwise as 

 to your Excellency and Honours Shall Seem meet. 



And we beg leave further to Observe that we presented the 

 foregoing Petition in June last and it past both Houses & the 

 Town Clerk was serv*^ with a Coppy but by Reason of the Dissatis- 

 (fac)tion of the General Court the Matter was not brought to an 

 Issue : 



