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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Petition from Bernier Steed et al. concerning the election of William Hill to the North Carolina General Assembly
Steed, Bernier; Et Al.
1780
Volume 15, Page 189

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PETITION OF BERNIER STEED AND OTHERS.

To the honourable the Commons of the State of North Carolina, now met in General assembly:

The humble Petition of the freeholders and freemen inhabitants of the town of Wilmington

Sheweth,

That on the 10th day of March, 1780, came on the election of a commoner to serve in this present assembly for the said town of Wilmington, at which William Hooper, John Walker and William Hill, Esquires, were candidates.

That several persons voted at the said election who were not qualified agreeable to the constitution of the State, not having been inhabitants of the said town one year, nor having paid public taxes, in consequence whereof the said William Hill, Esqr., had a majority, tho' very few.

That the said William Hill, Esquire, was at the time of election a county trustee for the County of New Hanover, and also a receiver of public money, having been Naval officer for the port of Brunswick, and it is dubitable whether he accounted or not.

That your Petitioners humbly conceive the election of the said William Hill, Esquire, to be manifestly illegal; for, to constitute a legal vote, two requisites are essential: 1. That there be a capacity in the elector; and 2. That there should be a capacity in the candidate receiving it.

Your petitioners therefore humbly pray this Honorable House to take their case into consideration, and to give them such relief as to this Honorable House shall seem meet.

And your petitioners shall ever pray, &c.

BERNIER STEED.
JOHN HOPKINS.
RT. BANNERMAN.
JAS. HARPER.
THOS. STOLKEY.
RICHARD PLAYER.
JAMES SPILLER.
ELIJAH CRUNDEY.
JAMES McKENNA.
PETER HARRISS, sen.
PETER HARRISS, jun.
JOHN WALKER.
F. STEED.
DANIEL BERNARD.