Duer, William, 1747-1799 [Land purchase instructions for Henry Jackson and other agents]

Document is apparently written in Duer's hand and signed by both Knox and Duer. Docket is in Knox's hand. Document provides instructions to their agents for the purchase of a tract of land in Maine. Docket suggests General Henry Jackson was one of the agents. Knox and Duer tell their agents to alter the contract if circumstances warrant, but to avoid any major changes, especially in terms of price. They permit them to incur whatever expenses are necessary to quickly complete the transaction, and add that they will be reimbursed. They give advice on how to handle the committee of the Massachusetts Legislature that is managing this sale. The exact boundaries of the land to be purchased are not known, and Knox and Duer ask their agents to collect as much information as possible. They declare that "[i]t is more than Probable that Four million of acres well located will Cover all Considerable Tracts of Cultivable Land, in which Case the Purchase of half would operate as a Monopoly of the whole, and Enable us to fix the Price." Mention that the Indians still have some sort of claim to the land dating back to resolves from the Legislature from 1775. Instruct them that after the terms of the deal are settled, they are to use the Indian claims "as an Argument for lessening the Price of the Land - at any Rate the assistance of the State should be Stipulated for to Extinguish the same, at as short a Period as may be defined in the Agreement." They urge the agents to get as much coastal land and as many islands as possible in the deal.