Jonathan Belcher - Massachusetts and New Hampshire

Massachusetts and New Hampshire

In 1718, Belcher was elected to the Massachusetts Governor's Council. He was sent to London again in 1728 as a colonial agent, to explain to the Board of Trade why the province refused to pay its royally-appointed governors a regular salary. During this stay, the sitting governor, William Burnet, died. Belcher lobbied for and was awarded the job of governor of both Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Initially accepted by Boston, his popularity decreased when he brought the censure of the English government. He was unwilling to resolve longstanding boundary disputes between the two provinces. Despite claims that he was neutral on the matter, he orchestrated affairs to prefer the settlement of lands north and west of the Merrimack River by Massachusetts residents. The dispute eventually reached the highest levels of government and court in England, and he was recalled over allegations of bribery in furthering some landowners' objectives in the dispute. As governor of Massachusetts, Belcher was also known for his stern opposition to the private Land Bank scheme of 1740, and continually fought the General Court over emissions of paper currency.