USA > New Jersey > Documents relating to the colonial history of the state of New Jersey, Volume II > Part 28
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That the great and glorious God who of his wonder- full Goodness & mercy hath sett you over his Great People will preserve your sacred Majty from the wicked contrivances, of all those who shall endeavour to oppose y' Majty in the great worke wch lyes before You is and shall be the fervent & Constant Prayers of Us who crave leave to subscribe Our Selves your Majtys most humble Suppliants
From the Town of Bur- lington in ye Colony of West New Jersey in America May ye 16 1701
On behalfe of Our Selves & the freeholders of said Colony, by whom we are elected
THO: REVELL
WH BUDE
NAT: WESTLAND
ANT: ELTON
JN: HOLME
RICH: FINIMORE
THO: KILLINGWORTH
ROB. WHEELER
JOS: ADAMS
GEO: TAYLOR
OBA: HOLMES
SHAMGAR HAND
TIM: BROOKES
JN: SHAW JN: RUDDEROW
RALPH HUNT
MAT. ALLEN
JOHN JEWELL Collector &
Surveyor of his Majtys Customes in sd Colony
[Transmitted in a letter from Mr. R. Yard, Secretary of the Lords Justices, July 17.1701.]
1701]
OBJECTION TO ANDREW BOWNE AS GOVERNOR. 385
Letter from the Council of East Jersey to the Proprie- tors in England, objecting to the appointment of Andrew Bowne as Governor.
[From P. R. O. B. T. Proprieties, Vol. 6, G 32.]
To the honble The Proprs of East New Jersie These.
Gentlemen
Wee the Members of the Provinciall councill for the Province of East New Jersie as we are not a little Sur- pris'd to hear of A Comission arriv'd for cap". Bowne to be Govern" to tear open againe the wounds of the Province that were allmost clos'd up, so receiving In- formation y! the only use Intended to be made of this comission was to Supersede Collo Hamiltons And then to throw up the Other and thereby to Lodge the Gov- ernment in the People when all your powers in ye Prov- ince were dismist for this reason and the other Reasons assignd in Our Proclamation of which we Send a coppye we were of Councill to Collo Hamilton not to Surrender the Government to Prevent the trick intended upon you, and as we have been Inform'd So severall of our selves have been Eare witnesses to ye truth of wt was said for no Sooner had he Publisht his comission but the heads of his partie told some of us that they did not Vallue capt" bownes comission of A farthing and that it answered their Intention if it Supersed Collo Hamiltons.
26
386
NEW JERSEY COLONIAL DOCUMENTS. [1701
We have cause to Supose you have been deceiv'd by some Insinuations of Salter, yt you have made so false a step which may prove of Verry dangerouse Conse- quence to Youre Owne Interests as well as to ye Inhabitants. It is verry strange to us yt you suffer yourselves to be thus Influenced by such sort of people both to ye hurt of ye common weale of ye province and youre owne reputations in the Eyes of the think- ing part of the people both in this Province and in all the Neighbourhood around and it will alwaies be so if you take measures from any but men of known Probitie A character that person has no right to.
We Intreat you put the Dispute betwixt the King and you as to matters of Government to an End that ye Convultions of ye Province May Cease, if there be an appearance of wars abroad its high time there were Peace at home
We are
Perth Amboy
Gentlemen
18th June 1701 Your most humble Servants
SAME HALE WM PINHORNE
BENJA GRIFFITH SAMLL DENNIS
W¥ SANDFORD
JOHN BISHOP
SAMUEL LEONARD
387
SURRENDER OF E. J. BY CERTAIN PROPRIETORS.
1701]
Surrender of the Government of East Jersey by certain Proprietors.
[From original in the library of the New Jersey Historical Society. ]
SURRENDER of the GOVERNMENT of EAST JERSEY by CERTAIN PROPRIETORS IN THE PROVINCE
To All E'pian Croples to whome these Presents shall come Robert Burnett of ye County of Midlesex Esq5 Miles Forster of Perth Amboy Mercht John John- ston of the County of Monmouth Esq" David Lyell of sd County of Midl'x Goldsmith Thomas Warne of sd County of Monmouth Gent": Thomas Gordon of sd county of Midlesex Esq" Michaell Houdon & Jnº. Bar- clay both of sd County of Midl'x Gent" all Inhabitants & Proprietors of ye Province of East New Jersey in America, Sends Greeting in our Lord God everlasting Whereas the Late King Charles the Second by his Letters Patent bearing date ye twelfth Day of March in ye Sixteenth Year of his sd Majties Reigne under the Great Seal of England did Grant unto his Royall High- ness James Duke of York a Large tract of Land in America Ajoyning to New England with all ye Powers jurisdictions & Goverments of ye same as in the sd Letters Patent is particularly Expressed And Whereas his sd Royall Highness James Duk of York by Inden- tures of Leass and Releass bearing date the twentie third and twentie fourth dayes of June in ye Sixtenth Year of his sd Majtes Reigne did Bargain and sell all that part of the afores'd Tract of Land comonly called or Knowen by the name of Nova Cesarea or New Jersey Together wth all ye Powers jurisdictions and Goverments of the same unto John Lord Berkley
388
NEW JERSEY COLONIAL DOCUMENTS. [1701
Barron of Straton and ST. George Carteritt of Saltrem Knight and Barronett And Wheras the sd King Charles ye 2ª by Letters Patent bearing date ve twen- tieth Day of June in the twentie Sixth Year of his Reign did againe Grant the af'sd Tract of Land wth ye Powers Jurisdictions and Goverments of ye same to his sd Royall Higness James Duke of York who in ye moneth of July next after Did Transferr and Convey the sd Tract of Land called Nova Cesarea unto ye aforsd Jnº Ld Berkley and St George Carteritt And Theras by a deed of Parti'ion Between ye sª ST. Geo: Carteritt of ye one part & William Penn Esq" Gawen Lowrie Merch! Nicholas Lucas Maultster and Edward Byling Gent" Assignee of ye st John L' Berkley the s' S' George Carteritt became Vested & Sized of one Moyetie of the afor'sd tract of Land comonly called or known by the name of East New Jersey And Wheras ye sª S' Geo: Carteritt by his Last will and Testament bear- ing date on or about ye fifth day of Decem" 1678, did amongst other things devise ye aforsª Tract of Land Called East New Jersey unto James Earle of Sandwich John Earle of Bath Thomas Ld Crew Bernard Grenvill Esq: S' Robert Atkins K' and S' Edward Atkins K' in trust to be sold for payment of his Debts and Legacies And Wheras ye sd James Earle of Sandwich by Inden- tures of Leass & Releass bearing Date ye 20th day of Feb". anno dom' 1681 did releass his Estate in trust of sd tract of land called East New Jersey unto ye sª Jnº Earl of Bath Thomas Ld Crew & ye other trustees aforsd And Wheras the sd Jn. Earle of Bath Thomas Ld Crew Bernard Grenvill S' Robert Atkins & S' Edward Atkins trusties [a]fors'd by & wth ye [consent of] dame Elizabeth Carteritt widdow & Executrix of s' S' George Carterett Dec'd did Bargaine & sell ye afors'd Tract of land called East New Jersey wth ye jurisdic- tion & Goverment of the same unto Will™ Penn Esq" Robert West Esq" Thomas Rudyard Gent and others to
389
SURRENDER OF E. J. BY CERTAIN PROPRIETORS.
1701]
ye number of twelv and ye sd Twelve some time after- wards did Bargaine & sell one Moyetie thereof wth a Proportionable Right of Goverment unto James Earle of Perth John Drumond of Lundie Esq" Robert Barclay of Urie Esq" and others to ye Number of twelve more And Whereas his said Royall Highnes James Duke of York in ye thirtieth & fifth year of his sd Majties Reigne did Grant a Confirmat'on of the afors'd tract of Land called East New Jersey wth all ye Jurisdictions and Powers of Governing the same unto ye sd James Earl of Perth John Drumond of Lundie Robert Barclay & others to ye number of Twentie four Grantees all wch by ye above recited Letters Patents Deeds &ª remain- ing upon ye Publique Records of ye sd Province of East New Jersey Doth more at Large appear How Know yee that we the said Robert Burnett Miles Forster John Johnston David Lyell Tho's Warne Tho's Gordon Michaell Houdon & Jnº Barclay Grantees and Ppr's by mean conveyances Derived under his sª Royall High- ness Out of our Duty love and Alledgance we ow unto our Now dread Saveraigne Ld William ye third by ye Grace of God King of England Scotland France & Ireland Defender of ye ffaith & have ffreely Volentar- ly for ourselves & our heirs & so far as we are capable for our fellow Ppr's Resigned & Surrendred & by these presents Doth Resigne & Surrender all ye authorities jurisdictions & Powres of Govermt yt we have or can pretend to have in ye sª Province of East New Jersey by Vertue of the above recited Letters Patents Grants & Conveyances howsoever devized to us by mean con- veyances or otherways unto our sd Soveraigne Ld & King William ye third & to his Royall Successors Kings of England at all times to come forever hereafter Un Testimony Whereof wee have to these presents sett our hands & seales and have hereunto affixed the Publick Seall of the sª Province of East New Jersey the Nintenth day of June in the thirtenth year of the
390
NEW JERSEY COLONIAL DOCUMENTS. [1701
Reigne of our sd Soveraign Ld Willm ye 3ª over Engl &cª King an'oqe Dom' one Thousand Seven Hundred & one1
David Lyol® L S
Kites Forster LS
Barclay LS
Thomas Gordons PLS
Ro Burnet LS -
Mark Houdon
To: LS
John Johnstone LS
4
1 The surrender was effected on April 13, 1702. As the instrumnet appears in Smith's New Jersey, pp 211-219, Lewis Morris signed for the parties to this surrender. which gave place to the more perfect document then executed .- ED.
391
CONSIDERATION OF MEMORIALS ASKED FOR.
1701]
· Memorial of Jeremiah Basse to the Lords of Trade, asking for a consideration of the Memorials and Letters in their hands relating to the government of East and West Jersey.
[From P. R. O. B. T., Proprieties, Vol. 6. G. 19.]
TO THE RIGHT HONORBLE THE LORDS COMSRS OF THE COUNCILL OF TRADE &"
THE HUMBLE MEMORIALL of Jeremiah Bass on behalfe of his Majestys province of East New Jersie.
May it please your Lordshipp !!
The hopes of haveing the disorders of the Jersies happily concluded by the Parliments reasumeing of the Proprietary Governments into the hands of his Majesty being for this Session Vacated Ocations me afresh to Solicit your Lordships on the behalfe of that vnhappy Province Intreateing your Lordships to Re- view the humble Address or Remonstrance of the saide province presented to his Majesty & by him Refered to your Lordships Consideration together with those Subsequent Memorialls & Letters in which the miser- able Condition of the saide Inhabitants is layde before your Lordships amongst whome as I have formerly Informed your Lordships not so much as the Shadow of Law or Government remaines the Proprietors have- ing Vacated the Comiss'on granted to Andrew Ham- milton Esq! & giveing another which cannot without his Majesty's Aprobation have any force to the deter- minateing of the differences of that Province but rather tending to the increaseing of the same. I dare not venture to prescribe methods to your Lordships butt am humbly of the opinion if those provinces of
392
NEW JERSEY COLONIAL DOCUMENTS. [1701
the Jersies with the Lower Counties of Pensilvania were by a spetiall Com'ission from his Majesty consid- ering the preasant exigence of afaires putt vnder the Conduct of some person knowing in the afaires of the . Country itt might intirely conduce not onely to the preasant quieting of those places butt the preventing of those Illegall practisses wheareby his Majestys Rev- ennue is diminished Illegall trade increased & his Majestys Subjects in those parts Oppressed I begg your Lordshipps to pardon my presumption & to believe that none more truely desires the Settlement of those Collonies on such A foundation that his Majesty's Rev- ennue might be secured & the people in their legall trade & Industrie Incoraged Then
Your Lordship. Most humble Servt
Rec! 20 June 1701
J. BASS.
Memorial from Jeremiah Basse to the Lords of Trade, relating to the Government of New Jersey. [From P. R. O. B. T., Proprietors, Vol. 6, G 22.]
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE LORDS COM OF THE COUNCIL OF TRADE &e May itt please Your Lordships
The complaintes of the disorders & irregularities of the proprietary & Charter Collonies Still increaseing & itt being the opinion of this Board that It is of absolute nessecity that the Legislative power of the nation is onely capable of provideing Sutable remedies for so great evills by reasumeing the powers of Government & placeing them in the hands of his Majesty. In order to the attaineing this end I would humbly propose to Your Lordshipps:
393
1701] J. BASSE RESPECTING CHARTER COLONIES.
That a Commission of Inspection into the State & Complaints of the Proprietary & charter Governments might be granted to such person or persons as your Lordships shall Judge fit for such a servis with sutable [powers] to Enquire Into:
The severall trangressions of the acts of trade &c The Encouragement & entertainement of pyrates
The deniall of appeals to England
The raiseing & faleing of Coyne to the damage of the neighboring Colonies
The quantitys of Tobbacos yearely made in the Three Lower Countys of pensilvania & how & by whome shipped with the places wheare.
The State of their militia & courtes of law
The boundaries of Pensilvania mad particulerly wheare M' Penn's patent limited to the latitude of fourty degrees takes its begining on Delawar river·
That a true accot may be given of the quantity, of lands surveyed outt of the bounds the one halfe of the quit rents being due & reserved to his Majesty.
The Refuge that hath been given by any of those proprietary or Charter Colonies to fugitive Sailers Soldiers or Servants &c
And to make returnes of those enquiries with the proofe's against the next Session of the Parliment by which not onely your Lordships but that honorable Assembly may be thoroughly aquainted with the true state of those Colonies & better enabled to make a due regulation & settlement of them. This My Lords as It would be butt of Little expense to his Majesty So itt is humbly Conceived would be highly Servisable towards the prevention of the growing evills of those Colonies all which humbly- Submitted to Your Lord- ships Consideration
By Your Lordships most humble Sertt
[July 15th 1701]
J BASS
394
NEW JERSEY COLONIAL DOCUMENTS. [1701
Petition of the inhabitants of East Jersey, asking to be taken under the government of the King, should the Proprietors not appoint a suitable person as Governor.
[From P. R. O. B. T. Proprieties, Vol. 6, No. G. 23.]
TO THE KINGS MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.
THE HUMBLE PETON Your Majtys Loyall Subjects in- habiting in your Majtys Province of East New Jersey in America.
Humbly Sheweth.
THAT M' Jeremiah Basse was sent over by the Pro- prietors of this Your Majtys Province In the year 1697 with a Commission from them to govern the said Province, whose Authority was by many opposed, for that (as it was alleged) he wanted our Majtys Royall approbation as by Act of Parliament is required, where- upon very great disturbances have arisen amongst the Inhabitants of this Your Majtys Province.
That the Councill here did give an account to the said Proprietors, of those disturbances & at the same time did advise and assure them that no Gov! by them com- missionated would satisfy the People here without Your Majtys Royall approbation.
That yet notwithstanding (in contempt of your Majtys known Laws and against the advice of the Councill aforesaid) They the said Prop's have sent over Colonell Andrew Hamilton (in the year 169 ) to govern the sd Province by virtue of a commission from them- selves only, not having your Majtys Royall approbation, who has thereupon assumed the Government; and by force of arms holds Courts to the great terrour of your Majtys good Subjects; and has pressed Sundry Persons
1701]
PETITION FROM E. J. FOR A SUITABLE GOVERNOR. 395
to his assistance therein, some of whom he has im- prisoned, and fined for no other cause but for refusing Obedience to his Illegall Authority commanding them to take up Arms against their peaceable Neighbours.
WE Your Majtys Loyall Subjects labouring under these and many other grievances and oppressions by the Proprietor of this your Majtys Province of East New Jersey, do in most humble manner lay ourselves prostrate before your Majt (the fountain of Justice) humbly imploring your Majty will be graciously pleased, according to your Princely Wisdome, to take into consideration Our evill circumstances under the present Prop's And that Your Majty will be graciously pleased to give Your Royall Command to the said Prop's (if the Right of Government is invested in them) that with Your Majtys Royall approbation they com- missionate for Gov! a fitt Person, qualifyed according to Law, who as an indifferent Judge may decide the Controversies, arising between the Prop"s and the Inhabitants of this Your Majtys Province, and settle all the differences which at present they labour under, or if otherwise Your Majty be graciously pleased to take the Government immediately into Your Majtys own hands, We humbly pray (if it may be for your Majtys Service) That East and West New Jersey's may be one distinct Government
And Your Pet's as in duty bound shall ever Pray &c 1
William Looker Sr. W" Mitchell Sam" Potter
Jos: Whitehead Jos: Halsey Benj: Parkhurst
Sam"! Carter Jn: Harriman Jun' Jos: Ogden
James Whitehead Tho: Fitz Randolph Walter Wall
Jn: Miles Benj: Hull Wn Chesman Sen'
1 These names are written in columns in the draft, but as they are not original autographs, it is impossible to say in what order they were written. All those hav- ing an asterisk appended are very doubtful.
396
NEW JERSEY COLONIAL DOCUMENTS. [1701
Benj: Woodroffe
Wm Olden
Wm Chesman
Wm Brown
Jutt: Hall*
Jn. Morford
Jos: Maker Jun !*
Andrew Bowne
Peter Stout
Tho. Skenoye*
Rich. Hartshorne
Wm Mercell
Jn: Rosse
Lafty Gronen
Jn: Bray
Jn: Thomas
Rob! Hamilton
Jn: Whitelock
Jos: Hindse
Obadiah Holmes
Tho. Taylor
Josh: Clarke
Jorat Mall*
Jos. Anirell*
Tho: Clarke
Jn: Nahihan*
Fra: Buckhalson
Jos: Lyon
Jn: Stout Sen!
Jacob Vadoon
Kendrick Tunneson*Ja: Wilson
Aty Beune
Jn: Clarke
Jn: Bowne Jun!
Wm Lawrence Jun!
Jn: Willis
Benj: Borden
Jn. Lawrence
Hommuel Bunel*
James Grover
Rechª James
Jos: Cand
Nico: Stevens
Sam"! Forman
John Boyse
Kend. Hendickson
Jn: Swinney
Sam: Walker
Lamb: Johnson
Wm Lawrence
George Drake
Peter Landevinter
James Lawrence
Jn: Drake
Peter Wilson
Ben: Lawrence
Tho: Higgins
Hen: Harsh
Ja: Borden
Jn: Langstaff
James Ashton
Wm Wood
Henry Crosley
Tho: Hanackson
Alex: Forman
Jn: Perte* Jn: Edmonds
Ephraim Clarke
James Bowne
Rich Corden
Jn. Mceker
Rob: Ashaly
Jn Cleayton
Edwd Osborne
W™ Eastell
Hen: Parat
Stev: Bedford
Wm Whandrick
Wn Laten*
Rob: Wolly
George Shammit
Wm Wheavins
Wn Willis
Wn Furch
Nic: Larta*
Bar. Carter
Jn. Wilson
Jn: Parant
Ben. Bond
Wm Jones
Charles Chubs
Ja: Manning
Jos. Cole
Dav. Cleayton
Jos: Manning
James Fox
Tho: Potter
Jn. Chaplin Jed: Higgins
Sam! Forbenor
Rob: Holman Tho: Cox
Jn: Fitz Randolph
W™ Verety
Dan: Robins
Wm. Runyen
Rich". Hankson
Nat. Robins
Hugh Dun
George Allin
Mons: Robins
Jud: Sutton
Jos: West
Tho: Johnson
Jere: Bennit
James Dorset
1701]
PETITION FROM E. J. FOR A SUITABLE GOVERNOR.
397
Jos: Meeker
Jo: Fitz Randolph Jn. Herne
Wm Looker Jun !.
Jn. Manning
Caleb Allin
Jn. Allen Jn. Jemings
Jos: Parker
Sam. Whitehead Jn. Dreake
Josias Planbord , Aron Robins
Benj. Meeker
Fra: Dreake
Sam1! Clarke
Elis Lawrence
Wn Purden
Henry Tuttell
Ben: Cooke
Wm White
Jn: Hindes
James Stout
James Ashton
Ob: Sale
Abner Ilnes
Richª Robins
Jona: Ogden
Tho: Eistell*
Tho: Parker
Jona: Ogden Jun'
Ob: Bowne
Tho: Parker Jun"
W™ Whitehead
Rich. Davis Jun!
Jn. Dewilde
Benj. Price Jun'
Benj: Corden
Jn Page Sen".
Tho: Sayre
Jn. Cole
Jn Page Jun!
Nat: Whitehead
Sam. Willit
Jn Fowler
Wm Strayhearne
Jn. Sealton
Ant. Woodw'd
Pier Mice
Moses Lipet
Jn. More
Dan. Robins
Jn. Woodroffe
Jonas Wood
W" Parrent
Rich: Clarke
Jn. Parker
Wm Winter
Tho: Thompson
Jn. Megie
James Gunner
Benj: Meeken*
Charles Tooker
Rich. Davis
Geo. Rosse
Remembrance Lip- pincott
W“ Bowne
George Ross
Jos: Lippincott
Step: Vane
John Cox
Steph: Sheate
Moses Tompson
Sam"! Dotey*
Garet Bowler
Abr: Baker
Richª Sutton
Jn. Woolley
Benj. Qgden
Isaac Smalley
Jn. Williams
Jn. Gold
Benj: Manning
Ja: Bollen
Wn Miller
Sam"! Dotey
Ja: Seabrooke
Jn. Cramer
Sam: Hull
Jos. Lawrence
Eben: Lyon
Edmd. Downham.
Sam: Throp
Andr: Cragg
Reheboth Gannet
Henry Bell
[Transmitted in a letter of Mr. R. Yard, Secretary of the Lords Justices, July 17th, 1701.]
Rich. Compton
Jos. Ressey*
398
NEW JERSEY COLONIAL DOCUMENTS. [1701
Letter from Lewis Morris to the Lords of Trade in re- lation to the disorders in New Jersey.
[From P. R. O. B. T., Proprieties. Vol. 6, G. 28 ]
Mem! from M! Lewis Morris lately come from ye Jerseys, relating to ye Disorders in those Prov. inces.
TO THE RIGHT HONBIE THE LORDS COMMISSES FOR TRADE & FORREIGN PLANTATIONS
MY LORDS.
In Obedience to your L'ps comands, I have perus'd the Petic'ons of East and West Jersie, & the better to Enable Your L'ps, to Judge of ye hardships ye Petic'on'rs lye under, I take Leave to Lay before your L'ps, ye State of those two Provinces, but more particularly, of East Jersie, wc? is as follows.
M' Basse ariv'd ye last of March 1698, and some time in Aprill, aply'd himselfe to ye then Governor (Hamil- ton) and Councill, Producing a Comission, from ye Proprietors (of East Jersie), for Governour of that Province, but not Producing an Approbation, As was . Expected, the Governour told him, yt though he was assur'd ye Proprietors, had given what authority they had, to M' Basse and had thereby Sup'seded him, yet he did not thinke, M' Basse without ye Kings Aproba- tion, was sufficiently authoris'd to Enter upon ye Gov- ernment, however, he left that matter with ye Councill, who adjourn'd for a day or two, & at ye time appointed, part of them met Againe, (some of which are in ye number of the Petic'oners) and notwithstanding that Barr; acknowledg'd him their Governour, & twelve daies after swore him, and Was themselves sworne by him.
399
LEWIS MORRIS ON NEW JERSEY DISORDERS.
1701
On the Eleventh day of May, he held ye Supream Court of yt Province, & there, one of ye Late Councill, did Publiquely demand of Him by what Authority He tooke on Him ye government of his Majesties Subjects? who replyed by the Kings, and ordered that Person to be Seiz'd, and ye Court, (Some of ye members of which; Are now Some of ye Petic'oners) fin'd him fiftie Pounds, and comitted him to ye Sheriffs Custody.
On ye [ ] day of [ ] Capt". Peter Ma- thews, by order of ye Govern" of New Yorke, did seize in ye River, before ye citty of Perth Amboy, a ship called the Hester, about ye Vallue of £600-Pounds, upon wch Some time after, MẸ Basse, Sumon'd an As- sembly, & on ye 13th day of March 1698,1 Pass'd Severall acts, among which Was one; for ye Raising ye sum of Six hundred Seaventie & five Pounds, Entitled, an Act for Redressing a force of Our Neighbour Province.
This act was so displeasing to ye Greatest part of ye country; that they did in Severall Towns, resolve not to pay it, unlesse forc't to it, & ye Severall Towns, having met, (by Warrants from ye Justices of the Peace) did write to ye Proprietors, of East New Jersie which Letter No (1) Lyes before your L'ps: '
M! Basse and Councell, finding yt the afforesaid Act, wanted Some Necessary Amendments, without which it was Judg'd Impracticable to raise the money, resolv'd to wait till ye next Session of Assembly; who met acording to Adjournment, and Aply'd themselves, to make those amendments requisite; but finding the country (on one side) to murmur, & resolve not to put the money, & M' Basses deputy Governour & councell (on ye other side) Insist Violently on it; the greatest part of the deputies left ye House, without a Quorum to act; & that Assembly dissolv'd of course, and Every
1 1698-9.
2 See pages 270-273 of this volume .- ED.
400
NEW JERSEY COLONIAL DOCUMENTS. [1701
thing was Quiet till ye Arivall of Collo Hamilton, who arriv'd in ye month of december 1699, & Produc't a commission from ye Proprietors of East Jersie, apoint- ing him, to be their Governour of that Province. He also told us, your L'ps refus'd him an Aprobation, because it would be A recognising, ye Proprietors rights to Goverment, but did not thereby Intend to Inhibit him, from Governing, & provided he acted in y: Station, agreeably to ye Laws of England, and ye Laws of that Province, not repugnant unto them, He was Justifi- able.
Mª Basses Councell did acknowledge y' he deriv'd His power, from ye Same persons yt commissionated M! Basse that his comission was good; & promis't to pay an Obedience to it; and accordingly, all but foure continued their former stations, in ye Goverment, & three of those foure, Coll. Hamilton by repeated solici- tations, desired to continue in their former Stations allso, but they alleg'd they were ffatigued wth the toyles of publique businesse, and desired rest; so that Collo Hamilton was forc't to comissionate others in their stead.
Those men of ye former Councell, with Some others of Lesse note (who during M' Bass's administra". did Sedulously Inculcate to ye People, y although M" Basse wanted an Aprobation, he was a Lawfull Governour; & on all occasions asserted his Authority, notwith- standing that defect) whether Vext at being disap- pointed, of raising the money they wanted, or displeas'd at ye Proprietors, for displacing M' Basse, sooner than they Expected, did Stir up ye Same People, to Opose Coll. Hamilton in his Adminis". because he wanted an Aprobation.
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