USA > New Jersey > Documents relating to the colonial history of the state of New Jersey, Volume VIII > Part 23
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Affidavit of Samuel Finch, of Minisink-complaining of his having been taken prisoner by a warrant from a New Jersey Justice.
[From N. Y. Col. MSS. in Secretary of State's Office, Albany, Vol. LXXIX, p. 14.]
CITY OF NEW YORK, S. SAMUEL FINCH one of the Constables of the Precinct of Minisinch In the County of Orange being duly sworn deposeth and Saith that on Fryday the Sixteenth of the Instant month of August, While he was at work in his shops F In the County of Orange about three quarters of a mile from the Line of Usher County and sixteen Miles from the Lower End of great Minisinch Island he was taken by Cornelius Westfall, Solomon Cartwright, Petrus Westfall, Jacobus Westfall & Urian Westfall by virtue of a warrant from Richard Gardner a New Jersey Justice as they Informed this deponent and upon his refusal to Obey said Warrant was dragged from his shop by force by the said Cornelius Westfall, Solo- mon Cartwright, Petrus Westfall Jacobus Westfall and Urian Westfall near a Quarter of a mile through bushes and Swamps by which means he was greatly bruised in Several parts of his body and verily believes that had he not been rescued by Jacobus * *
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ADMINISTRATION OF GOVERNOR BELCHER. [1754
one of his Majesties Justices of the Peace In the County of Orange In the Province of New York that they would have Carried him Sussex Gaol In New Jersey unless he could have got security for his Appearance at the next Court of Sessions to be held In the County of Sussex aforesaid In East New Jersey and further this deponent Saith not
SAMUEL FINCH.
Sworn the twenty first Day of August 1754- Before me
JAMES LIVINGSTON Justice.
Petition of the House of Representatives of New Jer- sey to the King-relation to the Bill for making amount of £70,000 in bills of credit.
[From P. R. O. B. T .. New Jersey. Vol. 7, 1. 50. |
TO THE KINGS MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.
The Petition of the House of Representatives of the Colony of New Jersey in General Assembly met.
Most Humbly Sheweth
That nothing but the pressing necessity of the times and the Impossibility of complying with Your Majesty's late Instructions to His Excellency Your Governor could have induced us to have given Your Majesty this additional trouble on the Subject of a Paper Currency.
Sensible of the many blessings We enjoy under Your Majesty's benevolent reign, and determined to Act as be- come a gratefull People it is a matter of no small con- cern to be thus obliged to renew our application, but not
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doubting the continuation of Your Majesty's paternal regard and calling to mind the gracious reception which the complaints of a needy People have always hitherto met with, We are encouraged humbly to lay before your Majesty, that the making the Bills of credit in- tended to be emitted, no lawfull tender would as We conceive entirely defeat their Intentions, the nature of their emission being such as require land or other real security of double and treble the value to be first given before they can be taken out of the respective Loan offices, and the ffreeholders of this Colony in general, quite unacquainted with the Nature of bank Bills or any currency of that Kind would not We apprehend mortgage their Lands for a specie which it is uncertain that they can ever Part with.
As it is chiefly the merchants of New York and Philadelphia that give life to our trade, our money must consequently sometimes Pass through their hands, and would (We conceive) be very unlikely to give credit to a currency from Us, which is so unusual in the Colonies, Around us, and not obligatory on the Inhabitants to be mutually taken between man and man in our own government, for these and other rea- sons a Paper currency on the footing prescribed in Your Majesty's Instructions, We humbly conceive would not be practicable, and therefore have been ne- cessitated to have recourse to another expedient, which that your Majesty's royal Intentions might be as nearly complied with as possible, we have agreed upon the draught of the annexed bill for making current Sev- enty thousand pounds in Bills of credit upon the foot ing of those heretofore emitted in this Colony, saving only, that the whole Interest thereof is now Appro- priated to Your Majesty's use, Excepting the necessary charge Attending the Emission, and so much as will sink the sum of Thirteen thousand seven hundred, seventy one Pounds sixteen shillings and three Pence
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half Penny, now outstanding in this Colony in Bills of Credit, being Part of what were made current for Your Majesty's service in the late War, Ten thousand Pounds of the first money to be struck by the said Bill is immediately to be applied as Your Majesty shall please to direct for Assisting the neighboring Colonies in dispossessing the French from Your Majesty's Lands on the Ohio, which is afterwards to be sunk as the Interest Money from the remaining Sixty thous- and Pounds will come in, and when those two sums are sunk, there will annually arise a considerable sum of Interest money for Your Majesty's use, subject only to future appropriations for the defence of the fron- tiers of this and the Neighbouring Colonies.
May it therefore Please Your Majesty in Considera- tion of the premises and to encourage a Spirit of In- dustry among us to enable the Inhabitants to go on with their Improvements and pay their taxes towards the necessary and honorable support of the Govern- ment, that Your Majesty would be graciously pleased to signify Your royal Approbation of the Bill hereto annexed for making current the sum of Seventy thou- sand Pounds, and give leave to the Governor of this Colony to enact the same.
october the 17th 1754,
Signed by order of the House of Representatives,
ROBERT LAWRENCE, Speaker. A true Copy Examined & Compared with the or- iginal, by ROBERT LAWRENCE, Speaker.
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Circular letter to the Governors in America, from Sir Thos. Robinson, Secretary of State-urging en- listments in four new regiments to be raised.
[From P. R. O. Am. & W. Indies, No. 74.]
WHITEHALL, Oct: 26th 1754.
Circular to the Governors in North America.
Sir,
Having informed you, in my Letter of July 5th, that the King had under His Royal Consideration the State of Affairs in North America: I am now to acquaint you, that amongst other measures, that are thought proper for the Defence of His Majty's just Rights, & Dominions, in those Parts, The King has not only been pleased to order Two Regiments of Foot, consisting of 500, Men Each, besides Commissioned, & non Com- missioned Officers, commanded by Sir Peter Halkett, & Colº Dunbar, to repair to Virginia; & to be there augmented to the Number of 700., Each; but, likewise, to send Orders to Gour Shirley,' & Sir William Pep- perell, to raise Two Regiments, whereof They' are respectively, appointed Colonels, of 1000. Men Each; And, also, to sign Commissions for a Number of Officers to serve in the said Two Regiments, & who will forthwith, repair to North America, for That purpose.
Whereas there will be wanting a considerable Num- ber of Men to make up the designed Complements of the said Four Regiments; It is His Majtys Pleasure that you should be taking the previous Steps, towards contributing, as far as you can, to have about 3000. Men in Readiness to be enlisted; And It is His Majes Intention, That a General Officer, of Rank, & Capacity,
1 In Circular to Governor Shirley. the word "you" inserted instead .- ED. 2
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to be appointed to Command in Chief all the King's Forces in Nº America, a Deputy Quarter Master Gen- eral, & a Commissary of the Musters, shall set out, as soon as conveniently may be, in order to prepare Every Thing for the Arrival of the Forces abovementioned from Europe, & for the Raising of the Others in America.
You will receive from that General, & the other Officers just mentioned, a full & exact Account of the Arms, Cloathing, & other Necessaries, to be sent, upon this important Occasion, as likewise of the Ordnance Stores, & of the Officers, and Attendants, belonging thereto. All which being ordered for this Service, are such Proofs of His Majty's Regard for the Security, & Welfare of His Subjects in those Parts, as cannot fail to excite You to exert yourself, & Those under Your Care, to take the most vigorous Steps to repel your common Danger; & to shew, That The King's Orders, which were sent you, last year, by the Earl of Holder- nesse, & were renewed to you, in my Letter of the 5th July, have, at last, rouzed that Emulation, & Spirit, which Every Man owes, at this Time, to His Maj"? the Publick, & Himself: The King will not, therefore, imagine, That Either you, or the Rest of His Gover- nors, will suffer the least Neglect or Delay, in the Performance of the Present Service, now strongly recommended to you: particularly, with regard to the following Points: vizt that you should carefully pro- vide a sufficient Quantity of fresh Victuals, at the Expence of Your Government, to be ready for the Use of the Troops, at their Arrival.
That you should likewise, furnish the Officers, who may have Occasion to go from Place to Place, with all the necessaries for Travelling by Land, in Case there are no Means of going by Sea. And
That you should use your utmost Diligence, & Authority, in procuring an exact Observance of such Orders, as shall be issued, from Time to Time, by the
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Commander in Chief, for Quartering Troops, Impress- ing Carriages, & Providing all Necessaries for * such Forces, as shall arrive, or be raised, within your Government.
As the Articles abovementioned are of a Local & peculiar Nature, & arising entirely within Your Gov- ernment, It is almost needless for me to acquaint you, That His Majty will expect, That the Charge thereof be defrayed by His Subjects belonging to the same. But, with regard to such other Articles, which are of a more general Concern, It is the King's Pleasure, That the same should be supplied by a Common Fund, to be established for the Benefit of all the Colonies. Collectively, in Nº America; For which purpose, you will use your utmost Endeavours to induce the Assem- bly of your Province, to raise, forthwith, as large, a Sum, as can be afforded, as their Contribution to this Common Fund, to be employed, provisionally, for the general Service of North America, (particularly for paying the Charge of Levying the Troops to make up the Complements of the Regiments abovementioned,) until such Time as a Plan of general Union of His Majty's Northern Colonies, for their Common Defence, can be perfected.
You will carefully confer, or correspond, as you shall have Opportunities, upon Every Thing, relative to the present Service, with the said General: Sir William Pepperell, & Gov" Shirley,1 or Either of Them; & as It is the King's Intention to give all proper Encouragement to such Persons, who shall engage to serve upon this Occasion, You will acquaint all such Persons, in the King's Name, that They will receive Arms & Cloathing from hence, & that They shall be sent back (If desired) to their respective Hab- itations, when the Service in America shall be over.
1 See note on page 17.
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[1754
As the several Governors, in all The King's Pro- vinces, & Colonies, in Nº America, will receive, by this Conveyance, a Letter to the same Effect, with This, which I now send you, They will be prepared, at the same Time, to obey His Majty's Commands :- And I am to direct you. To correspond with all, or Either of Them, occasionally, as you shall find it expedient for the General Service.
I am &cª
T. ROBINSON.
Report of the Committee of the Assembly of New York on Border disturbances.
[From N. Y. Col. MSS. in Secretary of State's Office, Albany, Vol. LXXIX, page 68.] ASSEMBLY CHAMBER THE 29th October 1754.
M' Nicoll from the Committee to whom was Re- ferred the Memorial of sundry of the part owners & proprietors of the Patents Minisink and Wawayanda and the other Patents within this Province bounded on the Jersey Line in behalf of themselves & the other part owners and proprietors of the said Patents; Com- plaining of all the Hardships the people of this Prov- ince, living near the said Jersey line labour under from the Encroachments of the people of that Province: reported.
That it appeared to them that in the year 1686, two Stations were fixed as the Terminating Points of the line of Division to be Run (tho the same as far as they can discover was never run) between the Provinces of New York and New Jersey, viz', The one on the North- ward most Branch of Delaware River in 414 40" north Latitude & the other on Hudsons River in 41º North Latitude which is due west from the lower Yonkers Mills.
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That the stations so fixed as aforesaid, were settled & adjusted by the Surveyors of both Provinces, by virtue of the Authority of their Respective Govern- ments, and with the Consent & approbation of the Pro- prietors of East New Jersey. That as to the stations on Hudsons River it appears so certainly designated by names of places well Known as may easily be found As to that on Delaware River notwithstanding it ap- pears to have been fixed in 41ª 40m North Latitude, on the most northwardly Branch of Delaware River; yet which is the most Northwardly Branch of that River or what part thereof is in the Latitude of 41ª 40m they Cannot Certainly discover. However they find that Minisink (a place well known) and the Lands to the Northward thereof have been held under this Province by Patents granted by the Government thereof for near seventy years, and which are bounded south by New Jersey.
That the Governments & Inhabitants of both Prov- inces esteemed the southward bounds of those lands, both at the time of their being granted, and for many years after to be Bound between them
That the Government and inferior Civil and Military officers of this Province in the Extention of their Juris- diction & Command and the Inhabitants of this prov- ince in the Extention of their possessions have ever since the settlement of the stations aforesaid in the Year 1686 advanced Southward as far as and limited themselves as near as possible by the Bounds aforesaid.
That the people of New Jersey for many years after the Fixation of the said stations in the settlement of their Lands did not extend northward beyond the said bounds; nor did the Government of New Jersey or its inferior officers ever till of late years, pretend to Exer- cise Jurisdiction to the Northward of the said Bounds.
That the people of New Jersey have from time to time, for a considerable time past Collected themselves in large Bodies and with violence have ousted divers
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of his Maj's Subjects holding Lands under this Prov- ince to the Northward of the said Bounds and taken possession of their Lands; and do now forceably hold the same.
That the Government of New Jersey hath within a few years past erected a new County Called Sussex a great part of which they have Extended many miles to the Northward of the Bounds aforesaid.
That Justices of the peace & other officers both civil & Military have been and are from time to time ap- pointed in the said County ; and do from time to time Exercise Authority and Jurisdiction over the Persons & possessions of a great number of his Maj's Subjects holding their Lands under and paying a submission to the Government of this Colony.
That in Consequence of the Exercise of Such au- thority & Jurisdiction, His Majesties Justices of the Peace and other Subordinate officers and Ministers in & for Orange County, have been repeatedly beaten, insulted, prevented in the Execution of their Respec- tive offices taken prisoners and Carried in to parts of New Jersey Remote from their Habitations and the opportunitie of Being Relieved and have been thrown into Goal and to Excessive Bail and Prosecuted by Indictment and that others of his Majestie's Subjects belonging to Orange County have also met with the same Treatment.
That the people of New Jersey have also from time to time and as often as they are able possessed them- selves of the Vacant Lands in Orange County.
That they frequently beset the Houses of His Majts Subjects in Orange County by night and attempt to Seize and take Prisoners such of his Majesties Sub- jects; and are Encouraged to do this by the offer of Rewards made to them, and are also actually kept in pay for that purpose by the proprietors of East New- Jersey.
That the Commissioners of Highways for the said
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New County have laid out a Highway through Mini- sink aforesaid; which now by the abovementioned Conduct of the people of New Jersey is almost if not entirely reduced to a Subjection to the Government of New Jersey.
That the Publick officers of New Jersey assess and Raise Taxes upon the People dwelling to the North- ward of the said bounds, by which means many have been prevented from Paying their Proportion of the Taxes of Orange County for more than a year past, some of them have been obliged to desert their posses- sions & retire into the more Northwardly parts of Orange County; while a few, more Resolute than the rest are Reduced to the Necessity of Converting their Dwellings into places of Defence, and go armed for fear of some sudden attack. That tho' the Committee could produce many Instances of this Kind they Chose to Confine themselves to one, which has happened very lately. Thomas Deckey Colonel of the Militia & a Justice of the Peace of Orange County, whose plan- tations are Claimed by New Jersey to be within the aforesaid New Jersey Northward of the said Bounds, tho he and those under whom he Claims have held them, and been settled upon them under New York nigh fifty years, finding himself Extremely vexed, dis- turbed, and disgusted, by the People of New Jersey went to James Alexander Esq one of his Maj's Council for this province, and also for New Jersey Province and who is one of the proprietors of the Eastern Devi- sion of New Jersey of great Interest there and Es- teemed one of the most active persons among them to endeavor to come to some agreement with him in order that he might remain in quiet untill the line between New York and New Jersey should be finally settled. But the said Alexander absolutely Refused to consent to any thing of that kind unless the said Deckey would agree to hold his Lands under New Jersey, become a Jersey man and fight (as he Expressed it) for New
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Jersey against New York People: and told him at the same time if he would do so he should neither want money nor Commissions; and that if he would not do so he should soon be dispossed of his Plantations. This Col' Deckey refusing to Comply with, some short time after a number of armed men from New Jersey came to the House of the said Col. Decky, who observing them approach in such a manner, shut himself up in his house, on which they drew up before his Door and some of them Cock'd their Guns and presented them towards the windows where Coll Dekey Stood swear- ing they would shoot him thro' the Heart, that they would starve him out, or Burn the House over his head; and if Man, Woman or Child attempted to Escape they would shoot them down that they had strength enough to take all Goshen and would do it in time. How- ever they then withdrew without further violence; and upon their departure, one of them said to Col. Dekey take Care of yourself for we will have you yet.
A true Copy taken from the Journal of the House and Examined by me
ABR" LOTT JUN. Clk.
Letter from Governor Belcher to Sir Thomas Robin- son, Secretary of State-unsatisfactory Proceed- ings of the Assembly, without manifesting a more dutiful disposition than the provinces owe.
ĮFrom P. R. O. America & West Indies. Vol. 67.]
ELIZABETH TOWN (N J) Nov! 5 !! , 1754.
SIR THOMAS ROBINSON
ST
The 26: of the last Month, I rec. the Honour, of your Letter of 5: of July last, wherein you are pleas'd, to tell me you had laid my Letter, of 10: of Nov! last, before the King: since which, I have in duty to His
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Majesty, kept up, an exact Correspondence, with all such, of His Majesty's Colonies, from whence, I have had any Informations, of the Hostilities of the French, upon the River Ohio; & have accordingly (once & again, ) call'd together, the Assembly of this Province, & laid before them, the urgent Necessity, of their Aid, & Assistance .- & I some Months agoe, dissolv'd an Assembly, because they would not come, into proper Measures, for answering, His Majesty's just, & rea- sonable Expectations, upon the Present Emergency, & extraordinary Circumstances, of the King's Colonies, on this Continent; and as soon as the Time wou'd allow, I order'd the Election, of a New Assembly, which I met the 3ª of the last Month, & then press'd upon them, the Danger, of His Majesty's Colonies, by the violent Incroachments, Depredations, & Murders, committed on them, by the French, with their Indians; and their Answer to me, with the whole Proceedings, of the Assembly, I have directed, the Secry: of this Province, to prepare, in the most Authentic Manner, & to bring me, without Delay, when I shall, by the very first Opportunity, in obedience to His Majesty's Royal Order, of the 16: of April 1752, transmit them, to the Right Honourable, the Lords Commissionars, for Trade & Plantations, in Order to be laid before the King. When I think it will appear, that this Province, has done nothing, in present Relief, of the Extraor- dinary Situation. & Circumstances of the Neighbour- ing Colonies :- And yet the Present Assembly, of this Province, seems to have shewn, a more dutifull dispo- sition to His Majesty's Royal Orders, than the last .- And I shall be hoping, to recieve the King's deter- minate answer, to a Petition, this Assembly have sent, to his Majesty, in which they have propos'd, the aiding, & assisting, the Neighbouring Colonies, on the Present Emergency :- upon which, when I have the Honour to
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recieve, the King's further Orders, I shall carry them, into Execution, with all Duty, & obedience, to the utmost of my Power, & am with great Respect.
Honourable Sir,
Your most obedient & Most humble Serv!,
J. BELCHER.
Letter from Governor Belcher to the Lords of Trade- relating to the action of the New Jersey Legisla- ture upon various subjects -- the boundary difficul- ties with New York, etc.
[From P. R. O. B. T., New Jersey, Vol. 7, H. 54.]
ELIZA: TOWN (N J) Nov! 6: 1754 To the Lords of Trade
My Lords
. The 26: of the last Month, I rect (by the Way of Virginia,) the Honour, of Your Lordship's Letter, of the 5: of July last, & for which, I humbly thank your Lordships, as it confirms in me, my own Opinion, of the present state, & Situation, of the Affairs of this Province, & of the male Conduct, of the late Assem- bly, in such a critical Juncture, & your Lordship's Letter, will also serve, for the better Guidance of my Administration .- & Your Lordship's will see, in the Course, of all my Letters, to this Time, how much & how often, I have urg'd, upon the Assembly, to give a helping hand, in Defence, of the Neighbouring Colo- nies, which are so barbarously treated, by the perfidi- ous Incroachments, Depredations, & Murders, com- mitted by the French, & their Indians, upon His Majesty: Lands, & upon His good Subjects; but after waiting, too unreasonably, on the late Assembly's Deliberations, they did but turn, a deaf Ear, & obliged
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me, to dissolve them; & I immediately issued, the King's Writt, for the Choice, of a new Assembly, which I met, the 3ª of the last Month, & by their Present Complexion, they seem to be better disposs'd to His Majesty's Honour, & Interest, & to the Com- mon, & their own particular Safety, than the last .-- the Secry: is preparing Authentic Copies, of all things, that past, in the last Session, of this new Assembly, & I hope, to have them ready, to transmit to Your Lord- ships, by a Ship, that will be going, from N York, in about three Weeks, from this Time, & when they get to Your Lordships Hands, you will make Your own Judgment, how much, what the Assembly has pro- pos'd, may tend, to His Majesty's Honour, & Interest, & to the common Defence, & Safety, of His Colonies, on this Continent, but on this head, I shall be more particular, when I send away, the Publick Papers.
Your Lordships will be pleas'd, to allow me to say, that I have no Expectation, even from this new As- sembly of their falling in, with the King's Instruction, relative to the Revisal, of their Laws.
His Majesty's Council, are to meet me, the 21: of this month, when I shall lay before them, what of Your Lordship's Letter, respects the Prosecution, of all such Rioters, as have been apprehended, & are now lying, under Bonds, & again take their Advice, in giv- ing proper Directions, to the Kings Attorney General, for the Prosecution of them .- & I am still, fully of Opinion, that these things, must go through, the whole Course of the Law, here, before there can be, a dernier resort, to His Majesty, upon them; I shall therefore urge this Point, upon His Majesty's Council, (some of whom are large Proprietors,) in the strongest manner, I can-
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