22. You are to transmit Authentick Copies of all Laws, Statutes and Ordinances that are now made and in force which have not yet been sent or which at any time hereafter shall be made or enacted within the said Province. 26. Whereas several Inconveniencies have arisen to Our Governments in the Plantations by Gifts and Presents made to Our Governors by the General Assemblies. You are therefor to propose unto the Assembly at their first meeting, after your Arrival, and to use your utmost Endeavours with them that an Act be pass'd for raising and settling a publick Revenue for defraying the necessary Charge of the Government of Our said Province, And that therein Provision be particularly made for a competant Salary, to yourself. . . . 29. Whereas great Prejudice may happen to Our Service and the Security of Our said Province under your Government by your absence from these parts, you are not upon any pretence whatsoever to come to Europe from your Government without having first obtained Leave for so doing, under Our Signet and Sign Manuel or by our Order in Our Privy Council. . . . 36. You shall not displace any of the Judges, Justices, Sheriffs, or other Officers or ministers within Our Said Province without good and sufficient Cause to be signified unto Us and to Our said Comm" for Trade and Plantations... 42. You are to take care that no Man's life, Member, Freehold or Goods be taken away, or harmed in Our said Province otherwise than by establish'd & known Laws, not repugnant to, but as much as may be agreeable to the Laws of this Kingdom. 44. You shall endeavour to get a Law pass'd (if not already done) for the restraining of any inhuman Severity, which by ill Masters, or Overseers may be used towards their Christian Servants, and their Slaves, and that provision be made therein, that the willfull killing of Indians, & Negroes may be punish'd with Death, and that a fit Penalty be imposed for the maiming of them. . . 54. And you are also with the Assistance of the Council & Assembly to find out the best means to facilitate & encourage the Conversion of Negroes, & Indians to the Christian Religion. 55. You are to permit a Liberty of Conscience to all Persons (except Papists) so they be contented with a quiet & Peaceable Enjoyment of the same, not giving Offence or Scandal to the Government. 56. You shall take especial care that God Almighty be devoutly and One Thousand Pounds for a Governorship 161 No. 56] duely served throughout your Governm the Book of Common Prayer, as by Law establish'd read each Sunday & Holyday, and the Blessed Sacrament administred, According to the Rites of the Church of England... 67. You shall not upon any Occasion whatsoever establish or put in Execution any Articles of War or other Law Martial upon any of Our Subjects, Inhabitants of Our said Province, without the Advice & Consent of Our Council there. . . . 85. And whereas in the late War the Merchants & Planters did Correspond and Trade with Our Enemies and carry Intelligence to them, to the great Prejudice & Hazard of the English Plantations, you are therefore by all possible Methods to endeavour to hinder all such Trade and Correspondence in time of War. . . . 93. And you are upon all Occasions to send unto us by One of Our principal Secretaries of State and to Our Com" for Trade and Plant a particular Acc of all your Proceedings & of the Condition of Affairs within your Government. William A. Whitehead, editor, Documents relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey (Newark, 1882), VI, 2–51 passim. 56. One Thousand Pounds for a Governorship (1740) BY SECRETARY GEORGE CLARKE, JR. Clarke's father came to New York as secretary of the province; later he satisfactorily administered the affairs of New York as lieutenant-governor. The letter is directed to Lord Delaware. — Bibliography: Winsor, Narrative and Critical History, V, 200. My Lord. MY Y father since his being appointed His Majty Lieut: Gov' of New York, has in all his letters to Mr Walpole Auditor Gen' and his other friends here, represented that an unruly spirit of independency, and disaffection had at last got to such a hight in that province, that he found the weight and Authority of a Lieut' Gov', though managed in the best manner, would not be able to subdue it: but that if His Majesty should be pleased to invest him with the Commission of Gov' in chief, he had the greatest reason to be assured that as he had naturally the M affections of the people, he should be able when they should know what they had to trust to, to carry on His Maj'y affairs with much more success at this important and critical juncture — M' Walpole seemed lately, so convinced of the truth of these representations, that he was pleased to say, he could wish, Your Lord' would, to facilitate His Maj affairs, move His Grace the Duke of Newcastle in my fathers favour. Encouraged by this and by Your Lord's late favours, I most humbly presume to intreat your Lordship, that your Lord' would in consideration of what is above set forth be pleased to move His Grace the Duke of Newcastle on my Fathers behalf, that he may succeed your Lord in that Govern'. This will greatly facilitate his Majty affairs, and as it will be some advantage to my father, and Your Lord has been put to great charge in passing Your Commissions ettc. I shall upon such appointment immediately pay Your Lord' one thousand Guineas to indemnify Your Lord' from any loss, or expence occasioned thereby, which is all that the Govern' there under its present circumstances allows me to offer - I am My Lord. Your Lordships London June 20th 1740. most obedient and most humble servant GEORGE CLARKE JUN (signed.) E. B. O'Callaghan, editor, Documents relative to the Colonial History of the State of New-York (Albany, 1855), VI, 163–164. 57. A Governor's Perquisites (1743-1746) BY GOVERNOR GEORGE CLINTON Clinton was governor of New York from 1743 to 1753, at a time when the position had ceased to be financially desirable. - Bibliography: Winsor, Narrative and Critical History, V, 200-204. SHOP HORT heads to show the reasonableness of Governor Clinton's application for an allowance by way of equipage money. 1743. I" Upon the apointment of Governors the Crown have frequently made an allowance by way of equipage money in order to assist 'em towards defraying the very considerable expence, the equipping and fitting them out for their own Govern' must necessarily occasion and this without any other reason; Whereas in Governor Clinton's case there are many strong reason's, to be offered in support of this application, For: 2nd The Govern of New York will not be near so valuable to Gov Clinton as it has been to his predecessors - The Province of New Jersey having always till now been united with New York, and under the same Government, and the salary paid by New Jersey has always been £1000 besides other considerable advantages, so that the making New Jersey a separate and distinct Govern' makes New York at least £1000 a year less in value to Gov' Clinton than it was to his predecessors. 3rd Former Governors had the advantage of one of the four companyes, besides the paying all the four Company's, which were together at least £2000 per annum, but which from the present method of paying those Company's Governor Clinton will be totally deprived of. 4th Former Governours have always had a mojety of their salary's from the date of their Commission to the time of their arrival in New York, but which from the different method the Assembly's of New York have lately fallen into in raising and paying this salary, Governor Clinton will have no advantage of, but from the time he shall actually arrive at New York, and get an act passed for that purpose. 5th Former Governors have likewise had considerable advantages from granting lands-But Governor Clinton can expect no benefit of this kind, there being now no vacant lands remaining to grant. This Therefore hoped it will be thought reasonable to make Governor Clinton an allowance, by way of equipage money, towards assisting him, in defraying the expences of fitting himself out for his Government. My Lord. [January 26, 1743/4.] I take the liberty to acquaint your Grace that Lieut' Govern' Clark has told me he proposes going from hence in the spring with his family, and has strongly pressed me to trouble Your Grace in behalf of his son Hyde Clark who is a Lieut in my company here that you would be pleased to give consent to his being removed from hence into General Oglethorps Regim' to which the Lieut' Govern' has wrott to the General, whereby he hopes with the interest of his Friends he may rise in the service, I shall be highly obliged to your Grace for your concurrance and interest therein, for this reason, that if Lieut' Clark is removed there will be a vacancy, and as all my predecessors upon the occasion has claimed the nomination of a successor, as an emolument of this Govern', so I hope it will be considered by Your Grace to speak to S′ Will" Young that I should be indulged with the like privilidge, since so great a part of my income is curtailed by an appointment of a Governor of the Jersey, and several large perquisites take off, which before was always an appendix to this Govern' and without Your Grace will stand my friend for me to name the vacancy's here, I shall loose these little douceurs, which even the Lieut' Gov' has found the advantage off. . . . My Lord. New York 10th June 1746. I must always acknowledge with a great many thanks the many favours I have received from your Grace and particular the last in obtaining for me this government, tho' it has fallen far short of what it was represented in regard to the support of a Governor, and to the climate, which has been fatal to one of my family, nor have I or any of the rest enjoyed any share of health since we have been in the Province. I am obliged to send my son out for change of air, he having had an ague & feaver for above this ten months, which has wore him to nothing. Therefore I am become a petitioner in behalf of my self and family, to beg of your Grace to get me his Majesty's leave to come to England for the recovery of my health, having very much empaired my hearing and eye sight. As I offered my service to command the squadron to be appointed to go against Louisbourg, and took it for granted this present expedition would follow, and from some hint I had from home, I did not think I should have failed; but tho' I did not obtain it, I hope when I have leave to return to England that the Lords of the admiralty will appoint me some command to come home with from hence, as I take it for granted ships will be going home in the fall; as they appointed Commidore Knowles a command to bring him out to his government. This I must beg your Graces assistance in, as it may be a chance of making some little profit going home, which I have had no opportunity of doing here; but intirely submitt every thing to Your Grace . . . E. B. O'Callaghan, editor, Documents relative to the Colonial History of the State of New-York (Albany, 1855), VI, 246-310 passim. |