which was accordingly done & the same had been twice Read & stood Committed, that they should have gone through & Pass'd the s Bill but they found so great an Unwillingness in the house of Assembly to Proceed to any Business at this Time but that of makeing Provision for the Troops that they Judg'd it vain to Attempt any other.

And his Honour then Desired the Opinion of this Board & their Advice what was proper for him to do on this Occasion.

Whereupon the Board Declared that they Look'd upon it to be the Duty of every Branch of the Legislature to Exert themselves with the utmost Vigour to Enable the Government to bring to Justice the Persons Concern'd in the Late Disturbances & that they were willing & ready both as a Council of Advice & as a Branch of the Legislature to do every thing that should be thought most Conducive to that End, That they were sorry that the House of Assembly would not Joyn in any Measures at this time to Give a Check to so Dangerous & Growing an Evill, but since they were Determined not to do any thing at this time It was to no Purpose to keep them together and therefore Advised His Honour to Give them Leave to Adjourn themselves till monday 25th day of this Inst.

Letter from Governor Clinton of New York to Col. Schuyler, of the New Jersey Forces.

Sir,

[From N. Y. Col. Docts., Vol. VI, p, 363.]

New York 6th May 1747

I cannot forbear to let you know that I think you have been very imprudent in taking the steps you have lately done, in offering full pay to the men under your command without my knowledge or consulting with

the other officers. For if it was in your power to do it; it can not be proper, since in the opinion of His Majesty's Council of this Province the retaining the greatest part of the arrears due, till his Majesty's pleasure be known, is the most effectual method at present to prevent desertions, & on this I have the concurrent opinion of the President of the Council of the Jerseys (as I believe) by the advice of the Council there. Besides as it impossible to pay all the forces their whole pay at this time, any difference in the pay of one part from the other must occasion disorders & mutiny. I must likewise tell you that keeping up any kind of distinction in the pay or command must occasion confusion and disorder, of which you are to take notice & take care to prevent any room for complaint. I have ordered 40° per man to be paid to each private man of the New Levies without distinction in what Province the levies were made, and I have promised to pay them 20 p month till His Majesty's pleasure be known

As I believe that what you did proceeded from a Zeale to the service without duly considering the consequences of the step you took, I hope your future conduct will convince me of the truth of my sentiments of you, and am, Sir

Your very humble Serv

Gelinton

To Coll Peter Schuyler of the New Jersey Forces.

Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council upon a Petition of Jonathan Belcher, appointed Governor of New Jersey-relative to his salary.

From P. R. O. B. T. New Jersey, Vol. V, F. 88.]

At the Council Chamber Whitehall the 9th day of May 1747.

By the Right Honourable the Lords of the Committee of Council for Plantation Affairs.

His Majesty having been pleased, by his Order in · Council of the 17th of last Month, to referr unto this Committee, the humble Petition of Jonathan Belcher Esq' His Majestys Governor of Nova Ceesarea or New Jersey, humbly praying, in case the Assembly of that Province should not settle a fixed Salary on him during the whole time of His Government, as directed by the twenty Sixth Article of His Majestys Instructions to him, That His Majesty would be graciously pleased to Empower him to give his Assent to such Bills as shall be annually passed by the said Assembly, for paying him a Salary as Governor and Commander in Chief, in like manner as His Majesty was pleased to give to the Governor of the Massachusets Bay on a like occa · sion. The Lords of the Committee this day took the said Petition into their Consideration, and are hereby pleased to referr the same (a Copy whereof is hereunto annexed) to the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations, to consider thereof and Report their Opinion thereupon to this Committee.

TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY, IN COUNCIL THE HUMBLE PETITION of Jonathan Belcher Esq Your Majestys Governor of Nova Cæsarea or New Jersey

Sheweth,

That by the 19th Article of Your Majestys Instructions to Your Petitioner he is restrained from giving

his Assent to any Act for payment of Money either to himself as Governor or Commander in Chief or to any other Person whatsoever except to Your Majesty Your Heirs and Successors without a Clause be inserted in such Act declaring that the same shall not take Effect untill the same shall have been approved and confirmed by Your majesty Your Heirs or Successors.

That by the 26th Article of Your Majestys said Instructions Your Petitioner is directed to propose unto the Assembly at their first Meeting after his Arrival and to use his utmost Endeavour with them that an Act be Passed for raising and settling a Publick Revenue for defraying the necessary charge of the Government and that therein Provision be particularly made for a competent Salary to Your Petitioner as Governor and Commander in Chief for Supporting the Dignity of the said Office.

That although Your Majesty was Pleased to give the like Instructions to Your Petitioners immediate Predecessor M Morris Yet he was never able to prevail on the Assembly to settle any Salary upon him otherwise than from Year to Year and in that manner he received it without inserting in the Act for granting the same a Clause to Suspend its taking effect till Your Majesty should have approved the same.

That if Your Petitioner should be so unhappy in his Endeavours as not to be able to prevail with the Assembly to settle a Salary on him as directed by the 26th Instruction aforementioned Your Petitioner will in that Case as he apprehends be restrained by the 19th Article of the Instructions as aforementioned from reaping any Benefit from any Act the Assembly shall think proper to pass annually for his Support until the said Act shall have been transmitted to Your Majesty and Your Majestys Approbation of such Act declared and signified thereupon to Your Petitioner which must necessarily protract a great length of time and Your

Petitioner will be by that means left without any Support during all that time, there being no Salary payable in England to the Governor of this Province he being left dependent on the Will and Pleasure of the Inhabitants for such Allowance as they shall think proper to make him.

That Your Majesty was pleased on a like Occasion which happened in the Province of Massachusets Bay to empower the Governor, in Case the Assembly should not settle a fixed Salary on him and his Successors or at least on him during the whole of his Government, to give his Assent to such Bill as should be annually passed for paying to him such Salary as is thereinmentioned, until Your Majestys Royal Pleasure should be Signified to the contrary, Provided such Act was the first that should be passed by the Assembly of the said Province before they proceeded upon the other Business of that Session wherein such Act should be Proposed a Copy of which Instructions is hereunto annexed

Wherefore Your Petitioner most humbly Prays that Your Majesty will, be graciously Pleased to grant Your like Royal Order of leave to him. And Your Pet! shall ever Pray

Belcher