time appoint) such as the proprietors now allow, and that they will relieve the proprietors of the Charge of public writings such as Commissions civil & Military proclamations &c And that the prop's land befor setling shall not be Taxed as is provided by the Concessions. Then we offer it to the props as our opinion that they sell of the quit rents sinse it breeds so great heart burning amonst the Inhabitants and that instructions be sent over to the Council of proprietors to that end. viz for how many years purchase they will sell the Quit rents, for that being known to the people, &, if they like the terms, it will the more readily incline them to comply with what is demanded in this paragraph But the prop's must not set it high or it will discourage them. Twenty years the highest & a power to the Council of prop's even to abate something of occasion as they will raise it if they can. It is to be remembered when the people do find that by law they can be forced to pay their quit rents they will the more readely buy them off. If the Inhabitants will not provide for the support of the Government | Then the prop's are not to blame not to sell the Quit rents. And if by Law they can force the people to pay their Quit rent then they may keep the govern' while they think its their interest so to do. And if the people prove obstinat in refuseing to support the government & defraying the public charge We are of opinion that the prop's thro it up, upon the best terms with the Crown as they can. As on the other part When the props have releaved the port of the Countrey Support the goverm' we are of opinion its a right the people may claim that the proprietors keep the governm' & defend it- To guard that no misrepresentation be made against the Jerseys as not Joining in the Common defense and Words between bars originally written "comply with this last paragraph."--ED. to give the influences of Our supplys of men & money & to carry(?) over the governour of New Yorks speech upon his first goeing to Philadelphia where he liberally owns it.' Signed at a Councel of Proprietors at Perth Amboy this eleventh day of November 1695 AND: HAMILTON DANIEL MOODY GEO: WILLOCKS JOHN BARCLAY THO: BOOLS JOHN REID Signed by me ye 19 Nor THO: WARNE. Governor Hamilton of East Jersey, to Governor Fletcher of New York. [From New York Col. Docts, Vol. IV., p. 199.] May it please yo" Excell. I have formerly acquainted yo' Excell that I had set some young men who had been formerly to Albany to invite others; they now inform me that Captain Matthews is soe much in their good graces that if he come down he is the likelyest man to prevail. I would have him first finde out Matthew Moore of Woodbridge who was of his Company. He knows the temper of the young men and can the best assist. They must 1 Here follows in the original a paragraph erased, which is as follows: "We recommend to the proprietors that the Secretaries office is an office of great trust & small profits how that most of the land of the province is patented & that the public writings do amount one year with another to 50 lb a year That therefore either the proprietors would conferr this office upon Mr Thomas Gordon who is qualified for it & undertakes to write all the public writings gratis which hitherto has cost the prop 50 or 60 lb a year Or that Mr. Dockwra will please to provide a qualified person to execute sd office upon the Conditions."-ED. be soothed into it; for asserting the power of the Commission will make them all run the Province. I am really ashamed grieved they are so awkward:' they still object the exemption or noncomplyance of the ' neighboring Colonies, nor will this ever be remedyed unlesse the support of the frontiers reaches all North America; as it is the remoter Colonies are soe many asylums. I am with true regard: may it please yo Excell. Yo' Excell most faithfull & most Burlington 26th June (96) Copia vera obedient servant AND: HAMILTON (Signed) DAVID JAMISON' Cl. Concilij. 1 Qu: backward.-ED. 2 DAVID JAMISON was a Scotchman by birth and is first named as Clerk of the Council of New York in 1693, having a salary of £50 per annum. This was during the administration of Governor Fletcher, who is said to have entertained a high opinion of him. His successor, Lord Bellamont, however, displaced Mr. Jamison Daon Jamisone on September 28th, 1698, and in a letter to the Lords of Trade announces as a fact that he at one time was condemned to be hung in Scotland, for blasphemy and burning the Bible, his sentence having been commuted into transportation to New York, and to being sold as a servant. The Governor also accused him of being an Atheist and of having two wives. Several years thereafter, however, in 1716, in a charge to the Grand Jury of Burlington County, Jamison introduced so many pertinent extracts from the Old and New Testaments that he was thought to be as much of a theologian as a lawyer. Notwithstanding Lord Bellamont's dislike to him, he found it a difficult matter to supply Mr. Jamison's place, and he was restored to his office for a while. In 1699 he was one of the Vestry of Trinity Church, and ir. 1704 was appointed by Cornbury one of a Commission to examine Lord Bellamont's accounts. He appears to have been recognized as an able lawyer, and in 1711 was appointed by Governor Hunter Chief Justice of New Jersey, although he continued a resident of New York, and held the office during the whole of Hunter's administration, being considered by him "a man of knowledge and integrity." Iu 1715 he was recommended by the Governor for the Council of New York, which led the Lords of Trade to communicate to the Governor the "considerable complaints" that had been made against him by Bellamont. Although he did not receive the appointment, he held the office of Attorney General of New York for some years and gave place in 1721 to James Alexander.-N. Y. Colonial Documents. Field's Provincial Courts.-ED. Governor Hamilton of East Jersey, to Governor Fletcher of New York. [From New York Coll. Docts., Vol. IV., p. 200.] May it please yo! Excell: Could I make our people as sensible of the hazard Albany lyes under, as I am, and that the weaknesse of that garrison, which they cannot be ignorant [of] may in great probability tempt the enemy to attack the place, as they have Pemaquid, upon the same grounds, I am sure they would find it their interest to run to its defence: but whom have I to work upon but a stiff and an obstinate people who shutt their ears to all reason and become debauched by the ill example of the neighbouring Colonies which they still obtrude to me Yo' Excell may believe 'twas with great difficulty I obtained what I did, that in case of an invasion they should march to the fronteers and be at liberty to return when the acc'on was over or the enemy retreated; and even to obtain this I was forced to promise them 12 a day from Yo' Excell. and pledged my own creditt to procure them 12 more at the first sitting of an Assembly, they live so plentifully at home and have so great wages besides severall of our youth gone to the Southern Colonies to be free from detachments, and several as I am told gone aboard Captain Kidd. that there is not a possibility to prevail with them to continue in garrison, and indeed very difficult to effect any thing I am truly melancholly to see ourselves thus baffled by a handfull of French nor will it ever be otherwise untill the Crowne send a force to root them out of America or put an indisputable command upon every Colony to furnish a Quota and pay them; for while it rests in the brests of our Assemblyes to raise a fund for the support of the fronteers or neglect it, and in the choice of the people to march or stay at home, Yo' Excell. is not to be told at this time of day what part they'le choose. I will notwithstanding call an Assembly in Octob next and will inforce the necessity of the fronteers with all the zeal I am sensible they require. I am May it pleas Yo' Excell. Yo' Excies most faithful and most Burlington 28 Aug. 96 obedient servant AND: HAMILTON To his Excell. Col. Benjamin Fletcher, Cap' Gen" & Govern of New Yorke, these. Copia vera (signed) DAVID JAMISON Cl. Concilij. Memorial of Edward Randolph, Secretary, &c., to the Commissioners of His Majesty's Customs, on Il· legal Trade in the Proprieties. [From P. R. O., B. T.; Proprieties, Vol. 3, A 6.] TO THE HONBLE THE COMES OF HIS MAJESTY'S CUSTOMS. May it please Your Hon' Your Hons were pleas'd in your presentment of the 17th of July past, to the Right Honble the Lords Com's of his Mates Treasury to represent, That it hath bin found by Experience, either thro' Remissness or Connivance of the Govs of the Severall Colonies & plantac'ons, which are under distinct proprietys, The Acts of Trade & Navigac'on, & Your Hon's Orders & Instrucc'ons in pursuance thereof, have not bin Observd, |