pleasure about it: I am assured that the Assembly of this province at their meeting will fully represent this matter to your Lordships, to be laid before his Majty with all the fatal inconveniences that attend it' Commitment of Lewis Morris' for Contempt of Court. [From the Original among the manuscripts of the New Jersey Historical Society | Att the Court of Com'on Right held at Perth Amboy ye 11th day of May 1698. The Court orders That Lewis Morriss Esq' for denying ye Authoritie of this Court, And other his contempts, shall be fined fifty pounds, and be committed to prison till paid. By order of ye Court EDWARD SLATER Clerke. To ye Sheriff of ye County of Middx. A. True Coppy. JOSEPH ROLPH, Shrife 1 A similar paragraph in Letter to the Lords of the Treasury under date of May 25th 1698. N. Y. Col. Docts., Vol. IV. p 318.-Ed. "LEWIS MORRIS, whose name for so long a time is found connected more or less intimately with every important event affecting the government of the Province of New Jersey, was born in 1671 at Morrisania in New York. His first entrance into public life was in 1692, when only twenty-one years of age, being appointed one of Governor Hamilton's Council and a Judge of the Court of Common Right. He soon exercised great influence in public affairs, his legal attainments and great sagacity particularly qualifying him to become a wise counsellor to those in authority, until he became, himself, the Covernor. Jeremiah Basse arriving to assume the government of the province in 1698 with the concurrence of only ten Proprietaries, instead of sixteen, Mr. Morris ranged himself with the opposition, and in consequence he was arrested and imprisoned by virtue of the instrument given in the text. Future references to him in these volumes will throw light upon his career, and see "Papers of Lewis Morris, Governor of the Province of New Jersey from 1738 to 1746," forming Vol. 4 of the Collections of the New Jersey Historical Society.-ED. 3 Several documents, referring to this and other instances of difficulties between Lewis Morris and the Courts and Governor, will be found in connection with a memorial from William Dockwra to the Lords of Trade, under date of October 31st, 1709.-ED. Proclamation of the Earl of Bellomont, against the establishment of Ports in New Jersey. [From P. R. O. B. T. New York, Vol. 4, C. 17.1 Proclamation by the Earle of Bellomont for maintaining y Port of New York in its privileges against the Jarzies: BY HIS EXCELLENCY Richard Earl of Bellomont, Captain General and Governour in Chief of His Majesties Province of New York, and Territories depending thereon in America, and Vice Admiral of the same, &c. A PROCLAMATION. Whereas the Proprietors of East-New-Jersey have been very pressing with the Right Honourable, the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations, to have the Priviledge of a Port at Perth-Amboy within the said Collony of New-Jarsey, assertaining that they have a Right thereunto by virtue of a Grant they obtained from the late King James, dated the 14th of March 1682, though in reality he was then only Duke of York, and derived his Title thereunto from a preceeding Grant from his Royal Brother King Charles the Second; and have thereupon complained, that their Rights and Properties have been invaded by the Government of New York, in compelling their Ships to go up to New-York and denying of them the benefit of a Port at Perth-Amboy. Which Complaint having been taken into the Consideration of the said Right Honourable, the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations, who, with the Advice of his Majesties Attorney and Sollicitor General, gave unto His Majesty their humble Opinion, That by an Act of Parliament made in the 25th year of King Charles the second, Cap. 7, entituled, An Act for the better securing the Plantation Trade, That all ports are to be appointed in the Plantations by the Commissioners of the Customs of England, by and under the Authority and Direction of the Lord Treasurer, or Commissioners of the Treasury in the respective Plantations, for the collecting such Customs as are due to his Majesty in these Plantations. And that the aforesaid Power of appointing Ports, granted to the Commissioners of the Customs by the said Act, was not granted to the Duke of York by the said Letters Patents; and also the said Duke of York's Grant to the Lord Berkley and Sir George Carteret could not convey any such power, because he had no such power granted to him by the Crown. Whereupon it appeareth evident, That the said Proprietors have no manner of Right or Power to constitute ports either in East or West New Jarsey, from the late King Charles the second, the then Duke of York, or any other person deriving Authority from either of them, but that a Power of constituting such ports in any of his Majesties Plantations, is vested by Act of Parliament in the Commissioners of His Majesties Customs, under the Directions of the Lords Commissioners of his Majesty's Treasury. And the said Right Honourable, the Lords Commissioners of Trade and Plantations were further humbly of Opinion, That all priviledges should, as much as possible, be preserved unto the Province of New-York. Which his Majesty was most graciously pleased to Approve; and thereupon was pleased to dismiss the said Petition of the Proprietors of East New-Jarsey and to order, That there be not any Innovation within the River of New York, nor any Goods to pass up the same, but what shall have paid the Duties at NewYork, to the end the benefit of that Trade may be preserved to the Inhabitants and Traders of New York and Albany, the same being agreeable to the Laws of his Majesties said Province, and to former Practice, as well as necessary for the collecting of those Customs and other Duties which are to be raised for the support of his Majesties Government in his said Province. And whereas I am Informed, That notwithstanding of the Declaration of His Majesties Royal Will and pleasure in the premises, the proprietors and other the Inhabitants of the said East New-Jarsey, do contrary thereunto, endeavour to settle and establish a port at Perth-Amboy, to the great Obstruction and Decay of the Trade and Revenue of this His Majesties Province. I have therefore thought fit, by and with the Advice and Consent of His Majesties Council, strictly to charge and command His Majesties Collector and Receiver General of this His Majesties province of New York, and all Custom-House-Officers under him, and all other person and persons whom these presents may or can concern, that all and every of them in their respective places and Circumstances, do take effectual care that no Ship or Vessel be suffered or permitted to go unto Perth-Amboy, or unto any other Port or place within the said East-New-Jarsey with any Goods or Merchandize whereon any Duties or Customs do arise by virtue of the Laws of England and this province, without their first coming and entring the same in his Majesties Custom-House at New York, and paying there the aforesaid Duties established by the Laws, as aforesaid. And if any Ship or Vessel shall, contrary hereunto, go into any port or Harbour in the said New-Jarsey, then his Majesties Collector and Receiver General, or any Officer appointed by him, shall seize and stop the same until discharged by due course of Law. And all Persons are hereby strictly Charged and Commanded to take Notice hereof accordingly, as they will answer the contrary at their Peril. Given at Fort William Henry the Twenty Fourth Day of May, 1698, and in the Tenth Year of the Reign of Our Sovereign Lord, WILLIAM the Third, by the Grace of God, of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c. GOD SAVE THE KING. BELLOMONT. [Endorsed] Transmitted by y Earle in his Lett: dated 25th May 1698. Earl of Bellomont to the Lords of the Treasury, Enclosing the Foregoing Proclamation. [From New York Col. Docts., Vol. IV., p. 318.] To the Right Honble the Lords of His Majtys Treasury: My Lords [Extract] * ** * * * I have refused to permit Proclamations to be printed in this City by the Gov' of the Jerseys publishing that Perth Amboy and Burlington are free ports, because I find that the laws of this Province do raise a considerable Revenue for the sup port of this Govern' from Customes on Goods, which the ports in the Jerseys will be free from, and the port of Amboy being but twenty mile from this, The Merchants will all transport themselves thither, and carry away all the trade to the destruction of this Govern' I thought this affair of so great consequence, that I have likewise given this account thereof to the Lords of the Councill of Trade, that I may have His Majty pleasure therein for my direction. * * * * New York May 25th 1698 BELLOMONT. |