that whoever did not pay their Assessments, should be turned out of their possessions, and lose their Lands, and which, he must expect, if he did not pay his Rate.

BUT, not to enter, more minutely, into the Matter of those Petitions, whenever those Petitioners, or their Agent, sent over on Purpose, shall think fit to make any Application on their said Petitions (but which they have not yet done) there is no doubt but his Majesty's Privy-Council, will then do what shall be proper, with Respect to the same.

BUT, in the mean Time, for the Sake of extinguishing the present Rebellion in New Jersey, saving the Province, and preserving his Majesty's Authority there, and the Laws and Justice, Peace and Government thereof, and for the Sake of preserving his Majesty's loyal Subjects, and their Lives and Properties, which, at present, are at the Mercy of those lawless Rebels,

IT is humbly prayed, that those Petitions, brought in, meerly to obstruct and delay, and never prosecuted, but deserted, by those Petitioners, may not have the intended Effect, to prevent the Applying such speedy and effectual Measures, as may be judged expedient, in a Case of such very high Importance to his Majesty's Sovereignty in America.

Letter from Governor Belcher to Benjamin Franklin about an electrical apparatus.

Sir

[From Belcher Papers in Massachusetts Hist Soc. Library.]

ELIZA: TOWN Dec 18: 1751

I duly recd your kind Letter of 28 Nov with the Direction about the Electrical Operation & the box with the Electrical Apparatus came to my hands the

16 Currt & I am sorry to Inform you that when I came to open it the Glass Globe was broke all to pieces I suppose by the rough Convey of it (in a Waggon) from Burlington hither. This is a great misfortune to me in the delay of what I desired to be done.' I have tryed to get another at New York without Success-can you Sir, put me into any method to repair it.

Letter from Governor Belcher to Lord Halifax, in relation to his objections to the appointment of L. M. Ashfield to be one of the Council.

[From Belcher Papers in Massachusetts Hist. Soc. Library.]

I have lately wrote to the Lords of Trade &c. (at which Board your Lordship presides) respecting the King's Mandamus for M' L. M. Ashfield being one of the Council here that I hope your Lordship will be perfectly satisfyd with the reasons I have given for not Admitt that young Gent" while he has been so flagrantly fly in the face of His Majesty & of His Gov'

And yet I have no doubt but that his Uncle M' R. H. Morris will endeavour to colour & palliate his Nep"

1 Electricity had been recommended by Dr. Franklin as a cure for the Governor's paralytic disorder, which was manifested chiefly in tremulousness. He consulted Dr. Cadwallader by letter on the 7th October as to its being advisable, in which letter he informs him that on the succeeding 8th January he would be seventy years old, and giving him some account of his habits, states that he drank "besides water and small beer about half a bottle of old Madeira a day."

bold & impudent misconduct but his Arts & colours I hope will cast no mist before your Lordships eyes & that I may intirely depend upon your Lordships justice & Candour for Approveing all I have done in that matter. J. BELCHER

Letter from Governor Belcher to Colonel Brattle -about the non-success of his electrical cure—Mr. Pemberton's not going to England, etc.

[From Belcher Papers in Mass. Hist. Soc. Library.]

My good Fra

ELIZ: TOWN (N J) Jan 18 1752

I had in due Course Answered yrs of 2d of Sept but that I was will first of all to make some trial in the new philosophical Experim' of Electricity wch I have lately done once & again & at present without any success however I intend to persevere in this matter as I find no inconvenience from it and what you say upon it as to braceing the Nerves makes me the more fond [of] it.'

You have doubtless long since heard that the design of Mr Pembertons going to great Britain in fav' of our Embryo College prov'd abortive and this happend from the strong opposition his people at York made against his going nor wou'd any thing persuade them to part with him & this at present seems to be a great frown of Providence upon our little Seminary for by Letters Mr Presid' Burr has lately reced from Scotland Our Frds there are daily expecting some such Person from us to make Application for the benevolence of the

1 Under date of January 20th, Gov. Belcher informs Dr. Franklin of his intention to persevere with his electrical remedy, but as he could have the use of an instrument belonging to Mr. Burr, he returned his apparatus with many thanks.

Kirk of Scotland till our Trustees meet I cant say what may be the next step in this Affair.

If the peace holds with France I doubt not but your Eastern Neighbours will Continue theirs with you but shou'd it be Otherwayes you must expect they will be playing their old game.

I am fully in opinion with you that had the Act of Parliam' intirely Damnd all paper Currency in His Majestys American Dominions it had in the end been a more Salutary Act to all His Majestys good Subjects tho' as it is it has put that matter in a much better Situation than ever it has been since a paper Currency became fashionable.

I am Sir

* **

Your Frd & Most Humble serv

J. BELCHER.

Letter from Governor Belcher to Colonel John Alford -about the prospects of the College.

[From Belcher Papers in Mass. Hist. Soc. Library.]

MR ALFORD

Jan 21 1752

My worthy Friend

*

*

(Extract)

* * I thank God & thank you for the generous & Noble Example you have set at the head of a subscription in favour of our poor College' wch crawls along but very slowly if we can by the favour of Heaven get wherewith to build a proper House & to support the President & two Tutors I am well satisfyed this Seminary wou'd be a great Blessing to these parts of America & in time would be more probable to furnish Missionaries to the Heathen Nations than any other of our Colleges. * *

Your Friend & serv

ED.

J. BELCHER

A donation of £100. (See Stearns' First Church in Newark, pp. 186-188), Note.

Letter from Governor Belcher to Mr. Walley—deficiency in the Treasury, the new College, etc.

[From Belcher Papers in Library of N. J. Hist. Soc.]

Mr Walley

ELIZ TOWN Jan 21 1752 [Extract.]

"Altho' I stand well wth the Assembly & with the people of this Province yet the publick Affairs here are much perplext from a wide difference subsisting between the Council & Assembly about a Tax Bill & one for the Support of Governm' by wch means no money has been supplied to the Treasury for about 2 years & a half past & I wish I was able to guess when those two Branches of the Legislature may coincide upon what I have mentioned.

As to Our poor Infant College the well Concerted design of M' Pembertons going to Great Britain thro' an unaccountable & unreasonable opposition his people made to it has prov'd abortive & this I look upon a Considerable frown of Providence & the more so since M' Prest Burr has lately Let's from thence giv us great reason to expect the Charity & bounty of the Kirk of Scotland in Case some suitable person was there to appear in our fav!

And what will be the next step in the matter I can't say till our Trustees have had a meet'g.

I am very sorry for the great difficulties & distresses your Trade is reduced to the Acco whereof I have from many of my friends but may it not be some ease for your General Court to make an Emission of paper Currency conformable to the Act of Parliam': indeed considering the wild vagaries the Colonies had