time, I think it my Duty to inform Your Lordships, that there has been lately a great Riot and Outrage Committed by the People of New York, on some of the Inhabitants of this Province, and unless the Line between this Province, and that of New York, shou'd be soon settled, I am very much afraid, there will be Blood shed among the People, and I shou'd be glad, your Lordships wou'd Consider of Wayes and Means to bring such a Settlement about, in the most Expeditious & Effectual manner, for I see but little Prospect of the matters being brought about, by any Agreement that will be made here, between the two Provinces. I have the Honour to be with Great Respect My Lords Your Lordships Most Obedient & Most Humble Servant J BELCHER Letter from Lieutenant-Governor DeLancey, of New York, to the Lords of Trade-about the difficulties with New Jersey. My Lords [From N. Y. Col. Docts., Vol. VI, p. 817.] NEW YORK 24th Dec 1753 (Extract.) * * * I must beg the favor of your Lo'ps pardon for any omission I may be guilty of, your Lordships will be pleased to consider the Course of my Educa tion has lain towards the Law, long Study and use had made the duty of Chief Justice familiar to me, this is a new scene to which I have for some time been a stranger I shall endeavor to give your Lordships satisfaction in it, This you may be assured of I shall never give your Lordships any wrong impressions I may be deceived but I shall never impose any thing for a truth of which I am not myself convinced, I shall make it my business now the hurry of affairs is somewhat at an end by the recess of the Assembly to state to your Lordships the controversy this Province or rather His Majesty has with the Jerseys I shall only give a hint of it now, for it is not possible to give your Lordships a clear conception of it without DraughtsThere was a Line (antecedent to that which the Jersey Proprietors now contend for) which was esteemed the Jersey Line and upon this Line some of the New York Patents of Wawayanda, Minisink and other bounded so that they cannot be extended further Southward, and if Jersey does not extend further up Delaware River than to the Northern Branch which is the Terminus ad quem and is in my humble opinion the genuine construction of the Grant from the Duke of York then all that large intermediate Triangle is still in the Crown and the Jersey Proprietors are only intruding on the King, and out of all these Lands there may a Quit Rent be reserved to His Majesty which will be a very considerable addition to His Majestys Revenue without depriving the Proprietors of their possessions and which [His] Majesty may either annex to this Government or leave to Jersey, there is a committee of the Council and Commissioners for that with the Massachusetts Bay that of New Hampshire * * * I am My Lords Your Lordships Most obedient & most humble Servant JAMES DELANCEY To The Right Honorable The Lords Commissioners of Trade & Plantations Copy of the 95th and 96th Instruction to his late Excellency Sir Danvers Osborne. [From P. R. O. America & West Indies, Vol. 67.1 Copy of the King's 95th & 96th Instructions to the late Gov Osborne in Gov Shirley's [letter to the Secretary of State] of the 6th Jan 1754. 95 Whereas it has been thought requisite that the General Security of our Plantations upon the Continent of America be provided for by a Contribution in proportion to the respective Abilities of each Plantation; And whereas the Northern Frontiers of the Province of New York being the most exposed to an Enemy, do require an extraordinary Charge for erecting and maintaining of Forts necessary for the Defence thereof, and whereas orders were given by King William the third for advancing of £500 Sterling towards a Fort in the Onondaga Country and of £2000 sterling towards the rebuilding of the Forts at Albany, and Schenectady and likewise by Letters under his Royal Sign Manual, directed to the Governors of divers of the Plantations to recommend to the Councill and General Assemblies of the said Plantations that they Respectively furnish a Proportionable sum towards the Fortifications on ye Northern Frontiers of the said Province of New York, viz Rhode Island and Providence Plantation Pensylvania Maryland Virginia £150 450 350 650 900 2500 And Whereas we have thought fit to direct that you also signify to our Province of Nova Cæsaria or New Jersey that the sums, which we have thought fit to be contributed by them, if not already done, in proportion to what has been directed to be supplied by our other Plantations as aforesaid are £250-sterling for the Division of East New Jersey and £250 sterling the Division of West New Jersey. You are therefore to inform yourself what has been done therein and what remains further to be done, and to send an Account thereof to our Commissioners for Trade and Plantations as aforesaid in order to be laid before Us; And you are also in our Name instantly to recommend to our Council and the General Assembly of our said Province of New York that they exert the utmost of their Power in providing without delay what further shall be requisite for repairing erecting and maintaining of such Forts in all Parts of that Province as you and they shall agree upon. 96 And you are likewise to signify to our said Council and the said General Assembly for their further Encouragement that besides the Contributions to be made towards the raising and maintaining of Forts and Fortifications on that Frontier as above mentioned; It is Our Will and Pleasure that, in case the said Frontier be invaded at any time by an Enemy, the Neighbouring Colonies and Plantations upon that Continent shall make good in men or mony in lieu thereof their Quota of Assistance according to the following Repartitions viz. Pursuant whereunto You are as Occasion requires to call for the same. And in Case of any Invasion upon the Neighbouring Plantations, You are upon the Application of the Respective Governors thereof to be aiding and assisting to them in the best manner you can, and as the condition and safety of your Government will permitt. And you are withal to signify to our said Council and the General Assembly of New York that according to their Behaviour on this Occasion they will Recommend themselves to Our Royal Grace & Favour. Report from the Lords of Trade to the Lords Committee of the Privy Council for Plantation affairsrecommending the King to grant leave to the Governor of New Jersey to give his assent to the bill authorizing the issue of sixty thousand pounds in bills of credit, asked for by petition November 2d, 1753. [From P. R. O. B. T., New Jersey, No. 15, Ent. Book D., p. 411.] To the Right Honble the Lords of the Committee of His Majesty's most Honble Privy Council for Plantation Affairs. My Lords WHITEHALL March 18th 1754 Pursuant to your Lordships orders dated the 18th of December last, We have had under Our Consideration the humble Petition of the House of Representatives |