Given under my Hand at Eliz Town this sixth day of Nov! in the twenty ninth year of His Majesty Reign. J. B.

Annoq: Domini 1775.

[On the 12th of November an additional Proclamation directed that the troops should be kept in readiness to march to the borders of the Province with those of Pennsylvania.]

The Same to-Colonel Abraham Vankempen, of the County of Sussex-John Low, Essex-Joseph Stout, Hunterdon-Nicholas Gibbon, Cumberland & Cape May. Joseph Tuttle, Morris-Charles Read, Burlington. Cornelius Vanhorne, Somerset - John Read, Monmouth. John Schuyler, Bergen.

8

Letter from Governor Belcher to Governor Morris of Pennsylvania referring to the threatened approach of French and Indians on that Province.

Sir

[From a copy among the Belcher Papers in Library of N. J. Hist. Soc.] ELIZA TOWN Nov 10 1755

L GOVERNOUR MORRIS

I recd p Express your several Letters from New Castle and Phil of Oct 29th and the first and second Ins & another without date, with the several Letters they inclosed giving an Acc of the Approach of the French & Indians towards your Province and in their way committing the most Barbarous outrages in murdering and Captivating the Inhabitants as they come along-and all this without Resistance! surely your Assembly will no longer be deaf to the shrieks & Cries of their murdered neighbours.

I have summoned the Assembly of this Province to

meet me here on Wednesday next the 12: Ins when I shall lay before them what you have sent me respecting the Present Exigency of Affairs, but if Pensylvania who may readily raise twenty or thirty thousand men will do nothing for the defence of their Country or for saving the lives of their Wives & Children I am afraid the Assembly of this poor Little Province will hardly think it reasonable to send their People out of the Province in defence of their Neighbours and so leave themselves to the Incursions and depredations of the Enemy in this Time of Common danger.

We have no arms in this Province belonging to the Crown & indeed but very few and but little Amunition belonging to the Inhabitants or I shou'd readily answer your Request on that Head.

General Shirley has under his Command at Albany, Oswego & near Lake George eight or nine thousand men that I shou'd think it wou'd be prudent for you in this time of Distress to make early and Pressing application to him to send for His Majesty's Service & Honour & for the Safety of these Colonies two or three thousand of those Troops till they shall be more wanted elsewhere.

I observe in yours of the 2o Curr! that the French and Indians are making rapid Marches to these Colonies. And I have therefore this day sent my Orders p Express to every Col' in this Province immediately to muster his Regim and to have them in the best readiness for marching, & repelling the Enemy if they shoud enter this Province which it is well known is in a miserable Defenceless State.

I wish you and your Province the Favour and Protection of Almighty God and am,

Honoble Sir Your most obedient humble Serv

J BELCHER

www

Letter from Governor Belcher to Lieut.-Gov. Pownall -about the movement of Troops.

Sir

[From a copy among the Belcher Papers in Library of N. J. Hist. Soc.] ELIZA TOWN Nov 10 1755.

Lieut. Gov. Pownall.

I yesterday recd your Letter dated at Albany 29: of Oct' and have consider'd its Contents.

As General Shirley Notifications to the Gov' of Pensylvania and Maryland were to pass thro' this Province and even thro' this town if it was desired that I myself or any Body for me shou'd attend the Congress you mention, I believe you will think with me that I ought to have had the Proper and same Notification that all the other Gov's have had, without which I can see no Propriety in doing what you have mentioned.

Inclosed I send you Copy of an Affidavit relating to the near Approach of the Enemy to this Province wherein it appears to me that the People call'd Moravian are as Snakes in the Grass and Enemies to King George and His Subjects and if upon further Enquiry what is in the aforementioned Affidavit be confirmed I shall immediately give orders that all the Arms & Amunition among the Moravians in this Province be seized & kept in safe Custody with all their Publick Paper still further Orders & of this I write Gov' Morris hoping he will do the same.

And as by the latest Advices there is great reason to apprehend the French and Indians may soon be upon the frontiers of this Province, I did a few days ago send Expresses to every Col' in this Province immediately to muster his Regiment & to see that they be equipt with Arms & Amunition according to Law & to be ready to march to any Part of the Province from

whence they may receive Advices of the Enemy's coming in.

With my Compliments to the several Gov's at the Congress I am, Sir Your Honours

Friend & Most humble serv!

J. BELCHER

Letter from Governor Belcher to Governor Morris, of Pennsylvania-about the condition of military

Sir

affairs.

[From a copy among the Belcher Papers in Library of N. J. Hist. Soc.]

Governor Morris

ELIZ TOWN Nov! 10: 1755

My last was the 6: Inst-I am now to own your Honours Favour of the same Date which came to my hands p Express on the 8: with further Accts of the Approach of the Enemy to the Frontiers of Pennsylvania &c. as also Your Honours Message to your Assembly of the 5: Inst & their Answer which to me seems full of Chicanery and Evasion.

I am sorry for the unhappy Situation Your Honour is in without men, money or Arms to do any thing in Defence of His Majesty's Honour and Interest and of the Safety of the Poor People under your Care-as things cannot hold in this way but with the utmost Hazard of the Kings losing a fine Province, I think it high time that the Gov & Councill shou'd address the King to take the Governm1 into His own hand, (& if no other Way) to be done by an Act of the British Parliament & I shoud think it the wisest measure the Proprietors cou'd go into to join in such an Application for its very plain they are not able to defend their Province & really, Sir, the present Constitution seems to me to stand upon a very farraginous System.

Inclosed I send Your Honour Copy of an Affidavit I rec2 last Night from M' Sec'ry Read by which you will find the little Province of N. Jersey is alive, alert & exerting & p the Acc' I have recd from the Frontiers if the Enemy enter this Province they may happen to meet with a warm Reception.

I think p this Affidavit the Moravians are a perfidious Crew and if this Acct shoud be farther Confirmed to me I shall order that all the Arms & Amunition with their Publick Papers be immediately seized and kept in safe Custody till my further direction- & I believe your Honour will think it prudent & reasonable so to act with the Moravians in your Governm'. at Bethlehem and elsewhere-I am

Sir, Your Honours Most obed! &c.

J BELCHER

Message of Governor Belcher to the Council and Assembly of New Jersey, November 13th, 1755.

[From a copy among the Belcher Papers in Library of N. J. Hist. Soc.] Gentlemen of the Council & of the General Assembly.

The present Situation of Affairs in this time of common danger has made it necessary for His Majesty's Honour & Interest and for the better Safety of this Province to call You together at this time to Communicate to you several things I have received since I last met you and I shall order them to be laid before you for your more Particular Information, viz. Whitehall May 13: 1455. The Lords Justices Order upon Your Petition to His Majesty & the Bill you had Projected for emitting 70,000£. in Paper Currency.— Also the Lords of Trade Representation to the King of the 19: of March on the same Affair.