His Majesty Royal Instruction in Consequence of a Petition of the Assembly here, for an Emission of 60,000 Pounds in Paper Money, which I shall communicate to the Assembly when they meet, altho' I believe they will not accept of any Emission on the Conditions mentioned in the said Instruction. I am with the greatest Respect My Lords Your Lordships Most obedient & Most humble Affidavit of Samuel Finch, of Minisink-complaining of his having been taken prisoner by a warrant from a New Jersey Justice. [From N. Y. Col. MSS. in Secretary of State's Office, Albany, Vol. LXXIX, p. 14.] CITY OF NEW YORK, S. SAMUEL FINCH one of the Constables of the Precinct of Minisinch In the County of Orange being duly sworn deposeth and Saith that on Fryday the Sixteenth of the Instant month of August, While he was at work in his shops F In the County of Orange about three quarters of a mile from the Line of Usher County and sixteen Miles from the Lower End of great Minisinch Island he was taken by Cornelius Westfall, Solomon Cartwright, Petrus Westfall, Jacobus Westfall & Urian Westfall by virtue of a warrant from Richard Gardner a New Jersey Justice as they Informed this deponent and upon his refusal to Obey said Warrant was dragged from his shop by force by the said Cornelius Westfall, Solomon Cartwright, Petrus Westfall Jacobus Westfall and Urian Westfall near a Quarter of a mile through bushes and Swamps by which means he was greatly bruised in Several parts of his body and verily believes that had he not been rescued by Jacobus * * * one of his Majesties Justices of the Peace In the County of Orange In the Province of New York that they would have Carried him Sussex Gaol In New Jersey unless he could have got security for his Appearance at the next Court of Sessions to be held In the County of Sussex aforesaid In East New Jersey and further this deponent Saith not SAMUEL FINCH. Sworn the twenty first Day of August 1754— Before me JAMES LIVINGSTON Justice. Petition of the House of Representatives of New Jersey to the King-relation to the Bill for making amount of £70,000 in bills of credit. From P. R. O. B. T., New Jersey, Vol. 7, H. 50. | TO THE KINGS MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY. Most Humbly Sheweth That nothing but the pressing necessity of the times and the Impossibility of complying with Your Majesty's late Instructions to His Excellency Your Governor could have induced us to have given Your Majesty this additional trouble on the Subject of a Paper Currency. Sensible of the many blessings We enjoy under Your Majesty's benevolent reign, and determined to Act as become a gratefull People it is a matter of no small concern to be thus obliged to renew our application, but not doubting the continuation of Your Majesty's paternal regard and calling to mind the gracious reception which the complaints of a needy People have always hitherto met with, We are encouraged humbly to lay before your Majesty, that the making the Bills of credit intended to be emitted, no lawfull tender would as We conceive entirely defeat their Intentions, the nature of their emission being such as require land or other real security of double and treble the value to be first given before they can be taken out of the respective Loan offices, and the ffreeholders of this Colony in general, quite unacquainted with the Nature of bank Bills or any currency of that Kind would not We apprehend mortgage their Lands for a specie which it is uncertain that they can ever Part with. As it is chiefly the merchants of New York and Philadelphia that give life to our trade, our money must consequently sometimes Pass through their hands, and would (We conceive) be very unlikely to give credit to a currency from Us, which is so unusual in the Colonies, Around us, and not obligatory on the Inhabitants to be mutually taken between man and man in our own government, for these and other reasons a Paper currency on the footing prescribed in Your Majesty's Instructions, We humbly conceive would not be practicable, and therefore have been necessitated to have recourse to another expedient, which that your Majesty's royal Intentions might be as nearly complied with as possible, we have agreed upon the draught of the annexed bill for making current Seventy thousand pounds in Bills of credit upon the footing of those heretofore emitted in this Colony, saving only, that the whole Interest thereof is now Appropriated to Your Majesty's use, Excepting the necessary charge Attending the Emission, and so much as will sink the sum of Thirteen thousand seven hundred, seventy one Pounds sixteen shillings and three Pence half Penny, now outstanding in this Colony in Bills of Credit, being Part of what were made current for Your Majesty's service in the late War, Ten thousand Pounds of the first money to be struck by the said Bill is immediately to be applied as Your Majesty shall please to direct for Assisting the neighboring Colonies in dispossessing the French from Your Majesty's Lands on the Ohio, which is afterwards to be sunk as the Interest Money from the remaining Sixty thousand Pounds will come in, and when those two sums are sunk, there will annually arise a considerable sum of Interest money for Your Majesty's use, subject only to future appropriations for the defence of the frontiers of this and the Neighbouring Colonies. May it therefore Please Your Majesty in Consideration of the premises and to encourage a Spirit of Industry among us to enable the Inhabitants to go on with their Improvements and pay their taxes towards the necessary and honorable support of the Government, that Your Majesty would be graciously pleased to signify Your royal Approbation of the Bill hereto annexed for making current the sum of Seventy thousand Pounds, and give leave to the Governor of this Colony to enact the same. october the 17th 1754, Signed by order of the House of Representatives, ROBERT LAWRENCE, Speaker. A true Copy Examined & Compared with the orROBERT LAWRENCE, Speaker. iginal, by Circular letter to the Governors in America, from Sir Thos. Robinson, Secretary of State-urging enlistments in four new regiments to be raised. Sir, [From P. R. O. Am. & W. Indies, No. 74.] WHITEHALL, Oct 26th 1754. Circular to the Governors in North America. Having informed you, in my Letter of July 5th, that the King had under His Royal Consideration the State of Affairs in North America: I am now to acquaint you, that amongst other measures, that are thought proper for the Defence of His Majty's just Rights, & Dominions, in those Parts, The King has not only been pleased to order Two Regiments of Foot, consisting of 500, Men Each, besides Commissioned, & non Commissioned Officers, commanded by Sir Peter Halkett, & Col: Dunbar, to repair to Virginia; & to be there augmented to the Number of 700., Each; but, likewise, to send Orders to Gov" Shirley,' & Sir William Pepperell, to raise Two Regiments, whereof They' are respectively, appointed Colonels, of 1000. Men Each; And, also, to sign Commissions for a Number of Officers to serve in the said Two Regiments, & who will forthwith, repair to North America, for That purpose. Whereas there will be wanting a considerable Number of Men to make up the designed Complements of the said Four Regiments; It is His Majty Pleasure that you should be taking the previous Steps, towards contributing, as far as you can, to have about 3000. Men in Readiness to be enlisted; And It is His Maj's Intention, That a General Officer, of Rank, & Capacity, In Circular to Governor Shirley, the word "you" inserted instead.--ED. |