Whitehall July 26, the Right Honourable Sir Thomas Robinsons Letter of the Expectation that France wou'd proceed to an open Rupture with Great Britain, &c. Halifax Oct 1: 1755 Admiral Boscawens Letter to L' Gov Phips as to a Prohibition of the Exportation of Provisions &c.-Camp at Oswego Sept 9th 1755. General Shirley's Letter of the present State of things respecting the King's Troops under His Command & of the Expediency of Commissioners from this & the neighbouring Governmts to meet at N. York the 15. Inst in a General Consultation for His Majesty's Service & for the Safety of the Provinces.-New Castle & Phila Oct 29: & Nov 1: 1755 Gov' Morris Letter with Particular Accounts of the Barbarous Murders & depredations perpetrated by the French and Indians on the Poor distressed People of Pennsylvania. Nov. 7: 1755. James Anderson's Affidavit of an Alarm in the County of Sussex on the Approach of the French & Indians towards Easton in Pennsylvania, &c. These things Gentlemen you will carefully deliberate upon & which I think must produce your wise Resolutions of exerting all in Your Power for maintaining the Kings Interest & Honour & for the Safeguard of the good People of this Province & in Aid & Assistance of our poor distress'd Neighbours if it shou'd finally be found absolutely Necessary. I think it wou'd be highly prudent to appoint without Delay a Commissioner to meet the Commissioners of the other Governm's at N. York the 15: Ins! You will see by Admiral Boscawen Letter the Starving Condition of the French at Cape Breton & Canada that I wish the Governments woud still continue their Prohibitions of the Exportation of Provisions & Warlike Stores. I do in Justice to Col' John Anderson of the County of Sussex mention His great Alacrity in raising four Hundred men & marching them to the Defence of Easton in Pennsylvania & which I hope will inspirit the other Officers & private men of the Province to exert themselves in defence of their People in Case the Enemy shou'd enter into any Part of this Province & I am glad to say to You that the People in general seem resolved by the Help of God to give the Enemy a warm Reception whereever they may come. I wou'd inform you that upon the Repeated Advices I rec I sent my Orders per Express last Week to every Col' in the Province to muster his Regiment & to see they be well equipt with Arms & Amunition according to Law & to be ready to march on the first Notice of the Enemy" Approach to any Part of our Frontiers & I must not leave this Article without earnestly recommending to you the passing a Bill of all possible encouragement to such Brave men as shall voluntarily engage in the Service of their King & Country. Altho' it is two months ago since His Majesty Troops under the Command of the brave Major General Johnston and the brave Major General Lyman gave the French & Indians such a Remarkable Defeat yet I must now first of all for this give Praise to the God of Armies & then congratulate you on this happy Occasion & at same time give my thanks to those prudent and brave Officers & to the men that Fought under them with so much Courage and Intrepidity. As the Winter is just at hand which may prevent the further Proceedings on the Plan of Operation for the Troops till towards the Spring I shall not doubt your good and kind Care that the Regiment of this Province be now & always well & seasonably supplied with good Provisions & all warlike Stores to enable them the better to Encounter the Enemy. God Almighty grant that in the time of this Increasing Danger that not only the three Parts of the Legislature may act in great Harmony but that all the Private members of the Common Wealth may unit- ELIZA TOWN COUNCIL CHAMBER NOV 13. 1755. [Under date of November 14th the Governor reminded the Assembly that there was no money in the Treasury for Incidental expenses, and that, consequently, he was debarred the privilege of sending any intelligence by express, however urgent the necessity. -ED.] Letter from Governor Belcher to Lieutenant-Governor Morris of Pennsylvania. Sir [From Belcher Papers in Library of N. J. Hist. Soc.] L. GovR MORRIS ELIZA TOWN. Nov 13th 1755 I wrote you at large 10: Inst p the Post which I hope got well to your hands-since which I have rec1 further Intelligence of the Motions of the Enemy and of the Behaviour of the Moravians - the Particulars whereof Your Honour will find by the Inclosed Peti tion & Affidavit of Josiah Broadwell & others. I have also several Letters confirming these Accounts relating to the Enemy & upon these repeated Intelligences I expressed Orders the 6: Ins to every Col' of this Province to muster His Regiment &c. & repeated them again Yesterday, Copy of which I send you herewith. I hope when your People see the Readiness of this little Governm' to do all in their Power for the Common Safety of the Kings Subjects that they will exert themselves & join in it with the greatest AlacrityI am Sir, Your Honours Most Obedient &c. J. BELCHER. Letter from Governor Belcher to Rev. Aaron Burr, President of the College. Sir [From a copy among the Belcher Papers in Library of N. J. Hist. Soc.] MR PREST BURR ELIZA TOWN Nov 17. 1755 The Situation of the Affairs of the College seems at present to put on an unpleasant Complexion, for we have had & still have considerable demands for Money which I think should stimulate Us to the greatest Care & diligence in Securing and pressing in what Monies are due to Us. I am a little Surprised that p the Arrival of so many Ships at Boston, Phil & N. York we have no Letters to tell Us what has been collected in Scotland & Ireland. I think it high time to secure and gather in what is still outstanding on Acc of the Lottery. And that we plead our necessity to have the Boston Subscription remitted us as soon as possible. From these several Funds I believe we may modestly expect upwards of Seventeen hundred Pounds (Proc) we must therefore be alive and exert to the utmost or we may, before we are aware be plunged and brought to a stand for want of Money, which wou'd be a sad Misfortune. I dont write to you, Sir, as one wanting Care and Concern for Our Welfare and Prosperity because I know you are always (I thank you) full of Spirit on that Head, & yet we must stirr up ourselves & one another. I salute you very kindly & am Rev Sir Your Friend & Serv J BELCHER Letter from Governor Belcher to Governor Hopkins -relating to a Convention of Commissioners for Sir the several Colonies. Gova HOPKINS Nov 20, 1755 I received the Act of your Assembly relative to a Convention of Commissioners from several of His Majestys Governments appointed by General Shirley to be held at N. York the latter End of this Month. General Shirley notified me of this Matter two months ago. I called the Assembly. I laid before them the General's Letter & prest upon them the sending a Commissioner from this Government, but they wholly declined it yet they otherwise exprest a good Spirit in the Common Cause. I observe with much satisfaction (tho' a melancholy Detail) the particular good Reasons which make this Convention necessary for most certainly our publick Affairs, after all our fruitless Efforts the Year past wear but a gloomy heavy Complexion & altho' my broken Health will not allow me the Honour of being present at the Congress of the several Gov's yet I have desired Mr. Pownall His Majesty Lieu' Gov' of this Province to represent me at the Congress. I am with Esteem & Respect * * Sir Your Honours Most obed' &c. |