our humble Representation at His Majesty's Feet, where we doubt not it will meet with a Treatment worthy the Known Justice of our Royal Master.

By Order of the House,

JOHN READING, Speaker.

Letter from Governor Morris to the Lords of TradeRecommendations for the Council.

Triplicate,

[From P. R. O. B. T. New Jersey, Vol. V, F. 71.]

Kingsbury febry 1st 1744-5

[N. B. Neither of the two former were receiv'd when this came. 28. May 1745.]

My Lords,

This serves to Informe your Lps that my Letters to Your Lordships & the Secretary of State and the Publick Papers are put into a Small box directed to your Lordships being too bulky to be made up conveniently any other way I sent them to New York to be put on board a Ship call'd the Queen of hungary one Hilton (I think) Master. Inclos'd is, a representation of the Council to me which if the other papers should not come to hand may give your Lps some insight into the present state of Our affaires. Partridge our Agent, or rather the Assembly's Agent, was directed by our late Assembly to Appeare against the Bill to be brought into Parliament with relation to the Paper currency: But he has no such Orders from the Government. Lest he should Pretend to it and use that Assemblys direction as such I Inclose a copy of my letter to him.

I have mentioned in mine to your Lps the Assemblys complaint of the Councills not being full. I could fill

them up to no more than Seaven; which I have done as there was Occasion: But to take away all pretences of complaint on that head, I have recommended to Your Lordships to fill them up with the following persons viz. Edward Antill' and James Hude' who are allready sworne into the Councill I have pray'd may be confirm'd, and that Andrew Johnstone', John Coxe, Peter Kimbol [Kemble?] and Thomas Leonard may be added to make up Eleaven residing Councellors. Alexander the 12th resides at New York; he has a great interest in this Province and is an usefull man when he can attend. I have more fully mentioned this to Your Lps in my Letter; and write this lest that should not come to hand and this should, the men I have recommended are some of the most considerable men in the

1

EdwAntitl

This gentleman resided at Raritan Landing and was, connected by marriage with the Morris

family. He was remarkable for his eccentricities.-See Contributions to East Jersey History, p. 227.-ED.

was one of a Woodbridge family of considerable note, but resided in New Brunswick, where he died in November, 1762, holding the office of Mayor of the city. His obituary in the New York Mercury states that he had held almost all the honorable offices and employments in the government, as well as those conferred by the people, and adds: "His death is not only an irreparable loss to the poor, who had at all times free access to his person and his advice and assistance without fee or reward, but to the public is a subject of great regret."-See Contributions to the History of Perth Amboy, p. 374.-ED.

3

was the son of Dr. John Johnstone who has been frequently referred to in these pages, whose sons dropped the final "e" in their family name. Like his father, he held many responsible offices, and continued in the Council until his death, in 1762, and was character

ized by "good equality of temper, circumspection of conduct, an open, yet grave, engaging mien, much goodness of heart and many virtues, both public and private," See Contributions to East Jersey History, p. 72.-ED.

Province and firme in the interest of the present Gov ernment, Elce would not be recommended by my Lords,

Your Lordships most humble
and Obedient Servant,

LEWIS MORRIS.

P. S. This Goes Via Philadelphia By one Mesnard by whom goes duplicates of the publick letters.

Certificate of Governor Morris-concerning the Proprietors Surrender of the Government.

[From the Original in Rutherfurd Collection Vol. III, p. 191, compared with the Record in Secretary of State's Office at Trenton.]

By His Excellency Lewis Morris Esq: Captain General and Governor in Chief in & over the Province of New Jersey & the Territories thereon depending in America & Vice admiral in the Same &c

I Do hereby Certifie that I the Said Lewis Morris being employed by the General Proprietors Inhabiting in the Eastern Division of the Province of New Jersey to Negotiate their Surrender to the Crown of their Powers of Government I did accordingly in Conjunction with Sir Thomas Lane and the West New-Jersey Societie of Proprietors in whom the Government of the Western Division of New Jersey was then and in Conjunction with the Proprietors of the Eastern Division then in England Negotiate the said Surrender which was made to Her Majestie Queen Anne by the said Proprietors and my Self on the Sixteenth of April one Thousand seven hundred and two. That during the said Negotiation a set of Instructions were agreed on

by the Crown with the said Proprietors to be given and continued to the Governors who should be appointed by the Crown for the Government of New Jersey Three of which said Instructions so agreed on were in the following words Viz 20 Our will and pleasure is that for the better quieting the minds of our Good Subjects Inhabitants of our said Province and for Setling the Properties and Possessions of all Persons Concern'd therein, either as General Proprietors of the Soil under the first Original grant of the said Province made by the late K: Cha 2o To the Late Duke of York or as Particular purchasers of any Tracts of Land from the same General Proprietors You shall propose to the said General Assembly of our said Province the passing of such Act or Acts whereby the Right and property of the said General Proprietors to the Soil of our said Province may be confirmed to them according to their respective Rights & Titles Together with all such Quit rents as have been reserved or are become due to the said General proprietors from the Inhabitants of our said Province & all such priviledges as are Expressed in the Conveyances made by the said Duke of York Excepting only the Right of Government which remains in us And you are further to take care that by the said Act or Acts so to be passed, the particular titles and Estates of all the Inhabitants of that Province and other Purchasors claiming under the said Generall Proprietors be confirmed and settled as of Right do's appertain under such Obligations as shall tend to the best and Speediest Improvement & Cultivation of the Same Provided always that you do not consent to any Act or Acts to lay any Tax upon Lands that Lye unprofitable. New Article You shall not permit any other person or persons besides the said General Proprietors or their Agents to purchase any Land what soever from the Indians within the Limitts of their

Grant. 33 You are to permit the Surveyors and other Persons appointed by the forementioned General Proprietors of the Soil of that Province for Surveying & recording the Surveys of Land granted by and held of them to Execute accordingly their respective trusts And You are likewise to Permit and if need be Aid and Assist Such other Agent or Agents as Shall be appointed by the said Proprietors for that End to Colect and recieve the quit rents which are or shall be due unto them from the Particular possessors of any Tracts or Parcels of Land from time to time Provided always that such Surveyor Agents or other Officers appointed by the said General Proprietors do not only take Proper Oaths for the due Execution & perfor mance of their respective Officers or Employments and good & Sufficient Security for their So doing but that they likewise take the Oaths appointed by Act of Parliament to be taken Instead of the Oaths of Alegiance and Supremacy, as also the test and Subscribe the forementioned Association, all which you are accordingly to require of them & not otherwise to admit any Person into any such Office or Employment, and you Are more Particularly to take care that all Lands Purchased from the said Proprietors be cultivated & Improved by the Possessors thereof.

LEWIS MORRIS.

Be it Remembered that on the 28th of February 1744-5 before Robert Hunter Morris Esq Chief Justice of New Jersey. His Excellency Lewis Morris Esq aforesaid acknowledged the preceeding Certificate to be his Act & Deed.

ROB H: MORRIS.