denying the Facts to be as I had stated them. To this I made a full reply, calculated to obviate any Misrepresentations which might be made to their Constituents, who, I had Reason to know, had been before so greatly misled by the wrong Accounts they had receiv'd of the State of the Treasury, and the Ability of the Province that in several Counties they had even instructed their Members not to comply with the Requisition. The Speech, Addresses, and the several Messages which passed between me and the Assembly on this Subject I transmit herewith for His Majesty's Information, and have only to add, that I have Cause to believe that the Sentiments of the House are since much altered, and that at their next Session, which will be on the 28th of May, they will consent to grant the Money necessary for the Supply of the King's Troops in this Province. I have the Honour to be, with the greatest Respect, My Lord, Your Lordship's most obedient, The Speech of His Excellency William Franklin, Esquire, Captain General, Governor and Commander in Chief in and over the Colony of New Jersey, and Territories thereon depending in America, Chancellor and ViceAdmiral of the same, &c. Gentlemen of the Council, and Gentlemen of the General Assembly, The Sum granted at the last Session for the Supply of His Majesty's Troops stationed in this Colony, was so much below what had been annually expended for the like Service before, that a longer Recess than you have had could not be reasonably expected. Gentlemen of the General Assembly : The Barrack-Master's Accounts, with their several Vouchers, I shall order to be laid before you, when I hope it will appear to you that the Money entrusted to the Disposal of the Governor and Council has been managed with the utmost Care and Frugality. Some of the Barracks being greatly out of Repair, and in Want of Bedding and other Necessaries, I must recommend it to you to grant a sufficient Sum for supplying these Deficiencies, as well as for providing the Troops with their usual Allowance. The principal Reason given by you, Gentlemen, for not granting a larger Sum at your last Meeting was, your having been denied an Act for a Paper Currency. But as that was a Measure to which (as I am assured) the King would not have with-held his Royal Concurrence, if it could have been given without violating the Law and the Constitution, I shall hope that you will not again urge a Point that must now appear neither becoming nor decent, but that you will as cheerfully and readily as heretofore make due Provision for this necessary Service. Besides, when you consider, that upon the first Appearance of a Rupture between the Crowns of Great-Britain and Spain, I received assurances that in case Matters should, contrary to His Majesty's just Expectations, come to Extremities, the Security of his American Dominions should be a principal Object of His Majesty's Care and Attention, you cannot, I think but be impressed with the most lively Sentiments of Gratitude, and be happy in an Opportunity of manifesting them by corresponding Actions. Gentlemen of the Council, and Gentlemen of the General Assembly: During the late Prospect of a War, the defenceless State of this Province must no doubt have occurred to you, and to the People in general. His Majesty's uni form Wishes to preserve the public Tranquility may not always be successful. A Time of Peace, however, is certainly the best Time to prepare for War,' and there is no knowing how soon such an Event may happen. This is therefore a Matter worthy of your particular attention. For my Part, I know of Nothing we have to rely on, under God, for our Protection against the sudden Attempts of an Enemy, but the Regiment of Regulars which His Majesty has been so kind as to afford us, and the Militia. From the scattered Residence of the latter, and their Want of Discipline, much cannot be expected from them on such Emergencies. I have some Time ago, indeed sent Orders to the Commanding Officers of the several Regiments, to have their Men as frequently exercised and as well disciplined in every Respect as may be in their Power, and to be particularly careful that they may be provided with the Arms and Ammunition required by Law, but you must be sensible, that while the Law allows of so few Days of Muster, the People cannot be brought into proper Military Order. Whether therefore it would not be better to adopt some such Regulations for the Militia as are now established in our Mother Country, I submit to your Consideration. In the mean Time, as His Majesty has been graciously pleased to order the several Battalions now serving in America to be completed as soon as possible, you have an Opportunity, by giving some additional Bounty, or other Encouragement that inay induce a Number of His Majesty's faithful Subjects of this Colony to engage in the Service, not only of demonstrating your 1 The Rev. Aaron Burr, in "A Discourse Delivered in New-Ark, in New Jersey, January 1, 1755," uses this expression (speaking of the threatened French war): "The Way to have Peace in the present case, is to make a speedy and vigorous Preparation for War." In a speech to Congress, January 8, 1790, Washington put the same idea thus: "To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace." The Latin proverb is. "Si vis pacem, para bellum."- Mag. Am. Hist., X., 73, 520.-[W. N.] Loyalty and Gratitude, but of providing in the most essential Manner for the Security and Defence of the Province. The Indians of the Six Nations, and their Allies and Confederates, having lately complained of the Abuses and Violences committed by the Traders and Frontier Inhabitants of several of His Majesty's Colonies, and intimated the bad Consequences which are likely to happen, if they are not redressed, His Majesty has thought proper to signify his Pleasure that I should represent this Matter in the strongest Manner to you, and urge you in his Name to fall upon some Means of putting Indian Affairs under such Regulation as may have the Effect to prevent those Abuses of the Trade, and those Violences and Encroachments of the Frontier Inhabitants of which the Indians so justly complain. The Governments of Virginia, Pennsylvania, New-York and Quebec, have, as I understand, already appointed Commissioners, who are to meet together, and form some Plan for this desirable Purpose. And though this Colony has little or no Concern in the Indian Trade, and the Indians have not sustained any Violences from our Frontier Inhabitants but what they have received ample Satisfaction for, yet as we must be eventually interested in whatever may affect the Welfare and Safety of our neighbouring Colonies, I cannot but recommend this as an Object deserving your most serious Consideration. I have lately received two Orders of His Majesty in Council, which shall be communicated to you; the one disallowing an Act passed in June 1765 intitled, “An Act for regulating the Practice of the Law and other Purposes therein mentioned," (which Act was rendered unnecessary by a subsequent Act of the Legislature of this Province;) the other confirming an Act passed in May 1768, entitled, "An Act for choosing Representatives in the Counties of Morris, Cumber land and Susse.r, and directing the Morris County COUNCIL CHAMBER April 18, 1771. To His Excellency William Franklin Esquire Captain General, Governor and Commander in Chief in and over His Majestys Colony of Nova Cæsarea or New Jersey and Territories depending thereon in America, Chancellor and Vice Admiral in the same &c. The Humble Address of the Representatives of the said Colony in General Assembly convened. May it please your Excellency. We His Majesty's Dutiful and Loyal Subjects the Representatives of the Colony of New Jersey, in General Assembly convened have taken into our serious Consideration your Excellency's Speech at the Opening of this Session, and can truly inform your Excellency That the State of this Colony is not altered for the better since the last Session at Perth Amboy. At which Time this House informed your Excellency That they could not grant further Supplies for His Majestys Troops without laying new Taxes on the good People of this Colony, who are already burthened with a heavy Debt contracted for his Majesty's Service during the late War. We therefore cannot, consistent with the Duty we owe our Constituents comply with your Excellency's Requisition at present. The Militia Law now in Force, we conceive may be sufficient for all the Purposes intended thereby. We would, on all Occasions, do the strictest Justice |