cient, with the Fees and Perquisites of Office added, which indeed are in most Cases very trifling) to support the Officers in a manner suitable to their Stations.

W FRANKLIN

Letter from Gov. Franklin to the Earl of Hillsborough, relative to the Complaint made by the Commissioners of Customs in America to the King.

[From P. O. America and West Indies, Vol. 173 (191).]

BURLINGTON, Augst 25, 1768 To the Right Honble the Earl of Hillsborough My Lord,

I am honored with your Lordship's Letter No 8-respecting the Complaint made by the Commissioners of His Majesty's Customs in America, of the Obstructions which their Officers have met with in the Execution of their Duty. There has been but one Complaint made to me of that kind by any of the Officers of the Customs within this Government, and that was from M: Hatton the Collector of Salem. But after strict Enquiry had been made into the Affair before myself and His Majesty's Council, it was found that the Collector (who is a Man of a most unhappy Temper') had exceedingly misbehaved himself, and had no just Foundation for his Complaint. The Particulars of this Transaction I transmitted to the Commissioners at Boston, and

1 Mr. Hatton's "most unhappy temper" got him into more serious trouble two years later. See post, under date of November 7, 1770.

your Lordship will see them in the Minutes of the Council sent with my Letter No 6.

I think it my indispensable Duty, and shall not fail to give the Officers of the Customs, and every other Officer of the Government, all the Assistance and Support in my Power.

I am with the greatest Respect,

My Lord, Your Lordship's most obedient
& most humble Servant

W FRANKLIN

Commission of Governor Franklin to Charles Read, John Smith and Samuel Smith to take charge of the Seals during his Absence.

[From Book AB of Commissions, in the Secretary of State's office, Trenton, fol. 23.]

By his Excellency William Franklin Esqr. Captain General Governor and Commander in Chief in and over the province of New Jersey and Territories thereon depending in America, Chancellor and Vice Admiral in the same &c.

To the Honble. Charles Read, Jno. Smith & Saml. Smith Esqrs. Members of His Majesty's Council for the Colony of New Jersey Greeting. Whereas The promoting his Majesties Service and the Prosperity and Security of the British Colonies on the Continent of America have induced me to Comply with the request of the Honble. Sr. William Johnson his Majesty's Superintendent of Indian Affairs, in giving my attendance at a Treaty to be held with the Six Nations and other Indians at Fort Stanwix in the Colony of New York to agree and fix upon a Boundary Line between the British subjects of the Northern Colonies and the Indians. In Order that there should be no Delay or interruption in carrying on the usual Business, which passes under the Publick Seal, or of the Seal of the Prerogative Office,

or my private Seal at Arms: I have left the said Seals in your Custody, hereby impowering you, or any two of you, to Affix either of those Seals to such papers as usually pass under the same, in the Common & Ordinary Course of Business, where a Delay till my return would be attended with publick Disadvantage or Loss, or inconvenience to the Persons applying, And I also impower you, or any two of you, in case it should be necessary from my unexpected long absence, Sickness, or other Accident to deliver the publick and prerogative Seals, and the Royal Instructions to the president of his Majesty's Council of this Province, at such time as a Majority of the Council shall Judge it necessary for the President of the Council to take upon him the Admnr. of the Government and for your so doing this shall be your Warrant. Given under my hand and Seal at Arms at Burlington the 26th of Augst. in the Eighth year of his Majesty's Reign Anno Domini

1768.

Letter from Gov. Franklin to Secretary Hillsborough, relative to a Treaty with the Indians for settling boundary between them and the Northern British Colonies.

[From P. R. O. West Indies, Vol. 173 (191).]

BURLINGTON Aug 27th 1768

To the Right Honble the Earl of Hillsborough

My Lord,

Having receiv'd an Intimation from Sir William Johnson, Bar His Majesty's Superintendant for Indian Affairs, that he was shortly to hold a Treaty with the Indians, for Settling a Boundary Line between them

and the Northern British Colonies, and that it might be of publick Service if, on this very important Occasion, Commissioners were to attend the Treaty in Behalf of this Province, I laid the Matter before the Council, who were of Opinion that the Notice was too short to call the Assembly together to make Provision for defraying the Expence of sending Commissioners to the Treaty, but they thought my Prescence there might answer very good Purposes to this Province, as well as to the other Parts of the British Dominions in America. I have thereupon consented to attend the Conference, and am this Day to set off for Albany, accompanied by M: Smyth, one of His Majesty's Council for this Province.-Matters are so settled that no Inconvenience can arise by my Absence, which I have Reason to believe will not exceed four or five Weeks.' -By this Opportunity I have answered all the Letters I have had the Honour to receive from your Lordship by the May Packet. The June Mail is not yet arrived, and, 'tis feared, is either lost or gone to the West Indies.

I have the Honor to be, with the greatest Respect, My Lord Your Lordship's most obedient

& most humble Servant

WM FRANKLIN

1 The proceedings at Fort Stanwix between the whites and the Indians during October and November, 1768, for the settlement of the frontier boundary, are detailed fully in N. Y. Col. Docs., VIII., 110-137. Governor Franklin was accompanied by Chief-Justice Smyth. Some of the incidents are worthy of a note here. On the second day of the conference( Oct. 25) Canaghquieson, Chief of Oneida, stood up & addressing all present, observd that the several American Governors had Indian names, by which they were known to the Indians, the Governor of New Jersey excepted; that he therefore thought it necessary to compliment him with a name, which he did by bestowing his own name upon him, on which his Excellency Gov Franklin shook him by the Hand & returned him thanks." Subsequently "the Cheifs arose & shook hands with Gov Franklin & Canaghquieson addressing him said, that as he had given him his own name, he hoped that he would endeavour to acquire as much reputation with it amongst the People as he had done. The Governor returned them many thanks." The next day, "Conoghquieson stood up and said that the Six Nations not being satisfied with his having given his own name to Govern Franklin had met upon it, and

Circular letter from the Earl of Hillsborough to the Governors in America, relative to letters received by them from his Majesty's Secretaries of State.

[From P. R. O. America and West Indies. Vol. 254 (272).]

WHITEHALL Septber 2nd 1768

Circular to all the Governors in America

The King having observed that the Governors of His Colonies have upon several Occasions taken upon them to communicate to their Councils and Assemblies either the whole or parts of Letters which they have received from His Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, I have it in command from His Majesty to signify to you that it is His Majesty's Pleasure that you do not,

in testimony of their sense of his, and his Peoples justice in causing the murtherers of some Indians to be put to death within his Government did now confer upon him the name of Sagorighweyoghsta, or the Great Arbiter or Doer of Justice, wishing that he and the people of his Government might continue to act with the same Justice they had hitherto done. Whereupon Gov Franklin returned them thanks for the favor and assured them both himself and the people of his Government would upon all occasions manifest their esteem for the Indians and their inclination to do them justice." On November 4th, Sir William Johnson, in addressing the Indians, said: "The Gov' of New Jersey being called hence by some urgent business has desired me to inform you that he can not think of taking leave of His Brethren the Six Nations without once more expressing the Happiness he has received from finding that they entertain such right sentiments of his justice, & that of the good people under his Government He has himself the highest sense of the value & importance of the name conferred on him & doubts not but that future Governors & the chief men & inhabitants of New Jersey will be ever carefull to deserve so Distinguished a Title among the Indian Nations as that of Sagorrihwhioughstha, Doer of Justice. The Governor has likewise requested me to remind you that at a Treaty held at Easton in the year 1758 the Delaware and other Indians who had any pretensions to Land in New Jersey, did for a valuable consideration give a general release for all the Lands in that Province except such parts as were reserved by Law for the use of those Indians who chose to live under the protection of that Governm1. This was done in public Council in the presence of many of the Six Nations and the Governor would therefore be glad, that at this Congress (where are present so many cheifs of the different Nations belonging to the Confederacy & when a general Boundary Line between the subjects of His Brittannic Majesty in America & their Bretheren the Indians is to be settled) you would do the Province of New Jersey the justice to confirm the said Release by acknowledging in public that that Province is entirely free from all Indian Claims, except as before