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Petition of the Proprietors of East Jersey, that Andrew Hamilton may be approved of as Governor.

[From P. R. O. B. T., Proprietors, Vol. 2, A 42.]

Petition of the Proprietors of East New Jersey.

TO THE KINGS MOST EXCELLENT MAJTIE

The humble Petic'on of y Proprietors of the Province of East-New-Jersey in America.

Sheweth

That Andrew Hamilton Esq! by appointment of your Peticoners hath been Governor of East-NewJersey for many yeares last past, In which Office he behav'd himself wth so much Zeal & affection to your Majes Service dureing the late War ag! the French of Canada, and wth so much justice & Prudence towards yo! Majties Subjects the Inhabitants of that Collony, that your Petic'oners at the generall request of that People have again nominated him to be Governor of the same Province: as a person most acceptable to the Country, and thereby most capable of serving yo Crown both in Peace & War.

Your Pet' doe therefore most humbly beseech yo! Majte to allow & approve of their choice of the said Andrew Hamilton to be Governour of the said Province of East New Jersey.

And yo! Pet's as in duty bound shall ever pray &c. Signed by Order of the Proprietors on behalf of the whole

WM DOCKWRA

One of y Props & Secr. & Reg

of the Province

Secretary Popple to Attorney Generall Trevor, asking his opinion as to the qualification of Andrew Hamilton, as Governor of East Jersey, he being a Scotchman.

[From P. R. O. B. T. Proprieties, Vol. 25, p. 303.]

TO SIR THOMAS TREVOR, Knight,

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His Majesty having been pleased to Refer unto the Consideration of the Lords Commissioners of the Council of Trade and Plantations a Petition of the Proprietors of East New Jersey in America, Praying that Andrew Hamilton Esq whom they have nominated to be Governor of that Province may have his Majesties Royall allowance and approbation for that Employment, Their Lordships have commanded me to acquaint you that the said Hamilton is a Scotchman born, and thereupon, to desire your Opinion whether he be qualified for that Employment, in respect of the Act for preventing frauds and regulating abuses in the plantation Trade, or any other Law of this Realm. I am &c W. P.

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Attorney General Trevor to Secretary Popple, in answer to the foregoing letter.

[From P. R. O. B. T. Proprieties Vol. 2, B. 44.]

Lre from M: Atty Gen! in answer to one writ him abt Mr Hamilton, a Scotchman, propounded to be Govt of the Jerseys.

For W Popple Esq"

SR

According to the Comands of the Lords Com of the Council of Trade Signified to me by yo! L're of the

17th of Jan'y last I have considered of the matter wherein my Opinion is required by their Lords'ps, and am humbly of Opinion That a Scotchman borne is by Law capable of being appointed Governor of any of the Plantac'ons, he being a natural born-Subject of England in Judgm! and Construcc'on of Law, as much as if he had been born in England.

Your most humble Serv!

THO: TREVOR

2 Feb'y 1698. [1698-9]

Letter from Secretary Sansom to Secretary Popple, transmitting a report of the Commissioners of the Customs, about Perth Amboy.

[From P. R. O., B. T.; Proprieties, Vol. B 2, 52.]

Lr'e from Mr Sansom in answer to one writ him ye 22th of Dec last ab! Perth Amboy, with ye Copy of a Report of ye Coms of ye Customs to ye Lds of ye Treasury npon ye same subject.

SR

I received your Letter dated thie day-For answer to which You will please to be Informed That the Comms haveing perused the severall Papers Transmitted in yours to me of the 22th of December Last Relating to the Business of Perth Amboy, and such others as They had before them concerning that matter Have this day Finished a Report to the Rt Honble the Lords Comms of his Mats Trea'ry from whome Papers to the like purpose were Referred to them, to Consider of, and have sent the same forward their Lorde of which

For the more speedy Information of the R Honoble the Lords Comms of the Council of Trade, I herewith send you Copy.

As to the Later part of your said Letter of the 22th of December Touching a vessel seized by M Randolph in the Jerseys and afterwards Try'd in the Court of Admiralty of New Yorke, Desireing to know the Subject and Success of that Tryall. The Comm's have spoke to the mast of the Ship, By whome They were Informed Mr Randolph had sent them Accots of thie matter, And are Told by the said Mast! That being in Distress in his Passage home, he Threw Mr. Randolphs Pacquet over board, amongst other things, Soe that the Comms are yet without Notices from M' Randolph in that business.

I am

S You most humble servant

JNO SANSOM

Custome house, London

21th February 1698 [-9].

MR. POPPLE.

Copy of a Report from the Comms of the Customs to the Lords of the Trea'ry About the Settlement of a Port at Perth Amboy. [Transmitted with the foregoing.]

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR LORDS'PS

In obedience to your Lords'ps com'ands Signified to Us at Our late Attendance on your Lordships on a Letter from M: Popple to M Lownds of the 14 December last Concerning the Dispute between his Excellency the Earle of Bellomont Governour of New York &c and Coll! Bass Governour of East and West Jersey about the Settlement of a Port at Perth Amboy Wee do humbly report to Your Lords'ps that Wee have Considered the said Letter and other Papers therewith Referred to us on this Subject And do Humbly Report to Your Lords'ps That besides the Act made in the 25th

Yeare of the Reign of King Charles the Second for better Securing the plantac'on Trade whereby the manageing and collecting the Rates and Duties payable by that Act is Lodged in the comm" of the customs under Your Lords'ps Authority. There is another Act in the 7th and 8th Year of his present May Reign for preventing Frauds and Regulating Abuses in the Plantac'on Trade which for the better execution the Severall Acts of Parliament relating thereunto doth provide That the Lords Comms of the Treasury and Comms of the customes in England for ye time being Shall and may constitute and appoint Such and So many Officers of the Customes in any City, Town, River, Port, Harbour, or Creek of or belonging to any of the Islands Tracts of Land and Proprieties when and as often as to them Shall seem needfull Pursuant to which Law (not menc'oned by the R Honble the Lords Com's of the Councill of Trade in their Representation to Their Excellencies the Lords Justices of the 27 of October 1697) Your Lords'ps were pleased by Your Warrant of the 20 of November 1696 to approve of a Collector at Perth Amboy in East Jersey and another at Bridlington in West Jersey which Constitution in those places was proposed with others to Your Lordship's from the Opinion of the Surveyor Generall of the Customes in his Majesties Plantacions. That it would be a Reasonable Accommodation to the Traders in those Provinces as well for the Security of the Revenue as for the more Effectual Observance of the Severall Acts relating to the Plantac'on Trade to which Purpose the Officers have Instructions from this Board to Collect the Rates and Duties Imposed by the aforesaid Act in the 25 Yeare of the Reign of King Charles ye Second upon Tobacco and other Plantation Comodities therein Enumerated which shall be Shipt or Loaden from thence for any other of his Mats Plantac'ons.-as also to inspect the like Com'odities which shall be Laden in ships bound directly to this Kingdom And to attend the De

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