Page images
PDF
EPUB

Memorial of the Proprietors of East Jersey to the Lords of Trade, relative to a surrender of their Government.

[From Grants and Concessions, p 588.]

To the Right Honourable the Lords of the Council of Trade and Foreign Plantations.

The Memorial of the Proprietors of the Province of East New-Jersey, in America.

THE Proprietors having in all their Applications to this Honourable Board, shewed an Aversion to have any Controversy with his Majesty, as by their several Expedients in their Memorials laid before your Lordships may appear; and considering how often the near Neighflorhood of East-Jersey to New-York, (the most important Frontier belonging to the Crown of England in North-America) has been urged upon them, to induce them to a Resignation of their Government; they do hereby declare themselves ready to surrender the same to his Majesty; altho' the Government was the chiefest Motive of purchasing the said Province, which they did by the Opinion and advice of eminent Council learned in the Law, upon the Credit of which and the Confirmation by King CHARLES the Second, of the Title to the Grantees, their Heirs and Assigns, as absolute Proprietors and Governor's, (as by his Proclamation hereunto annexed does appear) they have buried great part of their Estates in building and planting the Country, and at their own Expense maintained the Government for many Years past, as well before his Majesty's happy Accession to the Crown as ever since, and have not received any returns whatsoever for all their Labour and Cost to this Day. In Consideration of the Premisses the Proprietors do with humble Confidence rely on his Majesty's Justice and Goodness to confirm to the Proprietors and Planters respectively,

the following Rights and Privileges, to render them (at least) as easy under his Majesty's Government, as when under the Proprietors, toward which they presume to enumerate the following Particulars, viz.:

I. That his Majesty will be graciously pleased to confirm to them the Soil and Lands of the said Province and the Quit-rents reserved upon the Grants made or to be made to any Planters or others.

II. That upon the Annexation of the Government of the said Province to that of New York, the Port of Perth Amboy, may be established for entering Ships and Importing goods there, and Exporting goods from thence, without being obliged to enter their Ships at any other Place, paying the same or like Custom to his Majesty as are or shall from Time to Time be payable at New-York.

III. To have free Liberty to Trade with any Indians or other Inhabitants of America, without Interruption, and the Proprietors to have the sole Privilege (as always hath been practiced) of purchasing from the Indians, all such Lands lying within East Jersey, as yet remain unpurchased from them.

IV. All necessary officers and Courts of Justice for Administration of Justice, in Cases Criminal and Civil, to be appointed and held in East Jersey, in the same manner as is practised within the Government of of New-York, and that the Inhabitants may not be obliged to go to New-York or be impleaded there for any criminal or civil matter arising within East-Jersey nor be compelled to serve upon Juries or in any ministerial office within the Province of New-York.

V. That a Superior Court be held twice a year at Perth Amboy, before whom Writs of Error or Appeals (in the Nature of Writs of Error) from other Courts within the Province may be brought and determined.

VI. That the publick Register and all Records relating to the said Province may be kept at Perth-Amboy, and not removed to any other Place; and that the Con

stituting of the Secretary and Register and the Surveyor General of the said Province of East New-Jersey, remain in the Proprietors.

VII. That the same Number of Counties be continued in East-Jersey, as there are at present, and by the same Names, and that each County in East-Jersey may choose and send as many Representatives to the General Assembly to be held for New-York and EastJersey, as are or shall be chosen by any County in New-York, and if any more Counties shall be here after created or appointed in New-York, as many may be created and appointed in East-Jersey.

VII. That a Proportionable Number of the Inhabitants of East-Jersey, may be appointed to be of the Governor's Council at all General Assembly's and to have Votes therein.

IX. That the Twenty four Proprietors may be Lords of the Soil, and hold Courts for the Lands in the Proprietyships, and appoint all Officers that relate thereunto.

X. No Person or Persons whatsoever to be molested or deprived of any civil Right or Privilege, or rendered uncapable of holding any Office or Employment in the Government because of their religious Principles, the Province being planted by Protestant People of divers Perswasions, to whom that Liberty was an original Encouragement.

XI. That all Wills of Persons dying within EastJersey, and Letters of Administration of Estates lying there, may be made and granted by the chief Judge of East-Jersey for the Time being, who is to reside there, and a Register thereof kept at Perth-Amboy.

XII. That the Proprietors still have their Power continued to grant Markets and Fairs in the said Province.

XIII. Lastly, All Lands, Goods and Chattles of Traitors, Felons, Felons of themselves, Deodands, Fugitives, Persons outlawed and put in exigent, Waifs,

Estrays, Treasure Trove, Mines and Minerals, Royal Mines, Wrecks, Royal Fish, that shall be forfeited, found or taken within East-Jersey, only the Inhabitants thereof, within the Seas adjacent, to remain to the Proprietors, with all other Privileges and Advantages, as amply as in the Grant and Confirmation to them of the Fourteenth of March 1682.

And because many of the Proprietors of East-Jersey, are also Proprietors of West-Jersey

It is humbly desired that Colonel Andrew Hamilton may be despatched by this Board to the Government of West-Jersey, his presence being much wanted there, for the Convenience of his Majesty's Subjects in that Province.

Signed by Order and on behalf of the Proprietors
Wm DOCKWRA

[July 5th 1699]

Secretary and Register

Proclamation of Governor Jeremiah Basse against certain Ships from Scotland.

[From E. J. Records, Liber. C, Commissions, page 293.]

A PROCLAMATION.

THE GOVERNOUR & PROPRIETORS OF THE PROVINCE OF EAST NEW JERSEY to all His Majesties Justices of the Peace, Sheriffs & Constables & all other Officers, Civil & Military, & all other his Majestie's Subjects Inhabiting within the said Province Sends Greeting. WHEREAS, His Most Excellent Majesty hath received advice that Severall Ships of force fitted out of Scotland are designed to settle themselves in some parts of America and Least the same should derogate from the Treaties His Majesty hath Entred into with the Crown of Spain or be otherways prejudiciall to any of his Majesties Colonies in America His Ma'ty hath been

pleased to Signify his Royal Will & Pleasure unto us that we strictly forbid all his Majesties Subjects & others Inhabiting within our said Province that they forbear holding any Correspondence with or giving any assistance to any of the said persons while they are Engaged in the said Enterprise and that no provisions Armes Amunitions or other Necessaries whatsoever be Carried to them from hence nor be permitted to be Carried either in their own Vessels or any other Ships or vessels for their use THESE are therefore in pursuance of his Majesty's said Royal Will & Pleasure Strictly to Charge & Command all & every his said Majesty's Subjects & all others Inhabiting within this Province that they forbear holding any Correspondence with or giving any assistance to such person or persons who have been fitted out of Scotland with design to settle themselves in such parts of America or who are or shall be setled in any such parts of America as afores & that no Provisions Armes Amunitions or other Necessaries whatsoever be Carried to them Either in their own Vessells or any other Ships or Vessells for their Use from this Province or any part thereof under such Paines Penalties & forfeitures as by Law in such Case are provided & all his Majesty's Subjects and all other person or persons whatsoever Inhabiting within this Province are hereby required & Commanded to take Notice hereof & to Observe his Majesty's Royal Will and pleasure aforesaid in all & every the premisses as they will answer the Contrary at their Perill. GIVEN under the Publick Seale of the said Province this first day of August in the Eleventh year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord William the third King of England Scotland France & Ireland Defender of the Faith & Annoq. Dom. 1699

[blocks in formation]
« PreviousContinue »