usage joyn'd with the Society of West Jersey: and sent over Coll: Bass in the year 1697 with their Com[mission] of both Provinces, thereby superceeding Coll: Hamiltons [. . . . ] Commission which his Faction resented in that manner that tho' Coll: Bass received Instructions from this Honble Board Signed by the Lords Justices and Counter Signed by the Lords of the Treasury having his Dispatches from hence, and Embarking on the same man of Warr with the Earle of Bellomont, and had a Dedimus Protestation under the Broad Seale of England. By which he was Sworne by my Lord Bellomont in New Yorke; notwithstanding all this, they denied his Authority and Publickly affronted the said Governour Bass & Judges in open Court as appears by many Letters and Affidavits.

This Opposition was the first occasion of the Heats and Animos[ities] in those Provinces and laid the Foundation of all those fewds & Com[plications] which continue to this day.

Coll: Hamilton after the Province was sett on Flame by his Incendiaries] took advantage of those confusions Returned to England; insinuating [him]Selfe in to the Favour of Some of the West Jersey Society (who were Ignorant of his Proceedings under the Commission of the East Jersey Proprietors) and by his relation of the Posture of Affairs induced them to believe that there was no way of Quieting the province But by constituting him Governor Since the Superceeding his Commission gave Rise to the Divisions there.

The West Jersey Society Deluded by this Artifice perswaded some of ye East Jersey Proprietors to Joyne with them in giving Coll. Hamilton a New Commis sion under a pretence that the necessity of affairs required it; at least till they could be better Provided.

The East Jersey Proprietors dreading the event of Intestine Animosities comply'd with the Proposall tho' Coll: Hamilton had formerly so notoriously forfeited

his Reputation with them: Thus by this managem! they procured a Majority of proprietors and Sent Coll" Hamilton over with their Com'ission and thereby Superceeded that of Coll Bass. But Collonel Hamilton Sensible without the Kings approbation he should meet with Opposition, being the very Argument used by himselfe and adherents against Coll' Basses Co'mision, Endeavours were used to obtain the same by Petition to his Majesty, But it was denyed. Yet the business Coll" Hamilton had to doe for the West Jersey Society was motive sufficient to prevaile with him to act under a Commission of so much less Authority than that of Coll Bass, and which for that Reason he knew would be strenuously controverted there, and has since had all those Dire Effects which the Aversion to that people to a Scotch Governour (promoting a Scotch Interest) gave Just apprehensions would procure.

The East Jersey Proprietors finding they were mistaken in their Remedy, and that this Alteration had occasioned a farr greater disgust in the Province, and that the Inhabitants were resolved never to obey Coll: Hamilton But they themselves under any Power rather then that of a Scotch Governor, did send over their Comission constituting Capt: Andrew Bowne upon the place their present Governour, a quiet man that had been Deputy Governour and well esteemed in the Province: and a Second time Superceeded Coll" Hamiltons Comission.

Coll Hamilton believing it Impossible ever to Impose again on the Proprietors, resolved to try the Last Effort, and then Sett up in Opposition to the Proprietors themselves, and tho' by his Commission he was obliged to Surrender the Government on the arrivall and Publishing of a New Comission, under the Seale of the Province, which Commission was So Published. Yet he detained the Provinciall Seale, keeps all the Records, and the Dedimus Prostatem, totally Subverting the Government

This may it please your Lopp's is but a Short account of Collenell Hamilton, and it's hoped that This with the Petitions & Remonstrances both from East and West Jersey already before this Honorable Board, will So farr lessen him in your Lo'pps Esteeme that he will not be thought worthy of Recommendation for Gover nour of New Jersey, and since your Lo'pps were pleased to advise ag'st presenting any party man (Coll Hamil ton being peculiarly such) It is hoped your Lo'pps will not think it a medium to reconcile the contending partys of both Provinces by presenting him, nor Judge it the most proper method to advance and Encourage an English Colony by advising his Majesty to constitute a Scoth Governour.

The Aversion of the Inhabitants is an Objection of that Importance as is presumed will have weight with y' Lo'pps.

For may your Lo'pps be pleased to be further Informed that the Injuries the Inhabitants there, and the Proprietors here have received from Coll: Hamilton are the motives to their Surrender; and they therefore hope that they Shan't draw on themselves that very Evill, they would Endeavour to be freed from; and only beg leave to add, that all those who have suffered by Coll Hamilton can have no hope of Redress Should he be constituted Govern! For then he will become Both Judge and Party too.

To give yo' Lo'pps no further trouble; Tis humbly conceived the Present Apprehension of Warr may require a Gov Skilled in Military affairs. That the Militia may be well moddleed and Disciplined, and putt in a Capacity of Opposing Forreign Enimies as well as quieting Intestine Fewds. And therefore tis humbly offer'd to your Lo'pp's Wisdome for the Recom mendation to his Majesty of Such a One.

Letter from Governor Andrew Hamilton to the Proprietors in England.'

From the original among the MSS. of W. A. Whitehead.

From Governor Hamilton.

Worthy Gentlemen:—

Perth Amboy, 1st June, 1700.

I am at a great loss for want of advice from you how farr you have concerted the affair of the surrender. The people here proposeing to themselves that they will be upon the levell with you when the goverment is out of your hands, may purchase lands of the Indians as well as you & may thro vp their patents & hold by their Indian purchase. I say proposeing these advantages to themselves (& there's no beating them out of it) they lay hold on any twigg they think will attain their end. I send for your perusall a copy of a petition that the factious part of the people sent about to get hands to, & I send you my remarks vpon it."

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I was in a mistake concerning Mr. Royse, he had an old patent weh contains about 20000 acres, but becaus the stations were uncertain & the boundaries would not meet, he addressed the prop's at home for a new patent, wch he had & contains about 6000 acres, for wch he was to pay £5 a year for the whole instead of the per acre, and the prop's forgetting to make him surrender his old patent he now claims about 20000 acres by it & so takes away upon Milston River from Mr. Hart, & on the Raritan from Mr. Plumstead & Mr. Barker considerable tracts of land, so that he uses both patents, the old one if he can, and the new one if

Should have been previously inserted.-ED.

2 This was probably the petition to be found on page 321.—Ed. Being all purchased by him from the Indians" erased.-ED.

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the old fail him; it was a great oversight, he is the ringleader of the troublesome part of the people, & its he that infuses the notion in them of holding by their Indian titles. If they have made any alterations in their petition I know not; but I believe it will be much to the same purpose, but if the King give a Countenance to a factious & a false petition to break your Governm' it will introduce ill presidents.

While the people propose to themselves such advantages by the governm's being in the hands of the King, you cannot expect they'l raise money to defend it, nor give any thing wherein they suppose you will share the advantage with them, & therefore if the surrender is not compleated, a tryall will be less expense, & whatever be the issue will vindicat you more than the surrender, for instead of thanking you for the priviledges you obtain, they will reproach you for receding from what they think their due, for instance, you propose that upon the annexation, the same number of Counties continue, & by the same Names, & that as many represent in General Assembly a County in E. J. as there shall at N. Y and I perceive the Ld will allow but E. J. to be of that Assembly, & should you consent to this proportion by Charter the people will curse you, for in York governm' two represent a County, wherein E. J. being but will be less than one to represent a County; & so will they Cavil if the Port be precarious. Indeed I don't well see that their Ld'ps can retrench them, or a Charter ty them vp to less then a just proportion.' I beseech you gentlemen without loss of time bring things to an issue, if they will not advise the King to establish your Port by

1 These remarks refer to one of the proposals of the proprietaries containing specific provisions to be inserted in the act of surrender, which was submitted to the Lords in July, 1669. It was probably the difficulty that might be expected in pleasing the inhabitants, who were disposed to cavil at whatever they might do, which led to an unconditional surrender. The proposals will be found on page 294 of this volume, and the reply of the Lords in Smith's N. J., p 562.-ED.