which had done more than he could have expected of them farther confirm'd these Suspicions for tho' the Opposite party had by methods not as is Said altogether Justifyable got one of their party into the house in the room of one of the Other y1 dyed & had gain❜d Some of the members yet they Soon lost them & then began to appear a disposition to peace & settlement but the Sudden dissolution put a stop to its being done by these hands I was an Intire Stranger to the thing; being not at all advis'd with about it nor do I learne y' my son was & was much Surpris'd when I hear'd it being a misterious piece of conduct which none could Account for but those let into the Secret. The prevailing Opinion was that he had now thrown off ye mask & was sure of the Other party; and his Speech to them Since confirmes them in that Opinion wch they say would not have been what it is if he had not well known who he had to deale with; for my part I hardly know what to Say about it, he may possibly Succeed; but I very much Question it, if those Suppos'd of his party are not very great masters of dissimulation no thing has been left unsaid by them to bring in men Very Opposite to his Interest, & should those let into the Secret (if such there be) pretend to change Opinions & decline passing in the house the arguments of a halfe Sallary being Sufficient & that for one yeare for a Lieutenant govern our wch were the popular topicks they made use of to get themselves & others chosen I doubt much if they would Succeed; but that a little time will discover.

I have been the more full on this head on the Score of the letter you honed me with of the 15th of Jan'y. I cannot easily Express the Obligations I think mySelfe under to you & am Sencible of those I ow to M' Walpole & would be gladly Serviceable to M' Clark or any friend of his or Yours. I wish it was as much in my power as Inclination to reconcile & put an end to the

animosities in New York in Such a manner as would make them friends to the governour & government as well as one another; but that considering the generall Inclinations of the people requires greater talents than I am master of & M Clarke has too great A knowledge in the Scyence of government to need my Advice Should he condescend to Ask it, Time may discover strange Events but if I can forme any Judgm' from the present face of things that governm't will be in no likelyhood of Settlement unless A govern in chief is Sent among them & he Should be as I think one of no mean abillities that can Succeed in So difficult an undertaking without the aid of a British Parliament: but I feare I say too much.

Our Assembly have Setled a Support for three Years and would have it believ'd that they have done wonders, my share of it is £1000 per annum wch was about 600 Sterling but is now about 550£ Sterling & my whole perquisites will not Exceed £70 Sterling p Annum if it comes up to it, the other officers of the Government are So scantily provided for that they can scarce performe the Services required of them & at the Same time there is Sufficient in the Treasury for an ample provision for all of us. The assembly thought that in this Support they had made an Ample provision for me, or would have it thought so by others; but unless they mend their hand I can't see that I can lay up any thing by it, the holding of the Sessions of Assembly in two different places & keeping two Secretaries offices causes an Encrease of Expense & is inconvenient to the Inhabitants of wh they are Sencible, as may be Observed from their addresse to me. The Instruction Obliging to that was a concession the Crown Agreed to upon the Surrend of the Government; but it being on all hands agreed to be inconvenient; & the circumstances both of things and of the Proprietors Interests with respect to

their Scituation being now very much altered, the reason of it doth not now continue the Same it was; & I am in hopes his Majestie may be induc'd to leave that matter to the govern' & councill

I have wrote a book instead of a letter but believ'd the being particular would give you the best Accounts of things So as to enable you to form a Judgment of them and am Sir

Your most obliged &c L. M.

To the Right Honble Sir Charles Wager first Lord Commiss' of the Admiralty & one of his Majesties Most honble Privy Counsel.

From Ex-Governor Hamilton to the Lords of Tradecomplaining of certain proceedings of Governor Morris.

[From P. R. O. B. T. New Jersey Vol 4. F 33.]

Letter from Mr Hamilton late Commander in Chief of New Jersey, dated May 30th 1739, complaining of Col: Morris the present Gov for threatning to sue him for the Salary he received as President, when he commanded.

My Lords

Amboy May 30th 1739.

I humbly hope your Lordships will pardon the presumption. I now am Guilty of by taking up Any of your time with my trifleing Affairs but Your Lordships haveing been pleased to Approve of My Conduct during the time I presided in this Province & directed me in a Letter You did me the honor to Send of the 22 of June 1737 to doe my utmost to preserve the tranquility of the Province under my Command untill

the Arrival of the Lord De La Warr. I take the Liberty to Acquaint Your Lordships that as Soon as Coll: Morris recd his Commission for Governor of this Province he came here to publish it and att the Same time did declare he came as an Intire Stranger and Void of all resentments to Any person whatsoever. In the Winter Coll Morris held An Assembly att Amboy in the Council I acted as President & forwarded his Majestys Interest & the good of the Country as much as Lay in my power the first Council that was held after that Assembly was disolved the Warrants for the Salarys of the Officers of the Goverm were Signed, I Applyed for my Salary as Commander in Cheif from the 23d of June 1738 (to which time I had received My Salary) to the 28th of Aug1 following the day he published his Commission w he not only refused to grant but likewise told me he Expect'd I Should pay him all the Salary I had received as President of the Council from the 20th of Oct! 1736 the time he came here and demanded the Goverm! & that If I did not pay him he Should be Obliged to Sue me. I told him if he did & Judgment went against me I would certainly Appeal Since that I have not heard any thing further nor doe I yet know what he Intends to doe, however I thought it my duty to Acquaint Your Lordships with it & begg You will consider what a Situation I shall be in if he does, He is the Govern! has made his Youngest Son Cheif Justice of the province. & Appoints Sheriffs & other Officers of the Court. So if I should be Cast I must first Appeal to him in Council befor I can carry it to England wherein I may meet with great difficulty. I humbly begg Your Lordships will be pleased to consider me I hope You will pardon me for this Long Acc!

I have the Honor to be wth the most profound regard My Lords Your Lordships most humble

and most Obedient Servant JOHN HAMILTON

Letter from James Alexander to Peter Collinson'relating to his difficulties with Governor Cosby and President Clarke.

Sir

From the Original Draft in Rutherfurd Collection, Vol. IV, p. 63.]

New York June 4 1739.

hearing by this post that a new Gov' is nominated for this place, tho' I am Extremely Straitened in time yet Least the news should prove true I thought that I ought not to miss this opportunity of answering yours concerning my place in the Council as particularly as I could.

About 18 years agoe I was appointed one of the Council of New York by Governor Burnets recomendation on his first arriveal to whom I was in the Strongest manner recommended by Brigadier Robert Hunter his predecessor who were two of the best Gov's that ever this place has had & if I am not out, I am now the oldest but one of the Council.

I Stood So well with Brigadier Hunter Gov' Burnet & Gov Montgomerie, that I was not without Envy on that head, tho God knows it I never used my Interest with them to the hurt of this my Country or any one in it but the Contrary to the utmost of my power.

Before Coll Cosby Came I thought I Laid in a Sufficient Stock of Obligations upon him that I might have Stood as well or better with him than any former Gov because he was more Obliged to me before ever he

1 PETER COLLINSON was for many years the business correspondent of Mr. Alexander in London, making purchases for Mrs. Alexander's store, and performing important services otherwise-Ed.