the Council in this Province, was inclosed in N° 22; of which I have acquainted M Skinner, and he will, I suppose, be sworn and admitted at the next Meeting of the Council.

Since my last Letter to your Lordship, I have been under a Necessity of calling another Meeting of the Assembly, on Account of some dangerous Riots which happened in the Counties of Monmouth and Essex. I need not trouble your Lordship here, with a Recital of the Particulars of them, as you will see them fully set forth in the Minutes of the Privy Council for February last, and in my Speech and the Addresses of the Council and Assembly contain'd in the Legislative Council Minutes sent herewith. I have, however, the Satisfaction to acquaint your Lordship, that by the timely and spirited Measures which were taken, the Rioters are entirely quell'd and humbled. Some of the principal Ringleaders of them in the County of Essex have been convicted and punished, and those in the County of Monmouth will probably share the same Fate at the next Court of Oyer and Terminer. The County Court was held there last Week without the least Interruption from any of the pretended Sons of Liberty, who, indeed, appeared very humble and dispirited.---I should have sent your Lordship an Account of these Transactions sooner, but that I did not receive from the Secretary the Copy of the Minutes till Yesterday, owing I believe to a Hurry of Business at the Office.

The Votes of the former Session of Assembly are just printed, and, with some Acts passed at the last session, are sent herewith.-The Act for providing a more effectual Remedy against excessive Costs in the Recovery of Debts under Fifty Pounds, it is expected by the Council and Assembly will put a Stop to all Pretence of Clamour against the Lawyers and Sheriffs in this Province. I refused a Bill of a similar Nature to this at a former Session, as it was not only judged

inadequate to the Purpose, but as it had a Tendency to injure the Clerk of the Supreme Court, who holds his Office by Patent under the Crown. However, as the Bill was afterwards altered so as to obviate the chief of my Ojections, and the Clerk declared himself satisfied, I gave it my Assent, tho' I have my Doubts whether it will prove so satisfactory on Trial as is expected. The other Acts are of a usual Nature, and need not to be particularly mentioned.—

Your Lordship will see by the printed Votes, Pages 78 & 84, and by the Messages enclosed, that the Assembly are pressing me to give up the Appointment of Coroners,' and to let them for the future be entirely elected by the People, as in the Counties in England. The Attorney General, M Cortlandt Skinner, who is likewise Speaker of the Assembly, gave me his Opinion in Support of the Claim of the House, which is inserted in the Minutes of Council sent you with my Letter No 21; and your Lordship will see my Objections in the Messages sent herewith. I expect to be again press'd on this Subject at the next Session, and should therefore be glad to be honoured with His Maj· esty's Commands respecting it.

The Privy Council Minutes during the last Session are Copying, but being very bulky will not be completed in Time to send by this Opportunity.

i

I have the Honor to be, My Lord,
Your Lordships most obedient &

most humble Servant
W FRANKLIN

No change was made in the manner of choosing coroners until the adoption of the Constitution of July 2, 1776. Section XIII of that instrument provided for the annual election of one or more coroners in each county.

13

Governor Colden's Commission to John De Noyelles and William Wickham as Surveyors of the boundary line between New York and New Jersey. [From N. Y. Col. MSS., in Sec'y of State's Office, Albany, Vol. XCVI., pp. 86, 87.]

By the Honourable Cadwallader Colden Esquire

his Majesty's Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief of the Province of New York and the Territories depending thereon in America

To all to whom these presents shall come

Greeting

Whereas John De Noyelles and William Wickham Esquires by their Humble Petition presented to and read before me in Council on Wednesday the ninth day of this Instant month of May did set forth that the agents appointed by the Colony of New Jersey for managing the Controversy respecting the Division Line between that Colony and the Colony of New York having signified their Willingness to settle the Controversy in an Amicable manner and that the General Assembly of the Colony of New York approving of such a Method did desire the agents appointed on the part of New York for managing the said Controversy together with the Committee of Correspondence and Mr D Noyelles to consult with the agents of the Colony of New Jersey on the most salutary Measures to be pursued for the settlement of that Line: That several Conferences have been had and a Plan for the final settlement of the said Line has been

agreed upon; which plan if agreed to by the Legislatures of the respective Colonies is to be Laid before his Majesty for his Royal approbation. That the better to carry the said Plan into Execution it was esteemed absolutely necessary that several surveys should be made and that James Parker John Stevens and Walter Rutherford or any two of them on the Part of New Jersey, and the said John De Noyelles and William Wickham on the part of New York were appointed by the said Agreement to see the said Surveys performed and further that the Petitioners had been informed that some of the inhabitants in the County of Orange intend to prevent the said Surveys being made and therefore praying that such aid and assistance might be given them in the premises as may be just and reasonable. Know Ye therefore that by and with the Advice and consent of his Majestys Council for the said Province I have authorized and empowered and by these presents do authorize and empower them the said John De Noyelles and William Wick ham in Conjunction with all or any two of them the said James Parker John Stevenson and Walter Rutherford on the part of New Jersey to cause such Surveys to be made and performed as they shall Judge necessary in order to carry into Execution the Plan so as aforesaid agreed upon for the final Settlement of the said Division Line between the Colony of New York and the Colony of New Jersey; hereby strictly requiring and commanding all Magistrates Justices of the Peace Constables and other his Majestys Officers of and in the said County of Orange to be Diligent in Suppressing of all tumults on the Occasion, and by all lawful ways and means to be aiding and assisting in the Premises to the Persons so authorized to make Such Surveys as aforesaid.

Given under my Hand and Seal at Arms at Fort George in the City of New York the sixteenth day of

>

May in the Tenth Year of His Majestys Reign and in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy.

By his Honours Command.

CADWALLADER COLDEN

GEO BANYAR, D Secry.

A true Copy of the Record Examd this 21st May 1770

By me

GEO. BANYAR D Secry.

Order of Council disallowing an Act of the New
Jersey Assembly for striking £100,000 in Bills of
Credit, and an Act regarding the common lands
in the township of Bergen.

[From P. R. O., B. T., New Jersey, Vol. 10, L. 20.]

AT THE COURT AT ST. JAMES'S the 6th Day of
June, 1770.

PRESENT.

The King's most Excellent Majesty in Council

Whereas by Commission under the Great Seal of Great Britain the Governor Council and Assembly of His Majesty's Province of New Jersey, are authorized and empowered to make Constitute and ordain Laws Statutes and Ordinances for the Publick Peace Welfare and Good Government of the said Province; which Laws Statutes and Ordinances are to be as near as conveniently may be agreeable to the Laws and Statutes of this Kingdom; And are to be transmitted for His Majestys Royal Approbation or Disallowance; And Whereas in pursuance of the said powers an act was passed in the said province in the Year 1769 and transmitted, Entituled as follows Viz!