receive by the first vessel His Matys order for taking off Van Dams Suspension & being
disappointed of both the people begin to suspect they have been imposed on, and prepare
themselves to look for the signification of His Matys pleasure in another manner than their
Leaders promised them and I am very confident that when I have the honor to receive them I
shall be able to put an end to the present distractions and to unite the minds of the people ia
their duty & Reverence to His Maty Governm'
I have done myself the honor to answer M" Poples letters to Governor Cosby of the 23"* of
January & 25"' Feb^ which I hope will be satisfactory to your Lordships
I have upon your Ldps letter to M'' Van Dam of the 4"' of FeV^" 173| given to me by M"
Cosby among other papers since the Governors death taken the oath of Chancellor & shall
hold that Court as often as their is occasion
There is at present a deficiency in the Revenue of four thousands pounds the Assembly last
fall resolved to provide for it at their next sitting, but as that will not be till His Majestys
approbation of Van Dams Suspension be signified I humbly hope I shall soon have it. If this
Assembly be not continued neither that deficiency will be made good by an other Assembly,
especially if it be chosen before the Faction be broke, nor will a new Revenue be given by
them but from year to year and that only on condition of having triennial assemblys the
abolishing of the Courts of Equity subsisting by the Kings authority, Judges during good
behaviour a dependancy of all Kings officers on them — This my Lords is the Scheme the
male contents talk commonly of; If a Governor comes before the deficiency be made good and
an other Revenue be given for a competent number of years he will be in a great Strait, it will
be expected that he dissolve this assembly which has subsisted ever since Gov' Montgomerie
came. If he should dissolve them I have told your Lordships what must be expected from a
new one at this time if he should not dissolve them he will perpetuate the spirit of faction
They know I can't dissolve them and so don't expect it and I dare undertake that if it be His
Majesties pleasure to continue me in the administration of the Government to get an other
Revenue for a competent number of years before the expiration of this to have the present
deficiency made good and to restore quiet to the Province I humbly recommend myself to
your Ldps protection and am with the highest honor
My Lords
Your Lordships
most humble &
most obedient Serv'
sg'' Geo: Clarke
LONDON DOCUMENTS : XXV. 65
President Clarice to the Duke of Newcastle.
[New-Tork. S. P. 0., VIII., 200.]
Duplicate New York June 12"" 173G.
My Lord,
With this I do n7y self the to send to your Grace a duplicate of my letter of the 29"' of
May. Since that time nothing e.xtraordinary has occurred to deserve your Grace's notice,
unles it be that there appears daily a greater Calm in tlie Province, the misguided people
having given over their expectations of hearing Van Dam and Morris's being restored and
preparing themselves to hear contrary news. For ray own part I beg leave to assure your
Grace that I give them no cause of complaint, I open my arms to receive those who have been
led astray, and I dare with more confidence than ever affirm to your Grace that upon tiie
signification of His Majesties approbation of Van Dam's suspension, of Alexander's dismission
from the Council, and of Morris's not being to be reinstated, tiie spirit of faction will soon
disappear, the Assembly meet and do their duty, and quiet and concord resume their former
seats, nor can any thing obstruct it but a speedy dissolution of this Assembly; That indeed
will throw the people into fresh convulsions, and make an union more difficult to be brought
about, especially if the dissolution be before the deficiencies of the Revenue be provided for
and another Revenue given. The defiiciency of tiie Revenue at present is four thousand
pounds. The Treasurer computes that all the Revenue yet to come as it expires next year
will not bring in more money then will be necessary to sink the Bills of Credit directed by
tlie Revenue Act to be sunk. So that at the Expiration of the Revenue there will be a farther
deficiency of above four Thousand pounds more, thus all the Officers of the Government will for
more than two years be without a penny of their Salary, the main support of their familys,
which will reduce them to the utmost necessities, and my fate will be worse than theirs for I
shall not only live at an extraordinary expense, but must buy fire wood and candle for the
Garrison, repair the Fort &c and pay all the contingent charges of the Government out of my
own pocket. But if this Assembly be not dissolved as it is not expected from me that it
should I make no doubt but that they will in the first place provide for the deficiencies of the
Revenue, and afterwards give another Revenue before this expires without clogging it with
those unprecedented demands which a new Assembly if the faction have a Majority will do:
If this Assembly be dissolved before they have provided for the deficiencies of the Revenue a
new Assembly chosen at this time will not make them good, nor give another Revenue
otherwise then as I have done my self the honor to mention to your Grace. It is therefore I
humbly presume of the highest importance to His Majesties service to keep this Assembly on
foot till these things are done; a Governor may soon dissolve them (as it will undoubtedly be
expected from him come when he will) this Assembly having sate ever since the year 172S)
and haveing nothing to ask of a new one will have time enough by mild and gentle methods to
reclaim the disaffected, if not done to his hand, and to unite the mind of the people.
To morrow M" Cosby embarks on Board' the Squirrel Man of Warr for Boston, to go from
thence to England in the station ship that the Squirrel relieves. I have done whatever has
lain in my power to contribute to her ease, and I hope she has found the good effects of it:
undoubtedly had Van Dam succeeded to the administration of the (iovernment she would
have felt the severest and most unjust persecution that ever Lady sullcred. If he liad any
Vol. VI. 9
66 NEW-YORK COLONIAL MANUSCRIPTS.
just demand on Governor Cosby, which as Executrix M" Cosby is now liable to the Laws are
open to him in England and he may see her there, if he does not it will I think be plain that
all his pretences were calculated to make a clamor here, and to misrepresent Gov' Cosby at
home: and I dare affirm to your Grace that most if not all Morris's complaints are built on the
same foundation.
I humbly implore your Grace's protection against the malice of the implacable enemies of
Governor Cosby who will most certainly ruin me if Van Dam be restored, it is in your Graces
power to prevent it, and I presume on your goodnes and justice to hope for it and humbly
beg leave to subscribe my self
]\Iy Lord
Your Grace's most humble
most obedient and most dutiful servant
(signed) Geo: Clarke.
President Clarice to the Lords of Trade.
[ New-Tork Papers. Ff., No. 8T. ]
New York June 12"> 1736
My Lords
Since my last which T did myself the honor to write to your Lordships of the 29"" May I
have had the pleasure to see a dayly decrease of Faction, for my own part I give them no
cause to complain, and I hope a mild and uniform conduct may at length put an end to the
unhappy divisions in the Province. Some things however may intervene to defeat my
expectations, but nothing is so likely to do it (except the restoring Van Dam & Morris) as a
dissolution of the present Assembly before they have settled an other Revenue and provided
for the deficiencies of this, which at present is about four thousand pounds and will be four
more at the expiration of the Revenue which will be next year, unless made good before for
the Treasurer computes that it will not bring in more money than will be necessary to Sink the
Paper money directed to be sunk by it in that case all the officers of the Government will
be undone for they will not receive a penny of Salary for two years and upwards and their
Salary is the cheif support of their familys my case will be still harder, for I must live at a
greater expence to support my character to countenance and encourage the friends of the
Government &c I must buy firewood and candle for the Garrison repair the Fort and pay all
contingent charges out of my own pocket If this Assembly be dissolved before these things
be done, I have already done myself the Honor to inform your Lordships what is to be
expected from another chosen now. It is therefore of the highest importance to his Majesties
Government and to the peace and good of the Province to keep this Assembly a foot till they
have done those things. A Governor may then dissolve them and it is most certainly expected
he should, come when he will he will have time before him to gain upon the affections of the
people before he will have any thing to ask of them, and before the expiration of that Revenue
happens the Assembly may have something to ask of him, for which he may obtain a
Settlement of the Revenue for a further term of years
LONDON DOCUMENTS : XXV. 67
I beg your Lordships to be assured that I have notliing so much at heart as His Majesties
honor & Service and the Ease the Quiet & the Prosperity of tliis Province and that I shall
spare no pains, nor grudge any expence to heal the unhappy Breaches and to unite the minds
of the people & I dare promise a good event if I liave time given me
Your ^Lordships^ to whose great wisdom His Majesty has committed the care of his
plantations will I am confident weigh what I have done myself the Honor to lay before you
and it is from your Lordships Representation to His Majesty that I give myself the leave to
hope for such orders as may support me in the pursuit of those good ends I have in view
I do myself the honor to send to your Lordships the miimtes of the Council from the tenth
of March to the twenty seventh of May & beg leave to subscribe myself with the highest
honor and regard
My Lords Your Humble S'
sg'' Geo: Clarke
<■«»■■»
President ClarT&e to Secretary Popple.
[ New-Tork Papers. Ff., No. 38. ]
New York June IS"' 1736
Sir
Yesterday I received from M'' Coldens own hand who is now in Town the enclosed Map &
Letter concern^ the Land petitioned for by Storke & Livingston You will perceive Sir, by the
Map that most of the Land contained within the square of six miles is already granted, that
which is ungranted of it is supposed to be scarce worth the expence of a Patent, the
Petitioners therefore had without doubt some further view and most probably it was to get a
Grant of all the Lands on that side of the Mohawks River about one hundred and thirty miles
in length and six miles wide. If they had succeeded it would have opened a door to endless
Law suits and contentions between them and the present Patentees and possessors of great
part of those Lands, and purchasors from the Indians on valuable considerations of other
parts not yet patented. It would hinder the Settlement of the country. Notwithstanding
their pretence of peopling it it would rob the King in His Quitt Rents of nigh six hundred
pounds a year and wo'd undoubtedly drive the Mohocks & Oniades two of the Six Nations
from us to Canada; for the Oniades own the uppermost part of what is called the
Mohocks country
We are in no part of the Province more careful not to grant Lands till they are first
purchased of the Indians than in the Mohocks Country, the same caution ought always to be
used, but I am persuaded their Lordships will discountenance all attempts to the contrary — I
am with profound Respect & Honor
Sir
Your most obedient
humble Servant
Alured Popple Esqâ„¢ sg'' Geo: Clarke
68 NEW- YORK COLONIAL INIANUSCRIPTS.
Hon. Cadwallader ColJen to President Clarhe.
[New-Tork Papers, Ff., No. 3S. ]
Sir
In answer to yours of the 10"' of last month I send you a Map of that part of the Mohawks
Country where I suppose the Lands lye of which M' Stork & M"" Livingston have prayed His
Mnjestys Grant in England, which Map is made from the Surveys of the Lands granted
formerly by the Governors of this Province and which are lodged in my office It is not
possible from the Copy of the Boundaries of that Land which you send me to lay the
Boundaries down upon this Map or upon any other because something is omitted necessary to
make tiie sense compleat: But as you say, Sir, tiiat the letter which enclosed the Copy of the
address sent you calls it a Tract of Land six miles square the prick't lines on the Map shew
such a Tract lying to the Westward of the Canada Brook & on the Northside of the Mohawks
River by which it appears that the greatest part of it is already granted, and as to what
remains ungranted I am confident no man would pay for the fee of the Land one half the
money that the charge of obtaining such a Grant in England must amount to. I therefore
suspect (if I be right in guessing what is meant by the words the said Northmost Spring
mentioned in the Boundaries sent to me) that the Petitioners are far from intending to obtain
only a Tract of six miles square but rather an oblong Square as some call it of Six miles in
Breadth and to extend the whole length of the Mohawks River upwards to its head. This
indeed would [be] a vast Tract tho' I do not with certainty know the length of that River in
number of miles and with the charge of obtaining the Grant of it free of the Quitt Rents till
such time as it could be settled, but then it would contain at least thirty miles of Land already
granted and settled
It is very difficult for the Kings officers, who live in the Province to guard against Frauds in
petitioning for Lands described by natural Limits such as Brooks, Hills, Springs &c Tho
actual surveys be made previous to the Grant because the names of such places being in the
Indian Tongue are know to few Christians so that the Proprietors afterwards are sometimes
tempted to put those names upon others places that they think more convenient for them & it
is impossible for the superior officers to guard against the unfaithfulness of all those that they
are under a necessity of employing in surveying lands especially in remote parts of the
country. Now Sir if it be so difficult for the officers who live on the spot to prevent abuses
how much greater must it be at such a distance as England is from us where the Satuation of
the parts of this Province is not in any manner knowen & how great will the Temptations be
to attempt Frauds. Indeed the common method of obtaining Grants of Land in this Country
is at so easy a rate that I can not think that any man in this country would endeavor to
obtain a Grant in England upon the usual Quit Rents unless he had some thing private in view
which he thought could not be kept secret in this country
This method of granting Land in England if encouraged must of course be of great
prejudice to the Settling of the country & the improving the uncultivated Lands for considering
the expence person[s] who design to take grants of Lands in this Country must be at in
purchasing from the Indians in making the previous surveys before the Grant passes and
in passing the same as likewise in preparations to settle and improve, none or few will attempt
taking a Grant in this Country, when it may happen that the same Lands are granted in
LONDON DOCUMENTS : XXV. G9
England notwithstanding that no man in the Country may have suspected any such Design
in England as really once happened in the Case of the Equivalent Lands
The office of Surveyor General of Lands you know Sir is not of inconsiderable Trust &
yet I have no Sallary from the Crown either here or in England but am left from' my
encouragement & the subsistance of my Family to the Perquesites of my office which will be
entirely or in a great measure lost if this method of granting Lands in England be encouraged
which is a hardship such as I hope the Kings ministers are not willing to put on any officers
of the Crown
Manj' more inconveniences may ensue from this method by raising vexatious suits upon
Titles of Lands by irritating the Indians when Lands are granted without purchases &c which
will naturally occur to you the Representation of which come more properly from you &
which I beleive you think of such consequence to the Wellfare & Peace of this Country
that you will not fail to set them forth
The answer Sir to the other questions you were pleased to put to me I beleive will arise
from the inspection of the Map
I am
Sir
Your obedient
liumble Servant
June 9"" 1736 sg*^ Cadwallader Coldejj
Received June 17""
GC.
The Lords of Trade to the Lords of the Privy Council.
[ New-Tork Enlrles, M. p. 29. ]
To the Right Hon'''^ The Lords of the Committee of His Majesty's Most Hon'''"' Privy Council.
My Lords,
We herewith transmit to Your Lordships agreable to Your order of the 3'' Ins' upon the
petition of Rip van Dam Esq"' copies of two Letters which we have received from M'' Clark
now Commander in Chief of the Province of New York dated y' 29"" of March & 7"' of April
last together with Copies of the Minutes of Council at New York on the 24"' day of November
1735 and the 10"' of March 173;} as also a State of M"' Van Dam's case and the Opinion of
His Majesty's Attorny Gen" at New York thereupon, dated the SS"" of Feb^y last and three
printed papers entituled the New York Weekly Journal dated March S"" 1735 and March SS""
173G and the New York Gazette from March the 2S"' to April 5"" 173G all which relate to the
Suspension of the said Rip V^an Dam from y^ Execution of his Office of Councillor and y=
settlement of y* administration of the Government for the time being, in the person of the
next eldest Councillor M'' Clarke
' Sic. Qu? for. — Ed.
70 NEW- YORK COLONIAL MANUSCRIPTS.
We furtlier take leave to observe upon this occasion to Your Lordships, that it being a setied
Instruction to ail the Gov" of His Majesty's Plantations, not to suspend any fneinber of their
respective Councils without transmitting the Reasons for so doing to His Majesty and to
tins Board, We presume that what prevented the late Col. Cosby's Coniplyance with tliis
Instruction upon M' Van Dam's Suspension was his being then very ill in the sickness of
which he afterwards dyed.
But Col. Cosby's Opinion of the said Van Dam and of the Necessity there was for removing
him from the Council of New York maybe collected from His former letters to this Board; and
are stated in our Representation to Her Majesty of the SS"" of Aug" last, a Copy whereof is
hereunto annexed to which we beg leave to refer Your Lordships for Your further Juformation
in this Case. We are, My Lords,
Your Lordships most obedient
and most humble Serv"
FiTz Walter
T. Pelham
M. Bladen
AVhitehall Orl° Bridgeman
June y' IS"" 1736 R. Plumer.
President Clarice to the Duke of Newcastle.
[New- York. S. P. O., Till., 201.]
June IS 1736.
My Lord,
I have the honour to receive your Grace's letter to Gov' Cosby of the 10"" of October
inclosed to me in one from M"' Oglethorp dated at Georgia the ll"" of May, wherein he
acquaints me that the Spaniards were preparing to dislodge them, that they had strove to
corrupt the Indians to forsake His Majesty's alliance and had sent for a large body of Troops
from the Havannah, but that they had neither Trading goods, Guns nor Powder to perform
their promises to the Indians, nor food to support their Troops when they arrive, without they
procure them from the English Collonys, That he was informed from Charles Town that the
Spaniards have sent hither to buy provisions &c. and desired me to prevent it I called a
Councill and layd before them your Graces, and M"" Oglethorp's Letters, and having advised
with them of the properest methods to prevent any supplys from being sent to the Spaniards,
I issued an order to the Collector not to clear any Vessell for St. Augustine, and a Proclamation
forbidding all His Majesty's Subjects to supply the Spaniards with any stores of Warr, Trading
goods or provisions.
I wish with all my heart it may have the effect proposed tho' I have cause to fear it will
not, for the Vessells which at any time go to the Havannah or St. Augustine enter at the
Custom House and clear for some English Collony, and it's supposed that a sloop so enter'd
and cleared went to St. Augustine a few days before I had the Honour to receive your Grace's
letter. I presume, My Lord, to think the most effectuall way to prevent succours being carryed
LONDON DOCUMENTS : XXV. 71
to St. Augustine will be to get the Carolina and the other nearest station ships to cruise and
lye off that place to hinder the English vesselis from going in.
I beg leave to assure Your Grace that I will upon all occasions give M'' Oglethorp all the
assistance in my power, being of nothing so ambitious as the honour of obeying Your Grace's
commands, and subscribing myself with the most profound submission and honour,
My Lord,
Your Grace's most humble most obedient and
most dutiful Servant,
(sign'') Geo. Clarke.
Commission of George Clarice, Esq., as Lieutenant-Governor of JVew-York.
I New York Papers, Ff., No. 40.]
Caroline R : C : R
Caroline, Queen [Guardian of the Kingdom of Great Britain and His Majesty's Lieutenant
within the same]' To George Clarke Esq''' Greeting. We do in his Mnjestys name, by
these presents constitute and appoint you to be Lieut"' Governor of His ALnjesties Province
of New York in America, you are therefore carefully and diligently to discharge the duty of
Lieut' Governor by doing and performing ail and all manner of things thereunto belonging.
And all His Majestys ofhcers and subjects whom it may concern are hereby required to obey
you as Lieut' Governor of His Watys said Province, and you are to observe and follow such
orders & Directions from time to time as you shall receive from His Majesty, His Governor
of the said Province for the time being or any other your superior officer according to the
rules and discipline of War in pursuance of the Trust hereby reposed in you. Given at
the Court of Kensington the IS"" day of July 1736 in the tenth year of His Matys Reign
By Her INIaties Command
signed Holles Newcastle
President Clarice to (lie Dtike of Newcastle.
\ Ncw-Tork. S. P. 0., VIII., 202. ]
New York July 2G"' 173G.
My Lord,
I do my self the honor to send to your Grace a Copy of my letter of the IS"" of June, I
hope M'' Oglethorps apprehensions of hostilities from the Spaniards are pretty well over, for
we hear nothing of it. 1 heartily wish succes to the setlement of Georgia on every account.
' The words within brackets are added from the Record in Booh of Commissionn (in the Secretary of State's office, Albany,
N. Y.), IV., 96, in which the date of the Instrument is "thirtieth" of July, 1736. — Jio.
72 NEW- YORK COLONIAL MANUSCRIPTS.
If the people have their health they will in a few years be too numerous to fear any attacks
from the Spaniards and become a strong barrier to Carolina, and I think those places that are
frontiers both against the Spaniards to the Southward, and against the French to tiie Nortliward
ought to have encouragement to extend their setlements, and to make them as populous as
possible. It was principally with this view and to augment his Majesties Quit rents that I
projected a Scheme to setle tlie Mohacks Country in this Province, which I have the pleasure
to hear from Ireland and Holland is like to succeed. The scheme is to give grants gratis of an
liuudred thousand acres of land to the first five hundred protestant familys that come from
Europe in two hundred acres to a family, these being setled will draw thousands after them,
'or both the situation and quantity of the Land are much preferrable to any in Pensilvania, the
onely Northern Colony to which the Europeans resort, and the Quit rents less. Governor
Cosby sent home the proposals last Summer under the Seal of the Province, and under his
and the Council's hands, but it did not reach Dublin till the last day of March; had it come
there two months sooner I am assured by a letter which I lately received, directed to Governor
Cosby, that we should have had two ships belonging to this place (then lying there) loaded
with people but next year we hope to have many both from thence and Germany. When the
Mohocks Country is setled we shall have nothing to fear from Canada; — our Beaver Trade
will be well secured, and greatly augmented, and the Navigation and Trade of the Province in