general vastly increased, and the hempen manufacture set on foot, and I presume to hope the
scheme will receive your Grace's approbation and protection. I have tlie honor to assure your
Grace that the Heats and animosities which lately rage'd in this Province are so much abated
that from one end of the Town to the other, nothing of complaint or party disputes, which
were lately the whole conversation, are now talked of, and if neither Morris nor Van Dam be
restored, I am confident that I shall restore the Province to perfect tranquility and to a more
flourishing condition then ever. I may venture to assure your Grace, however vain it may
appear, that the present good disposition of the people arises in a great measure from the
opinion they have of me in a long experience. The main things tiiat remain to be done to fix
the quiet of the Province on a lasting foundation are to get tiiis Assembly to meet, to make
good the deficiencies of the present revenue and to setle another before this expires of which
I have now a fair prospect. It is the present Assembly that must do it. If your Grace will
vouchsafe to give me your protection, that I may be continued in the administration of the
Government I will undertake on the forfeiture of my life to get the Assembly to do those
things before this Revenue expires, which will be in September 1737, but if a Governor
arrives before it be done, the Province will undoubtedly be thrown again into convulsions.
Zanger has lately published a vile paper highly reflecting on the memory of Governor
Cosby, which would not have been writ I believe ^had not some warm spirit printed the
Introduction to Morris's case with some observations on it, tliis enraged his Son or one of his
friends who in revenge wrote this scandalous paper, the only one that has appeared a good
while: their Spirits were sunk, they had notliing to say, and must be silent unles Bradford the
other printer provokes them, which I will endeavour to prevent.
I humbly ask pardon for the trouble I give your Grace, and implore your protection, and
iiave to subscribe my self with the highest iionor, and greatest submission
My Lord
Your Grace's most humble most obedient and most dutifuU servant
(signed) Geo: Clarke
His Grace the Duke of New Castle.
LONDON DOCUMENTS : XXV. 73
President Clarke to the Lords of Trade.
[New-York Papers, Ff., No. 39.]
New York July 26 1736
My Lords
It is with tlie greatest pleasure I ever felt that I have the honor to assure your Lordships
that the heats and animosities that lately raged iu this province are now so much abated that
those who before would neither converse nor deal with one another now do it with the utmost
freedom Greivances and complaints which made all the conversation are no more mentioned
and I'll forfeit my life if I do not again restore the province to as much tranquillity and to as
flourishing a Condition as ever it enjoyed provided I have time given me for it. There is but
one main thing wanting to finish what I have so happily begun which is to get this present
Assembly to sit and make good the Deficiencies of the Revenue, and to give another before
this expires, as it will September come twelve months. I have at the Request of the Speaker'
and some other members adjourned the Assembly from the first tuesday in the next month to
the second Tuesday in September all the intermediate time being the busiest Season in the
year for the farmer — I have great hopes of their meeting & sitting at that time, though
the signification of his Majesties approbation of M"" Van Dams Suspension should not come If
they do sit I have no doubt of their making good the Deficiencies of the Revenue this Session
and as little of their giving a further Revenue next year It is from this Assembly that we
ought to expect it another will not do it and it is happy that His Majesty by His Instructions
has put it out of my power to dissolve them without the Consent of seven of the Council
which the people are sensible can't be got. In the Spring Van Dams protest & letter & young
Morris Speach wch he read intimidated them, but I shall now guard against such things and
prepare something for them before the day on which they are to meet in answer to those
papers wherein I hope to set matters in a clear light I have bora the heat of the day and
humbly hope from your Lordships Protection & Interest to be continued in the administration
of the Government till I shall put the finishing hand to the work of uniting the minds of the
People and settling the Quiet of the Province upon a lasting Foundation
M'' Alexander continues to absent himself from Council having never once appeared tho'
summoned every time since the day on which Governor Cosby died
I humbly recommend myself to your Lordships protection being with the highest honor
& Respect
My Lords
Your Lordships
most humble & most
obedient Servant
sg** Geo: Clarke
' See note 1, supra p. 00. — Ed.
Vol. VI. 10
74 NEW-YORK COLONIAL MANUSCRIPTS.
President Clarice to the Bailee of Nervca-stle.
New-York. S. P. O., VIII., 208.]
New York September the IS"- 1736.
My Lord
I humbly beg leave to inform your Grace that on the 14"" instant about eighteen or nineteen
of the Assembly coming to Town on my adjournment met in the House, but would not put the
Speaker in the Chair, after some discourse they sent two of their members to me desiring a
copy of the clauses in the Commission and Instructions relating to tlie Suspension of
Councillors, I sent them to them; and then adjourned them to the next day; by that time
they made up two and twenty of the Seven and Twenty of which the House is composed,
and having debated the matter for some time, the Speaker not being in the chair, young Morris
thinking he migiit carry away so many as would reduce the rest to a minority, as he did in
the Spring, rose up and mad a feint to be gone, and three or four following his example called
to some others to go with them, but all the rest keeping their seats, Morris and those who
rose with him returned, and then the Majority agreed to send the Speaker and another of their
members to me desiring me to adjourn them to the Second Tuesday in October, they assured
me it would have a good effect, and I complyed.
I do myself the honor to send to your Grace the Papers which came out at this time,
wherein tiie Malecontents objections to the legality of Van Dam's suspension and my
administration are stated and answered. I was in hopes to have had the honor to receive
from your Grace His Majesties approbation of Van Dam's suspension, which would have put
an end to the faction. I am not without great hopes that the Assembly will sit in October
and I promise my self succes in their proceedings as to the making good the Deficiencies of
the Revenue.
If your Grace will be pleased to give yourself the trouble to read the inclosed papers
printed by Zanger and a copy of a manuscript certified by the Mayor you will see to what a
heighth of villany they are arrived, and yet tiiey do not pretend any other cause, then that,
I have usurped the administration of the Government, and it is no small satisfaction to me
that I have given them no other cause of complaint, nor has there been since the Spring when
the Assembly was to meet the least stirr or noise about the town till now, when they were
about to meet again, all their strength is bent to keep them from sitting as the only thing left
them to keep up the appearance of discontent, and to distress the Government, but I hope
they will fail of their expectations, and then I shall be able to give your Grace a good account
of the Province.
I have been obliged to say something, in those papers, wrote on the side of the Government,
to keep me from being suspected to be the author, which nothing else could excuse, and I
should blush to own, they have alredy had a good effect on the majority of the Assembly and
on the people. I humbly beg leave to recommend my self to your Grace's protection and to
subscribe myself with the greatest submission and honor. My Lord Your Grace's most humble
and most dutifull servant
(signed) Geo. Clarke
His Grace the Duke of New Castle.
LONDON DOCUMENTS: XXV. 75
President Clarke to the Lords of Trade.
[ New- York Papers, Ff., No, 51.]
New York Sepf 20"' 1756
My Lords
Oil the 14"" Instaat a majority of the Assembly met but would not put the Speaker in the
Chair being resolved first to inquire into the legality of Van Dams Suspension and my
administration being frightened and terrified by Zengers Journal they agreed to send two of
the numbers to me desiring I would give them a copy of the clauses in the Commission and
Instructions relating to the suspension of Councillors in this there was a pretty general
concurrence both of my friends and opponents, of the first in hopes to convince the others, of
latter on a beleif from the inclosed paper intituled Sentiments &c that I would deny them. I
readily gave into their request and sent them in a few hours and then adjourned them to the
next day by that time two or three more of my friends came to town: Some of those came
with no good dispositions being convinced by the Sentiments &c and Bradfords Gazette begun
to talk temperately and the Majority expressing an inclination to be adjourned to the second
Tuesday in October they agreed to send their Speaker & another of their members to me
with that request who being my friends assured me it would have a good effect. I did
accordingly adjourn them to that day, they hope that I shall before that time receive the
signification of His Majestys approbation of Van Dams Suspension, but if not they will they
say, then meet and sit, I was obliged to give way to necessity and did it with as good a
Grace as I could. Young Morris would now again have played over his Game of the 29"" of
April, he made a feint to leave the house and to carry off as many members as would have
reduced the rest to a minority, but failing in his attempt he and three or four more that followed
him sate down again. If the Assembly sits as its thought they will I hope soon to give your
Lordships a good account of the Province.
I have been obliged my Lords in those papers wrote on the side of the Governm' to say
something from being suspected to be the author, which I should otherwise blush to say they
have already had a good effect. I likewise do me myself the honor to send your Lordships
some of the opposite papers by which you will see to what a height of Villany their pens go,
but with all this it is a great pleasure to me that they have nothing to complain of but that
they say I have usurped the administration of the Government. The Summer Leaf passed
very quietly and so would the fall have done had I not called the Assembly together for which
there is an absolute necessity, they know that that is the only way they can distress me, and
they lend all their force to keep them from sitting but that point once gained of them, I shall
soon put them to silence which will effectually restore the Province to its former tranquillity I
humbly recommend myself to your Ldps Protection, and am with the most profound Honor
& Regard
My Lords
Your Lordships-
most humble and
most obedient Servant
(sg**) Geo: Clarke
76 NEW- YORK COLONIAL MANUSCRIPTS.
President Clarice to the Duhe of N&ivcastU.
[ New-York. S. P. 0., VIII., 209. ]
New York October 7"' 173G.
My Lord
I am sorry that I have so soon occasion to give your Grace the trouble of another letter, but
the faction having prevailed on M'' Van Dam's weaknes to a greater degree then could be
imagined, I think my self bound in Duty to acquaint your Grace with it by presenting to you
a copy of my letter to the Lords of Trade, with the papers therein referred to, presuming that
they contain (if not a full account of all the folly and madnes of the faction,) enough to give
your Grace a view of the present situation of affairs.
I beseech your Grace to be assured that I will never fail to maintain His Majesty's Royal
Authority to the utmost of my power and to the last penny I have, in world. Never was
any man so distressed as I am, there is not a farthing in the Treasury, on the contrary there is a
great deficiency in the Revenue, I am obliged to defray all expenses out of my own pocket,
and shall continue to do so in support of the Government tho I and my family are thereby
reduced to the utmost want, hoping from your Grace's [favor] and protection that His Majesty
will be graciously pleased to continue me in the administration of the Government, there is no
other way by which I can possibly be preserved from ruin, for if a Governor comes whilst I
labour under a heavy load of debt which I am daily contracting in my present circumstances
I can hope for litle relief from the Assembly, when I have no influence over them, and if this
Assembly be dissolved, another will not make good the deficiencies of the Revenue nor give a
new one especially if it be chosen before the faction be broke, and the people reclaimed from
their madnes, and for that reason chiefly if not solely it is that all their strength is bent to
keep this Assembly from sitting.
We are informed by private letters from Merchants in London that it is his Majesties pleasure
that M" Cosby shall have a pension paid her by whoever succeeds Governor Cosby. 1 heartily
rejoice at every instance of Royal favour to her, and cannot but think it a high act of Justice
in recompense for her sufferings here. I have done my self the honor to congratulate her upon
it, and humbly ask your Grace's pardon for presuming to mention it to you.
A few days will resolve me whether the Assembly will sit or no, if they do, as they
promised on my adjournment they would, I have great hopes that I shall put to silence these
seditious spirits. Your Grace I presume will readily believe that I have a very hard task, but I
shall bear up under it, I hope, in such a manner as may justify me to His Majesty, and gain
your Grace's approbation and protection.
I humbly beg and presume to hope that your Grace will be pleased to send me full powers
and instructions to put an end to the present distractions and their pretended doubts, and T
humbly propose it to your Grace's consideration whether it will not be proper that I should
have on this occasion, a power to pardon Treason ; Van Dam, Alexander and Smith have
alredy trod very near it, and if they should go further and draw in many unwary people with
them, I presume your Grace will think it necessary. If James Alexander, William Smith
and Lowis Morris Junior the author of the seditious papers, with John Peter Zanger their
printer were sent to England the spirit of faction would be intirely broke, but this at present
I dare not venture to do without orders, being by His Majesties 45"" instruction forbid to send
LONDON DOCUMENTS: XXV. 77
any prisoners to England without sufficient proof of tiieir Crimes to be transmitted vvitii tiiem,
and i have no oll>er proof at present against any of them then the appointment of Corporation
Officers by Van Dam, wherein it appears that Alexander assisted as a Councillor.
The printer on promise of a pardon might be a strong witnes and help us to more. By the
next ships I hope to have the Iionor to acquaint your Grace that the face of affairs are then
altered for the better. I humbly beg leave to recommend my self again to your Grace's
protection and to subscribe my self with the most profound honor and submission My Lord
Your Grace's most humble
most obedient and most dutifull servant,
His Grace the Duke of New Castle. (Signed) Geo:Claiike.
President Clarice to Secretary Popple.
[ New-York Papers, Ff., No. 42. ]
New York Oct: 7"> 1736
Sir.
As the inclosed letters to their Lordships with the papers in them will be in your hands I
forbear to give you the trouble of a repetition of them in this. You will see, Sir to what a
height Faction runs and how eagerly these men would sacrifice the Peace of the Country to
their own private views, and what an administration we should have had if M"' Van Dam had
not been suspended, he was ever a weak, man but now his great age makes him weaker — It
is our great unhappiness that no orders have yet come to me from his Grace the Duke of
Newcastle or from their Lordships, it is that that kept the assembly from sitting and made
them desire this adjournment, in hopes I should have some in the mean while and it is to
keep them from sitting that these virulent papers are published and these mad steps taken.
All the Council that are in Town except M'' Alexander act very heartily with me and Doctor
Coldens sentiments who has been for some time in the woods surveying and intends to be
here in about ten days are best known by his own words I had a letter from him to day dated
the 27"" of the last month wherein is this passage which my present situation warrants me to
transcribe "Your prudence, Sir, and patience in the conduct of the publick affairs gives me
" much pleasure, your persevering in the same method I think, can not fail of success unless
" prevented by foreign accidents which a wise man can not guard against, may you receive
" your reward in the good effects of restoring peace & contents to the Inhabitants of this
" Province, and I shall for the promoting these good purposes do every thing in the power
" of Sir &c"
I hope their Lordships will now think it highly necessary that Van Dams Suspension be
confirmed and expressly declared to be so from the beginning Alexander dismissed and M' John
Moore & M' Paul Richard appointed in their Room and I presume to ask your favor in it you
will see, Sir, their way of writing, and 1 hope that whatsoever orders are sent, they may be so
clearly expressed that those men may be driven from all their shifts, but I ask pardon for
interposing my opinion and beg you will be so good to move their Ldps to some speedy &
effectual Resolution
78 NEW- YORK COLONIAL MANUSCRIPTS.
Pardon me, Sir, for presuming to enclose to you my letters to M' Walpole Coll Bladen and
M"' Le Heup I was afraid some trick might be plaid me, if 1 had sent them single and 1 know-
not which way to guard against it so well as this and as they relate to the publick affairs, I
the more assuredly hope you will forgive it
I am with great respect & honor
Sir
Your most obedient
humble Servant
sg** Geo: Clarke
President Clarice to the Lords of Trade.
[ New-Tork Papers, Ff., No. 48. ]
New York Ocf 7"" 1736
My Lords
On the IS"" of the last month we had by the Post the news of Morris's being arrived at
Boston the faction were busy contriving ways to keep the Assembly from Meeting on the
adjournment I gave them at their own request, they thought if the Corporation of this city
questioned my authority and refused to submit to it it would have a great influence upon the
members; the Majority of the Corporation being entirely at the Beck of the Faction and for
the most part men of Low class were easily persuaded to their measures, the anniversary day
whereon the Gov' or Commander in cheif nominates the Mayor Sheriff and Coroners viz 29""
Sepf being at band the Common council met & sent the Mayor & Town Clerk to me to desire
I would appoint no officers for the ensuing year or to appoint the present ones for by the
Charter they are to continue till new ones are sworn they delivered their message and told me
but not by directions, that the Common Council intended to present a memorial of which tiiey
had a draught ready prepared, desiring me not to appoint & to present the like to M"' Van
Dam pretending that they were fearfull of their Charter if they should accept of any officers
appointed by me and His Majesty should think fit to replace M' Van Dam, when in truth
this was only a fetch to get some acknowledgement that I doubted of my authority and then
to spread it abroad to keep the Assembly from meeting I returned an answer to the Message
that 1 would to the utmost of my power protect the City in all their just rights liberties and
priviledges and in the nomination of such officers as are to be appointed by me I would make
the directions of the Charter the rule of my actions and hoped no man would attempt any
innovations that may be prejudicial to the city, two days after I gave that answer they held an
an other Common Council and sent some of their members to M' Van Dam to ask him if he
would appoint who told them as I am informed that when the day of nomination came on he
would let them know what he would do, the 29"' of Sepf came but no memorial 1 summoned
his Majesties Council in the morning as usual & by their advice appointed the officers of the
present year for the year ensuing and sent a copy of the minute of Council to the Town
Clerk the same day M'' Van Dam sent as I am told to the Aldermen acquainting them that he
intended that day to appoint their officers and in the afternoon summoned me and the rest of
LONDON DOCUMENTS: XXV. 79
the Council by a door Keeper whom he that day appointed to meet him in council at his house
but none went but M^ Alexander who has never since the day of Gov' Cosbys death tho'
constantly summoned appeared in Council with me what Van Dam did will appear to your
Lordsiiips by the enclosed paper No A' the next day I held a council again and we went^ to
the Town clerk for that attested copy and ordered a Proclamation to be drawn which being
prepared against the afternoon was then in council referred to a Committee who the next
morning laid it before the board where it was again read with the amendment the Committee
made to it and ordered to be issued No B. So soon as it was known that Van Dam had taken
this extraordinary step the council thought it high time for me to remove from my house
in Town into the Fort where I now am, what, or whether the Faction have any
encouragement from Morris to go this length I can't tell most people imagine that letters
have passed between him and them since his arrival at Boston and suppose that his
journey hither has been put off on that account this is certain that they have in their weekly
journal published by their Printer, Zenger endeavored to persude the People that every man
has a right to judge to whom the administration of the Government belongs that if a Governor
misbehave himself they may depose him and set up an other in consequence whereof they
prepared a paper and on the 29"" of September in two of their wards got the people when
they were voting for aldermen to sign it, the other five wards did not nor would not sign it — I
despair of getting it or a copy of it and all the account I can get of it is that they declared
M' ^'an Dam has the Right to the administration of the Government in some of the wards
the aldermen refused to offer it to the People and tho it was notwithstanding spoke of to them
by others yet the people would not sign it, it has been said (as I have been informed ) by several
of the faction at several times that Morris had done what he could but since he could not be
heard and that they could not have justice done them at home, they must do themselves justice
heare they talk of making a sacrifice in Zingers journal No C and of murdering me for my
usurpation of the Government as they call it No D, I own I am much surprised Van Dam
should by any means be drawn so great a length, tho' I know he is a very weak man and it is
universally talked on and beleived in Town that Alexander and Smith two Lawyers and
the first one of the Council gave him their opinion in writing in very positive Terms that the
administration of the Government properly and lawfully belonged to him and that it might have
the greater weight Alexander gave his opinion upon oath the day that Van Dam nominated the
city officers, but of this I have no proof however it is generally & firmly beleived, & that this
way the drew him into that unwarrantable step, your Lordships may be surprised that so
many months having passed since I have had the administration of the Governm' in my hands
& none of these extraordinary steps taken by Van Dam he should now act in this mad manner,
the reason is they know there is no way by which they can distress the Government so
effectually as by hindering the Assembly from sitting and have great cause to apprehend that
if they should sit the eyes of the people will be opened, they will see for themselves and be
no longer led by those who have hitherto misguided them, they had hopes from the Precipitate
' The following is a copy of this paper: — "New York, September 29, 1736. His Majesty's Council of the Province of
New York being duly summoned to attend me in council, as commander in Chief of the Province, and James Alexander