given in his speech of the 12"" Nov' 174S. which he repeated to them. That he would lay their
address and Resolves before His Mmj"''' Ministers, and pray His Maj'^ to do justice therein,
which he hoped would be giving sufficient satisfaction. That in the manner they had demanded
LONDON DOCUMENTS : XXX. 697
satisfaction, they had forgot their dependency. He then urged to them the making provision
for the services and debts recommende 1 in his former Messages, and concluded with assuring
them, that he should readily agree to any method of payment of debts or publick. services,
which had no other tendency, than to prevent Imbezzlements, and that surely some method
might be found without an entire breach of the constitution, and taking the executive powers
out of the King's hands.
That they would shew their duty in paying a proper regard to the Royal Instructions, from
which lie could not deviate.
This Message being taken into consideration on the 21" July the house resolved nem : con :
That His Excell'^^"^ answer to their resolutions, relating to a Breach of priviledge was not
satisfactory ; which Resolution they sent up to M'" Clinton.
The Assembly continued to meet and adjourn without proceeding on any business till the 4"'
of August.
M"' Clinton in his letter to the Board of Trade of the 28"" of July 1749. acquaints their
LordPP', that the exigencies of the province had obliged him to meet the Assembly, before he
had received his Maj'J'' pleasure upon matters, he had laid before the King's Ministers, of wliich
the Faction had made a very bad use. That from his having no orders or instructions upon
those points, the pressent session had brought things to a plain issue : viz' That either his
Maj'y must support his Authority, or the Administration of Govern' must be given up to the
Assembly. That he had not dissolved them, being in hopes of receiving soon such Instructions
as would have an happy effect on a new choice. That he hoped a perusal of the proceedings
of this session would convince their Lordships of the obstinacy of the Assembly, and of his
utmost endeavours to overcome it. That the Faction headed by M"' De Lancey, would rather
give up the Indians to the P'rench, and the British Interest, than yield any of their claims or
expectations of power. He then complains, that while he (the Gov'') could not command a
penny of the publick money, he had good reason to believe, that the Speaker, by private order^
of the house, drew considerable sums for the secret services of the Faction. That having
ordered the Treasurer to deliver him an account of all public money received or paid since
the beginning of his (M' Clinton's) Administration, he had received only trifling excuses,
instead of a proper return, and could neither oblige him to pay obedience to his order, nor
appoint another Treasurer. He concludes with entreating the Board speedily to consider the
dangerous State of affairs in his Government.
On the 4"' of August 1749. M' Clinton prorogued the Assembly to the 12*^ of September by
a speech to the following effect.
That he was sorry the session must end without producing any one thing for the benefit of
the people ; but that it too evidently appeared, they had met, not to proceed on business but
to prevent the removal of the differences subsisting; not to serve their Country but private
piques, and resentments, which was evident from their not having introduced one Bill. He
then took notice of their having renewed their former charges, relating to the breaking open
the Storehouse at Albany, of putting a stop to proceedings in cases of private property in
Dutchess County, and attempting to restrain the liberty of the press ettc. and repeated the
purport of the answers he had formerly given thereto. He reproached them with their want
of regard for the preservation of publick credit, and for the prosperity and security of the
people ; and told them, that he had kept them together near a Fortnight after they had broke
off all intercourse with their GovS in hopes the motives he had urged, would at length prevail
Vol. VI. SS
698 NEW- YORK COLONIAL MANUSCRIPTS.
on them to ^rnnt the neceasnry supplies; and th;it tlio' tliey had at last provided in some sort
for those services, they had l)roke lliro' ail the established rules and orders of Cioverii' in giving
money for them. That the paragraph in the address relating to Gov" of Plantations was
highly injurious to the King and his Ministers, and all His Maj'" Gov". That he had never
attempted to misapply any money. That he had made diligent search for 30 years past, and
was persuaded no instance could he given of any Gov" making such attempt. That as he had
offered his consent to any clause in money Bills, that had no other tendency than to prevent
misapplication, it must be for other purposes than preventing imbezzlements, that they had
treated his person with snch unparalelled insolence. That by their refusing to grant supplies,
conformable to the King's Commiss", to which they owed their existence, they seemed to
think, they could levy money by other authority. That their claiming the sole power of
issuing publick money, their appropriating salaries personally to Officers, and puting a stop
to all business and Intercourse with their GoV, had, he believed, made all Men expect a
dissolution of the Assembly ; but that he might not be said, thereby, to have disabled them
from making their defence, when called to answer for their proceedings, he prorogued them to
the IS"" of September.
M' Clinton in his letter to the Board of Trade dated the 7"" Aug: 1749. represents to them
the unjustifiable proceedings and claims of the Assembly as set forth in the above speech, and
his former letters to their LordPi"; to which he adds, that the Faction exults in the hopes they
have from the Commiss" of Lieut' Gov' to M' De Lancey, soon to get all power into their
own hands. That notwithstanding all that had been done, he did not doubt, but the face of
things might yet be greatly altered by the receipt of proper Instructions from His ALajesI}',
which he intreafs the Board may be speedily sent. That when he has received them, he shall
be much better assured of a good choice in a new Assembly. That the Faction conceive great
hopes from the Resolves that pass nem : con : , that it will be believed in England, that the
whole people are dissatisfied with his Administration, and that the Ministry will give way to
a general dissatisfaction ; but that the truth was far otherwise. That he was assured great
numbers of the most considerable people, were displeased with the conduct of the Assembly,
and that, if a few loquacious members were changed, the nem : con : would be on the other
side of the question, which is put out of doubt, by the Members disapproving without doors,
what they have consented to within. That his having not received His Maj'J ' approbation
of the suspensions he had made from the Council, was also a great encouragement to the
Faction. That when the Assembly had broke off all intercourse with him, stopt all
proceedings and had thereby refused to provide for the expence of sending to Canada for the
prisoners there, and for preventing the Indians from entering into Treaties with the French,
the Faction, being informed tiiat he had tried and found it practicable, to raise the sums
necessary, for these services by private subscription in a day's time, had thougiit proper to
prevent such a publick declaration against them, and had sent the Speaker, to acquaint him,
that the house had privately resolved to put a sum sufHcient, out of the publick money, into any
person's hands he sliould direct. That he was obliged to comply with this, which however
was a proof that all the publick money, was at the disposal of the Assembly; an instance of
the manner, in which they could make use of it, for their secret services. That he hoped the
importance of the matters he had represented, and the many motives that made it incumbent
on him, to use every means to obtain redress, would sufliciently excuse the earnestness of his
desire, to know speedily the King's pleasure on the points, of which he has complained
LONDON DOCUMENTS: XXX. 699
M'' Clinton in another letter of the 24"' Sept' 1749. to the Board of Trade, complains, that
the Constables and other peace officers, are influenced by the Faction to disobey his orders,
and for this reason he could not comply with their f.ordP'" instructions relating to the Number
of Whites and Blacks; that the Sheriff' of New York, who had only made his return the day
before, could not have made any, had he not threatened to prosecute the Constables in case of
disobedience. That this was a plain proof of the Rebellious spirit of the Faction, and that he
had ordered the Deli[n]quents to be prosecuted, for this neglect of their duty.
On the l?"" Ocf^ 1749. M'' Clinton in a letter to the Board of Trade, again urged tiie
necessity of His Maj'^'^ interposing his authority to curb the insolence of the Faction, against
whose attempts and proceedings he recapitulates his former complaints, and intreats the speedy
directions of the Board, as he imagines it will be prejudicial to the King's authority to meet
the Assembly before he has received such directions.
He acquaints the Board, that the French were forming schemes, to intercept the British
commerce with the Indians to the westward, and had thoughts of building a Fort on the South
side of Ontario Lake, which must be on the lands belonging to the Five Nations. That should
such an attempt be made, it would not be in his power, in the then present posture of affairs
to prevent it. He then complains of the malicious calumnies thrown by the Assembly on
him, and every person that endeavoured to support the King's authority, recommends the
supporting and countenancing M'' Colden, to whom he was greatly obliged for his assistance,
entreats the Board to send him Directions without delay, and for further information referrs
them, to M"" Shirley, as an indifferent witness, and a good Judge of the affairs of the Province.
Mr Clinton in his letter to the Board of Trade of the aG"" November 1749. acquaints them,
that he had not been able to procure from the Treasurer of the Province the accounts he had
ordered him to prepare on the 27"' of the preceding June; neither could he obtain from him
a State of the Bills of Credit in the province, tho' required by His Maj'J'^ express command,
signified by letter from the Duke of Bedford ; he then proceeds to lay before their LordPP' a
State of the Treasury, and publick money, by which it appears, that M'' Hunter, having
opposed a Faction for four years, (during which time, he, and all the officers of Govern' were
without support) was at last so far distressed, as to be obliged to make compliance to the
Assembly, in order to obtain a support, for himself and other Officers of Govern'. That he
did this by yielding to them the nomination of a province Treasurer, the duty of which Office,
had till then been always executed by the King's Receiver General. That M'' Hunter appointed
M' Morris to be Chief Justice, which office had never, till then been given to a Native, and
by being obliged to consent to a large Emission of Paper money, he had also given rise to a
paper currency in New York. That the Assembly having forced their Gov'' to yield and Act
in contradiction to the King's instructions, continue to grasp more and more power from time
to time, by which, things were at last reduced to the present state.
That Bills of credit paid into the Treasury to be sunk, have been by fraudulent means
re-emitted, by which methods the faction could at any time preserve large sums for carrying on
their designs, while the Gov'' could not command a farthing for the support of Govern'. That
the Treasurer thought himself secure, being not the King's but the Assembly's Officer; that
while Judges head the Faction against the Gov', it is not in his power to compell obedience to
any orders. He therefore entreats the Board to loose no time in taking the necessary steps for
crushing the Faction, and, for that purpose, proposes, that the office of Treasurer be suppressed,
and the Receiver General directed to take the publick money into his hands, and that the Laws,
700 NEW- YORK COLONIAL MANUSCRIPTS.
from whence the Treasurer derived his autliority, sliould be repealed ; which measures lie
lioped, would oblige the Assembly to consent to such Laws for the issuing money, as should
be consistent with the King's Commission and Instruc'"'. He also proposes, that some able
Lawyer should be sent from England to be Cliief Justice of the Province.
On the 19''' of March 17ig- M'' Clinton transmitted to the Board, copies of the Information
he had received of the endeavours of the French to withdraw the Indians from the British
Interest, and to set these several Nations at war with each other; and represented to them,
that, as there was not a farthing of the King's Revenue at his command, he was disabled from
doing his duty upon this occasion. That as it would expose His Maj'^'* Authority to contempt, if
he should meet the Assembly again before he had received His Maj''''* pleasure on the subject
of his complaint he again entreated their LordP"" to send him immediate directions, and the
more speedily, as the French were apprized of the publick dissentions, and were taking
advantage thereof to prosecute their schemes.
M' Clinton in his letter of the 3'''' of April 1750, renews his complaints against the Treasurer,
from whom he had not yet been able to procure the account he had demanded in the preceeding
June, as above mentioned. That he had ordered these accounts, on purpose to confute the
malice of the Assembly, who had insinuated, that he had converted considerable sums of
publick money to his private use. That if this refusal of the Treasurer, should be thought to
be with his connivance, it must be remembered, that that Officer had dared to neglect the
King's commands (as above stated); that he was now confirmed in his opinion, that the Faction
had applied large sums to serve their own purposes, and that this was the true reason of the
Treasurer's evasive refusal, to account. That as to his own vindication, the annual Acts for
payment of salaries and contingencies, prove, that he never had it in his power, to embezzle;
and as to contingencies he asserts, that he is a great loser by that article. He then renews his
former complaints of the conduct of the Faction, and the present state of the province, and
repeats his entreaties, that the Board would immediately take them into consideration.
M' Clinton in his letter of the 7"" of June 1750. transmits several papers relating to the
delay of the French Gov'' in exchanging the English and Indian prisoners in Canada ; but as he
acknowledges in his letter to have received the King's orders, relating to the exchange, which
he was going to carry into immediate execution, it has not been thouglit necessary to state the
correspondence between M"' Clinton and the Gov"' of Canada, or any other proceedings on
that head.
Jn this letter he acquaints the Board with apprehensions of the designs of the French to
excite their Indians, to make war with those in the British Interest, and represents, of how
great consequence, it is effectually to support these Nations that joined in the war; which
however he found himself unable to do, the Assembly having made no provision for any
exigence whatever. He acquaints their LordP^S that he had proposed to the Council to employ
the Militia, in support of the Mohawks, if they should be attacked ; but that the Council were
of opinion, that he could not command the militia without an Act of Assembly for that purpose.
That although some Gentlemen of the Law, were of a different opinion, yet the People, having
the Chief Justice on their side, would no doubt favor the opinion, which encreased their own
power, and therefore he did not at that time think it proper to subject the Kings Authority to
dispute, but begs the Board to take this matter into consideration, and desires also, that
application may be made to the Court of France to restrain the attempts of the Gov"^ of Canada.
LONDON DOCUMENTS : XXX. 701
Oq the 30"" July 1750. INP Clinton in a long letter to the Board, represented the hardships he
was under, in the Administration of Govern', and complained that he had not yet obtained the
least answer to any of his letters on that subject, whereby the Faction was greatly encouraged,
and his Maj'^' faithful subjects much disheartened. That the Gov"' had been now two years
without any support, which had occasioned such an expence to him, as he could no longer
bear. That he had supported the Garrison at Oswego for a year on his own credit, but could
do it no longer. That it was absolutely necessary, to meet the Indians, and make them
presents on the conclusion of peace (for which the Assembly had made no provision) and that
the Friends of the Govern' having given it as their opinion, that he could not meet the late
Assembly without prostituting the honour of Govern', he had dissolved it, and issued writs for
the election of a New Assembly, to meet on the 4"" of September. That altho' nothing which
he had desired, had been done in support of the King's authority, and altho' M' De Lancey was
exiting^ his influence on the people, he was persuaded, that this Election, would shew the
sentiments of the province, to be different, from what the Faction represented them to be. He
concluded with repeating his entreaties, to know speedily their Lordw sentiments on the affairs
of the Province.
M' Clinton in his letter of the 12"" of Sepf 1750. incloses some papers relating to Indian
affairs, by which it appears, that, the Five Nations, at the instigation of the French, were
actually carrying war with the Catabaws. He acquaints the Board that he had done every
thing in his power, to prevent these mischiefs, by informing the neighbouring Gov" of the artifices
of the French, and by pressing the new Assembly to grant the necessary supplies. He incloses
a copy of his speech to the Council and the New Assembly, and the Council's address in
answer thereto.
M"' Clinton in his speech recommended the making an immediate provision for the Garrison
at Oswego, for payment of the debt contracted on the publick credit for the supply of that
garrison, for the security of the frontiers, and for tiie expence of meeting the Indians, as had
been usual at the conclusion of peace. He acquainted them, that the French were indefatigable
in infusing prejudices into the Indians, and had actually excited several Nations to make war
on each other; and therefore he depended on their enabling him, to pursue the necessary
measures for preserving the British commerce with the Indians, and for securing the[ir] Fidelity.
He then recommended to them to make provision, for what was due to the officers of Govern',
and to grant a support of Govern' agreable to the King's Commission and Instruct''% extracts
of which he laid before them. He desired their observance of tiiat Instruction, which forbids
matters of a different nature, to be included in the same Bill, and observed to them, that the
mixing services, that had been previously recommended, with those that had not, might be
thought an attempt to bar the King's right of judging of the merits of his servants. He
reminded them of the debt due to Col: Johnson, and concluded with assuring them, of his
concurrence in every thing that might be for His Majesty's service and the good of the People.
The Council in their address upon this occasion, returned his Excell''^ thanks for his speech,
agreed with him as to the importance of the points he had recommended, and assured him of
their concurrence, in any proper measures, for the support of Govern' and payment of publick
debts, in the doing which they acknowledged, no better rule could be followed, than that given
by the King's Commission and Instruc"", and that all deviation from those Rules had been
attended with bad consequences.
'Sic. Qu! exciting. — Ed.
702 NEW-YORK COLONIAL MANUSCRIPTS.
The Assembly, in their address presented on the 6"" Sepf 1750., thank his Excell"^^ for his
declaration, that he would demonstrate his zeal for the good of the province, by acts rather
than by words, and assure him, that they will consider the particulars he had recommended to
them, and do therein, what they should conceive to be for His Maj'^' service and welfare of
the Colony.
On the SS* of Sept' M' Clinton, laid before the Assembly, copies of letters and papers he had
received from Gov' Hamilton and Col : Johnson relating to Indian affairs, and in a message
earnestly recommended it to them to make speedy provision for securing the fidelity of their
Indian allies.
And on the 27"" the Assembly presented an address, in answer to the said Message, setting
forth, that they had always exerted their utmost efforts to secure the Indian Nations in the
British Interest, and were still willing to contribute according to their abilities, but that the
expence of securing the Frontiers, during the late War, had been so great, that the Colony was
not in circumstances to comply, with Gov' Hamilton's proposals. That those Govern" to the
Westward, which had received great benefit from, and scarce contributed at all towards, the
said expences, ought now to be at the whole charge of securing the fidelity of the Indian
Nations ; and this they desired His Excell'^^ to represent to Govern' Hamilton and other
Governors. They concluded with advising M' Clinton, to meet the Five Nations without
delay, promising to enable him to make them a suitable present, and to provide, as usual, for
the expence of His voyage to Albany.
M' Clinton sent them a short Message on the 2S"' assuring them, that he should acquaint
Gov' Hamilton with their sentiments, and should be ready to do every thing in his power
towards preserving the friendship of the Six Nations, whenever they should enable him to
perform that service.
On the29"' the Assembly voted ^SOO for presents to the Indians, and ^150 for the expence of
His ExcelK^'' journey to Albany.
On the 24"" of November, M' Clinton prorogued the Assembly to the 2'"' Apr: 1751. having
first given his assent to the following Acts :
" An Act to revive the two Acts, therein mentioned, for and towards supporting the Govern'"
" An Act for the payment of the debts of this Colony and for other purposes therein
" mentioned " —
" An Act for the payment of the salaries and services therein mentioned to the l" of
'' Sepl' 1751."—
By these Acts the arrears of salary due to the Gov' and all other Officers, from Sept' 1748.
to 1750 (during which time the whole support of Govern' had been entirely omitted and
refused) are provided for and directed to be paid. Provision is also made for the service of
the year 1751. and £800 is granted for presents to the Indian Nations. But these Acts are all
passed in the same irregular manner as former Acts of the like nature, and are consequently
liable to the same objections, the Assembly having thereby assumed to themselves almost the
whole of the executive part of Govern'.
M' Clinton in his letter to the Board of Trade of the 2"'' Dec', acquaints their LordPP', that the
general and particular distresses of the Colony, had obliged him at last to meet this Assembly.
That he could not obtain any supply, till he had given the Speaker a promise to pass Bills in
the usual manner, and that he hoped the necessity of His Maj'^'* service, would excuse him,
especially, as he had not received His Majesty's Commands in answer to the many
representations he had made on this subject.
LONDON DOCUMENTS: XXX. 703
And in his letter of the 2'"' of Jannnry last, in furtiier justification of his having once more
yielded to the encroachments of the Assembly upon His INIaj''''" prerogative, he represents that
the loss of the important Post of Oswego, of the great Trade carried on veith the Indians, and
finally of the friendship and alliance of the Six Nations, must have heen the consequences of
his refusing his assent to these Acts.
M' Clinton's letter of the 29"' of the same Month, informs the Board of Trade, that he
proposes to meet the Six Nations at Albany in June next, and that he has invited all the
Governors of His Maj'^'' Plantations in America, either to a personal appearance there, or to
send Commiss" in order to establish peace among all the Indian Nations in alliance with Great
Brittain, to concert measures for the future management of Indian affliirs, and to draw up a