towards their Support. Moreover we your Constituents Subject these following Queries to your further Consideration. 1st Whether to have the King's Troops stationed among us in Time of Peace is Constitutional and Agreeable to our Rights and Priviledges? 2nd Whether they are or can be of any use to us, or whether any proper Officer of this Government has the Command of them in any Case of Immergency? 3rd Whether Regular Troops does not spread Vice and Immorality in a Country where they are maintained in idleness? 4th Is it Consistent with Honour and Justice to Support those who do us no Service? 5th Whether there is not Danger that a Military Power may in Time interrupt the Proper Influence. and Management of Civil Administrations? ing into the hands of the advancing British, was captured by the enemy, and on the 14th he was himself taken prisoner, and held until he could obtain a "protection" from Col. Rall, the Hessian commander. Governor Livingston was much displeased with the whole affair, especially with Tucker's apparent cowardice, and the Legislature was reluctant to release him from responsibility as Treasurer. His taking a British "protection," too, lessened the respect his friends had previously entertained for him, and forced his retirement from public life.-Minutes, passim ; Hall's Pres. Church, Trenton, 274; Field's Provincial Courts, 169; Elmer's Reminiscences, 265; Gordon's N. J., 237. Nevertheless, he retained a good position in the community, and in the ensuing September, John Adams records that he " lodged at Mr. S. Tucker's, at his kind invitation.”— Works, II., 438. From 1766 to 1788 he was a trustee of the Presbyterian church at Trenton, being clerk of the Board most of the time.--Hall's Hist, 200. He died January 14, 1789, aged 67 years, 3 months and 19 days.-Ib., 203. His letters and addresses, published in the American Archives, and elsewhere, show that he was a man of superior ability and scholarship, and that he had the confidence and esteem of Washington and other principal men of the day. While in the Provincial Congress he favored an act for the more easy manumission of slaves, and he showed the earnestness of his views on that subject by providing in his will for the freeing of his slaves, on certain prudent conditions.--Hall, 203. It is related that once when Tucker and Hart were both candidates for the Assembly from old Hunterdon and its dependent counties, the latter was supported by the Presbyterians, and Tucker by the Episcopalians, Methodists and Baptists. "During the first two days of the election Hart was aheal, but on the third, one Judge Brae coming up with a strong reserve of Church-of-England-men secured Tucker's return. A wag observed that the Judge was not unlike the Witch of Endor, for it was clear that he had raised Samuel."-- Sedgwick's Livingston, 143. If this incident occurred it must have been in 1772, as in 1761 Hart was successful. In 1769 both men were elected, and in 1772 Tucker was chosen.-[W. N.] We think Gentlemen the Consideration of these Things with what you have already urged will Constrain you to abide by your former Resolutions, and that you will Continue to make the Ease, Safety, Interest, and Morals of this P[rovince the] Subjects of your Zealous Attention. Signed by the Freeholders of Hunterdon May 1771. Order of Council, appointing Daniel Coxe a member of the Council of New Jersey. [From P. R. O. B. T., New Jersey, Vol. 10, L. 24.] . AT THE COURT AT ST JAMES'S THE 1ST DAY OF MAY 1771. PRESENT The Kings most Excellent Majesty in Council. Whereas there was this day read at the Board a Representation from the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations Dated the 26th of last Month,. Setting forth, that John Ladd Esquire one of his Majesty's Council for the Province of New Jersey being deceased, and Daniel Coxe Esquire having been recommended to the said Lords Commissioners as a Person well Qualified to serve his Majesty in that Station they therefore humbly propose that he may be appointed of his Majesty's Council for the said Province in the Room of the said John Ladd Esquire deceased-His Majesty in Council Approving thereof, is Pleased to Order, as it is hereby Ordered that the said Daniel Coxe Esquire be constituted and Appointed a Member of His Majesty's said Council in the Province of New Jersey in the room of the said John Ladd Esquire deceased And that the Right Honble the Earl of Hillsborough one of His Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State do cause the usual Warrant to be prepared for His Majesty's Royal Signature. Letter from the Earl of Hillsborough to Governor Franklin, relative to the dispute with Spain, the Indian trade, etc. [From P. R. O. and West Indies, Vol. 176 (194).] WHITEHALL 4 May 1771. Sir, Gov Franklin I have rec1 your Dispatch No 25, & have laid it before the King. His Majesty has no Doubt of your Attention to the Security of the Colony under your Govt, & of the Disposition of His faithful Subjects in New Jersey to concur with you in every Measure that would have been necessary for putting it into a State of Defence, in case the Issue of the Dispute with Spain had been contrary to His Majesty's Expectation. The little Connection which you state to exist between New Jersey & the Indians, will plead in excuse for the Assembly's not entering so zealously into the Consideration of that Business as the nature of it seems to require from other Colonies under different Circumstances. I am aware of the Difficulties that will attend making any general Regulation for the Indian Trade, while it is to depend upon the Concurrence of different Colonies having different Views & Interests; & in agreeing in Opinion with you, that this is not the only Instance by many which evinces the absolute Necessity there is, for the sake of the Colonies themselves, of a general superintending Power over all the British Dominions in America, I cannot but lament the Obstacles which have been unhappily thrown in the way of the just Exercise of such a Power. The Acts & Journals of the Legislature have been laid before the Board of Trade, & also your Recommendation of M Coxe, & M: Lawrence, in consequence of the Vacancy in the Council, by the Death of M Ladd; & I have the Satisfaction to acquaint you that His Majesty has been pleased, in consequence of the Recommendation of that Board, to approve of M Coxe for that Station. I am &ca HILLSBOROUGH. Letter from Gov. Franklin to the Earl of Hillsborough relative to the Complaint of John Hatton, and transmitting copies of papers connected therewith. [From P. R. O. America and West Indies, Vol. 176 (194).] BURLINGTON, May 19th 1771 The Right Honble the Earl of Hillsborough. My Lord, Inclosed I send your Lordship a Copy of the Minutes of the Privy Council of this Colony, from the 8th of January to the 26th of March, a great Part of which is taken up with an Enquiry into a Complaint made by John Hatton, Esq' Collector of His Majesty's Customs for the Port of Salem, against some Justices of the Peace living at Cape May. This M Hatton is the same Person mentioned in my Letter to your Lordship of the 25th of Aug 1768, N. 11, and in the Minutes of the Privy Council sent with my Letter N. 6.—The Council, after a strict and impartial Examination of the Parties, were unanimously of Opinion that there was not the least Foundation for his Complaint against the Justices. I need not trouble your Lordship with any Recital of Particulars here, as they are, so fully set forth in the Minutes, and in the Copies of sundry Papers sent herewith.-I was in hopes that the Commissioners at Boston would before now have removed this man from his Office, as they have had the strongest Proofs of his Unfaithfulness in. the Execution of it, ever since June 1769, as your Lordship will see by the enclosed Copy of the Report of the Inspector General. What Reasons they may have for continuing him in Office I know not, as they have not yet thought proper to return any Answer to my Letter of the 10th of April last, a Copy of which is among the enclosed Papers. I have the Honour to be, with the greatest Respect, My Lord, Your Lordship's most obedient & most humble Servant W FRANKLIN Copies of sundry papers relative to Mr. Hatton's complaint against the Justices of Cape May, in New Jersey. [From P. R. O. America and West Indies, Vol. 176 (194).] Some Notes and Observations made by the Dep Secretary of New Jersey, on the Complaint of John Hatton Esq Collector of |