for the Existence of Paper Currency in this Province. By this your Lordships will perceive that the whole Sum of Paper Money struck at different Times during the War is considered in the Light of one Emission, and the Quantity required by Law to be annually sunk out of particular Emissions is sunk out of any Emission which happens to be paid into the Treasury. This Practice took its Rise from Necessity, the New Jersey Currency having such an extensive Circulation through the Neighbouring Provinces, that the Treasurers have never had it in their Power to collect a sufficient Quantity of the particular Emission directed to be sunk in any one Year. The Letter of the Law to be sure is not strictly adhered to on this Occasion, nor can it be, yet the Spirit of it is fully complyed with, as no greater Sum of Paper Bills in the whole is ever suffered to continue in Circulation than what the Law allows. I shall not fail to pay due Attention to that Part of your Lordships Letter which respects the Appointment of an Agent, when the next Support Bill comes under Consideration; but I must confess I have very little Hopes of their receding from a Claim which I understand has been long acquiesced with in this Province as well as in most other of His Majesty's Colonies in North America. I have the Honour to be with great Respect, My Lords, Your Lordships most obedient humble Servant WM FRANKLIN Letter from the Earl of Hillsborough to Gov. Franklin, approving of his position in the dispute with the Assembly touching the resignation of a mem ber. [From P. R. O. America and West Indies, Vol. 176 (194).] WHITEHALL 4th Dec 1771 Sir, Governor Franklin Since Mr Pownall's letter of the 17th September, your Dispatches N 33 & 34, have been received and laid before the King Your refusal to seal the Writ for a new Election for the County of Essex, on the ground upon which the Speaker thought fit to issue it, until His Majesty's Pleasure should be known, is approved by the King. It is as you justly observe a matter which nearly concerns the Prerogative, and the arguments on one side and the other must be fully considered in the different Departments of Government, before I can send you any Instructions upon it. I am sorry for the indisposition you complain of in your Dispatch No 34, which I hope has not proved of any long continuance. I am &ca HILLSBOROUGH. Letter from Mr. Pownall to Richard Jackson, desiring his opinion in the matter of the dispute between the Governor of New Jersey and the Assembly, concerning the resignation of a representative. [From P. R. O., B. T., New Jersey, Vol. 17, p. 252.] Dec 18th 1771 Sir, To Richard Jackson Esq I am directed by the Lords Commissioners for Trade & Plantations to transmit to you the enclosed extract of a Letter from the Governor of New Jersey to the Earl of Hillsborough, and Minutes of the Assembly of that Colony therein referred to relative to a dispute with the said Assembly concerning their Claim of a right for a new Election for the County of Essex on the resignation by the Representative for the said County of his Seat in the Assembly on account of Insolvency; and to desire you would take the said Papers into your consideration, and report to their Lordships your Opinion, as to the legality of the Claim set up by the said Assembly. I am Sir, Your most Obedient humble Servant, JOHN POWNALL. Letter from Gov. Franklin to the Lords of Trade, acquainting their Lordships with the appointment of an Agent for that Province by the concurrence of the Legislature. My Lords, [From P. R. O. B. T., New Jersey, Vol. 10, L. 15.] BURLINGTON Dec! 26th 1771 In my Letter of the 24th of October, I acquainted your Lordships, that I had very little Hopes that the Assembly would recede from their Claim of the sole Right of appointing an Agent for the Colony. Since which there has been a Session held here, when, after a good deal of Persuasion, and many Arguments urged to them, in a private Way, they consented to omit those Words in the Support Bill which seem'd meant to establish their Claim, and to which your Lordships objected.-The Agent is accordingly now appointed by a Vote of the Council in their Legislative Capacity, and by a Vote of the Assembly to which I have given my Concurrence in a Privy Council, and his Salary is provided for by a joint Act of the whole Legislature of the Colony. I have the Honour to be, with great Respect, & Regard My Lords, Your Lordships most obedient, Letter from Governor Franklin to the Earl of Hillsborough, informing him that the Assembly had consented to provide for the arrears due to the troops, and that the debt of the Colony incurred during the late war would be paid. [From P. R. O. America and West Indies, Vol. 176 (194).] BURLINGTON Dec 27th 1771 The Rt. Honble the Earl of Hillsborough. My Lord I informed your Lordship in my Dispatch No. 35, that I had called another Meeting of the Legislature, and should not fail to renew my Endeavours to persuade the Assembly to a Compliance with the Terms of the Mutiny Act. I have now the Pleasure to acquaint your Lordship that my Endeavours have been attended with Success, and that the Assembly have at length granted a Sum of Money to discharge the Arrears due for the Support of the Troops. Two Articles of the General's Account they have indeed disallowed, as you will see by the enclosed Copy of their Message; but they have allowed all that has been usual, or is required by the Mutiny Act, and I have no Doubt but they will, at their next Session, discharge any further Arrears which may be due for the Maintenance of the few sick Men left behind by the Regiment lately stationed here. This, however, they will do in Expectation that it will be the last Expence of the kind for which they shall be called upon for some Years to come. The Debt mentioned in their last Message, as incurred by the Colony during the late War, and not yet discharged, is about 200,000£ Currency; towards the Payment of which they are to raise 15,000£ P |