eral Assembly: I HAVE THEREFORE thought fit, by and with the Advice and Consent of His Majesty's Council, to dissolve the present General Assembly of this Province of New Jersey, and the said General Assembly is hereby dissolved: of which all Persons concerned are to take Notice and govern themselves accordingly. GIVEN under my Hand and Seal at Arms in the City of Burlington the twenty first day of February in the twelfth Year of the Reign of George the third by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith &ca Anno Domini 1772. By His Excellency's Command W FRANKLIN CHA. PETTIT D Sec. GOD SAVE THE KING. His Excellency was pleased to Sign the following Warrants Ordering the Treasurers, or either of them to pay No 562. To His Excellency the Governor or Order for one Quarters Salary due this Day . 563 To the same for one Quarters House Rent £300. 564 To the Hon'ble Charles Read Esq. 566 To Samuel Smith Esq one of the 567 To Stephen Skinner Esq' One of 568 To Cortland Skinner Esq Attorney General for One Quarters Salary 569 To Charles Petitt Esq Dep' Clerk of the Council for One Quar ters Salary 570 To Charles Petitt Esq Dep' Clerk of the Circuits for One Quarters Salary 571 To John Carty Doorkeeper to the Council for One Quarters Sal ary 572 To Isaac Collins Esq. for printing 573 To Richard Smith Esq' for Copy- A true Copy CHA. PETTIT D Clk. Mr. Skinner (the Attorney General) his 2 Report on the proposed Charter for incorporating the Presbyterian Ministers in New Jersey. [Note his first Report is contained in the Minutes of Privy Council Febry 21, 1772.] In Obedience to your Excellency's Commands I have again Considered the Draft of the Charter for incorporating certain Persons and enabling them to raise a fund for supporting the Widows and Educating the Children of Presbyterian Ministers, and propose the following Amendments and additions.--In the the Second Line, instead of Presbyterian Clergy, say, Presbyterian Ministers or Teachers and so throughout the whole Charter. The King in his Grant can't know, nor with Propriety call, any Men Clergy men but those of the Established Church of England, at least in England, Ireland, and these Colonies. In Acts of Parliament the Ministers of Dissenting Congregations are stiled Ministers, or Teachers, never Clergymen, for which I refer to every Statute in which they are named, and if it is possible to produce a Charter to them I dare say they have not the same Stile with the Clergy of the Established Church. How far they are in Communion with the Church of Scotland, I do not know but if the Matter was inquired into I am of Opinion that they are not in full Communion and therefore the words "in Communion with the present Established Church of Scotland," should be omitted. To prevent the misapplication of the fund I have drawn two Clauses, to be inserted in the Charter, by the 1st I intend to make them render Annual Accounts and subject their Books &c to inspection if necessary, and by the 2 That their Charters shall be void upon such misapplication. These are necessary in my Opinion, because 1st In Grants of this Kind even to the Professors of the Church by Law Established they are inserted. 2 Because I am credibly informed, and believe it to be true, that in a Neighbouring Government, a Corporation of the like sort apply part of the Income of their Funds often in paying Salaries to Teachers in several parts of the Continent where New Settlements are made: Which if they can justify from the Powers given in that Charter, yet seems to me to be against the Intention of the Grant, and ought to be Guarded against in this, for from such Practices an Establishment will be formed for their Teachers not intended by Government. CORT SKINNER Two Clauses proposed by the Attorney General to be added to the Presbyterian Charter And Lastly, That the fund nor any part of the Yearly Increase arising therefrom may be applied to any other Use than that hereby intended. We do for us our Heirs & Successors, Ordain Order and Direct that the Accounts and Transactions of the said Corporation legally and properly vouched and Authenticated shall Yearly be laid before his Excellency the Governor and our Council of New Jersey, or the Governor or Commander in Chief and the Council for the time being of our said Province of New Jersey, or such Person and Persons as they may from time to time appoint in our said Province in order that our said Governor or Commander in Chief and Council or such Person and Persons by them appointed as afores may ratify and confirm the said Accounts, or subject them to such revisal, Checks, & Confirmation as may be by them thought just and reasonable. And that the Books, Journals, Accounts, and Transactions of the said Corporation shall whenever the same shall be judged necessary be open to the Inspection of our Governor or Commander in Chief of our said Colony for the time being, or such Person or Persons as shall be from time to time for that purpose appointed. And we do hereby further for us our Heirs and Successors Ordain, Order and Direct that in Case the said fund or any part thereof shall be applied at any time to other use or uses than that hereby meant and intended, that then and in such Case these our Letters Patent and every Article, Clause and thing therein Contained, shall cease, determine, and be void, Anything to the Contrary Notwithstanding. The Inclosure N. 6. (viz Dra of Charter &c. was sent to the Plantation Office, & not returned from thence. Letter from the Earl of Hillsborough to Gov. Franklin, relative to the Dispute with the Assembly, and informing him that the King had granted an adequate salary to the Chief-Justice. [From P. R. O. America and West Indies, Vol. 176 (194).] WHITEHALL June 6th 1772 Gov! Franklin. Sir, I have received your letters No 37. & 38. and have laid them before the King. Your letter No 38 states fresh Controversy with the Assembly concerning their Privileges in matters of Election, and I should have communicated that letter to the Board of Trade for their Opinion upon it had not the ground of Controversy been, as I conceive, removed by the Resolution which you inform me the House came to of admitting the Member elected, in pursuance of your Writ, if the Assembly had not been dissolved in order to a new Election. I have the pleasure to acquaint you that the King has been graciously pleased to give an ade |