Letter from Governor Franklin to the Earl of Egremont-He will appoint the Day of Thanksgiving— Fresh hostilities commenced by the Indians-is taking measures for the defence of the inhabitants on the Northern frontier. My Lord, [From America and West Indies, Vol. 172 (190).] PERTH AMBOY July 19. 1763 I this Morning had the Honour of receiving your your Lordships Letter of the 26th of March, inclosing the King's Proclamation of the Peace, which I shall, agreeable to what your Lordship has signified to me, cause to be published in all the proper Places within this Government. The fresh Hostilities committed by the Indians have not yet extended to this Province; but as many of the Inhabitants of the Northern Frontier are alarm'd and apprehensive of Danger, I am taking measures for putting them into a proper Posture of Defence. I am, however, in hopes that General Amherst will be enabled to put a stop to the further Incursions of the Enemy, especially when they find that by the late Definitive Treaty the French will be remov'd to far to afford them any Support. I have the Honour to be, with the utmost Respect, My Lord, Your Lordship's most obedient & most humble Servant W FRANKLIN. Order in Council approving of Samuel Smith and John Ladd, Esqs., to be of the Council in New Jersey. L. S. [From P. R. O., America and West Indies, Vol. 105.] AT THE COURT AT ST JAMES'S THE 31ST PRESENT The Kings most Excellent Majesty in Council. Upon Reading this day at the Board, a Representation from the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations, dated the 4th of this Instant, Setting forth, That James Hude and Andrew Johnston Esq, two of His Majestys Council the Province of New Jersey, are dead, and that Samuel Smith' and John Ladds EsqTM have been recommended to them as Persons every way Qualified to serve His Majesty in that Station; They therefore propose that they may be appointed of the said Council in the room of the said James Hude and 1 SAMUEL SMITH was the eldest son of Richard, son of Samuel, of Bramham, Yorkshire, England, who came to Burlington, New Jersey, in 1694. Richard was a member of the Assembly for many years. In 1747 he was appointed a member of the Council, and died while attending one of the sessions of that body, at Perth Amboy, in November, 1751. The subject of this note was born "12th Mo., 13, 1720" (March 13, 1721, N. S.). Like his ancestors for several generations he was a member of the Society of Friends.-The Burlington Smiths, a Family History, by R. Morris Smith, Philadelphia, 1877, 10, 100-3, 209; N. J. Archives, VII., 6. He was Treasurer of the Western Division of New Jersey, as early as 1751, and perhaps before that, resigning in 1775.-Minutes Provincial Congress, 1775, pp. 137-8. He and his father had always taken the side of the people against the aggressions of the Proprietaries, so that when Governor Belcher, who had been repeatedly a partaker of the generous hospitalities of Samuel and John Smith, recommended the former for a seat in the Council, in 1751, to succeed his father, he was severely reprimanded by the Lords of Trade; nevertheless, he struggled for nearly two years against admitting Lewis Morris Ashfield, who had been named for the place instead of Mr. Smith.-N. J. Archives, VII., 586, 608; VIII., Part I, 126-7. Mr. Smith accumulated a great deal of material for a history of New Jersey, Pennsylvania and of the Society of Friends in both those Provinces, but finally selected and published Andrew Johnston Esq's deceased His Majesty in Council approving thereof, is pleased to Order, as it is hereby Ordered, that the said Samuel Smith and John Ladd Esq's be constituted and appointed Members of His Majestys said Council in the Province of New Jersey, in the room of the said James Hude and Andrew Johnston Esq's deceased; And that the Right Honourble the Earl of Halifax, His Majestys Principal Secretary of State, do cause the usual Warrants to be prepared for His Majestys Royal Signature. W. SHARPE only that covering the early history of New Jersey, which was printed in 1765, at Burlington, whither James Parker accommodatingly removed his printing press from Woodbridge for the purpose, returning when the task was completed.-Hist. Pennsylvania, by Robert Proud, Philadelphia, 1797, Vol. I, 4 Proc. N. J. Hist. Soc., September, 1849, 102; History of Printing, by Isaiah Thomas, Worcester, Mass., 1810, Vol. II., 121. The original manuscripts he prepared are now in the possession of the New Jersey Historical Society. He married, in 11th mo., 1741, Jane, daughter of Joseph Kirkbride, who bore him Joseph, Abigail, Sarah, Richard. The last-named was the father of Samuel J. Smith, the " Bard of Hickory Grove."Smiths of Burlington, 209-10; Miscellaneous Writings of the late Samuel J. Smith, Philadelphia and Boston, 1836, 9-10. Samuel Smith, the historian, died at Burlington, July 13, 1776, after a short illuess. The Pennsylvania Gazette, in announcing the death, remarked that Mr. Smith was "a worthy and useful member of the community. In his several public stations he acquitted himself with ability, integrity and unblemished reputation; nor was his character less respectable, when considered as a member of the religious society of the people called Quakers." See also Biographical Sketch by John Jay Smith, prefixed to the reprint of Smith's History. "Of John Ladd, the father, and John Ladd, the son, much appears in the various records and traditions of their times, which proves them to have been conspicuous persons. They were prominent in the political and religious matters that surrounded them, and the subjects of much hard talk, for which some of their defamers appear in no very enviable position."-First Settlers of Newton Township, Old Gloucester County, by the Hon. John Clement, Camden, 1877, 142. The father was a practical surveyor, and assisted in laying out the city of Philadelphia for William Penn, but in compensation preferred £30 cash to a square of land in the embryo city, which moved Penn to say, "Friend John, thou art a Ladd by name, and a Ladd in comprehension. Dost thou not know this will become a great city."--Ib., 143-5.-[W. N.] Letter from the Lords of Trade to Governor Franklin, informing him that no objections will be made to a bill for issuing certain sums of paper money for providing a house for the Governor. [From P. R. O. B. T. New Jersey, Vol. 17, p. 180.] WHITEHALL Oct. 21, 1763 William Franklin Esq: Governor of New Jersey Sir We have considered the proposal contain'd in your Letter to this Board of the 10th of May last of issuing a Sum of Money in Paper Bills of Credit upon loan for defraying the charge of making provision for a House for the Governor, and other necessary publick buildings; and as the service appears to us reasonable and expedient, We shall have no Objection to acquiescing, as far as depends upon us, in any proper Act that may be formed for issuing such Bills, provided they are issued upon the Terms and under the regulations prescribed in the Act of Parliament for restraining such paper Bills in the four New England Colonys, which We think a proper example for, and wish was extended to all His Majesty's Colonies. M: Smith and M Ladd, recommended for the vacant Seats in in the Council, have been appointed by his Majesty, and the Warrants for such Appointments are delivered to the Agent. We are, Sir, Your most Obed humble Servants, HILLSBOROUGH Letter from Mr. Secretary Pownall to Sir Fletcher Norton, Solicitor General, desiring his opinion whether aliens not naturalized can acquire property or lands in America, either by purchase, grant or leave of the Crown. [From P. R. O., B. T., Plantations General, Vol. 41, p. 309.] Nov. 8. 1763 To Sir Fletcher Norton, His Majesty's Sollicitor General Sir, I am directed by the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations to desire the favour of your opinion whether, as the Laws now stand, aliens not intitled to the privileges and benefits of natural born subjects of Great Britain, under the Act of the 13th of his late Majesty Cap: 7, for naturalizing such foreign protestants and others therein mentioned as are settled or shall settle in any of His Majesty's Colonies in America, are capable of acquiring Property in lands in America either by purchase or Grant or lease from the Crown, and as it is for their Lordships Information in a matter now under their Consideration and which must be decided upon on Thursday morning that I now propose this Question to you, their Lordships hope to be favoured with your answer before that time, or that you will be pleased to signify, that you cannot make the return so soon as desired. I am with great respect Sir &c JOHN POWNALI. |