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Circular letter from the Earl of Halifax to the Governors in North America, informing them that the House of Commons had resolved to charge certain stamp duties in the colonies and plantations.

Sir

[From New York Colonial Documents, Vol. VII, p. 646.]

ST JAMES'S 11, August. 1764

The house of Commons having in the last Session of Parliament, come to a resolution by which it is declared that, towards defraying the necessary expences of defending, protecting and Securing the British Colonies & Plantations in America, it may be proper to charge certain Stamp duties; it is His Majesty's Pleasure, that you should transmit to me, without delay, a list of all instruments made use of in public transactions, law proceedings, Grants, Conveyances, Securities of Land or money within your Govern with proper and Sufficient descriptions of the Same, in order, that if Parliament should think proper to pursue the intention of the aforesaid resolution, they may thereby be enabled to carry it into execution, in the most effectual and least burthensome manner.

If you should be unable of yourself to prepare a list of this kind with sufficient accuracy you will in such case require the assistance of His Majesty's Attorney General, or the principal Law Officer of the Crown within your Govern', who are the proper persons to be consulted, towards procuring the said information in the manner required.

I am ettc

DUNK HALIFAX

Letter from Robert Ogden to Courtlandt Skinner, enclosing a copy of resolutions received from the Committee of Correspondence of Massachusetts Assembly, and advising that all the Colonies should unite and exert themselves to keep off the threatened blow of imposing taxes, duties, etc.

[From Skinner Papers among Manuscripts of W. A. Whitehead, Vol. I, No. 57.) ELIZ. TOWN 24 August 1764

Sir

C. Skinner, Esq.1

The enclosed is a copy of what I Recd from the Gen1" appointed as a Committee by the House of Representatives of the Colony of the Massachusets Bay, which I now send for your Perusal & advice; the affair is Serious & Greatly Concerns all the Colonies to unite & Exert themselves to the utmost to Keep of the

Leour Phinner

was the oldest son of the Rev. William Skinner, originally a MacGregor, the first rector of St. Peter's Church in Perth Amboy. He was educated for the bar, studying the profession in the office of David Ogden, an old and distinguished practitioner at Newark, where Mr. Skinner also was established for some time after his admission to practice. In 1752 he married Elizabeth, daughter of Philip Kearny, of Perth Amboy, and shortly after took up his residence permanently at that place. He became eminent in his profession, his natural abilities being good and his oratorical powers considerably above mediocrity. He held the position of Attorney-General until the Revolution put an end to the authority whence it was derived. In 1761 he was elected to the Provincial Assembly as a representative from his native city, and continued to be a prominent member of that body while it existed, being elected Speaker in 1765. During the early days of the struggle for independence, Mr. Skinner, like many others who in the end connected themselves with the royal cause, was' strongly opposed to the encroachments of the British Ministry, and he was elected Speaker in place of Robert Ogden, whose course had been displeasing to his constituents from that cause. All

Threatening blow, of Imposing Taxes Duties &c. so Distructive to the Libertys the Colonies hitherto enjoyed. As Similar Letters have been sent from Boston to all the Colonies, and in Consequence of which the Lieut. Gov' of New York has Call" His Assembly together to Give them an Opportunity to send Home their Representatives, therefore If you think it of Importance Beg you would Loose no Time in Consulting Mr Nevill & Mr. Johnston on the Subject and write to His Excellency & Desire him to Give us a Meeting as Early in September as Possible & perhaps at same time we shall agree to pass a Bill for Striking as much money as the Loan will be Sufficient to Erect Public Buildings for the Government, which Law

his influence, which was very considerable, was exerted to bring about a restoration of the harmonious relations which had previously existed. Such continued to be his position until the first blood was shed at Lexington. That event, of course, caused a change in Mr. Skinner's sentiments. But the only instance discovered of his incurring the displeasure of the numerous committees of observation by which he was surrounded, consisted in his being found guilty by the Committee of Morris County, on September 28th, 1775, of having "spoken disrespectfully of the Continental Congress, reproaching the minute men, and charging them and the county with protecting a supposed criminal from justice." Although to this charge he made such explanations as were deemed satisfactory by the Committee, he was obliged soon after to regard his personal safety, by taking refuge beneath the English flag. He was received as an efficient and active auxiliary, and he was soon after appointed a Bridagier-General by General Howe, with authority to raise five battalions from among the disaffected in New Jersey. His headquarters were on Staten Island, and although unable to induce many to join his standard, yet he had friends among the Provincials, who, when his personal safety was concerned, were ready to give him intelligence of the movements of the Colonial forces. After some time the General took a house at Jamaica, Long Island, and gathered his family again within it, giving them as much of his time as his official duties would permit. After the Revolution, General Skinner went to England with his family, and received from the Government compensation for his forfeited estate and the half-pay of a Brigadier-General during his life. He died March 15th, 1799, aged 71 years, and a tablet to his memory may be seen at St. Augustine's Church, Bristol. His wife survived him, after a union of forty-seven years, and continued to reside among her children in England and Ireland until her death. General Skinner had thirteen children, most of whom survived him. One of his daughters (Maria) married in 1797 Captain (afterward General) Sir George Nugent, G. C. B., D. C. L., and accompanied her husband both to the]East and West Indies, whither he was sent by his government to discharge important trusts; and two diaries kept by her, one for each country, have been printed for private distribution since her death. They each consist of two volumes octavo, and are very interesting. Lady Nugent died in 1834. She left two sons and two daughters.-Original Letters in the Possession of the Editor; Contributions to the Early History of Perth Amboy.-ED.

must if Ever be passed before the 29 of Sep, as that is the Limitation in the Gov's Instructions, So that no Time is to be lost. Excuse Haste & believe me to be DS Yours Sincerely

DAVID OGDEN.'

Letter from Joseph Sackett, Jr., to Cortlandt Skinner in relation to the title to the common lands belonging to the Island of Sekakus, in Bergen County, in the possession of Edward Earle.

[From Skinner Papers among Manuscripts of W. A. Whitehead, Vol. I, No. 59.]

Sir

NEW YORK 13 Sep 1764

Cortlandt Skinner, Esq.

Please to be prepared for the Commissioners, tis the last time of Asking with us, and now is the time to be in Readiness. Mr. Bayard has given in to the Commissioners what his Attornies had to say in favour of his Claim. And the matter they Chiefly insist upon is, that the words in the Articles of Agreement, with such further rights and Interest &c., mean no more than the Meadows, Creeks, Swamps &c, and not the Common Lands, as the last Grant to Earle has no Such

1 Mr. Ogden was delegate from New Jersey to the Congress which met in New York, October 7, 1765, and shared with Mr. Ruggles, of Massachusetts, the unenviable distinction of having dissented from the action of Congress, and withdrew from its deliberations. Being Speaker of the New Jersey Assembly, a meeting of that body was called at his request, on the 27th of November; and the next day he resigned that position, and his seat as a member from Essex County, and an indirect censure was passed upon him by resolutions thanking his associates in the Congress for the “faithful and judicious discharge of the trust reposed in them."— Anal. Index to Col. Docts. of N. J.

terms, but (as they say) limits it to Sekakus' itself by referring to Carterets Grant in 1667. But Earle took possession by Virtue of the Articles of Agreement, and the last Grant (in my Opinion) seems to have been given merely as an acknowledgment of having received the particulars (Consideration) mentioned in the Articles of Agreement. The last Grant is by no means so full as the first. I think referring to Carterets Grant 1667 cannot make against us in the least, for tis Common in Grants to refer to others as a proof of the Title. In the first Article of Sale to Earle please to Observe these words, Containing in Length & Breadth According to the patents from Governour Stuyvesant and Govrn' Phillip Carteret, which I think Convey all that they were in Possession of by Virtue of those recited Grants so that the words with such further Rights and Interest, as the Same Island hath been possessed by the said Executors and the aforesaid Bayard, Immediately following must aim at Something which they had a right to by Virtue of Some other Grant, but if Such Expressive Language had not been in this Conveyance, the Commons undoubtedly must pass, where no reservation is mentioned: the Intention of the parties should be regarded, and we have proved to the Commission that the present Mr. Bayard's forefathers were so far from Claiming, that frequent Endeavours were made to purchase (of Mr. Pinhorn) a right in the Commons belonging to Sekakus. The Commons of Bergen were Granted as a lasting General Benefit to the Inhabitants; tis one of the Several Privileges, and (in my opinion) whosoever is entitled to the others, must be with Equal propriety

For a history of the Patent of Secaucus, see “ History of the Land Titles in Hudson County, N. J.," by Charles H. Winfield, New York, 1872, 130-1, 300, 304. The Secaucus Commons were divided by Commissioners appointed by the Legisla ture for the purpose, by act of August 26, 1764. Their field-book is given by Mr. Winfield in the work quoted, 291-309. See also the entries, post, under dates of October 2, 10, 13, 1764,-[W. N.]

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