better with the people in general than I do at present. Some, indeed, suspect that there is a scheme to get Lieut. Col. Skinner, who la [a few words lost'] Warren, to apply for the Government, which they say he would stand a good chance of obtaining through the interest of Col. Fitzroy', his brother-in-law, and the Duke of Grafton. But I confess I see no reason for such suspicions. I am at present on a very friendly footing with Cortlandt Skinner; and though he might wish his brother to be Governor here, yet I hardly think he would be guilty of any underhand means to have me removed from this Government, unless I was to have another in exchange. And I much question whether Col. Skinner, now he is married to so great a fortune and has a good chance of rising in the army, would wish to have the Government. Mr. Brown lives near, and is intimate with Capt. Arch'd Kennedy, who, without the least cause in the world, has taken, I'm told, an uncommon prejudice against me. haps he may have thrown out some hints which may have alarmed Mr. Brown, and induced him, out of re gard to me, to write my wife on the occasion. At present it is all a mystery to me; but lest any such matter as he apprehends might be in agitation, I thought it prudent to send you a copy of his letter.

I am, hon'd sir, your ever dutiful son

*

Per

WM. FRANKLIN.

'The missing words were probably lately married Susan Warren, Daughter of Admiral Sir Peter Warren." She was the Admiral's youngest daughter by his wife Susanna, eldest daughter of Stephen De Lancey and Ann Van Cortlandt (b. Feb, 13, 1676), daughter of Col. Stephen Van Cortlandt and Gertrude Schuyler. Lieut.-Col. William Skinner was the third son of the Rev. William Skinner, of Perth Amboy, and Elizabeth Van Cortlandt (born May 24, 1691), daughter of Col. Stephen Van Cortlandt. He served in the French War in 1755-6, being captured in the latter year; he attracted the favorable notice of King George II. in London, in 1757, and was commissioned a Lieutenant in the British army, rising to the rank of Captain in 1759,* and Major in 1761, and Lieutenant-Colonel in 1763, and subsequently Colonel. He died in England about 1778.-Whitehead's Perth Amboy, 101, 112-119; N. Y. Gen. and Biog. Rec., Oct., 1874, 71-2.

2 Col. Fitzroy married a sister of Col. Skinner's wife; he was a brother of the Duke of Grafton. See letter of Col. S., on page 15 of this volume.-[W. N.]

Letter from Governor Franklin to Secretary Shelburne relative to the inequality of the expense of quartering troops in the Colonies, and suggesting a plan to obviate it.

[From P. R. O. America & West Indies, Vol. 190.]

BURLINGTON New-Jersey Oct! 22, 1767

Rt Honble E. of Shelburne.

My Lord,

I am honoured with your Lordship's Letter of the 18th of July, signifying His Majesty's Displeasure at the Assembly of this Province, for having avoided a complete Obedience to the Act of the British Parliament for rendering more effectual in America, An Act for punishing Mutiny & Desertion.

By this Time your Lordship has probably receiv'd my Letter of the 22 of August, in which I acquainted your Lordship with the Assembly's having, by an Act passed in June last, made Provision for Supplying the King's Forces, quartered in this Colony, with all the Necessaries required by Act of Parliament. From that time to the present, the Regiment now station'd here have accordingly been regularly supplied, by the Barrack Masters, with every Article of their Allowance, and I have not receiv'd the least Complaint from the Officers or Soldiers on any Account whatever. So that I doubt not, when this Matter is made Known to His Majesty, that His Royal Displeasure will be remov'd, and that He will be graciously pleased to entertain the same favorable Sentiments of the Assembly of this Province as before.

I hope it will not be thought too presuming, if, on this Occasion, I should take the Liberty to suggest to

your Lordship, That as it is the Inequality of the Expence, more than the Expence itself, which occasions Dissatisfaction to the Colonies on which the King's Troops are quarter'd, Whether it would not be proper, in order to obviate this Objection, to appropriate some of the Monies arising from the Revenues of the Crown in America to the Defraying of those Expences for the future. Their being paid out of the Quit Rents, and Duties on various Commodities consum'd in the several Colonies, will make the Burden nearly equal to the Inhabitants of each; which seems but reasonable, as all must be benefitted by the Protection which the King's Forces in America afford. This Appropriation will besides have a Tendency to make the new Duties the less disagreeable; especially in the Middle Colonies, who are chiefly burden'd with the Expences above mention'd. It is, indeed, sometimes urg'd, That the Colonies who have Troops quarter'd on them, are benefitted by the Money they spend, as much, if not more, than they are hurt by the Expence of furnishing them with Necessaries: But this is denied by the People in general, who alledge, that what with the frequent Quarrels and Riots occasioned by the common Soldiers, their Plunderings, and sometimes refusing to pay their Debts, the Ballance is greatly in Disfavor of the Inhabitants among whom they are quartered, if They are to be at that Expence solely.

I have the Honor to be, with great Respect, My

Lord, Your Lordship's most

obedient & most humble Servant

W FRANKLIN

P. S. I am just informed that my Dispatches of Augst 22. did not reach New York till after the Packet had sail'd for England.

INDEX.

B.