Also an allowance to the Chief Justice, or other Justices of the Supreme Court, of six Pounds, five shillings Sterling for holding a Court of Oyer and Terminer when there shall be occasion in any of the Counties of the Colony; and an Allowance to the Agent for petty Expences of about thirty pounds Sterling Annum.

These Charges are now, and have been since my arrival in the Government paid by a Surplusage of Money struck for his Majesty's Service during the late War, which was to be sunk by a Tax in a time limitted in those Acts, and the same has hitherto been Sunk with great regularity, under the Inspection of the Legislative Body. Before the War the Expense of Government was paid by the Interest of Money emitted on Loan, by his Majesty's Approbation; and when that Money was called in, (by Virtue of the Acts which gave it a Currency to a certain time) the Support of Government was raised annually by Tax on the Real and Personal Estates of the Inhabitants, which must be very shortly the Case again.

There are no Duties on the Import or Export of any Commodities, but such as are laid and appropriated by Acts of Parliament. The Collectors of His Majesty's Customs are the only Officers who have any Salary or Allowance from Great Britain.

All the Salaries and Incidental Charges of Govern ment are Annually granted and Appropriated by Act of Assembly; these are issued (except Assembly Mens Wages) by Warrant of the Governor in Council, and Accounted for by the Treasurers to the joint Committees of Council and Assembly.

All the Salaries allowed in this Government are very Low, having been for the most part settled when the Province was in its Infancy, and as the Expense of Living is since greatly increased they are not suffi

cient, with the Fees and Perquisites of Office added, which indeed are in most Cases very trifling) to support the Officers in a manner suitable to their Stations.

W FRANKLIN

Letter from Gov. Franklin to the Earl of Hillsborough, relative to the Complaint made by the Commissioners of Customs in America to the King.

[From P. O. America and West Indies, Vol. 173 (191).]

BURLINGTON, Augst 25, 1768 To the Right Honble the Earl of Hillsborough My Lord,

I am honored with your Lordship's Letter No 8—respecting the Complaint made by the Commissioners of His Majesty's Customs in America, of the Obstructions which their Officers have met with in the Execution of their Duty. There has been but one Complaint made to me of that kind by any of the Officers of the Customs within this Government, and that was from M: Hatton the Collector of Salem. But after strict Enquiry had been made into the Affair before myself and His Majesty's Council, it was found that the Collector (who is a Man of a most unhappy Temper') had exceedingly misbehaved himself, and had no just Foundation for his Complaint. The Particulars of this Transaction I transmitted to the Commissioners at Boston, and

Mr. Hatton's "most unhappy temper" got him into more serious trouble two years later. See post, under date of November 7, 1773.

your Lordship will see them in the Minutes of the Council sent with my Letter No 6.

I think it my indispensable Duty, and shall not fail to give the Officers of the Customs, and every other Officer of the Government, all the Assistance and Support in my Power.

I am with the greatest Respect,

My Lord, Your Lordship's most obedient
& most humble Servant

WN FRANKLIN

Commission of Governor Franklin to Charles Read, John Smith and Samuel Smith to take charge of the Seals during his Absence.

[From Book AB of Commissions, in the Secretary of State's office, Trenton, fol. 23.]

By his Excellency William Franklin Esqr. Captain General Governor and Commander in Chief in and over the province of New Jersey and Territories thereon depending in America, Chancellor and Vice Admiral in the same &c.

To the Honble. Charles Read, Jno. Smith & Saml. Smith Esqrs. Members of His Majesty's Council for the Colony of New Jersey Greeting. Whereas The promoting his Majesties Service and the Prosperity and Security of the British Colonies on the Continent of America have induced me to Comply with the request of the Honble. Sr. William Johnson his Majesty's Superintendent of Indian Affairs, in giving my attendance at a Treaty to be held with the Six Nations and other Indians at Fort Stanwix in the Colony of New York to agree and fix upon a Boundary Line between the British subjects of the Northern Colonies and the Indians. In Order that there should be no Delay or interruption in carrying on the usual Business, which passes under the Publick Seal, or of the Seal of the Prerogative Office,

or my private Seal at Arms: I have left the said Seals in your Custody, hereby impowering you, or any two of you, to Affix either of those Seals to such papers as usually pass under the same, in the Common & Ordinary Course of Business, where a Delay till my return would be attended with publick Disadvantage or Loss, or inconvenience to the Persons applying, And I also impower you, or any two of you, in case it should be necessary from my unexpected long absence, Sickness, or other Accident to deliver the publick and prerogative Seals, and the Royal Instructions to the president of his Majesty's Council of this Province, at such time as a Majority of the Council shall Judge it necessary for the President of the Council to take upon him the Admnr. of the Government and for your so doing this shall be your Warrant. Given under my hand and Seal at Arms at Burlington the 26th of Augst. in the Eighth year of his Majesty's Reign Anno Domini

1768.

Letter from Gov. Franklin to Secretary Hillsborough, relative to a Treaty with the Indians for settling boundary between them and the Northern British Colonies.

[From P. R. O. West Indies, Vol. 173 (191).]

BURLINGTON Aug 27th 1768

To the Right Honble the Earl of Hillsborough

My Lord,

Having receiv'd an Intimation from Sir William Johnson, Bar His Majesty's Superintendant for Indian Affairs, that he was shortly to hold a Treaty with the Indians, for Settling a Boundary Line between them

and the Northern British Colonies, and that it might be of publick Service if, on this very important Occasion, Commissioners were to attend the Treaty in Behalf of this Province, I laid the Matter before the Council, who were of Opinion that the Notice was too short to call the Assembly together to make Provision for defraying the Expence of sending Commissioners to the Treaty, but they thought my Prescence there might answer very good Purposes to this Province, as well as to the other Parts of the British Dominions in America. I have thereupon consented to attend the Conference, and am this Day to set off for Albany, accompanied by M: Smyth, one of His Majesty's Council for this Province.-Matters are so settled that no Inconvenience can arise by my Absence, which I have Reason to believe will not exceed four or five Weeks.' -By this Opportunity I have answered all the Letters I have had the Honour to receive from your Lordship by the May Packet. The June Mail is not yet arrived, and, 'tis feared, is either lost or gone to the West Indies.

I have the Honor to be, with the greatest Respect, My Lord Your Lordship's most obedient

& most humble Servant

W FRANKLIN

The proceedings at Fort Stanwix between the whites and the Indians during October and November, 1768, for the settlement of the frontier boundary, are detailed fully in N. Y. Col. Does., VIII., 110-137. Governor Franklin was accompanied by Chief Justice Smyth. Some of the incidents are worthy of a note here. On the second day of the conference( Oct. 25) “ Canaghquieson, Chief of Oneida, stood up & addressing all present, observd that the several American Governors had Indian names, by which they were known to the Indians, the Governor of New Jersey excepted; that he therefore thought it necessary to compliment him with a name, which he did by bestowing his own name upon him, on which his Excellency Gov Franklin shook him by the Hand & returned him thanks." Subsequently the Cheifs arose & shook hands with Gov Franklin & Canaghquieson addressing him said, that as he had given him his own name, he hoped that he would endeavour to acquire as much reputation with it amongst the People as he had done. The Governor returned them many thanks." The next day, "Conoghquieson stood up and said that the Six Nations not being satisfied with his having given his own name to Govern Franklin had met upon it, and