網頁圖片
PDF
ePub 版

the lieutenant-governor, he did not see his way clear to give his consent to the money-bill you have laid before him.

'The cheerfulness with which you therein granted ten thousand pounds, for victualling the forces intended to march from New England to secure his majesty's territories, leaves me no room to doubt your zeal for his majesty's service, or your hearty concurrence with the government I have the honour to represent, in the measures now proposed for our common safety; and therefore, though you are unhappily disappointed in the manner of your grant, I flatter myself you will not fail to find some other means of rendering it effectual.

'The advantages which a speedy and vigorous execution of those measures promises to all the colonies, and the mischiefs which a neglect of them will entail upon us and our posterity, are clearly pointed out, and fully illustrated in the papers which have been the subject of your late delibera

tions.

'In rendering this important service to the crown, to the British nation, and to their fellow-subjects in the other governments, New England offers to spend her treasure as freely as her blood, and, were her abilities equal to her zeal, would as cheerfully bear the whole expence, as she undertakes the whole hazard of the enterprize. But the vast yearly charge she is subjected to, by her vicinity to the French, and the necessity of defending so extensive a frontier from the incursions of those perfidious people, and their Indians, both in time of peace and war, has so exhausted her finances, and burdened her with such a load of debt, that, without the assistance of the neighbouring more wealthy colonies, she must drop the design, however promising and glorious, as utterly impracticable.

'Happy will your province be, gentlemen, if you can still keep those dangerous people at a distance from your borders, by which you will be free from the many mischiefs we have always suffered by their neighbourhood.

'The opportunity is now offered you, and, if embraced, will, by the blessing of God, secure your future peace and

prosperity. But whatever you do, should be determined instantly, for the season flies, and a delay may be as pernicious as a refusal.

'I have just received advice, that Connecticut has voted fifteen hundred men, and that even the little government of Rhode Island has granted four hundred, the expence of which will be more than is, asked of you. New York seems heartily disposed to do her part; and there is reason to think that your good example may have an advantageous influence on your neighbours of New Jersey.

'I need say no more to urge you to a speedy and effectual resolution, but conclude, with the utmost respect, gentlemen, 'Yours, &c.'

The rest of the day was spent in debates, as it was natural it should; but on the morrow they resolved to raise fifteen thousand pounds on the credit of the province, in the manner they had done before; that is to say, five thousand pounds to repay the sum so before borrowed for victualling the king's troops, and ten thousand pounds to answer the request of the Massachusetts government, so earnestly enforced by Mr. Quincy.

Thus, one would think, they had done all that could be reasonably required of men: they had dropt the particular concern of the province; they had overlooked whatever was offensive in the governor's messages and behaviour to them, they had forborne all altercation thereon; and Mr. Quincy, on behalf of the government he represented, presented them such a paper of acknowlegment, as abundantly verifies all that is here said of them, to wit:

'Sir,

'The sum which this honourable assembly has granted to his majesty's use, and appropriated for victualling the troops intended to be marched for securing his majesty's territories, is an instance of your concern and zeal for the public safety, which I doubt not will be highly acceptable to his majesty. And as it was made in consequence of my application to you, I beg leave to return you my grateful sense and acknowlegment; and to assure you, in the name and behalf

1

of the government I have the honour to represent, that it will be duly applied to the purposes for which it was granted.'

The governor, however, dissatisfied still, because disappointed and defeated, first evaded the assembly's demand of the restitution of their bill according to custom, and then refused it, saying, "That it was a bill of so extraordinary a nature, that he thought it his duty to lay it before his majesty, and should keep it for that purpose."

He also informed them by message of intelligence he had received, that the French had fitted out fifteen sail of the line, with which they were sending out six thousand land forces, and that the king's ministers were not in the secret of their destination; yet as they were bound for America, and could not be ignorant that Pennsylvania was both a plentiful and defenceless country, he thought it his duty to call upon them to enable him to put it into a posture of defence, by establishing a regular militia, and providing the necessary stores of war.

This message was dated April 3d, and yet on the 8th following he advised them to make a short adjournment, because he was to receive the governors Shirley and De Lancey, that evening, and was to accompany them to Annapolis, there to confer with general Braddock, and the governors Sharpe of Maryland, and Dinwiddie of Virginia; after which, it was probable, he should have several matters to lay before the assembly; but, as a parting stroke, he called upon them to make some provision for Scarroyady, before mentioned, and his young men, which they did not without some wholesome hints, that they had been long enough already a charge to the province; that there were proper lands where, and it was a proper season when, they might both hunt, and plant their corn, by which they might provide for themselves; and that as to the Indian treaty they had been required to make provision for, the governor could not expect they could come to any immediate resolution, till they had received the necessary information concerning it.

It was in this manner they parted. The adjournment they made was only to the 12th of May, and yet the governor

both complained of that term as too long, and said he should call them sooner if there was occasion. When they met, they gave the governor notice as usual, and that they were ready to receive whatever he had to lay before them. The governor's answer was, that he had nothing to lay before them at present but the German bill; a bill, that is to say, re→ commended by the governor himself, from the notorious necessity of it, for preventing the importation of German or other passengers or servants in too great numbers in one vessel, and for preventing the spreading of contagious distempers, imported by or together with them, &c. This had been prepared by the house at their last sitting, and sent up to the governor; had been returned with amendments by him some of these amendments had been adopted: and then the bill had been again sent up, with a desire from the house, that the governor would be pleased to pass the same as it then stood. This he had not been pleased to do, but on the contrary had referred it to the consideration of his council, by whose advice he had been determined to adhere to his amendments; under which declaration it was now again sent down to the house; who having appointed a committee to draw up a message to the governor, representing the inconveniencies to be apprehended from the said amendments, and agreed to that message, on the report of the same, came to a resolution of adjourning on the morrow to the first of September.

To say this message was of the most pathetic, rational, and interesting kind, is to say the least that can be said of it: it explained the evil to be remedied, and the consequences to be apprehended from a continuance of it, in the most affecting terms; it demonstrated, that the amendments' insisted upon by the governor were calculated to deprive it of all its vigour and utility; that in effect the province was to be as much exposed to the same nuisances and dangers as ever; and what gave the most offence of all, by the following paragraph the inhabitants were led to the very source of so crying a grievance.

[ocr errors]

'By our charters, and the laws of this province, the whole legislative power is vested in the governor and the representatives of the people; and as we know of no other negative upon our bills but what the governor himself has, we could wish he had been pleased to have exercised his own judg ment upon this our bill, without referring the consideration of it to a committee of his council, most of them such, as we are informed, who are, or have lately been, concerned in the importations, the abuses of which this bill was designed to regulate and redress."

Now, which ever party was in the right, can it be said, that the king, or the supply for his service, or any one of the points in the preceding session agitated, had any concern in the rise, progress, or issue of this controversy? has it not been already observed, to the honour of the assembly, how cautiously and prudently they had avoided whatever could tend to widen the breach on any of these heads? is it not fresh before us, that, even for want of provocation, the governor himself was forced both to part with them, and meet them again in peace. And yet having declared as we have seen, that he had nothing to communicate to them, consequently nothing to ask of them, other than what related to this German bill; did he take the hint from hence to treat them by message in the following extraordinary manner, viz. 'Gentlemen,

"When I summoned you together on the 17th of March last, I was in hopes you would bring with you inclinations to promote the public service, by granting the supplies expected by the crown, and by putting this province into a posture of defence; but I am sorry to find, that neither the danger to which this country stands exposed, nor his majesty's repeated and affectionate calls, have had any weight with you.

"The bill you sent me for striking twenty-five thousand pounds, was of a more extraordinary nature than that I refused my assent to in the winter sessions, as it gave general Braddock a power over no more than five thousand pounds, and subjected the remaining twenty thousand, and all the sur

« 上一頁繼續 »