If an act of the assembly of the province of New York, passed 23 December 1717, requiring the payment and discharge of several debts due from New York to various, persons, is not disallowed, it will be very destructive to the inhabitants and the trade the province of New York. If the new law is approved, designing men will be permitted to make themselves presents under color of paying imaginary deb ts, and this will create real debts. It will cause credit to sink and will cause paper money to multiply. Some of the money to be printed according to this act is to be left in the Treasurer's hands, because it is said to be intended to defray the cost of running a line between the provinces of New York and New Jersey. When this line is run, it is hoped that no part of New York may be added to that of New Jersey and that the merchants of Great Britain prefer trade with a crown colony to that under proprietors. That Richmond County, Minisink, and other places in Orange County lying on the borders of the so-called line, which have been taken as part of the province of New York for more than fifty years, will not be lost. If these are added to New Jersey, great quit rents will be lost to the crown, and the income of New York will be lessened, and the province will be liable to the necessity of raising large sums in lieu of quit rents. Also the merchants of Great Britain prefer trade with a crown colony to that under proprietors. Signed by Charles Lodwick, Samuel Baker, Samuel Storke, Andrew Faneuil, George Chabot, Richard Mico, John Lloyd, and Richard Janeway. From a paper enclosed in a letter of 4June 1719 from the Council of Trade, which is in the Council Office, New York. Entered before the Commission to settle the boundary between New York and New Jersey 2 August 1769.
Subjects
United States--History--Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775; Jay, John, 1745-1829