DEAR SONS

ROBT LIVINGSTON TO P. LIVINGSTON & JAMES DUANE.

Mannor Livingston ye 22th March 1762.

Last night I Received the Inclosed Letter from my Clarke at the Ironworks, Containing an Information of one Coenrat Clyn a Tenant of mine liveing at Tachkanick who was the other day, at my request, at the meeting of the Rioters in the mountain back of Tachkanick, by which it appears that this old bandity intend to give me new trouble, and as they now find that no further assistance can be had for them from the Neighbouring Government they have resolved to send their Chief Robert Miller an inhabitant of Mr Philips's mannor as a solicitor to our Governour in hopes that he will grant them my Lands, under pretens of Vacant Lands which they have purchased of some Stragling Indians, but as his honour has been fully Informed of their Intentions by you, I am fully perswaded that he will give this Solicitor a Sevear repremend for his presumption, but then as he is one of the Chief ring Leaders at prsent. I am apprehensive he will not truly inform the mob, at his return how he was received, and dismissed by his Honour, wherefore that the Evil intentions of the whole might be fully prevented, it will be necessary I think that his Honour be desired to Issue out a Proclamation prohibiting this mob, or any others to, trouble me in this manner, in the Mannor, under penelty of fine & Commitment, and a doz: of these Proclamations to be sent me to be put up in proper places in the Mannor, that the rest of the Rioters might see, that instead of being countinanced, they and their proceedings are abhorred by our Government which believe would have the good Effect of dispersing them & leaveing me in quiet wherefore give my Compliments to his Honour our Governour & beg him to grant me Such a proclamation the Expence of the Printer & I will gladly pay.

I have also inclosed a Letter of Josiah Loomis one of the heads or Chief of these Rioters, to one of my Tenants at Tachkanick warning him of the Farm &a as you'll See by the Letter, & by which it plainly appears these bandity intend to come with a body in the Spring to turn of my Tenants & Settle themselves provided the Government does not speadily interpose in my favour, This Loomis was formerly a Tenant of mine who was dispossesed by a Corse of Law and turnd out of possession by the Sherriff of the County, and afterwards Committed to Albany Goal for his riotes proceedings & now begins to act in the same manner again.

If you can suggest to his Honr any better or more Effectual method to prevent this mob's giving me any further trouble, or if his Honr can propose any thing more agreable to him and the Gentlemen of the Councill to Effect this much desired End, it will be very agreable to me, and lay me under obligations, as the post is just going must conclude & am

Mr Peter Livingston & Mr James Duane

Your affectionate Father

ROBT LIVINGSTON Jun".

These Rioters have given me no trouble Since the Proclamation Issued in 1757 & now they Intend to make their Last bold push, which I think will be prevented by another Proclamation comeing out in time.

R L.

did, on the 8th June, 1757, issue a Proclamation for the apprehending certain Persons therein named, who had been, and all others who thereafter should be guilty of such riotous and illegal Proceedings. AND WHEREAS the aforesaid evil-minded Persons, and others confederating with them, particularly Robert Miller, and Josiah Loomis, in Contempt of the said Proclamation, and in open Defiance of the Authority of this Government, have lately riotously assembled within the said Manor, and do now threaten to dispossess the Tenants of the said Robert Livingston, and to seat and maintain themselves therein by Force and Violence. IN ORDER THEREFORE to prevent the Accomplishment of such pernicious Designs, and to preserve the Publick Peace: I HAVE thought fit, with the Advice of His Majesty's Council, to issue this Proclamation, Hereby in His Majesty's Name strictly enjoining all Persons to forbear and desist from such violent and unjust Proceedings, on Pain of being punished with the utmost Rigour of the Law. And hereby commanding the Sheriffs, and other Civil Officers within the Counties of Albany and Dutches, to apprehend and keep, or cause to be committed in safe Custody, all and every such Person or Persons, who shall or may unlawfully assemble together in the said Manor, or who shall by Force or Violence dispossess, or otherwise disturb or molest the Inhabitants therein, or contrary to Law possess themselves of any Part thereof. AND All His Majesty's Subjects, in the Counties aforesaid, are required to give due Assistance to the said Sheriffs within their respective Bailiwicks, who are hereby impowered and directed, if necessary, to raise the Posse or whole Power of the County, for the better and more effectual Execution of the Premises. GIVEN under my Hand and Seal at Arms, at Fort-George, in the City of New-York, the Thirtyfirst Day of March 1762, in the Second Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, and so forth. CADWALLADER COLDEN. By His Honours Command,

GW BANYAR, Dep. Secry.

GOD SAVE THE KING.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF LT. Gov. COLDEN.

CADWALLADER COLDEN, Lt. Governor of the Province of New York, known in the scientific and literary world as a physician, botanist, astronomer and historian, was born on the 17th February, 1688, (N. S.) in Ireland where his mother then happened to be temporarily on a visit. 1 His father was the Rev. Alexander Colden, Minister of Dunsie in Scotland. He graduated at the University of Edinburgh in 1705, but being disinclined to the Church for which he was intended, he proceeded to London where he embraced the profession of Medicine. He immigrated to Philadelphia in 1710, "a mere scholar and stranger in the world." He returned, however, to London in 1715, where he formed an acquaintance with some of the most distinguished literary characters of the day, and in the course of the following year married Alice Christie, daughter of a Clergyman at Kelso, Scotland. The troubles prevailing at this time could not but indispose him to remain in his native land, and he came back to Philadelphia in which city he practised his profession for some time. In 1718, he visited New York, where he made the acquaintance of Governor Hunter, who was so favourably impressed by his conversation and solid acquirements that he became his patron, and invited him to settle in his government, and appointed him Surveyor general of the Colony. In 1720, he procured a grant of two thousand acres of land, in what is now the town of Montgomery, Orange Co. to which was added shortly after, another of one thousand acres. He was called to his Majesty's provincial Council in 1722, by Gov. Burnet & in this position aided most efficiently in securing the Indian trade to New York. At this period the trade with the distant Indians was carried on through Canada which obtained its supplies from Great Britain thro' certain merchants at Albany. To exclude the French from this trade was a prominent part of Burnet's policy, and with that view he obtained a law from the legislature prohibiting the circuitous trade under the severest penalties. Through the influence of London merchants and the intrigues of other interested parties this act was repealed in England. Considerable and prolonged discussion was the consequence; Dr. Colden took a prominent part in the controversy which, however, is interesting at this late day only from the fact that to it we owe the well known History of the Five Nations, "which was published in 1727, on occasion of a dispute between the government of New York & some merchants." After Mr. Burnet's administration Mr. Colden removed to his country seat now known by the name of Coldenham, and there devoted all the leisure he could command from his official duties to his favorite studies, and in learned correspondence with the philosophers of the day, both in Europe and America. It was in the course of this correspondence that he first suggested the plan of the American Philos. Society which was established at Philadelphia on account of the central and convenient situation of that city. Yet thus early he excited much jealousy among his contemporaries and we 1 Eager's Hist. of Orange Co. 239.