It is with the deepest concern, that as private Secretary to our late Govr, I now acquaint your Lord, that His Excelly Sir Henry Moore, died on this afternoon after an illness of three weeks. The great loss that this Provee has sustained in him, will be much better perceived, in the general grief diffused thro' all ranks of Men among us, than in any panegyrick from me. As the late Gov had been pleased to entrust me with the Custody of the great Seal, I shall deliver it to Lieut' Gov Colden whenever he takes upon himself the Administration of the prov", together with such of your Lordp's letters as may be necessary for his correspondence. I must beg your Lordp's pardon for farther acquainting you, that his late Excellcy had appointed me principal Surrogate and Register of the prerogative Court in this Provce, with Authority to issue letters probate of wills and letters of administration on intestate Estates, and at the same time for soliciting Your Lord's patronage in procuring me this office under the Great Seal of England, or if that should be thought improper, to recommend my continuance in this Department to such Govr as His Majty shall hereafter be pleased to appoint Commander in Chief of this Province. It is certainly very incumbent on me to make an apology for this request, my character being entirely unknown to your Lord, must therefore only inform you, that I received my education in England and was regularly bred to the profession of the Law at Lincoln's Inn, and upon this appointment immediately quitted my profession and applyed myself wholly to the duties of my Department, upon which my entire subsistance depends, and trust from behaviour therein, and knowledge of the necessary Official business, that I may not be improperly continued. My family connections are, I believe with great truth, among the firstin this Provee and altho' a distant relation of my name in the last Session of Assembly appeared to be in opposition to Govern', yet my nearer connections have always pursued very different measures. my I have written by this Pacquet to Coll: Staats Long Morris, Henry Drummond Esqre of Charring Cross, James Coats Esqre late Member for Edinburgh, and Richard Jackson Esqre 1 General Staats Long Morris, son of Judge Lewis Morris and Catharine Staats, of Morrissania, N. Y., nnd grandson of Governor Morris of New Jersey, was born on the 27th August, 1728, ( Bolton's History of Westchester County II., 284,) and educated at Yale College. Whitehead's Papers of Governor Morrit, 190. Having entered the army, he became captain in the 3Gth regiment of Foot on the 31st May, 1756, and attained the rank of major in 175S. Government having resolved the following year to raise an additional regiment of Highlanders, by the influence of the Gordon family, at the solicitation of the Dowager Duchess of Gordon, Major Morris, to whom she had been lately married, was appointed to raise that regiment, in which the Duke entered as captain, Lord William as lieutenant and Lord George as ensign. In a few weeks 760 men were mustered and marched to Aberdeen, and Major Morris received a commission of Lieutenant-Colonel of the new corps, which was called the 89th Highland Regiment; with it he embarked, in December, 1760, for the East Indies, arrived at Bombay in November following (Browne's History of the Highland Clant, IV., 281, 282,) and served at the siege of Pondicherry in 1761. Beatson's Naval and Military Memoirs, II., 359, III., 259. On 7th July, 1763, he was appointed to the local rank of Brigadier-General, ( Army List) and on the return of the regiment to England it was reduced in 1765, (Browne) and its lieutenant-colonel went on half-pay, where he continued until 1778. He became major-general in 1777, and was appointed colonel of the 61st or South Gloucestershire regiment in 1778. He rose to the rank of General in the British army in 1796, reoeived the sinecure appointment of Governor of Quebec in 1797 and died in tho early part of the year 1800, in the 72d year of his age. Army Lists. General Morris was twice married; 1st to the Duchess of Gordon, as already mentioned, who died in 1770, and 2dly to Miss Urquhart, who survived her husband about a year. — ED. of Middle Temple, they being such of my friends as may most probably be known to your Lordp, desiring that they would inform you of my Character as a private Gentleman, and should the Representation be so satisfactory as to induce your Lord to countenance this application, I shall always retain the most grateful remembrance of your goodness. Since writing the above, I have waited on Lieut' Govr Colden in the Country informing him of Sir Henry Moore's death, at which time he thought proper to inform me, that I should not be continued in my Department, a severe stroke upon a public Officer of Govern', to be removed without any imputation of malconduct. I have the honor to be with the greatest respect My Lord Your Lord's most obedient and Ph: LIVINGSTON Jun' My Lord, Lieutenant-Governor Colden to the Earl of Hillsborough. [New-York P.pors <S. P. O.) CLXI.] New York, 13. Sept 1769. On Monday last the ll"1 Inst: Sir Henry Moore Dyed after three afternoon. I was then at my house in the Country, next day I came to Town; Sir Henry's Funeral being that day, I delayed the assuming the Administration of Govern' to this day. I have taken in Council, the usual Oaths as Lieut' Govr & Commander in Chief of the Province. I am not as yet sufficiently informed of the State of Public affairs, to write any thing in particular, but your Lord may be assured, that it shall be my constant endeavour to keep the Provce in peace and tranquility. Since I came to Town, I have seen many of the principal Inhabitants, who give me hope that I shall succeed in my endeavour, and I have good ground to hope that my Administration will be made easy to me. The appointment of a Register in the prerogative Office became necessary immediately after the Gov'' death. I have appointed Mr Banyar,1 Deputy Secretary, to execute that Office, who executed the same while I had the Administration formerly, and many years before that time, 1 Goldsbeow Bahtar was born in the city of London in the year 1724, and is said to have come to this country in 1787. George Joseph Moore, the Deputy Auditor-General, having deceased on the 22d February 1746-6, Mr. Banyar was appointed his successor, and on the 2d June, 1746, was sworn in as Deputy Secretary of the Province, Deputy Clerk of the Council and Deputy Clerk of the Supreme Court. New-York Council Minutes, XXI., 99. In 1752 he received the commission of Register of the Court of Chancery, (Commission*, V., 43,) and in the following year, that of Judge of Probate and of Examiner in the Prerogative Court. Ibid, 62, 63. He discharged the duties of these several offices until the termination of the Royal Government in the Province of New-York. At the breaking out of the revolution Mr. Banyar retired to Rhinebeck, whither Sir Henry Clinton sent a sealed despatch to him, previous to the contemplated attack upon Esopus, asking for information as to the best mode of attacking that place. After the officer and his attendants had been properly entertained, Mr. Banyar dismissed them with a sealed letter for Sir Henry which, on being opened, was found to contain this laconic reply, "Mr. Banyar knows nothing." It is impossible, says Gorham A. Worth, to reflect one moment upon the position which Mr. B. occupied of whose ability and fidelity I am well assured, and whose conduct has been free from all exception. As I flatter myself, it has appeared to His Ma]"''' Ministers, that I had my duty always in view, while the Administration was formerly in my hands, I hope not to fail in it now, and that while I perform my duty, I shall have the honor of your Lord's patronage. I have the honor to be with the highest respect My Lord Your most obedient and faithful servant Cadwallader Colden. Lieutenant-Governor Colden to the Earl of Hillsborough. [New-York Papers (8. P. O.) CLXI.] My Lord. New York. 4. October 1769. Your Lordp' letter N° 33, directed to Sir Henry Moore, came to my hands after his death. By my letter of the 13,h of last Month, I informed your Lord of his death, and of my having taken the Administration of Govern'. Before I wrote that letter I had met more than once with the Gentlemen of the Council, I had conversed with the Speaker and several of the Members of Assembly, I had assurances from them of their disposition to make my Administration easy to me. Nothing has occurred since that time, to make me doubt of this being conformable to the general inclination of the people; tho' at the same time I know, that some are of a quite different disposition; but I hope their power will not be equal to their disposition to raise difficulties in this Govern'. I am informed, My Lord, by those who know the inclinations of the Assembly well, that, they have the passing the Bill for issuing a paper currency, much at heart—that the passing of that Bill will put them in good humour; and that unless this be done it will be difficult to make them continue the provision for the Soldiers quartered in this Province, after the Massachusets Bay have set them an example of absolutely refusing to do it, which has been followed by the Assembly of South Carolina. Whatever other effect the granting a paper currency may have it will certainly increase the consumption of British Manufactures in this Province. I conceive no inconvenience, My Lord, during the Revolution, and the manner in which he sustained himself in it, without conceding to him a thorough knowledge of the world, great sagacity and great address. Random Recollections, 67. In 1767 Mr. Banyar married Elizabeth Mortier, daughter of the Paymaster-General, and widow of John Appy, Esq., Judge-Advocate of H. M. forces in America. He removed after the Peace to Albany, where he always took a great interest in the internal improvements of the State, and contributed to all a liberal support. In 1786 he was appointed, in conjunction with General Schuyler and the late Elkanah Watson, commissioner to examine and report on making a canal from Wood creek to the Mohawk river, and generally as to the most judicious plan of making that river navigable. This duty they performed in the most acceptable manner. Mr. Banyar survived his lady 7 years, and died at Albany, full of years and of honors, on the 4th of November, 1815, at the advanced age of 91 years; leaving to his descendants a large estate and a more enduring inheritance — the recollection of his many virtues and the example of a life devoted to duty.-ED. in allowing the payments of the money borrowed, to be made of a tenth part every year. The reason of this, is that some of the borrowers on the former Emission, suffered by their imprudence and had their Estates sold in execution greatly under their value. The Clerk of the Council tells me, that, the Acts passed last sessions of Assembly, were transmitted by the June Packet from hence, & Mr Livingston Sir Henry's Secretary, says, that the Bill for a paper currency was transmitted to your Lord? by the last Packet, in the preceeding month. My Lord—You did me the honor to signify to Sir Henry Moore, that his Majesty graciously attended to the losses and sufferings of a meritorious old servant of the Crown, and recommended his insisting on a recompence from the Assembly to me which I have not obtained. How far Sir Henry interested himself in the recommendation, I know not, but how his Majesty may recompence me, by graciously suffering me to continue in the Administration, with the salary & perquisites; if my conduct demonstrates an entire regard to my duty, and I be able to preserve the Province in tranquility, as it shall be my steady endeavour to do, I hope I may beg your Lord's favourable representation of my case to His Majesty for that purpose, I am with the greatest respect & submission My Lord Your most obedient and Cadwallader Colden. Earl of Hillsborough to Lieutenant-Governor Colden. [New-York Papers (S. P. 0. ) CLXI. ] Whitehall, 4. NoV 1769. Sir, Your letter of the 13,b of Sept", containing an account of the death of Sir Henry Moore, was received on the 16lh of October, and immediately laid before the King. It will be a great satisfaction to me to hear, that the State of the Colony is such as to justify the expectation you have of being able to preserve the public peace and tranquility, and that your Administration would be made easy to you. It is as much my inclination as my duty to promote these salutary ends, and you may rest assured, that you will never want every support and protection in my power to give you. The only matter of any moment relative to the Colony of New York, which seems to require immediate consideration, is the Bill for emitting £120000 in paper Bills of Credit, prepared in the last Session of Assembly, but which was not transmitted by Sir H. Moore till a few days before he died. I lost no time after it came to my hands in receiving the King's commands to transmit it to the Board of Trade which will be reassembled in a few days after the usual recess, and where I doubt not, that it will meet with all the Dispatch the importance of it demands. I am ettc. HILLSBOROUGH. No 5. My Lord, Lieutenant-Governor Golden to the Earl of Hillsborough. [New-York Papers (S. P. O.) CLXII.] New York. 4 December, 1769. By my letters N° 1 and 2, I informed your Lord of the Assurances I had of the general disposition of the People to preserve the Province in tranquility. Since that time the Merchants of this Place received a letter from the Massachusets Bay, exhorting them to enter into new Resolutions of not importing any British Manufactures, until all the Acts of Parliament, which lay duties on goods imported into the Colonies, are repealed. This letter I am well informed was read in a full meeting of the Merchants of this Place—that not one spoke in favour of it, and that it passed over without the least notice. This and some other things My Lord, gives me hopes, that a more moderate temper, begins to gain ground among the People, and that many incline to avoid, as much as possible, what may irritate or give offence to the parent Country. I delayed meeting the Assembly longer than usual at this season, when the supplies for the support of Govern' are annually granted, in hopes of receiving your Lord's commands in relation to a Bill for emitting £100000 on Loan in Bills of Credit; the passing of which the people have greatly at heart, Inclosed are printed copies of my speech to the Council and Assembly, at the opening of the Session and of the Council and Assemblie's addresses to me in answer to what I had recommended to them. From these your Lord may form some Judgement of their Disposition. The Bill for emitting £100000 in Bills of Credit, was on their first meeting ordered to be brought in, and I suppose it will be one of the first Bills which will pass the House of Assembly, and I expect will receive the Council's concurrence. The Speaker tells me it is the same which passed last session, of which Sir Henry Moore transmitted a copy to your Lord The greatest number of the present Assembly I think, are now very sensible how much it is the interest of the Colonies to have the mutual confidence, between Great Brittain and the Colonies restored, and that it is essential to their well being; but as they know not with any certainty, how far the Parliament may comply with their Petitions, they are careful not to loose their popularity, which some among them are endeavouring to bring about. This may excuse some parts of their proceedings which have not so good an appearnce as I wish, particularly they concurring with an adopting the resolves of the Virginia Assembly of the 16,h of May last, which had been transmitted to them by the Speaker of that Assembly, & which in the present circumstances of this Place, it is said they could not avoid taking some notice of. I hope, at the conclusion of the session, I may be able, with some certainty, to give your Lordp an agreable account of their disposition. I have the honor to be with entire submission My Lord, Your most obedient and faithful servant. CADWALLADER COLDEN. |