of Iron and other Naval Stores, beyond any of the Plantations in America. Yet it is evident, that under the Ease and Safety of the Charter Goverments, Secured Chiefly by their Annual Assemblys These Colonies have flourished to a great Degree in those usefull Manufactures, so Advantagious to the Trade and Safety of Great Britain, while this Colony has been under such Discouragements, as to have done little or nothing in these Manufactures, but has seen the Iron Ore carried from hence, to be worked up at about 200 miles Distance in New England, tho with Respect to Wood and Water, this Country has as good or better Conveniences than that. the vast Number of People Inhabiting the New England Colonies, the sudden and prodigious growth of Pensilvania, with their Annual Assemblies while the finist Colony lying between them, under the Kings Immediate Goverment, that has been as long Settled as either of them, is Empty of People poor and Starving, is generally believed to be chiefly owing to those Mischiefs, which have arose from the want of a frequent Election of Assemblies, and the passing of this Law, will Doubtless Tend to the Multiplying of our People, the Extension of our ffrontiers, the promoting of the fur Trade, and making this Colony a strong Barrier against the ffrench, and Consequently the Bulwark and Safety of British Interests in America. It will make this Colony of more Service to Great Britain, by a larger Consumption of its Commodities, by raising of Hemp and making of Iron, and other Naval Stores. It will raise a spirit of Industry among the People, and Extend our Trade, restore our Seamen and Navigation, and remove that Discontent, which has always Increased in proportion to the Age of Past Assemblies. It will raise the Honour of His Majestys immediate Government, as it will greatly advance the happiness of His people, that live under it, and will make the Neighboring Colonies to set a less value upon their Charters. It is a Privilege Enjoyed by the Provinces of New Hampshire and South Carolina Barbadoes Antigua and the Leward Islands under His Majestyes Immediate Government to have an Annual Election of Assemblies, and North Carolina Enjoys a Biennial Assembly, and it may be hoped that his Majesty will not deny to his Loyal Subjects in New York, what not only their welfare and prosper

ity, but also the peace and Honour of His Goverment, the Interests of His Crown, and the Trade of Great Britain, and the Safety of the Neighbouring Colonies seems to render absolutely necessary.

MEMORANDUM Of Some of the Reasons that may bẹ offered for obtaining his Majesties Royall Assent to the Act for frequent Election of Representatives.

First, For that its the Universal Opinion of the Inhabitants of this Colony that the Long Continuance of Assemblys has been one of the greatest Causes of the present Declining State of this Colony, which is such that while our Neighbours of Pensilvania on the one hand and of Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusets Bay and New Hampshire on the other Hand Do yearly greatly Encrease in numbers of People and the value of their Lands rise and their Trade flourishes, Yet this Colony which has much greater Natural advantages than any of them has for several years past decreased in numbers of People, Rents in the City of New York have generally fallen near one half, and the Lands of this Colony about one third part of the value which they have heretofore been at, Our seamen and Ship Carpenters have almost wholly deserted us, and our Navigation is almost got into the Hands of Strangers to this Colony. Long Assemblys are supposed to be one of the greatest Causes of this Bad State, by their not finding Remedies to prevent or put a stop to this declining State, by their Suffering the People long to Labour under Grievances, without obtaining or Endeavouring to obtain relief against them, In some Counties even their very Representatives have become themselves their greatest Grievance For while they have Suffered and Abetted a Governour in Tyrannizing over all they have become Deputy Tyrants in their Counties. They have often got into their Hands the Sole Recommendation of all Judges, Justices, Officers of the Militia, and other Officers in their Counties, those so recommended by them they Supported in those Offices tho' often unworthy of them, The hopes of being supported encouraged those officers to Despise and Oppress the People And thus a Gradation of

Tyrants has been often Established and Supported and the People left Destitute of Relief against their Daily Insults and Injuries-Which with many other things too many to repeat with too much reason has induced many of the Inhabitants to think they had no Liberty at all nor property certain in this Colony, and that they had better to remove to the neighbouring Colonies of Either Side where such Tyrannizing was fully prevented by a yearly Election of Representatives and where the Liberties and Properties of the People are well preserved—And its universally believed that a frequent Election of Representatives would have the like effect here, And that the Short duration of Assemblys will not only prevent the Representatives themselves from Domineering in their Counties by Laying them under a necessity to preserve the Affections of the People in order to preserve their power But will also give the People an Opportunity from time to time to Chuse such men as are Sensible of what Grievances they Labour under and as are Capable to obtain a Redress of them, and of what has Rendered or is like to render the Liberties and properties of the People precarious.

Secondly-The great Natural advantages which this Colony has beyond the neighbouring Colonies by its Furr Trade, Excellent Harbours, their nearness to the Sea, its Inland Navigation to & through every one of the Counties of this Colony and to and amongst the Indian Nations as far as the Banks of St Lawrence River and its Lakes and the fertile soil of this Colony, with the hopes that this Law often by the people and Assemblies in vain endeavoured for might at last be obtained, Tho' they have not been able to hinder this Colony from greatly Declining while its Neighbours with much less Natural Advantages are growing and flourishing Yet they have hitherto in great measure hindered its being intirely deserted But should his Majestie deny his Royal Assent to this Law its to be feared That great numbers of the Inhabitants would forthwith provide to remove to the Neighbouring Colonies where they believe they are more Sure of protection for their Liberties and Properties This Colony which is the Barrier against the French for the other Colonies may thereby in time be Deserted, The French our Rivals in the ffur Trade will then get it intirely from us into their Hands

Great Britain will thereby lose the Exportation of Great Quantities of Strouds, Blankets and other Woollen Goods which the Indians now take in Exchange for their ffurs, and ffrance will acquire the furnishing of them with the Same, And also the manufacturing of the ffur and Skins got from the Indians in Exchange, and possibly this Colony may at last become possessed by the French as a Derelict (as parts of it on the Banks of St Lawrence and its Lakes already [are] Crown point and Neagara are Examples of this) and the other Colonies will by this means be exposed to their Insults & Even to be Conquered by them And unless the Liberties and Properties of the People of this Colony are Secured by this Law its Conceived not only impossible for it to grow as Other the neighbouring Colonies but even to hinder the Inhabitants from greatly deserting it

Thirdly-The neighbouring Colonies of Pensilvania on the one hand and of Connecticut, Rhode Island Massachusets Bay & New Hampshire on the other hand have the Priviledge of Annual Assemblies secured to them, By means of which any Grievance that Affects the People is their quickly removed Their Liberties and properties are by reasonable Laws protected and Enjoyed This Encourages their people to Industry and to the Extending their Trade This invites not only the people of this Colony to them but also great numbers from all Protestant Countries in Europe Whereas in this Colony for want of a speedy redress of Grievances and the Security of the Liberties and Properties of the People foreigners are discouraged to Come and Settle with us, and Discontents Do Sometimes arise amongst us to a very great Heighth, Insomuch that Insurrections have been often not without reason feared The precariousness of the Liberties and Properties of the People Curbs their Industry This Colony abounds with Iron Oar and with streams of Water and timber fitt for melting it and bringing it into Barrs, which are intirely neglected while our neighbours with less Convenience have got to a great heighth in that manufacture This Colony has plenty of Lands fitt for Hemp which lies neglected while our neighbours have much improved in it That precariousness Cramps the minds of the People from thinking to Launch out into trade which has given other Colonies the oppor

tunity to become almost our Sole Carriers, and should we Decrease in our Shipping as for some years past, they will soon be entirely so

Fourthly,-If his Majestie will be graciously pleased to give his Assent to this Act its hoped and believed, that by means of it no great Grievance will remain long unredressed, That reasonable Laws will from time to time be made to secure the Liberties and Properties of the People. This will its hoped, soon invite Back our people that have deserted us--This will induce our neighbors to believe they can be as safe in their Liberties and properties and that they can live as happily under his Majesties immediate Government as under any of their Charter Governments, And when they are so Convinced Its not Doubted but that the Natural Advantages which this has Beyond those Colonies will soon invite many of them to settle here and Encourage other Foreign Protestants to follow their example, By which our Indian Trade and the Settlement of this Colony may soon be greatly extended; Its probable the want of bringing this Colony into those Circumstances that has obstructed its being settled quite to and along the Banks of St Lawrence & its Lakes, and which has given the Opportunity to the French to make Sundry Settlements there which this Colony might have done, so that this Colony has but one single Settlement upon the Lakes of St Lawrence, to witt, Oswego & no Settlement within one hundred & fifty miles thereof to support it.

But its hoped that this may still be in great measure retrieved if this Colony be brought into the Circumstances aforesaid For this Colony by its safe and short navigation to Brittain and its safe, short and speedy Inland Navigation to the Indian Nations and Lakes of St Lawrence may be Enabled far to undersel the French amongst the Indians, and thereby Can in time cut them out of all that Trade, which now they will probably cut us out of, if this act should be Damned.

Fifthly-Should it be objected by Enemies to the being of this Colony, That tho' our Neighboring Colonies of both Sides have Annual Elections, yet they are Charter Governments and why should the Kings Government follow their Example. Answer, Its Derogatory to his Majisties goodness and Honour to