Whereupon the said Bond was read; and on the question,

Resolved, nem. con., That, in the opinion of this House, his said securities are very sufficient, and that his former Bond may and ought to be cancelled.

The engrossed Bill, entitled An Act for support of Government of his Majesty's Colony of New-Jersey, to commence the 1st day of October, 1774, and to end the 1st day of October, 1775, and to discharge the Publick Debts and Contingent Charges thereof, was read and compared; on the question,

Resolved, That the same do pass.

Friday, February 10, 1775.

The House being informed that Doctor James Murdock did, this day, send a challenge to one of the Members of this House, which was delivered in the House, and an answer insolently demanded; the House taking the same into consideration,

Resolved unanimously, That the challenging a Member of this House is contempt and breach of the privileges of this House:

Ordered, therefore, That Mr. Speaker do issue his Warrant to the Sergeant-at-Arms, immediately to take the said Doctor James Murdock, and bring him to the Bar of the House for the contempt aforesaid.

The Sergeant-at-Arms attended with Doctor James Murdock at the Bar the House, who, being there examined confessed his sending a challenge to a Member of this House; that he knew the gentleman to be a Member of the House but did not apprehend an insult to the House, and was extremely sorry for it, and declared his sorrow for writing the said letter, and his ignorance of the consequences and hoped the favour of the House:

Whereupon, the Sergeant-at-Arms being ordered to with draw with his prisoner, the House took the matter into consideration, and the Member injured moving that the said Doctor Murdock's acknowledgments might be accepted by the House; after some debate,

Ordered, That the said Doctor James Murdock do humbly ask pardon of this House, in general, and the Member in particular; that he be thereupon reprimanded by the Speaker, and that he then be discharged on payment of his Fees;

Whereupon the said Doctor Murdock did humbly ask pardon of the House, and the Member in particular; and being reprimanded by the Speaker,

Ordered, That he be discharged on payment of his Fees.

Saturday, February 11, 1775.

Mr. Wetherill, from the Committee appointed to prepare a draught of a Petition to his Majesty, brought in a draught, which, by order of the House, was read and ordered a second reading.

The draught of the Petition to his Majesty was read the second time,

Ordered, That the same be committed to a Committee of the Whole. House;

Whereupon the House accordingly resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House, on the Petition to his Majesty; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair, and Mr. Fisher, Chairman of the Committee, reported that the Committee had made some progress in the matters to them referred, and desired leave to sit again; to which the House agreed.

Monday, February 13, 1775.

The House taking into consideration, the state of the Debt due to this Colony from Lord Stirling, and it appearing that Mrs. Mary Verplank hath a mortgage upon the same Lands, prior to that given to the late Treasurer,

Ordered, That Mr. Fisher, Mr. Crane, and Mr. Lawrence or any two of them, do wait on Lord Stirling, and endeavour to procure security for the Debt due to the colony.

The House again, accordingly resolved itself into a Committee, of the Whole House, on the Petition his Majesty; and, after some time; spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair, and Mr. Fisher, Chairman of the Committee, reported that the Committee have gone through the said Petition, and made several amendments thereto, which he was ready to report whenever the House would please to receive the same.

Ordered, That the Report be made immediately:

Whereupon Mr. Fisher reported the said Petition and amendments, which, being read and agreed to by the House; on the question,

Ordered, That the same be engrossed.

Mr. Fisher and Mr. Lawrence reported that they had waited on Lord Stirling, pursuant to the order of the House, who informed them that he could not give the Province other security, unless a general mortgage, but that in four or five months the matter should be settled.

Ordered, That Mr. Fisher and Mr. Eldridge do go to the Council and inquire whether they have any business before them; if not, that this House proposes to apply to his Excellency for a dismission.

Mr. Fisher reported that Mr. Eldridge and himself went to the Council, according to order, who said they had no business before them.

The engrossed Petition to his Majesty was read mid compared, and is as follows:

To the King's most Excellent Majesty:

MOST GRACIOUS SOVEREIGN We, your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Representatives of the Colony of New-Jersey, in General Assembly convened, beg leave to approach your royal presence to express our unfeigned attachment to your Majesty's person, family, and Government, and to return you our most humble thanks for your gracious assurance, signified to us by our Governour, that "the representations or propositions of your Colonies will be attended to."

Firmly persuaded of your Majesty's solicitude for the happiness of your subjects in the remotest parts of your Dominions, from the above gracious assurance, we cannot but encourage ourselves in the prospect of your royal interposition for our relief from the grievances under which your American subjects have been so long labouring.

We do, with the greatest sincerity, assure your Majesty that our complaints do not arise from a want loyalty to your royal person, or a disposition to withdraw ourselves, from a constitutional dependence on the British Crown; but from well grounded apprehensions that our rights and liberties are intimately affected by the late measures, in their consequences pernicious to the welfare and happiness both of Great Britain and your Majesty's Colonies.

The Grievances of which we complain are:

A Standing Army has been kept in these Colonies ever since the conclusion of the late war, without the consent of our Assemblies; and this Army, with a considerable Naval Armament, has been employed to enforce the collection of Taxes.

The authority of the Commander-in-Chief, and, under him, of the Brigadiers General, has, in time peace, been rendered supreme in all the Civil Governments of America.

The Commander-in-Chief of all your Majesty's Forces in North America, has, in time of peace of been appointed Governour of a Colony.

The charges of usual Officers have been greatly increased, and new, expensive, and oppressive Offices have been multiplied.

The Judges of Admiralty and Vice Admiralty Courts are empowered to receive their salaries and fees from the effects condemned by themselves.

The officers of the Customs are empowered to break open and enter houses without the authority of any Civil Magistrate, founded on legal information.

The Judges of Courts of Common Law have been made entirely dependent on one part of the Legislature for their salaries, as well as or the duration of their commissions.

Counsellors, holding their commissions during pleasure, exercise Legislative authority.

The Agents of the People have been discountenanced, and Governours have been instructed to prevent the payment of their salaries.

Assemblies have been frequently and injuriously dissolved, and Commerce burdened with many useless and oppressive restrictions.

By several Acts of Parliament, made in the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth years of your Majesty's reign,