Friday, November 17, 1775.

The House met. Present:

John Stevens, Esq., the Chief Justice, Richard Stockton, Esq., Stephen Skinner, Esq., Daniel Coxe, Esq., John Laurence, Esq., Francis Hopkinson, Esq.

The House continued till to-morrow.

Saturday, November 18, 1775.

The House met. Present as before.

The House continued till Monday next.

Monday, November 20, 1775.

The House met. Present as before.

The House continued till to-morrow.

Tuesday, November 21, 1775.

The House met. Present as before.

The House continued till to-morrow.

Wednesday, November 22, 1775.

The House met. Present:

John Stevens, Esq, the Chief Justice, Richard Stockton, Esq., Stephen Skinner, Esq., Daniel Coxe, Esq., John Laurence, Esq., Francis Hopkinson, Esq.

The House having taken into consideration the importance of several matters that will be likely to require their attention at this session, and being desirous to have the assistance of every member who is not withheld from attendance by sickness or other unavoidable cause,

Ordered, That the Clerk of the House do forthwith despatch a Letter to the Hon. James Parker, Esq., requiring his attendance.

The House having taken into consideration his Excellency’s Speech at the opening of the session,

Resolved, That an humble Address be presented to his Excellency, in answer to the said Speech.

Ordered That the Chief Justice and Mr. Hopkinson be a Committee to draw the said Address.

The House continued till to-morrow.

Thursday, November 23, 1775.

The House met. Present:

John Stevens, Esq., the Chief Justice, Richard Stockton, Esq., Stephen Skinner, Esq., Daniel Coxe, Esq., John Laurence, Esq., Francis Hopkinson, Esq.

The House continued till to-morrow.

Friday, November 24, 1775.

The House met. Present:

John Stevens, Esq., the Chief Justice, Richard Stockton, Esq., Stephen Skinner, Esq., Daniel Coxe, Esq., John Laurence, Esq., Francis Hopkinson, Esq.

Mr. Dey and Mr. Garritse, from the House of Assembly, presented for the concurrence of this House a Bill entitled “A supplementary Act to an Act entitled ‘An Act appointing Commissioners for finally settling and determining the several Rights, Titles, and Claims to the common Lands in the Township of Bergen, and for making partition thereof, in just and equitable proportions, among those who shall be adjudged by the said Commissioners to be entitled to the same;’” which was read the first time, and ordered a second reading.

The House continued till four o’clock, P. M.

The same day, four o’clock, P. M., the House met. Present:

[There is no further record of the Proceedings of the Council of New-Jersey.]

THE HUMBLE ADDRESS OF HIS MAJESTY’S COUNCIL FOR THE PROVINCE OF NEW-JERSEY, TO HIS EXCELLENCY GOVERNOUR FRANKLIN.

Council Chamber, November 25, 1775.

May it please your Excellency:

We beg leave to express the satisfaction we feel in the opportunity you have given us of meeting your Excellency in General Assembly at this time, for the despatch of such business as the exigencies of the Province require, and thank you for that freedom with which you communicate to us, from time to time, such parts of the letters you receive from His Majesty’s Ministers, as may be of consequence to the welfare of this Province.

It is with the greatest pleasure we assure your Excellency, that we know of no reason to doubt but that the confidence you are pleased to say you have in the affection and regard of the good people of this Colony is well founded. We are sorry, however, to observe that, notwithstanding this confidence and trust, your Excellency expresses some degree of apprehension as to the safety of your own person, and the persons of the other officers of the Crown. We can with truth declare, that we are totally ignorant as to any circumstances, in this Province, that may give rise to such an apprehension, and are happy in believing that it must be without any real foundation.

You are pleased to call on us for an explicit declaration of our sentiments respecting those aims at an Independency on Great Britain, which you say are at this time openly avowed by some men of present consequence. In answer to which, we make no hesitation to assure your Excellency, that we have the utmost abhorrence of any design whatever to subvert that happy Constitution of Government under which not only this, but every other Colony in America, hath long enjoyed the blessings of security and prosperity; and that we will, by every means in our power, exert ourselves in the defence of it, and in defence of your Excellency and the other officers of the Crown, acting under the influence and by virtue of that inestimable Constitution.

We flatter ourselves that your Excellency will not doubt but that we shall be ready, on all occasions, to join you in the promotion of peace, order, and good government, and eagerly improve every opportunity that may tend to the restoring this Province to its former state of happiness and tranquillity.

To which his Excellency was pleased to make the following reply:

GENTLEMEN: I am greatly obliged to you for the sentiments of regard expressed in this address, and heartily thank you for the assurances you give me of your readiness to exert yourselves in the defence of our happy Constitution and of the officers of the Crown in this Province.

At the same time, it gives me concern that I cannot agree with you in opinion, that there are not any circumstances in this Province, which may justify some degree of apprehension, as to the safety of myself and the other officers of Government. It is true, I have not actually seen the Associations signed, nor the orders and resolutions of Congresses or Committees issued, yet I cannot, on that account, without being guilty of a subterfuge, which gentlemen of your conduct must disapprove, pretend a total ignorance either of their contents or of their effects, both in this and the neighbouring Colonies. From what has already happened, the officers of the Crown will be naturally led to form a judgment of what may happen. Such of them, therefore, as have conscientiously done their duty here, must of course have some reason to expect the same fate with those who have done their duty elsewhere. It must be allowed, however, that those who, from timidity or other motives, have been induced to pursue a different conduct, may have present safety; but then, as it must be at the expense of their honour, it is not likely that there will be found many of them who will choose to pay such a price for such a consideration; nor is it probable, if they should, that they would meet with your approbation.

MESSAGE TO THE GOVERNOUR FROM THE COUNCIL.

Council Chamber, December 4, 1775.

May it please your Excellency:

When we consider the uninterrupted harmony which for many years hath subsisted between the Governour and Council of this Province; when we reflect upon the repeated assurances we have received of your approbation of and confidence in our unwearied endeavours zealously to discharge the duties of our station; and as we flatter ourselves the constant tenor of our conduct towards your Excellency has ever manifested the most respectful regard to your person and station; it is with no small degree of pain