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the first Stranger of Philadelphia that did me the Honour of a Visit, and to his merry Company I owe the passing of many a dull Hour, that probably might have lain heavy upon the Hands of a Man under my Circumstances, depriv'd of Fortune, in a strange Country, having no Friends, in whose Power it was to assist me, nearer than England; for Mr. Jones was too much involv'd in his own troublesome Affairs at Bermuda, to expect any thing from him. But the Generosity of the Philadelphians is rooted in their Natures; for it is the greatest Crime among them not to show the utmost Civility to Strangers: And if I were oblig'd to live out of my native Country, I should not be long puzzled in finding a Place of Retirement, which should be Philadelphia. There the oppress'd in Fortune or Principles may find a happy Asylum, and drop quietly to their Graves without Fear or Want.

The Voyage, Shipwrack, and Miraculous Escape of Richard Castelman, Gent. (appended to The Voyages and Adventures of Captain Robert Boyle, London, 1726), 363-369 passim.

29.

The Settlement of the Palatine Germans in
New York (1709–1720)

BY JOHN CONRAD WYSER AND OTHER PALATINES

Wyser (or Weiser) was a German, a leader of his countrymen. The Palatines came from the "Pfalz," in the middle Rhine valley, and were forced to emigrate by the miseries of the wars of Louis XIV of France. - Bibliography: Channing and Hart, Guide, § 105.- For a previous account of German immigration, see Contemporaries, I, No. 163.

HE Case of the Palatines, and others Germans, in the Province of
New York in America sheweth.

TH

That, In the year 1709. The Palatines, & other Germans, being invited to come into England about Four Thousand of them were sent into New York in America, of whom about 1700. Died on Board, or at their landing in that Province, by unavoidable sickness

That before they went on Board, they were promised, those remaining alive should have forty acres of Land, & Five pounds Not true vide sterling p' Head, besides Cloths, Tools, Utensils & other contract. necessaries, to Husbandry to be given at their arrival in America

That on their landing their they were quartered in Tents, & divided No promise but into six companies, having each a Captain of their own allowance made. Nation, with a promise of an allowance of fifteen Pounds per annum to each commander

That afterwards they were removed on Lands belonging to M' Livingstone, where they erected small Houses for shelter during the winter

season

That in the Spring following they were ordered into the woods, to make Pitch & Tar, where they lived about two years; But the country not being fit to raise any considerable quantity of Naval Stores, They were commanded to Build, to clear, & improve the ground, belonging to a private person

That the Indians have yielded to Her late May of pious memory a small Tract of Land called Schorie for the use of the Palatines, they in fifteen days cleared a way of fifteen miles through the woods & settled fifty Families therein

That in the following Spring the remainder of the said Palatines joined the said fifty families so settled therein Shorie

utterlie false

But that country being too small for their encreasing families, they were constrained to purchase some Neighbouring Land of the Indians for which they were to give Three hund

Agt Acts not knowen it

pieces of Eight

And having built small Houses, & Hutts there about one year after the said purchase some gentelmen of Albani, declared to the Palatines, that themselves having purchas the said country of Schorie of the Gov of New York they would not permit them to live there, unless an agreement were also made with those of Albany; But that the Palatines having refused to enter into such an agreement, A Sheriff & some officers were sent from Albany to seize one of their Captains, who being upon his Guard; The Indians were animated against the Palatines; but these found means to appease the Savages by giving them what they would of their own substance.

That in the year 1717 the Governour of New York having summoned the Palatines to appear at Albani, some of them being deputed went thither accordingly, where they were told, that unless they did agree with the Gentlemen of Albany, the Governor expected an order from England to transport them to another place, And that he would send twelve men to view their works & improvements to appraise the same & then to give them the value thereof in money

But this not being done the Palatines to the number of about three Thousand, have continued to manure & to sew the Land that they might not be starved for want of Corn & food

Fictions of
Proprietors.

knows not.

For which manuring the Gentlemen of Albani have put in prison one man and one woman, & will not release them, unless they have suffic' security of One Hundred Crowns for the former

Now in order that the Palatines may be preserved in the said Land of Schorie, which they have purchased of the Indians, or that they may be so settled in an adjoining Tract of Land, as to raise a necessary subsistance for themselves & their families, they have sent into England. Three Persons one of whom is since dead humbly to lay their Case before His Maj, not doubting but that in consideration of the Hard-. ships they have suffered for want of a secure settlement, His Majestys Ministers and Council will compassionate those His faithful Subjects;

Who, in the first year after their arrival willingly and cheerfully sent Three Hundred men to the expedition against Canada,

true.

not true

& afterwards to the Asistance of Albani which was threatened by the French and Indians, for which service they have never received One Penny tho' they were upon the Establishment of New York or New Jersey nor had they received one Penny of the five pounds per head promised at their going on board from England Neither have their commanders received anything of the allowance of fifteen pounds per Annum, and tho' the arms they had given them at the Canada expedition which were by special order from Her late Majesty, to be left in their possession, have been taken from them, yet they are still ready to fight against all the enemies of His Mat & those countrys whenever there shall be occasion to shew their hearty endeav" for the prosperity of their generous Benefactors in England as well as in America

Therefore they hope from the Justice of the Right Hônble the Lords Commissioners of Trade and Plantations, to whom their Petition to their Excellencies the Lords Justices has been referred That they shall be so supported by their Lordships Report, as to be represented fit objects to be secured in the Land they now do inhabit or in some near adjoining lands remaining in the right of the Crown in the said Province of New York

2 Aug: 1720.

And they shall ever pray as in duty bound &c

E. B. O'Callaghan, editor, Documents relative to the Colonial History of the State of New-York (Albany, 1855), V, 553–555.

30. "Concerning the Riots & Insurrections in New Jersey" (1744-1748)

BY HIS MAJESTY'S COUNCIL IN NEW JERSEY

The Council was at the same time an executive and a judicial body, and also was one of the two legislative bodies. For the proceedings of a Council, see No. 64 below. Bibliography: Channing and Hart, Guide, § 106.

A

BRIEF STATE OF FACTS, concerning the Riots & Insurrections, in New Jersey & the Remedys, attempted, by the Government & the several Branches of the Legislature, to put an End to them, & to restore the Peace of the Province.

By the Affidavits & Papers herein referred to, it will appear, That a Number of Evil minded Men (taking Advantage, of that divided & weak State of the Governm of this Province, & of that Time of War & Rebellion in Gr. Br,) entred into a Combination, & Agreement, to obstruct the Course of legal Proceedings, & to protect themselves from His Majty known Officers, & from the Process of the Law, in every Case, let their Crimes be ever so high; And, in Execution of this Scheme, it appears

That, on the 19th Sept 1745 100. Men, armed with Clubs, Axes & Crow Bars, came, in a riotous & tumultuous Manner, to the Goal of the County of Essex, &, having broke it open took, from thence, One Samuel Baldwin, committed on an Action of Trespass wherein he had refused to give Bail, or enter an Appearance.

That, these riotous People, then, boasted of the great Numbers they could bring together, on any Occasion, & gave out many threatning Expressions agt the Persons that sho endeavour to punish them for this their Crime; Saying, if any of them were taken, they would come to his Relief with twice the Number they then had, & bring with them 100 Indians.

Two Justices of Essex, with the Undersheriff, according to their Duty, made a Record on their View, ag 27. of the Rioters, known to them, & many other Evil doers & Disturbers of the Kings Peace, to them unknown; Which was returned into the Supream Court, & Process issued from thence ag! the Delinquents.

This Matter being layd before the late Gov! he was so justly apprehensive of the dangerous Consequences, of so open & notorious a Con

tempt of His Majs Authority, & the Laws of the Land, that he thought, the Aid of the Legislature necessary to prevent them & therefore recommended, in the strongest Terms, to the then Assembly the granting such Aid, by his Speech to them on the 28. Sep 1745; But, so it hapned, that the then Gov! & the Assembly differed in Opinion as to that Matter. . .

On the 15th of Jan 1745, the Sheriff of Essex, by Vertue of the Gov s Warrant, & in Obedience to the Process of the Supreme Court, issued upon the s Record, arrested & took Rob Young, Tho Sarjant, & Nehemiah Baldwin, three of the Persons that stood convicted, by the Record of View before ment On the 16th of Jan" as he was carrying the s Baldwin before One of the Justices of the Supreme Court, agreeable to the Commands of the Gov! Warrant, he, & the People whom he had called to his Assistance were assaulted, by a great Number of Men, armed with Clubs & other Weapons, who, in a most violent Manner, rescued & carryed away, the Prisoner, notwithstanding all the Sheriff & his Officers could do to prevent it. The Sheriff then returned to the Goal, in order to Secure the other two Prisoners, & being Colonel of the Militia, he had posted a Guard, of 30. Men, at the Goal armed with Firelocks for that Purpose.

It appears that, at 2 o'clock in the Afternoon, great Numbers of People came together in a riotous & tumultuous manner in the Town of Newark, that they pay'd no Regard to the Commands of the Magistrates to disperse, or to the Procl! made to them in the Kings Name, according to the Statute of the 1st of George, but continued together.

It appears that Coll Chetwood sent two Captains, who had the Command of the Newark Companys, with their Drums, to the People, so assembled who, accordingly went, & required those Men that belonged to their Companys, to follow the Drums, but none regarded those Commands.

It appears that one Amos Roberts, a principal leading Man among these Common Disturbers, at that Time, mounted his Horse, & called out, Those who are upon my List follow me, Which all, or the greatest Part, accordingly did, being then about 300. in Number.

It appears that, the s Roberts & his Accomplices, met & armed, as before, came to the Goal in a violent Manner, & having beat & broke thro' the Guard, & struck the Sheriff several Blows, they broke open the Goal Doors, & took from thence the two Prisoners above mentioned, & one other, confined for Debt, & then, they gave it out, that if they had stayed till the next Day, they should have had three Times the Numbers.

G

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