Votes of the House of Representatives for His Majesties province of New-York in America.

VOTES OF THE House of Representatives for His Majesties Province of New-York in America.

Die Jovis Ant Merid. May 19. 1698.

SEveral of the Re••resentatives being returned by the Sheriffs of the Province, pursuant to his Majesties Writ, being met, to the Number of sixteen, viz. F••r the City & County of New-York Mr. Phillip French, Capt. Jacobus van Cortlandt, Capt Thomas Wenham, and Capt. Johannes Kipp. For the City and County of Albany, Mr. J••n Jansen, and Mr. Ryer Shermechorne. For the County of Ʋlster, Mr. Abraham Haasbrocke. For the County of Richmond, Mr. John Teunison and Mr. Thomas Morgan. For the County of Westchestre, Mr. John Drake and Mr. Joseph Purdy. For the County of Suffolk, Lieut. Coll. Henry Pierson and Major Matthew Howell. For Kings County, Mr. Myndert Courten. For Queens County, Major John Jackson and Capt. Daniel VVhitehead. They took the Oathes, and subscribed the Test and Association before the Honourable Frederick P••illips, Coll. Stephanus van Cortland, Coll. Nicholas Bayard, and Coll. Gabril Minveil, Esqrs. appointed by his Excellency the Earl of Bellomont, to administer the same. And also, Mr Benjamin Jackson, appointed by his Excellency to be Clerk of the Assembly, produced his Commission under the great Seal of the Province, and was sworn, and signed as aforesaid.

A Message came from his Excellency by Mr. James Graham, his Majesties Attorney General, signifying that the House should chuse a Speaker, and adjourn till three of the Clock in the Afternoon, when his Excellency would be ready to receive them. And accordingly, Mr. Phillp French. by the Majority of Votes, was chosen Speaker and was conducted to the Chair. And the House adjourn'd till 3 a Clock in the after-noon.

Die Jovis P. M. May 19. 1668.

The House met according to adjournment, and sent a Message by Mr. Benj. Jackson, Clerk of the Assembly, to his Excellency to know whether he was ready to receive them. Unto which he answered, he was ready. And accordingly the House attended his Excellency at the Fort, where the Council being met, his Excellency was pleased to make the following Speech, and deliver it to Mr. Speaker in Writing, which the House ordered to be entred.

Gentlemen;

MY Voyage hither from England was very tedious, and attended with great Hardships; but since my being among you I have endeavoured to redeem that loss of Time, by applying my self diligently to the Publick business, in Duty to His Majesty, and that I might be the better enabled to serve you.

I cannot but observe to you what a Legacy my Predecessor has left me, and what Difficulties to strugle with, A Divided People, an Empty Treasury; a few miserable, naked half-starv'd Souldiers, not half the Number the King allow'd pay for; the Fortifications, and even the Governours House

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very much out of Repair; and in a word, Gentlemen, the whole Government out of Frame. To you therefore I recommend the consideration of these Disorders, as best becoming your Prudence to apply the proper Remedies, and you may be sure of my hearty Concurrence in every thing that will conduce to the extinguishing those Heats and Annimosities among you, which I fear have been of late years industriously cherish't and fomented, and to the the curing all the other Disorders and Mischiefs among you.

It hath been represented to the Government in England. That this Province hath been a noted Receptacle of Pyrates, and the Trade of it under no Restriction, but the Acts of Trade violated, by the Neglect and Connivance of those whose Duty it was to have prevented it. I hope Gentlemen, you will put all the Discountenance imaginable on that flagacious Crime of Pyracy, which is not only the worst fort of Robbery, but is, for the most part attended with the horrid Sin of Murder, which is a great aggravation of that odious Practice, detested by all the Civil Nations of the World. 'Tis not only injurious to the Honour of his Majesty, and the English Nation, but also highly prejudicial to the Trade of England, and par∣ticularly to the East-India Company. And the Gentlemen of the Council here present will bear me witness, that my Orders from his Majesty are very strict for enquiring into, and effectually preventing for the future that Lawless and Vile Trade of Pyracy within all my Covernment.

As I have declared my self against Pyracy, and all Unlawful Trade, so I must assure you I will give you all the Encouragement I can possibly in carrying on a lawful Trade, and every thing else that will make you Happy and Flourishing.

Mr. Speaker and you Gentlemen Representatives;
I Hope you will take into your Consideration, That the Revenue is near expiring, and that you will provide for the Support of the Government for the time to come; and therein give me leave to put you in mind, that your Duty and Respect to his Majesty should be an agrument to you, not to leave the Government destitute. It would be hard, if I that come among you with an honest mind, and a Resolution to be just to your Interest, should meet with greater Difficulties in the discharge of his Majesties Service than those that have gone before me. I will take care there shall be no Mis-application of the Publick Money: I will Pocket none of it my self, nor shall there be any Imbezilment by others, but exact Accounts shall be given you, when and as often as you shall require.

I have ordered all the Accounts to be laid before you, that you may see the state of the Debts of the Government, and take such course for the Discharge of them as you shall think fit. I wish too you would consider how to restore Credit to the Government, which I understand is now very low, if not wholly lost.

I have ordered the Engineer to go and visit the Fronteers, and to report to me the State and Condition he finds the Fortifications in, which Report I intend for you, as soon as it comes to my hands.

Gentlemen, I must remind you of the Necessity there is of finding out some Expedient to reconcile the Parties among you. I must own to you, I set

my heart so much on it, that I shall think it the Glory of my Government to bring so good a work to pass I desire therefore you will think of the proper Methods to effect an entire Reconciliation among you. To be of one Faith and one Mind is not only an excellent Scripture Rule, but also a good Maxim in Government. Union amongst a People is the Bound of Peace, and of strength too.

You cannot but know what Abuses have been formerly in Elections of Members to serve in the Assembly, which tends much to the Subversion of your Liberties. I do therefore recommend to you the making a Law to provide against it, and that you will think of such other Laws as you will stand in need of to secure to this Province a lasting Happiness, to which I promise you my Concurrence.

I shall conclude Gentlemen, with recommending that which is chiefly incumbent on us all, an inviolable Duty and Allegiance to his Majesty, who by his valour has rescued us from the two greatest Plauges that ever infested the World, Popery and Slavery, and by that, and his Wise and Temperate Government has secu••'d us the free exercise of our holy Protestant Religion, the enjoyment of our Liberties and Estates. And as a further Instance and Illustration of the Glory of his Reign, His Majesty has with repeated hazards of his precious Life, procured for Us and all Christendom, a Glorious Peace; for which, Gentlemen let Us Address his Majesty. That he will be graciously pleased to accept of the tender of our most humble Duty and Thanks.

And his Excellency in Council being pleased to approve of Mr Phillip French for Speaker, the House returned, and Mr. Speaker assum'd the Chair, and the House Re∣solved, That his Excellency's Speech should be then Read, and it was accordingly read to the House.

Ordered, That the Thanks of this House be given to his Excellency for his favourable Speech.

Major Gerhard Beekman, one of the Representatives for Kings County was sworn, and sign'd the Test and Association before the Honourable Frederick Phillips, Coll. Stephanus van Cortland, Coll. Nicholas Bayard, and Coll. Gabril Minveil, Esqrs. appointed by his Excellency to administer the same.

A Petition of Dr. Samuell Staats, Capt. Johannes d' Peyster, Alderman Leonard Lewis and Mr Ahraham Governeer, was presented to the House by Major Matthew Howell, and read. And the House adjourned till to morrow Morning eight a Clock.

Die Veneris A. M. May 20. 1698.

The House met according to adjournment, and Mr. Speaker assumed the Chair.

Ordered, That the Thanks of this House be return'd to his Excellency for his favour∣able Speech in the following Form, viz.

May it please your Excellency;

WE His Majesties Loyal & Dutiful Subjects, the Representatives of his Majesties Province, being very sensible of our great Obligation to your Excellency for your most favourable Speech, think it our Duty to return our most humble and hearty Thanks for the same, assuring you, That we shall have all due regard to what your Excellency is pleased to recommend to us therein.

By Order of the House of Representatives, Phillip French, Speaker.

Ordered, That Mr. Gerrard Beekman, Mr. Johannes Bleker and Capt. Jacobus van Cortland, Members of this House, do wait upon his Excellency with the Thanks of this House. And the House adjourn'd till two a Clock afternoon, at the Ringing of the bell.

Die Veneris P. M. May 20, 1698.

The House met according to adjournment, and Mr. Speaker assumed the Chair.

Ordered, That Mr. Speaker, in behalf of this House, demand their Rights and Priviledges, viz. That none of the Members nor his Servants be Arrested nor Molested during the Session. That they have freedom of access to your Excellency's Person when occasion presents. That they have free liberty of Speech, and a favourable Construction upon all Debates that arise among them. And that this their Demand may be approved by his Excel∣lency and Council, and accordingly entered in the Council Books.

Ordered, That Mr. Speaker give Direction that his Excellency's Speech and the Votes of this House be printed.

Mr. Speaker and the House attended his Excellency in Council, and did demand the Rights and Priviledges of this House, which his Excellency was pleased to accept and allow of.

Capt. Killian van Ranslaer having taken the Oathes appointed by Act of Parliament, and subscribed the Test and Association, as appeared to the House by Certificate from Frederick Phillips, Coll. Stephanus van Cortland, Coll. Nicholas Bayard, and Coll. Gabriel Minveille, Esqrs. came to the House, and took his place as Representative for the Baylwick of Ranslaers-wick. And the House adjourn'd till to morrow morning eight a Clock.

Die Sabat. A. M. May 21. 16••8.

The House met according to adjournment, and Mr. Speaker assum'd the Chair, and the Roll being read, all the Members were present except Mr. Thomas Garton, one of the Representatives for the County of Ʋlster.

The Motion being made, and the Question being put by Mr Speaker, Whether this House shall draw up an Address to his M••jesty, to Congratulate his Majesties safe arrival into England, and his obtaining an honourable Peace; and also congratulating his Excellency's safe arrival into this Government, or consider of the Petition concern∣ing Elections and Grievances first. And it was carried in the Affirmative, That his Majesty & his Excellency be first congratulated. And the House adjourned till Monday two a clock in the afternoon.

Die Lunae P. M. May 23. 1698.

The House met according to adjournment, Mr Speaker assum'd the Chair, and the Roll being read, all the Members were present, except Mr. Thomas Garton, Mr. John Drake and Mr. Joseph Purdy.

Ordered, That Major Gerrard Beekman, Mr. John Jansen Bleker and Mr. John Teunison do wait upon his Excellency, and desire that a Committe of the Council may be appoint∣ed to joyn with a Committee of this House to draw up an Address to his Majesty.

James Graham, Esq his Majesties Attorney General, brought the following Order of Council from his Excellency, which the House ordered to be entered, viz.

At a Council held at New-York the 23d of May, 1698.

Present his Excellency the Earl of Bellomont, &c.

UPon the Reading a Meslage of the Assembly this day, it is ordered, Coll. Stephanus Cortland and Coll. Wilitam Smith be a Committee of the Council to joyn with the Committee of the Assembly, in the forming and drawing up an Address to his most Ex∣cellent Majesty; and that they take the Attorney General to their Assistance.

Ordered, The Attorney General do deliver this Answer to the Assembly, and do ac∣quaint them that the Committee of the Council will be ready to meet their Committee at Coll. Cortlands House at six a Clock this Evening.

By Order, David Jamison, Cl. Concilij.

Upon reading the aforesaid Order of Council, Ordered, That Major Matthew Howell, Major John Jackson, Capt. Thomas VVenham and Capt. Daniel VVhitehead be a Committee to joyn with the Committee of Council at Coll. Stephen Cortlands House at