VOTES OF THE House of Representatives for his Majesties Province of New-York in America.
Die Jovis A. M. March 25. 1697.
THis Morning, according to Adjournment, Mr. Speaker attended at the House, where were also present Cap. Schuyler, Cap. Read, Cap. D [...]key, Coll. Beckman, Major Demire, and Mr. Abeel, and ordered the Clerk of the House to wait upon his Excellency and Council, and acquaint them therewith. The Clerk returned, informs Mr. Speaker and the Gentlemen present, that his Excellency was pleased to say, That he thought, if the House did adjourn till Munday next, his Excellency was in hopes all the rest of the Memb [...] might be in Town by that time. Then Mr. Speaker, & the Gentlemen present, did adjourn themselves until Munday morning next ten a Clock accordingly.
Die Lunae 10 ho. A. M. March 29. 1697.
The Roll of the House being called over, were found absent only Cap. D'K [...]y, Mr. Ʋnder [...]i [...], Mr. Purdy, Cap. Whitehead, Cap. Jackson, and Major Howe [...], who not appearing at the House this Morning, Mr. Speaker did adjourn untill two a Clock afternoon.
Die Lunae 2 ho. P. M. March 2 [...] 1697.
The Roll of the House being called over, were found absert only the two Representatives of Westchester County, and Cap. Jackson. Ordered, That Major Demir [...], Mr. Daxb [...]ry, Mr. Sebran and Mr. Ranslaer do wait upon his Excellency and Council, and acquaint them, That pursuant to the adjournment, the whole House are met, except Westchester County, and wait to know what his Excellency has to communicate to them for his Majesty and Country's service.
M [...]. Jamison brought a Message from his Excellency and Council, & acquainted this Hous [...], That his Excellency and Council were met, and expected the attendance of this House at the Fort immediately.
Whereupon the Speaker left the Chair, and attended his Excellency with the whole House accordingly.
Mr. Speaker returned, resum'd the Chair, and reports to the House the heads of his Excellenc [...]'s Speech, which was received by the House with great Satisfaction. And Ordered, That Major Howell, Cap. Read, Cap. Schuyler, Coll. Beckman, Mr. Duxbury, Mr. van Ecklan, Cap. Whithead, and Mr. Abeel, do wait upon his Excellency, and return him the hearty Thanks of this House for his Care, in exposing his Person to so many Dangers and Hardships for the Security of the Fronteers this Winter, and also for his favourable Speech now communicated to them, and that his Excellency would be pleased to order a Copy thereof to be sent down for the more speedy dispatch of business.
Major Howell returned, reports, that they had delivered the said Message to his Excellency, and that his Excelleny was pleased to say, he would send down an answer thereof to the House to morrow Morning.
Adjourned till 8 a Clock to morrow Morning.
Die Martis 8 ho. A. M. March 30. 1697.
His Excellency's Speech brought down by Mr. Jamison, read to the House, as followeth, viz.
I Am very glad to meet you here, according to your Adjournment the last Session. I just now heard the Members of Westchester County have absented, and hope Mr. Speaker, the House will do that Right to their own Honour to inquire into the Reason of their Absence.
I was call'd to Albany this Winter by a double Obligation, my Duty to His most sacred Majesty, in discharge of that Trust he has been graciously pleased to put into my hands, and my Affection to his Subjects of that City, who by Address desired my Presence with them.
And indeed, the Intelligence of a Design on that place, by the [...]ench and their Indians (being flusht with their Success on Pemaquid [...] New-England the last Summer) was a sufficient spur to me.
I therefore resolved to make Albany my Winter Quarter, looking upon it not only as a Barrier to this Province, but to other Colonies of his Majesties Empire in America.
My Passage met with some Difficulties by an early Winter, being twice drove ashore by the Ice, and at last lockt up by it; yet I made the Journey in twelve days, though with some extraordinary Expence, being necessitated to travel part of the way by Land, with a Detachment of my own Company.
Coll. Schuyler, who commands the Militia in those parts, and speaks the Language, was very active in procuring Waggons and other Assistance, (as Sleas for bringing up Field Pieces, small Arms, Ammunition, &c. which could not be done gratis.
The Journey had the effect I expected, some Families who designed to remove, upon the report of my coming, staid, by which the Garrison was much strengthened.
I observed in all the Inhabitants, great zeal for his Majesties service: they were cheerful in the performance of their Duty, watchful and vigilant upon those Guards committed to their care.
The Inhabitants are some-what straitned by quartering his Majesties Companys; the Houses are small, fitted only for the conveniency of their own Families; if Barrachs were built (which will be no great Charge) the Inhabitants would be eased, Souldiers better accommodated, Desertion easier prevented, and the City better fortified.
And as you have hitherto shewed great regard for his Majesties Service, in taking care as well for recruiting, as better subsisting, those Companys, so I hope you will continue in the good mind of easing the Inhabitants, by accommodating the Souldiers.
Your last gratuity to them had such influence, that not one man has deserted since.
I desire you'll appoint some of your House to look into those Payments, by which you'll see, that so much Money as could be got upon the Credit of that Act, has been applyed as it directs. Those Recruits from Connecticut came very seasonably, they had their levy [Page 72] Money, and those two Officers that conducted them were paid One Pound for each man, as a Reward for their Pains and Care, which I hope gave them all Satisfaction.
The W [...]nter seem [...] the most proper Season for the French to make an attach upon Albany, all Rivers, Lakes and Marshes being so hard by the Frost that Cannon may be drawn, &c.
Yet in Summer those parts suffer most by skulking Parties of French and Indians; so that I must recommend to you the care of Recruiting his Majesties Companys at May next (when the time of those inlisted by your Act determines) otherwise it will be impossible to cover the out Plantations; those Farmers will remove, and leave the Country waste, the consequence of that will be the Desolation of the City, which must then become a Garrison.
The five Nations of Indians can have no Relief there, their Friends being gone, which they may justly conclude to be for fear of the French, and those Indians will then purchase their Safety and Conveniency by joyning to our Enemies of Canada.
The care you have taken for payment of a Party to advance upon the Enemies borders, and lodge there for some time, to discover their motion, is of great use; I hope you will continue that Allowance, and also consider the advantage we found last Summer by the payment of Six Pounds to any Christian or Indian for every Head they bring in of those skulking Murderers, who spare neither Women nor Children.
By that encouragement we had some of them cut off in September last. Those Gentlemen you have entrusted in the payment of the ad [...]nce Parties, are without doubt [...] for this, being [...] in Albany; they should have a Fund or Credi [...] to pay for every Head brought in.
The punctual Payment for la [...] [...]ummers Serv [...] will spur many Young Men to be Adventurers, both Christians and Indians; they'll hunt hard upon this encouragement. I desire you'll continue Life in so honest a design for the Preservation of his Majesties Subjects in those parts.
I cannot be unconcerned at the Hardships this Province lies under, above others (by reason of this War.) You have Agents now attending his Majesty, he is our gracious King, Father of his People, he will hear.
A true and plain Account of our Circumstances will be represented, and Relief obtained from his Majesties pious Care of all his Subjects.
You have seen the Memorial given in to their Excellencys, the Lords Justices. I have since received Letters, and another Paper given in by those Gentlemen to the Right Honourable, the Commissioners for Trade and Plantations. I shall communicate them to your House.
I know those Gentlemen imployed from the Province are faithful and diligent. I will not question their Success, if we are not wanting [Page 73] to our selves; they are at an extraordinary Cha [...]ge; one of them is out [...] of that business which is his Support; his Fortune and [...] both suffer by his absence. He was appointed by your selves. You'll consider what is proper to be done for the carrying on so good a Work, which is so well begun, and when finished will lighten our present burden, and secure us from the Attempts of our Enemies.
Gentlemen, I pray God direct you.
[...] brought into the House by Capt. William Hyde, Read.
[...] of his Excellency's Sp [...]ech, do order, That Capt. Stillwell and Mr. Sebran do wait upon his Excellency, and desire his Excellency would be pleased to appoint a Serjant at Arms to attend the Service of this House, on occasion.
Mr. Jamison brought a Letter directed to the Speaker, which he opened, and ordered the same to be read immediately; wherein were divers Letters from Mr. Nicolls and Mr. Brooke, and also two Memorials delivered by them unto their Excellency's, the Lords Justices of England, relating to the state of this Province, which were likewise read. Whereupon it was ordered, That Major Demire and Mr. Abeel do wait upon his Excellency, and give his Excellency the hearty Thanks of this House for his favourable Communication thereof.
Mr. Speaker did likewise read to the House two Lettees which he received also from Mr. Nicolls.
The House finding Humphery Ʋnderhill and Joseph Purdy, the Representatives for the County of Westchester, have neglected their Duty to their Country, by absenting themselves from the Service of this House convened in General Assembly, It is therefore Ordered, That Mr. Richard Stokes, Serjant at Arms, do forth-with go to the said Persons, or to the places of their respective abodes, and there take them into safe Custody, if they can be found, and bring them to this House to answer the Contempt, in the neglect of their Duty aforesaid, and for his so doing the Order of this House, signed by the Speaker, shall be his sufficient Warrant. Adjourned till 2 a Clock afternoon.
Die Martis 2 ho. P. M. March 30. 1697.
The House ordered the Reading of his Excellency's Speech, and did resolve that the Security of the Fronteers at Albany should be the first point that should be the taken into their Consideration.
Mr. Purdy, lately ordered to be taken into the Custody of the Serjant at Arms, having appeared at the Bar, and requested the favour of this House, that he might be admitted to his place, having no design in Contempt of this House. Which Submission being accepted, it is ordered that he be dismissed from the Custody of the Serjant at Arms, paying his Fees, and that he take his place in the House accordingly.
The further Consideration of that part of his Excellency's Speech relating to the securing the Fronteers of the Province at Albany, referred till to morrow Morning. Adjourned till 8 a Clock to morrow Morning.
Die Mercurij 8 ho. A. M. March 31. 1697.
The Petition of Mr. Giles Silvester referred to the Consideration of this House by his Excellency and Council, Read.
The further Consideration of that part of his Excellencys Speech relating to the securing the Fronteers at Albany, &c. referred till afternoon.
Die Mercurij 2 ho. P. M. March ult. 1697.
The further Consideration of that said part of his Excellencys Speech, refered till 8 a Clock to morrow Morning. And the House adjourned till that time.