CHAPTER VIII — THE COLONIAL GOVERNOR
54. A Governor's Plea for Patronage (1732)
Cosby was governor of New York and New Jersey from 1731 to 1736. His request is such as all the governors were in the habit of making. — Bibliography : Winsor, Narrative and Critical History, V, ch. iii. — On Colonial government in general : Channing and Hart, Guide, §§ 133, 147; Joseph Story, Commentaries, 152-178.
My Lord,
I HAVE ye honour to aquainte your Grace that Mr Smith Secretary of ye Jarsys dyed last Tuesday was sevent this is reckoned one of ye most considerable places belonging to these Provinces, & yett brings inn noe more then 450₤l a year, supposeing that the possesor it was to doe ye duty himself, which ye deseasd Gentman never did notwithstanding he had it for above fifteen years, it was executed by two deputies, one for the East division and ye other for West, the Secretary himself generally living at Philadelfia, so that ye place was to him a sinecure. In this way the Deputys gave him suffitient security, that of ye East paid him 8011 a year, & that of ye West payd him, 8011 a year, which all in sterling money makes about, 17011, I have a very good Caracter of the Deputys, therefore have continued them upon ye same footing under my son Billy whom I have named, untill farther orders from your Grace, not doubting but that out of your wanted goodness and indulgent care of us your Grace will further be so kind as to give it to him ; besides it will give me a little more power in that Province then I had which I doe assure your Grace is greatly wanting to Governers in these parts, for ye Secretarys and their Deputys think themselves intirely independent of ye Governers and allmost act accordingly which is a very great hindrance to ye King's affairs, (I doe not spake as to myself for I make ye right use of Mr Clarke he is my first minister) espetially at this time, since I am sorry to inform your Grace, that ye example and spirit of the Boston people begins to spread amongst these Colonys In a most pro digious maner, I had more trouble to manige these people then I could have imagined, however for this time I have done pritty well with them ; I wish I may come off as well with them of ye Jarsys.
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