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24,666 29,666 39,666 40,000 71,000 42,000 42,000 37,000 21,000 21,000 16,000 12,000 10,000 12,000 12,000 12,000 12,000 12,000 12,000

So that there remains at present not called in 346,000 pounds in Province Bills, whereof 32,000 pounds of the 100,000 pounds lies dead in the trustee's hands; and £314,000 circulating in Massachusetts Bills, with £10,000 circiter Connecticut Bills, £ 20,000 circiter Rhode Island Bills, and £25,000 New-Hampshire bills, (being all of the same value) makes £ 427,000 New-England paper money circulating.

As to our church affairs, which I wrote you were in great confusion, John Checkley's party by a superiority of mob would not defer the affair of another minister until his Excellency's arrival, neither could we prevail that it should be left to the Bishop of London; they have left it to Colonel Nicholson and Mr. Sanford of London to nominate a Parson, and in case we make any stand at home (as we design strenuously to do) against their proceedings, they have voted the church stock (which they have taken into their own hands) to defray all charges in compassing their designs. Mr. Harris and his friends are a sending home remonstrances to the Bishop; they proposed also to remonstrate to his Excellency in a body, which I prevented, because Mr. Burnet prudently declines meddling with any affair in this Province until his arrival here. A missive letter is too short to let you fully into the merits of the affair. On the one side is Mr. Harris, whose character for learning and correct sermons is known all over our continent, and who of late years has by his conduct rendered himself so agreeable in this Province, that if the presentation were in the Lieutenant Governor, Council and Lower House or Assembly, he would have it nemine contradicente. His friends in the congregation are men of substance generally and all moderate churchmen. On the other side is John Checkley a young man, ringleader of the party, his character is notorious, not long ago in this Government paragraphs in a pamphlet he published reflecting on our present constitution at home and our Government here; he went twice to England for ministerial orders, and was as often refused by the bishops because of his bad character; he has lately been under bonds for some vile actions under the color of making proselytes of our late hostages from the eastern

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Indians, as also of the Narragansetts Indians in RhodeIsland government; lastly to sum up all, as, not affraid to own his principles, he wears a crucifix. His followers (Captain Cornwall, Mr. Jekyll, and a few others excepted) seem generally to be of the same principles; Cornwall and Jekyll listed I think not so much for any esteem they have to Mr. Checkley the leader of the party, as out of some pique to Mr. Harris. On their conduct I shall not pass any judgement, but they being engaged in such a party they are obliged to labor the more to vindicate themselves. - Pray excuse me to his Excellency for presuming without leave at this critical juncture (last week was the crisis) to encourage Mr. Harris' friends, by acquainting Mr. Harris that his Excellency had a good character of him from good hands, but had no good opinion of violent proceedings. - Please make my humble duty acceptable to his Excellency. My service to all friends. I am, dear Sir,

Your affectionate humble servant

WIL. DOUGLASS.

P. S. I shall be glad to hear from you frequently.

CADWALLADER COLDEN, ESQ., New-York.

DEAR SIR,

Boston, 22nd April, 1728.

Your favour of the first current came to hand. The business of stilling, to very great advantage, has been here kept a mystery with the distillers. I am using my endeavors to be let into it, and so soon as I have fully understood it, shall freely communicate it. - Captain Franklyn arrived here last week from Barbadoes. Colonel Montgomery's being arrived with you prevents my writing his news. —As to anything further relating to his Excellency Mr. Burnet's interest, I shall at all times be ready to acquaint you with, so far as it becomes me in a private station and capacity. The committee appointed to provide lodgings for the governor in the interim, until the Province House be refitted, have ordered Dr. Cook's

house for that end. Dr. Cook is my good friend; but pardon me if I express to you as my very good friend, the opinion of the gentlemen here who are of no party. I wrote you formerly that the two noted parties here are the Dudleys and Dr. Cook's, and so inveterate the one against the other, that the being with either may give a jealousy of bad consequence; but if used with the same respect, or kept at the same distance will make everything easy, and they will bid upon one another for the governor's interest and advantage. It is my opinion, (pardon my forwardness of duty to his Excellency) that if Mr. Burnet did write to the lieutenant governor to have a few rooms in the Province House fitted up for his reception (the family perhaps not coming so soon) would answer the end of giving umbrage to no party. The Dudleys are the more cunning, though perhaps not the more honest and sincere, and last Assembly had a great majority. His Excellency's prudence will direct him better than I can advise, and excuse my being so free with characters of parties, which I never did attempt before.

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The commissions for Mr. Dummer of this Province, and Colonel Wentworth of New-Hampshire, as lieutenant governor, arrived here last week from London. Captain Shepheard tells me that he was informed by Mr. Frank Wilks, our agent in London, that Mr. Burnet's commission was taken out about six weeks before he left London, and was to be sent in the first ship for New-York. shall be glad to hear of its arrival. Most of the renewed commissions and deputations for our four home officers are arrived. Our countryman Mr. John Menzies, Judge of Admiralty, (one of the eldest in the list of our Scotch advocates, well versed in the sea laws, and customs, having been in this place Judge above twelve years) has not received his deputation. His friends in London write him that the admiralty did not incline to appoint any without Mr. Burnet's recommendation. He tells his countrymen here that he would have written to his Excellency for his countenance, but understanding Mr. Burnet declined meddling till upon the spot, he would not presume to trouble his Excellency.

Pray do me the pleasure to let me know when his Ex

cellency's commission arrives, and when he may be expected here. Though I am afraid the business of my profession will so cruelly confine me, as not to allow me the honor of meeting him, my respect and duty to his Excellency I hope will not be deemed the less. If in anything I can be useful, command me. Please make my humble duty acceptable. I am

Your most humble servant,

WIL. DOUGLASS.

DEAR SIR,

New-England, Boston, 14th Sept. 1729.

I had the favour of your agreeable letter by Mr. Drummond; our correspondence not being so frequent, please charge to my negligence but not to any fault of yours. Your communications of the Eclipses of Jupiter's moons observed at New-York, Anno Domini 1723 and 1729 are very acceptable; seeing no calculation can pretend to the exactness of observations, it may perhaps come nearer the truth, when the same Eclipse is observed at both places whose difference of longitude is required. (I mean it may be more exact than when we observe for one place and only calculate for the other) v. g. observe some Eclipses of the moon which also happen to be visible in London or Paris, then compare your observations in NewYork with those of the same Eclipse as they come to be published in course (most all Eclipses of the Sun and Moon which are there visible are there published) in the Philosophical Transactions or Memoirs of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris.

It is with pleasure I understand that you incline to oblige the World with a correct map of North-America. I am sorry that it is not in my power to contribute towards it by sending you a good map of the Provinces of New England; there is not one extant but what is intolerably and grossly erroneous. I have at times (with a design of learning the country) travelled the greatest part of our four Colonies of Massachusetts Bay, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New-Hampshire, but cannot pre

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