COLDEN TO AMHERST.

[EXTRACT.]

The Mayor of Albany and Mr Tenbrook one of the Assembly were with me yesterday to complain to me of abuses in pressing carpenter's Horses and waggons. what they told me be true, it is no wonder that the people are disgusted, and that the service meets with opposition. I desired them to put their complaints in writing, which I expect they will do, and then I shall be able to inform your Excellency with more certainty. They tell me that the abuses arise from the employing 2 or 3 private soldiers to impress, without being under the immediate direction of any officer, and they assure me that if the officers would apply to the magistrates, the necessary service may be carried on without difficulty. I am afraid that if the power of impressing come before the Assembly, I may receive a remonstrance on that head. However if you desire it, I shall by message desire their concurrence in an Act for that purpose.

CADWALLADER COLDEN.

AMHERST TO COLDEN.

NEW YORK 10th May 1762.

SIR,

I am sorry to find by your letter of last night that from the representations of the Mayor of Albany &c, concerning the impressing of carriages &c for the King's service, you are apprehensive that any message of yours to the

Assembly would rather have a bad effect, than procure any law in its favor.

I have on every occasion been ready to redress any grievances when complaints have been made to me of abuses committed by the military; and when you send me the Mayor's complaint in writing,* I shall transmit copies to Col. Bradstreet to have the truth inquired into; but I am too well acquainted with the opposition any commanding officer in that quarter finds in carrying on his Majesty's service to wonder at his being obliged to use force on some occasions, otherwise it would be altogether impossible to execute the orders he receives, which tend to carrying on the service, and are for the good of the people of this country in general. If the civil magistrates were as ready to grant their authority as they pretend to be, I am sure no officer or soldier would be employed to impress either carriages or horses

I am, with great regard

Honble L. Governor COLDEN.

Sir

&c

JEFF. AMHERST.

COPY OF LETTERS FROM COL. BRADSTREET TO THE MAYOR
OF ALBANY (MAY 31 AND JUNE 1, 1762), INCLOSED IN COL.
BRADSTREET'S OF JUNE 7, 1762.

ALBANY 31" May 1762.

SIR,

As you was pleased to tell me yesterday that as soon as the troops now coming from Canada had passed this City

*This the L* Governor never sent.

you was determined to order the constables to take up and put into jail the first of his Majesty's troops that should impress horses or carriages and that if I wrote to you upon it you would say the same in your letter in answer thereto which I must now desire you will before the post goes out and you will also make mention what you said in answer to my shewing you the Lieut. Governor's answer to the General upon his applying for an Act of Assembly for impressing carriages, namely, that you did not tell the Lieut. Governor "if the officers would apply to the Magistrates for horses and carriages the necessary service might be carry'd on without difficulty.

VALKERT DOUW Esq. Mayor.

I am

BRADSTREET TO THE MAYOR OF ALBANY.

ALBANY, June 1st 1762.

SIR,

I have this moment received your letter of this date wherein you make no mention of your resolution of ordering the constables to take up and put in jail the first of his Majesty's troops, who shall impress horses, or carriages, after the troops coming from Canada are past—I must desire you will inform me, if you still remain in that resolution, that I may know how to govern myself with respect

to it.

VALKERT DOUW Esq. Mayor.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM CAPTAIN WINEPRESS OF THE FIFTY-FIFTH REGIMENT TO SIR JEFFREY AMHERST, DATED ALBANY, MAY, 31, 1762.

"The civil magistrates both in the town and country here, have been frequently applyed to for carriages for the King's service, but they will not act, or furnish any, and instead of assisting the officers in forwarding the service, they do every thing in their power to hinder and obstruct it, and even advise the inhabitants not to give their carriages, by telling them there is no law now in force to oblige them and Colonel Bradstreet tells me that the Mayor here spoke to him, and begged he would apply to have a new Press Act passed: I presume Colonel Bradstreet will write more particularly to you on this subject."

SIR,

MAYOR OF ALBANY TO BRADSTREET.

ALBANY June 1" 1762.

I received yours dated yesterday and in answer to which say as I then observed to you, tho' not in so unlimited a manner as you therein express, that I was of opinion that you had no authority of impressing horses, waggons and other things, of which there are complaints to me every day, and as mayor and chief magistrate of the City, whose Right and Liberties I am bound to preserve and maintain and at the same time look upon as my indispensable duty to give all the assistance I can to his Majesty's service, 'whose interest and the publick good always has been and

ever shall be my constant endeavour to promote whenever there is an absolute necessity and his Majesty's service require it I will use my endeavours to procure whatever may be wanting, but for horses and carriages to be impressed upon every slight occasion and upon application of any officers to join his corps is what I cant think right, nor can I permit it any longer. With regard to that part of your letter that mentioned our conversation with the Lieutenant Governor his honour has misapprehended us in the follo (if the officers would apply to the magistrate for horses and carriages that the service might be carryed on.) But we informed him that unless the magistrate had not been aiding and assisting in getting men to work at the batous at Crown Point, they would not have been able to have got the men by the measures that were taken by the military way by billoting of men on them that refused to go.

I am,

Sir,

Your most Hum1 Serv

To Col! JOHN BRADSTREET D. Q. M. G.

At Albany.

VOLCKERT DOUW.

PRIVY COUNCIL TO CADWALLADER COLDEN.

WHITEHALL June 11th 1762.

SIR,

Since our letter to you of the 11th of December and that of the 20 Janry last a duplicate of which we enclose, we have received yours of the 11th and 25 of Jan'ry and 11th of Feb'ry, together with the papers referred to in them.

It was with the greatest concern that we found the lower