PAPERS

RELATING TO

An ACT of the Assembly

OF THE

Province of NEW-YORK,

FOR

Encouragement of the Indian Trade, &c. and for prohibiting the sellingof Indian Goods to the French, viz. of CANADA.

I. A Petition of the Merchants of London to His Majesty against thesaid Act.

II. His Majesty's Order in Council, referring the Petition to the LordsCommissioners of Trade and Plantation.

III. Extract of the Minutes of the said Lords, concerning someAllegations of the Merchants before them.

IV. The Report of the said Lords to His Majesty on the MerchantsPetition, and other Allegations.

V. The Report of the Committee of Council of the Province of New-York,in Answer to the said Petition.

VI. A Memorial concerning the Furr-Trade of New-York, by C. Colden,Esq;

TO THE

King's Most Excellent Majesty in Council,

The Humble Petition and Representation of Samuel Baker, SamuelStorke, John Bayeux, Richard Jeneway, Robert Hackshaw, JosephLow, Joseph Paice, George Streatfield, William Parkin, andJohn Evered, Merchants of London, trading to New-York, inbehalf of themselves, and the rest of the Persons concern'd inthe New-York Trade.

SHEWETH,

That by an Act passed in New-York the 19th of November, 1720,entitled, An Act for Encouragement of the Indian Trade, and renderingit more beneficial to the Inhabitants of this Province, and forprohibiting the selling of Indian Goods to the French, all Tradewhatsoever is prohibited in the strictest Manner, and under the severestPenalties, between the Inhabitants of New-York Government, and theFrench of Canada, or any Subjects of the French King, or anyPerson whatsoever, for or on the behalf of any such Subjects; and whichAct was to continue in force for three Years.

That the Reasons assigned in the Preamble of this Act, for the passingthereof, are, For that the French at Canada, by means of IndianGoods purchased from the Inhabitants of New-York, had not only almostwholly engrossed the Indian Trade to themselves, but had, in greatmeasure, withdrawn the Affections of the Five Nations of Indiansfrom the Inhabitants of New-York, and render'd them wavering in theirFaith and Allegiance to your Majesty; and would, if such Trade was notprevented, wholly alienate the Minds of the said Indians, which mightprove of dangerous Consequence to the English Interest in America.

That this Act was sent home for your Majesty's royal Consideration, butyour Petitioners do not find that your Majesty ever signified yourAllowance or Disallowance thereof; from whence, and from the Act's beingto continue but three Years, your Petitioners humbly conceive the samewas suffered to lie by probationary, to see whether the said Act, in

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