254

colden’s report on the lands in the province of new-york.

This would effectually restore the Quitrents, and would as effectually destroy all the Gr ts which axetruly extravagant. I mean such as the Proprietors cannot improve in any reasonable time for as thisrent, would be very heavy where the Tracts exceed twenty or thirty thousand acres, the Patenteeswould gladly surrender their Grants, to free themselves from this Burden, but at the same time itwould be just to preserve to them their improved Lands under proper restrictions of not renderinguseless any part of what is not delivered up.

The Quitrents would in this case be sufficient to support the Government, and if they were appliedto that purpose, I believe would give a general satisfaction, because it would be as equal a Taxationas could well be contrived, and the taxes would not, as they do now, fall only upon the improve-ments and the industry of the people. It wou’ d likewise absolutely remove the complaints of theMerchants, so that it would generally please all sorts, excepting the owners of the large Tracts—AndI humbly conceive it for the Kings interest and of all those in the Administration to consent to thisbecause the Quitrents are of no use besides paying the Salary of the Receiver and Auditor, and thatGentlemans estate would be thought to be ill managed, when it only paid his Steward and his Clerkswages. Besides when the revenue shall be fixed in this manner it will be much easier to obtainextraordinary supplies when they shall be wanted, and it will likewise be much easier for the Peopleto pay them.

The chief objection, which I can conceive, that will be made to this is that if a perpetual revenuebe Granted, then the Gov rS will be free’d from that dependance on the People, and check on theirbehaviour that is necessary in all well ballanced Governments and which is the only check which thepoor people have in America and that without such check the people of the Plantations may becomea prey to Rapacious Tyrannical Gov rS or other officers, tlio the people do not doubt of their obtain-ing relief from the King, and his Ministers yet that relief is at such a distance, and must be attendedwith so much charge, that few private persons can have any benefit by it, and may often proveineffectual by being too late even when many join in the complaint. Therefore unless some effectualsolid check be given to the people, in lieu of what they have at present, by granting the Revenue fora short time, it cannot be expected that ever Ihey will consent to a perpetual Revenue of any kind,or that they will be easy under it.

Now I have laid before your Excellency in the best manner I can within the bounds I think itnecessary to confine myself, the most material things concerning the Grants of Lands, as far asrelates to the King, the people of the Province, and the Grantees. If the remedy for the abuses setforth be thought practicable, no doubt your Excellency will easily obtain an Instruction, such as theEarl of Bellamont had to propose to the Assembly to find some proper means for establishing theQuitrents generally over all the lands in Province at the same same rate and for promoting theimprovement and settling of the Country, for that otherwise the King will take such legal methods,as shall be thought proper for vacating extravagant Grants, and receiving his Quitrents. And ifthere be a permission given at the same time to apply the Quitrents to the support of Government,and absolutely to confirm all past Grants, I believe an Assembly may conform with the Instructions,under such restrictions as shall be thought necessary checks on the officers—

In order to compute what the Quitrents would immediately yield I make the following calcu-lation—

Long Island is computed to be 150 miles long, and Albany to be the same number of miles distantfrom New-York, I suppose Long Island to be eight miles wide, one place with another, and that 10miles on each side Hudson’s River would immediately pay rent, this amount to — 2,688,000 Acreswhich at 2 s 6 d the hundred will yield £3350, and if the Cities of New York and Albany pay a rea-sonable Quitrent for their house lots the whole Quitrent will immediately amount to 4000 poundsyearly, which is more than the Assembly has at any time given for the support of Govern 1