PAPERS RELATING TO THE SIX NATIONS.
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explaining myself further on this Subject, but lest my Health shou’d not permit doing myselfthat Honor, shou’d be very happy, if convenient, to hear your Sentiments.
I hope you have received that Benefit in the Restoration of your Health, which all who knowyou wish, & him particularly so, who is with the greatest Respect & Gratitude,
Sir, your most obedient Servant,
REYD. MR. ANDREWS TO SIR WM. JOHNSON .
Williamsburgh 17 th September 1773
Sir, Immediately after my Arrival here I waited upon Lord Dunmore with your recommendatoryLetter, and he told me that no vacant Parish had lately elaps’d into his Gift,—and, that if even therewas one, He cou’d not, consistent with his Engagements, promote me over the Heads of Six Candi-dates then upon his List. But, cou’d I find a Vacancy in the Power of the Vestry, he wou’d dohis utmost to serve me.
The Circumstances of the Parishes here, I shall endeavor to explain to you, as well as the littleknowledge I have acquir’d will enable me.
In the first place, there is an Act of Assembly for the Payment of 16000 Weight of Tobacco to theRector of each Parish , reckon’d equal to £200 Virginia Currency, which approaches the nearest toSterling, I believe, of any Money on the Continent. The Sherriffs collect this tithable Commodityfor them, or receive in Lieu thereof Cash, if agreeable to the Parson ; so that no Trouble or Incon-venience arises from this Mode of levying their Salaries regularly. And as there is an exactEquality in this Taxation, the only Advantages one Incumbent has above another proceeds entirelyfrom the Prices of Tobacco in the respective Parishes, from the different Value of the Glebe Lands& Parsonage House, & from their Situation in Point of Health.
When a Vacancy happens the Power of Presentation is in the Vestry for twelve Months after, &then it elapses to the Governor, who seldom inducts, (unless in new-form’d Parishes,) as there area number continually waiting for Provision. The Impossibility of effecting the Removal of anIncumbent, & the ill Conduct of some Ministers, has made the Vestry, who are the Voice of theCongregation, somewhat more cautious than they formerly were in presenting; therefore thegeneral Practice which at present prevails, is taking Strangers upon Trial, till their moral Conduct,Abilities, & Character from whence they came, are discovered.
Amongst the present Hunters for Livings, I find upon Record the Name of the Rev d M r Hanna,who, notwithstanding he has seen the King & his Robes, & been strongly recommended from Eng-land to this Province & that of Maryland , he still remains unprovided for by the latest Accountsof him. His Character is not known here, nor have I been so uncharitable as to acquaint theClergy with it. It is his Want of Powers to please, that has hitherto been the obstacle of his success.
From this View of the Matter, Sir, which I have troubled you with, the Improbability of myobtaining Preferment thro’ his Lordship plainly appears. And more especially so, as He seems tohave little Acquaintance with the Vestry, & less Concern for my Interest.
The very Day I left New York, I met M r Stuart, on his Way to Pensylvania , who told me M rMosley intended relinquishing the Mission at Johnstown , finding it impossible to continue longer in