274 Assembly Proceedings, May 10-June 9, 1692.

U. H. J.
p. 613

May the 18th 1692 Mett in the Council Chamber

Present as before Yesterday Except Coll Jowles Coll Green-
berry and Captain Addison gone to the Committee of Laws.
The foregoing Message designed for the house yesterday
is now Sent down by Coll. Brown and M^r Tench.
Produced and read a Letter from the Governor and Council
of New York Viz^t

May it please your Excellency
This comes to Congratulate your safe arrivall and happy
Accession to the Government of Maryland, We are heartily
glad of so good a Neighbour as you are Characterised to be,
by all the Gentlemen of your acquaintance in this Province ;
We pray you to be so kind as to Maintain a frequent Corres-
pondence with us by all Occasions, you may be Sufficiently
informed by the President M^r Blackiston, and the Several
Books & papers Sent from this Place; what proposals have
been made with your Colony and the rest of Our Neighbours
towards the Defence of Albany, which is the Frontier Garrison
of all the English Plantations on the main of America, which
if lost we must Lose Our Indians, the ill Consequences whereof
will be equally shared amongst us all, and do make thinking
men to Dread, the loose Estate and Condition of Government
amongst Our Neighbours hath retarded their Motion towards
our aid to reinforce that Post so that the whole Burthen hath
layn upon this Poor Province, which indeed is intollerable, Our
Indians have been very unsteady, and now we are forced to a
great Charge of presents to preserve them in Amity; Our
Neighbours in Virginia did send us Bills for above one hun-
dred pounds to be given to the Indians; to tye the knot of
friendship on their behalf, and this is all that we have yet
received from any of Our Neighbours of any Sort of Assist-
ance, tho this Government, since Governor Slaughters Arrivall,
are to above Seven hundred pounds Charge in presents, be-
side the great Expence in Maintaining that Garrison, We have
had 300 Fuseliers all this Winter at Albany in pay, who are to
be discharged in May next, by the Blessing of God it is still
preserved, but in such fainting and Languishing Condition
that all the Inhabitants are ready to retire to the Sea side,
Trade being Extinguished and daily Alarms from the Enemies,
We have been forced to make an Order and Proclamation to
prohibit any manner of Persons able to bear Arms to with-
draw from thence without a Pass, which the Enemy would
rejoice to hear of, the City of Albany and Plantations next the
River have been lately much Damnified by a flood of Rain;
so that now were We obliged to Supply them with Bread, We