John Jay to the Earl of Dartmouth, 25 March 1773

[New York, 25 th March 1773.–€”]

My Lord

Tho a Stranger to your Lordship, I take the Liberty of troubling you with the inclosed Petition of the Inhabitants of New Britain, Settlement on the Frontier of this Province. 2

Principles of Humanity my Lord! have led me to interest myself in Behalf of these unhappy People; and I forbear paying an ill Compliment to a generous Mind, by endeavouring to apologize for giving it an opportunity, of supporting the Cause of Equity & Benevolence. If we may rest our Judgment on the Reports of Fame, your Lordship–€™s Petitioners are happy in a Prospect of having the Matters of their Complaint, determined under the Directions of a Minister; who does not consider an Elevated Station as an asylum from the Plaints of Distress.

It gives me Pain my Lord! to observe that the prevailing monopoly of Lands in this Colony has become a Grievance to the lower Class of People in it; and confines the Bounty of our gracious Sovereign to mercenary Land-Jobbers, and Gentlemen who have already shared very largely in the royal Munificence.

My Lord! I have no Reason to suspect that these People have decieved me, and therefore, should further Inquiries be thought necessary to determine the merits of their Pretensions, I will readily be at the Trouble of making them–€”I am my Lord with the greatest Respect your Lordships most obedient & most h–€™ble Serv t .

John Jay–€”

To the Right Hon–€™ble the Earl of Dartmouth