THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 475 



Morris declines to obey the Governor's orders in the case, as illegal ; and 

 is by him suspended, after serving twenty years unimpeachably. James 

 de Lancey was appointed in his place."" The following particulars in 

 relation to this affair, are taken from the Carribeana, a literary periodi- 

 cal purporting to be '•written by several hands in the West Indies." 

 The reader will see, that the Chief Justice performed his part with great 

 boldness and independence : — 



"Sir: — You will preceivc, by the enclosed copy of a letter, that the Original 

 was addressed to the present Governor of New York, on occasion of a new dis- 

 pute that arose between his Excellency and the Chief Judge of the province con- 

 cerning the establishment of a new Court of Equity. The Judge's argument 

 upon the question is very long, and, for aught I know, very learned. I shall not 

 take it upon me to say whether his opinion is right or not ; but certainly he was 

 right in giving his opinion upon a matter of law that came in judgment before 

 him. The governor, however, was offended at what was spoken, and demanded 

 a copv, which the judge sent him, in print, with the letter now mentioned. 



I confess I had some curiosity to know the particular character of this extra- 

 ordinary personage, who would seem to act and speak like an inhabitant of some 

 other world. They tell me he is nothing but a man, and a plain man too ; exactly 

 like one of us — eats beef and mutton, drinks Madeira wine, and sometimes rum 

 punch, as we do. His education was narrow, nor does he pretend to inspiration 

 or any supernatural aid. His knowledge is derived merely from reading and 

 observation, and his fortitude grounded on the Christian religion and the laws of 

 his country, which he fancies are commonly on the side of honesty, and a good 

 conscience. 



I would not be thought to propose this northern magistrate to the imitation of 

 his brethren between the tropics. I hope and believe they will never meet with 

 such trials ; and, if they should, I am persuaded they will be more polite than to 

 copy after so coarse a pattern. I only meant to help out your next paper with a 

 strange and wonderful occurrance, which may perhaps amuse your gentle read- 

 ers as effectually as the accounts they have sometimes of hard frosts and huge 

 uhales, though they never see such things in these parts. 



I am yours, &c, INDUS. 



To his Excellency, William Cosby, Esq., Captain-General and Governor-in-Chief 

 of the Province of New York, New Jersies and territories thereon depending 

 in America, Vice Admiral of the same, and Colonel in his Majesty's army, 

 &c. 



May it please your Excellency : — 



In obedience to your commands by F. M., Esq., deputy secretary, to send you 

 a copy of what I read in the Supreme Court concerning its having a jurisdiction 

 to determine causes in a Court of Equity, and a second message from him to 

 give it under my hand ; I send j r ou not only what I read, but what I said on that 

 head, as far as I can charge my memory. What was said, was spoken before a 

 numerous auditory, among which were the grand jury for the City and County 



a Dunlap's Hist. N. Y., vol. i, 295. 



