Early New York Paper Currency. 



41 



The next clay he summoned the assembly, and reviewing 

 their action, informed them that they had taken such. 

 " presumptuous, daring, and unprecedented steps," that 

 he could not look upon them without astonishment, nor 

 with honor suffer them to sit any longer. 



Writs for a new election were issued returnable on the 

 27th of March 1739. Scarcely a week elapsed from the 

 opening of the session before the bill which had occa- 

 sioned the late rupture was introduced, considered soon 

 after, and passed. Apprehending that it might not re- 

 ceive the governor's approval, the assembly passed a reso- 

 lution to support the credit of the paper emissions of the 

 colony, and especially those of 1714 and 1717 declaring at 

 the same time, that they did not doubt but that future assem- 

 blies would do the same. The lieut. governor, highly in- 

 dignant, at once prorogued this body also with the follow- 

 ing speech : 



"Gentlemen: — I come to put an end to this session, 

 and to give you a short recess. I was in hopes, and I be- 

 lieve every reasonable man expected that at this juncture 

 you would, seriously have laid to heart the true interests of 

 your country by showing your duty and loyalty to his 

 majesty in supporting his government in an honorable 

 manner." 



The prorogation was for one week. The day following 

 their reassembling, the bill entitled "An act further to 

 continue the duty of excise and the currency of the bills 

 of credit emitted thereon," was read a second time (having 

 been introduced and read on the previous day) and com- 

 mitted to a committee with instructions to add clauses for 

 the emission of new bills of credit to be exchanged for 

 those which had become torn and defaced. It went rapid- 

 ly through the two houses, and on the 25th of October, 

 1739, 1 received the lieut. governor's assent, with this brief 



1 The bills emitted by this act have been already alluded to — see p. 22. 



[Trans, y.] 6 



