The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1906-04-03

In perpetuation Of an ancient custom,
; begun more than 200 years ago, the West
} Jersey Proprietors' Council, the first or
ganization In the State that had any sem.
blanee of popular representation In the
Government, will hold its 230th annual
meeting In Burlington April 10.
Special attention has been attracted to
the Proprietors by the introduction In the
Legislature early in March of bill ask
ing for an appropriation for the better
preservation of papers and maps. which
are being held in the Office of the Survey
or General In Burlington; also for the i'm
provement of the Office building itself.
This little Office is one-story brick struc-
ture, and Is situated near the centre of the
city. In this are carefully preserved
State maps and papers of priceless value
to New Jersey. One of the most valuable
is the original constitution of the Pro-
prietors.
These papers are exposed to loss from
theft or fire. and to better preserve them
the promoters of the bill named have
asked the State for an appropriation of
$4,000. Favorable action on the measure
by the Legislature is said to be assured.
The West Jersey Proprietors are almost
as old as the State ITSELF Soon after the
failure Of the visionary schemes of Lord
Berkeley and Sir George Cartaret, the for
mer conveyed his undivided moiety of
New Jersey to John Fenwick, a Quaker,
for $1,000 and q royalty of 40 beaver skins
annually. Later it was discovered that
Edward Byllynge, also of the Society of
Friends, had furnished Fenwick with the
funds with which he purchased the grant
from Lord Berkeley. A discussion accord
ingly arose as to who were the rightful |
owners of the land, and the dispute was
only settled after William Penn had been
chosen by the contesting sides as arbi.
traitor. He decided in favor of Byllynge,
and Fenwick was cut of with one-tenth
OF his original purchase.
Under the stress of circumstances, the
assignees sold several shares of the undi-
vided moiety, and the purchasers of these
shares became proprietors. in common
with Penn and two associates. A form .
OF government. comprising many of the
provisions contained in the original con-
stitution framed by Berkeley and Cartaret
who first planned the colonization Of the
State, was agreed upon by the Proprietors.
This was entitled 1.-The Concessions and ,
of the Proprietors, Freehold :
srs and Inhabitants of the Province of
West New Jersey In America" and was =
and signed by William Penn,
Gawen Lawrie, Nicholas Lucas and 146
others, on March 8. 1876. A few of the
more prominent families in Burlington can
race their ancestry back to some signers
u this constitution, which, according to i.
'ne OF the historians, was lone of the !
most beautiful fabrics of free government
aver reared"
In 1878 proprietary council was insti-
'uted, and for few years this body held t
way as the chief governing power of the
State. 1t even went so far as the ap- t
pointing of the Governors. A few years s
alter 1t was succeeded in authority by the Q
General Assembly, chosen from among O
he people. and although the council con Q
inued to exert certain jurisdiction over a
'ome few provinces, its power gradually ?
lwindled. n
The present members of the council are
Frank D'Ol1er, who came into his pro- C
'ristorship through his uncle. the late 6
Major Franklin G. Woolman; Frank Earl, t.
Walter e. Robb, Henry J. Trick and Henry 6
J. Haines. the present Surveyor General. d