Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-12-15


Campbell, governor of East Jersey
in 1886 and 1857, lived in Perth
Amboy all or part of his time in
| office, and Andrew Hamilton was a
resident here while filling the same
Office, Robert Hunter was the first
governor of New Jersey who made a
permanent home here. He was ap-
pointed in 1910 and served until
1919. AS were most of the men at
all prominent in the affairs of the
province then and for years after
ward, Hunter was a Scotchman by
birth.
When a youth he entered the em-
ploy of an apothecary, but before
long left the drugstore and entered
the army, as did many ambitious
young men of his time. Three years
before he was made New Jerseys
representative of the crown of Eng
land, he was appointed lieutenant
governor of Virginia. This prefer
ment came to him, it is believed. be-
cause his literary talents and In
clination, combined with his ready
wit, had made him the friend ana
associate of Swift, Addison, Steele
and other men of letters prominent
at the time, and, moreover, Addison
was Under Secretary of State and In
a position to care for his friends by
placing them in positions of honor
and profit. AS was often the case In
that period, France and England
were at war at the time and the ves-
sci in which Colonel Hunter (as ne
then ranked) took passage for
-. -, 14s..a1 hv tho nnAn1U
and for some months the new ap-
p~ointee was held captive In Paris.
His friends did not desert him, but
corresponded regularly with him and
made the utmost efforts to bring
about his release. Swift was partic-
ularly solicitous, his letters to Hunt
err indicating that the great wit had
hopes of being made bishop of Vir-
ginia through the efforts oil the new
lieutenant governor.
When, finally, Hunter was set free,
1t was to make a new start for these
shores upon a new mission. rms
time, through the continued efforts
and favoritism of Addison. he set
out as governor of New York and
New Jersey and on June IA, ITO,
he arrived and entered upon the dis
CIdIBt VI IIlC uuIAGS VI las III" PN
ton. He had not been long in the
colonies when an eminent and COM
petent critic of the day said that
Hunter was going through his ad-
ministration with more honor n
than all of his predecessors
put together. He probably had no
trouble in making a good record and
satisfaction to the people, for
- Aha- 1nCninn h1n INOrn=1
bury and any one not an incompe-
tent, brutal tyrant could not fail to
improve upon his record.
But Hunter had no easy time or
it. He had opposition in the Council
of New Jersey and the Assembly OF
York was not always amenable
to the gubernatorial will. In n
he said to the legislators:
'If honesty Is the best policy plain
ness must be the best oratory.
So long as these unchristian divl-
- . + remain amongst you, l
shall have small hopes of a happy
issue to our meeting. Let every man
begin at home, and weed the rancor
out of his own mind, and the work
Is done at once. Leave disputes OF
property to the laws, and injuries to
the aNtDBGI OIL IlltIiit dlid II ooO
subjects and good Christians, join
hearts and hands for the common
good"
The governors difficulties were
further added to by differences with
the clergy of the established ehurcn'
In New Jersey this was particularly
true. He had political enemies here
who were active in the work of the
i- - -a1nfal , ~, ", tho latter
took up their cudgels against the
governor. Despite the governors
disposition, as evidenced by his Off
cial u~tterances, he at n time re-
ported to London that Rev. Mr..
Talbot, the missionary, who, a part
of the time was in Perth Amboy,
was organizing and incorporating
%'Jacobites in the Jerseys under the
name of a church," A representa-
tive of the Bishop Of London was
sent here to investigate n he al
vised the governor that he need not
apprehend any i'll results from the
endeavors of his opponents to injure
him. Later the missionary and the
governor were again good friends.
One historian in writing of the con-
troversy SAYS that the governors
course throughout was dignihed and
consistent.
1t raj Governor Hunter through
whom the charter came to the city
of Perth Amboy in 1918 at which
time he also presented in the name
of the crown the charter of st.
Peters church. The city worked
under that charter until 1884, when
the legislature granted one, that
course being made necessary by the
Revolution and the end of all things
governmental in this country OF