Papers Relating to an Act of the Assembly of the Province of New-York / For encouragement of the Indian trade, &c. and for prohibiting the selling of Indian goods to the French, viz. of Canada

by Cadwallader Colden; Great Britain. Board of Trade; Great Britain. Privy Council; New York . Council

AND I do also, for me and my Successors, by these Presents, grant to the said Mayor and Commonalty, and their Successors, that if any of the Citizens of the said City, shall be hereafter nominated, elected, and chosen to the Office of Mayor, Aldermen and Common-council Men as aforesaid, and having Notice of his or their Election, shall refuse to undertake and execute that Office to which he is so chosen, that then, and so often it shall and may be lawful for the Mayor and Recorder, Aldermen and Common-council Men, or the major Part of the Aldermen and Common-council Men for the Time being, according to their Discretion, to impose such moderate Fines upon such Refusers, so as the Mayor's Fine exceed not forty Pounds, the Alderman's five and thirty Pounds, and Common-council Men twenty Pounds, and other Officers proportionably, to be levied by Distress and Sale, by Warrant under the common Seal, or by other lawful Ways, to the Use of the said Corporation.

AND in such Cases it shall be lawful to chuse others to supply the Defects of such Refusers, in Manner as is as above directed for Elections.

AND that it shall and may be lawful to and for the Mayor, Recorder, and at least three Aldermen for the Time being, from Time to Time, so often as they shall find Occasion, to summon a Common-council of the said City.

AND that no Assembly or Meeting of the said Citizens, shall be deemed or accounted a Common-council, unless the said Mayor and Recorder, and, at least three of the Aldermen for the Time being, and nine of the Common-council Men be present.

AND also that the said Mayor, Recorder, Aldermen and Common-council Men for the Time being, from Time to Time, at their Common-council, shall have Power to admit such and so many Freemen into their Corporation and Society as they shall think fit.

AND to make (and they may make, ordain, constitute and establish) such and so many good and reasonable Laws, Ordinances and Constitutions (not repugnant to the Laws of England and this Government) as to the greater Part of them at such Common-council assembled (where the Mayor and Recorder for the Time being, are to be always present) shall seem necessary and convenient for the Government of the said City.

AND the same Laws, Ordinances, Orders and Constitutions so to be made, to put in Use and Execution accordingly, by the proper Officers of the said City; and at their Pleasure to revoke, alter, and make anew, as Occasion shall require.

AND also impose such Mulcts and Amerciaments upon the Breakers of such Laws and Ordinances, as to them in their Discretion shall be thought reasonable; which Mulcts, as also all other Fines and Amerciaments to be set or imposed by Virtue of the Powers granted, shall be levied as above is directed in Case of Fines, to the Use of the said Corporation, without rendering any Account thereof to me, my Heirs and Successors; with Power to the Common-council aforesaid, to mitigate, remit, or release such Fines and Mulcts, upon the Submission of the Parties. Provided always, That no Person or Persons hereafter, shall have Right of electing or being elected, by Virtue of these Presents, to any Office or Place judicial or ministerial, nor shall be admitted Freemen of the said City, unless they be free Denizens of this Province, and are of the Age of twenty-one Years or upwards, and are Inhabitants of the said City, and have an Estate of Inheritance or Freehold therein, or are worth fifty Pounds in Money, or other Stock, and have been resident in the said City for the Space of two Years, or shall purchase their Freedom of the Mayor and Commonalty aforesaid.

AND I do further grant to the said Mayor and Commonalty of the City of Philadelphia, that they and their Successors, shall and may for ever hereafter hold and keep within the said City, in every Week of the Year, two Market-days, the one upon the fourth Day of the Week, and the other upon the seventh Day of the Week, in such Place or Places as is, shall, or may be appointed for that Purpose, by the said Commonalty or their Successors, from Time to Time.

AND also two Fairs therein every Year, the one of them to begin on the sixteenth Day of the third Month, called May, yearly, and so to be held in and about the Market-place, and continue for that Day and two Days next following; and the other of the said Fairs to be held in the aforesaid Place on the sixteenth Day of the ninth Month yearly, and for two Days next after.