Description:

George II of England King

Document signed by George II appointing Henry Lane as Councilor at New York, May 22, 1733, 2 pp., 7.25" x 11.75". Featuring three stamp duty seals and wax seal remnants. In very good condition, with overall toning and isolated discoloration. Expected paper folds including some restored. Two tears at top, the one at right cutting into the "Ge" of "George". Document is secured to mat at four corners. 


In full:

"George R.


Trusty and welbeloved We greet you well. We being well satisfied of the Loyalty, Integrity and Ability of our Trusty and welbeloved Henry Lane Esqr have thought fit hereby to signify our Will and Pleasure to you, that forthwith upon the Receipt hereof you swear and admit him the said Henry Lane to be one of Our Council of Our Province of New York in the room of Robert Walters Esqr deceased. And for so doing this shall be your Warrant. And so We bid you Farewell. Given at Our Court at St James’s the Twenty Second of May 1733, in the Sixth year of Our Reign.


By His Majty’s Command


Holles Newcastle


Henry Lane Esqr to be of the Council at New York.


To our Trusty and Welbeloved William Cosby Esqr Our Captain General & Governor in Chief of Our Province of New York in America, and in his Absence to the Commander in Chief, or to the President of Our Council of Our said Province for the time being".


[Docketing:] "Rd Lttrs of 22d May 1733 / H. Lane Esqr to be admitted one of the Council in the room of Rt Walters Esqr deceased".


King George II, like his father before him, largely governed the American colonies through royal governors and their councils. In 1733, the Province of New York had a population of just over 50,000. The King appointed the royal governor, and the governor selected and recommended an Executive Council, which served as the upper house of the assembly. The lower house of the assembly had some two dozen members, divided into Court and Country factions, led by Adolph Philipse and Lewis Morris respectively.


Brigadier General William Cosby (1690-1736), an Irish soldier, served as the British royal governor of New York and New Jersey from 1732 to 1736. In 1733, members of the Executive Council included Rip Van Dam (president), George Clarke, Francis Harison, James Alexander, Cadwallader Colden, Abraham Van Horne, Philip Livingston, Archibald Kennedy, James DeLancey, Philip Cortland, Henry Lane, and Daniel Horsemanden. Shortly, after his arrival in August 1732, Royal Governor Cosby came into conflict with council president Rip Van Dam (1660-1749), who had served as acting governor. Cosby forced Van Dam off the council in 1733.


Cosby recommended the appointment of Lane. This appointment, and a parallel one appointing Daniel Horsemanden arrived for the September 29, 1733, meeting of the council, at which Lane and Horsemanden were sworn in and took their seats.


In 1733, the New York Weekly Journal, with John Peter Zenger as publisher, opposed the policies of New York governor William Cosby. In November 1734, Cosby and the Executive Council (including Lane) accused Zenger of libel, and the sheriff arrested Zenger. After eight months in prison, Zenger went to trial in July 1735. Zenger’s attorney, Andrew Hamilton of Philadelphia, pleaded the case directly to the jury. After deliberating for ten minutes, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty, delivering a major victory for freedom of the press and an early example of jury nullification.


George II (1683-1760) was born and grew up in Germany. He accompanied his father to Great Britain when his father became King George I of Great Britain and Ireland in 1714. The son held the title Prince of Wales. More popular than his father, George was eventually banished from St. James’s Palace, though his children remained, and he became a focal point for opposition to his father’s policies. When George I died in 1727, George II became king at the age of 43. He relied heavily on Sir Robert Walpole as an adviser and de facto Prime Minister of Great Britain. In 1743, he participated in the War of the Austrian Succession and was the last British monarch to lead an army in battle. He had a difficult relationship with his son and heir apparent Frederick, Prince of Wales, and after Frederick died nine years before his father, George II was succeeded as king by his grandson George III.


Henry Lane (d. 1744) was a well-known merchant and the son of Thomas Lane, who was a former lord mayor of London. Henry Lane came to New York in 1710. He served as a member of the Executive Council from 1733 to 1744.


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