Editing Robert Barclay (section)

==Governor of East New Jersey==
Barclay was an absentee governor, never having set foot in the colony. He governed through a series of deputy governors, who oversaw day-to-day operations of Barclay's government.

Englishman [[Thomas Rudyard]], a London lawyer, was the first to serve as deputy under Robert Barclay, having been appointed on 16 September 1682. Rudyard was the de facto governor. It was during Rudyard's tenure that the four counties of [[Bergen County, New Jersey|Bergen]], [[Essex County, New Jersey|Essex]], [[Middlesex County, New Jersey|Middlesex]] and [[Monmouth County, New Jersey|Monmouth]] were established.<ref>Peter O. Wacker, ''Land and People''; Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick, New Jersey, 1975; p.305</ref>

Rudyard and Surveyor General Samuel Groom soon had a policy disagreement on the granting of land. Groom believed in adhering to the [[Concession and Agreement]] of [[John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton|John Lord Berkekey]] and Sir [[George Carteret]], which stated that one seventh part of all land allotments was to be reserved to the [[Lords Proprietors]]. Rudyard disagreed with this policy and he and the [[East New Jersey Provincial Council|Council]] appointed Philip Wells as Deputy Surveyor, thereby circumventing Groom's authority. The Proprietors in England disapproved of Rudyard and Wells' actions, voiding all grants not surveyed by Groom. Rudyard and the Council replied that they would continue granting land as they had been doing, as the majority of Proprietors were not living in East Jersey. The Proprietors then, on 27 July 1683, appointed [[Gawen Lawrie]] Deputy Governor, replacing Rudyard.<ref>Peter O. Wacker, ''Land and People''; Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick, New Jersey, 1975; p.307</ref> Rudyard remained in office as Secretary and Register until 1685.<ref>New Jersey Colonial Documents, Archives of the State of New Jersey, First Series, Vol. I; Daily Advertiser Publishing House, Newark, New Jersey, 1880. p. 376</ref>

Thomas Rudyard's land dealings resurfaced when, on 28 February 1684/5, he received a grant of {{convert|1038|acre|ha}} on [[Raritan Bay]] in Monmouth County. This resulted in Governor Barclay and the Proprietors issuing instructions to Deputy Governor Lawrie on the laying out of land. Section 7 directly addressed the questionable activity of Rudyard and Lawrie himself in their taking up of land.<ref>''The Grants, Concessions and Original Constitutions of the Province of New Jersey'', Aaron Leaming and Jacob Spicer; W. Bradford, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1758. pp. 207-213</ref> On 5 November 1685 Rudyard sold the land in question to his son in law, Samuel Winder, who on 17 June 1686 sold to [[Andrew Bowne]].

During Gawen Lawrie's tenure the Proprietors in England drafted a new constitution for East New Jersey, the Fundamental Constitutions for the Province of East New Jersey.<ref>''The Grants, Concessions and Original Constitutions of the Province of New Jersey'', Aaron Leaming and Jacob Spicer; W. Bradford, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1758. pp. 153 ''et seq.''</ref> This document, drafted in 1683, was intended to supersede the [[Concession and Agreement]] of 1665. Lawrie introduced the new constitution in [[East New Jersey Provincial Council|Council]] on 12 April 1686; the Council voted "that the same Did not agree with the (constitution) of these American parts--", but nonetheless sent it to the General Assembly for reading.<ref>''Journal of the Governor and Council Vol. I (1682-1714), Archives of the State of New Jersey, First Series, Vol. XIII''; The John L. Murphy Publishing Co., Printers, Trenton, New Jersey, 1890. p. 151</ref> On 16 April, in response to Lawrie's inquiry as to the Assembly's action on the constitution, the lower house reported "That they apprehended the same Did not agree with the (constitution) of this province and that they understood that the same were noe wise bindeing Except past into a Lawe by the Generall Assembly--".<ref>''Journal of the Governor and Council Vol. I (1682-1714), Archives of the State of New Jersey, First Series, Vol. XIII''; The John L. Murphy Publishing Co., Printers, Trenton, New Jersey, 1890. p. 158</ref> With both houses concurring, the Fundamental Constitutions was defeated, and the Concession and Agreement would remain the East Jersey constitution until the surrender to [[The Crown]] in 1702.

The Proprietors in England were concerned about the Lawrie's secretive dealings and they instructed the East New Jersey Board of Proprietors to investigate the state of affairs, including an audit of the finances. In March 1686 the Proprietors appointed [[Andrew Hamilton (New Jersey governor)|Andrew Hamilton]] to oversee the investigation.

In September 1686 the decision was made to remove Lawrie from office, and on 5 October [[Lord Neill Campbell]] presented his commission from Gov. Barclay as deputy governor to the [[East New Jersey Provincial Council]], who confirmed and recognized the appointment. Lawrie was then commissioned a member of the council.

Campbell, a Scotsman like Barclay, only served briefly; having urgent business in Britain, he nominated Councillor [[Andrew Hamilton (New Jersey governor)|Andrew Hamilton]] as his replacement as Deputy Governor on 10 December 1686; the next day Lawrie was the only councillor to register a protest and vote against confirming Hamilton.<ref>''Journal of the Governor and Council Vol. I (1682-1714), Archives of the State of New Jersey, First Series, Vol. XIII''; The John L. Murphy Publishing Co., Printers, Trenton, New Jersey, 1890. p. 172</ref> Neill Campbell returned to Scotland and is not known to have returned to the New World. Lord Neill Campbell died in April 1692.

Andrew Hamilton was Barclay's final deputy governor. Originally a merchant in [[Edinburgh]], he was sent to [[East Jersey]] to act as an agent to recruit men to settle there.

After Sir [[Edmund Andros]] took control over the Jerseys as part of the [[Dominion of New England]], Hamilton sailed back to England to consult with the Proprietors. On the voyage, he was captured by the French, delaying his journey to London until May 1690.