Col] Heathcote also pressed him to undertake it giving liim the same assui-ance from the Governor & Poyer Promised to do it but has been prevailed on to decline that method (as he says) 'till their representation reach England and I beUeve the poor man and liis friends are weak enough to believe that their superiors there will enter into measures to displace the Governor for not' Dragooning in their favor as his predecessor did or get orders for his so doing which may gratify their little Itch and thats all, for it will be very far from doing any good.
The Act to settle the Church is very loosely w^orded which as tilings stood then wiien it was made could not be avoided the Dissenters claiming the benefit of it as well as we and the Act without such resting will admit a construction in tlieir favor as well as ours they think it w^as intended for them and that they only have a right to it --
There is no comparison in our numbers and they can on the death of the Incumbents call persons of their own persuasion in every place but the City of New York and if by force the Salary is taken from them and paid to the minister of the Cliurch it may be the means of subsisting those ministers but they wont make many converts among a people who think tliemselves very much injured -- Whereas let this matter be once regularly determined and then their mouths are for ever stopped and they'l live in [peace and] then the Chiu'ch will in all probability flourish & I believe [it J liad at this day been in a much better condition had there been no Act in her favor for in the Jersieg