USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Lives of the governors of New Plymouth, and Massachusetts bay; from the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth in 1620, to the union of the two colonies in 1692 > Part 30
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name?" He replied, " My name is Bull, Sir." "Bull !" exclaimed the governor, "It is a pity that your horns are not tipped with silver," Finding that he could make no impression upon the officers or people, and that the legislature of the colony were determined to defend them- selves, in the possession of their chartered rights, An- dros prudently gave up his design of seizing the fort. The militia of the town courteously guarded him to his boat, and going on board, he soon sailed for New York, and Connecticut was no more troubled by his presence, or interference, until after the accession of James the Second.
Andros, acting in the spirit of his master, discour- aged even the mention of an assembly, and proceeded to levy customs, and to establish ordinances, without the consent of the people. The Puritans of Long Island, however, were so unanimous in opposition, claiming a , representation as an inalienable birthright, that Andros at length advised the Duke of York to concede to them legislative franchises. The reply of James, marks the spirit of the man : "I cannot (says he) but suspect as- semblies would be of dangerous consequence, nothing being more known than the aptness of such bodies to assume to themselves many privileges, which prove de- structive to, or very often disturb, the peace of govern- ment, when they are allowed." The people, however, continued to urge their right as British subjects to a representation, and in October, 1683, under Governor Dongan, the successor of Andros, after an unwearied struggle of thirty years, an assembly was convened, chosen by the people themselves, who until this time had been allowed no share in the government.
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During the year 1680, Philip Carteret, as the depu- ty of Sir George Carteret, resumed the government of East Jersey. He was a popular chief magistrate. He encouraged a direct trade with England, unincumbered with the customs exacted by Andros at the port of New York. The commerce of New York was thus placed in jeopardy; and Andros, disregarding the patent of the Duke of York to Sir George, undertook to claim that the ships of New Jersey should pay tribute at New York. The people of Jersey resisted, and Car- teret was imprisoned by order of Andros; but finally released by the verdict of a jury. Andros then at- tempted to intimidate the government of New Jersey, by the royal patent to the Duke. But the firmness of the legislature preserved her independence. While this con- troversy was going on, Andros had been to England and returned. The rights of New Jersey had been confirmed by the English tribunals ; and New York, presenting for the time the rare spectacle of free trade, as a consequence was left without a revenue. Andros returned to Eng- land, in May, 1682, and was succeeded in the govern- ment of New York by Thomas Dongan, in September of the same year .*
The Duke of York succeeded to the throne in Feb. 1685, under the title of James the Second ; and on the 3d June, 1686, appointed Sir Edmund Andros, who had been knighted on his return from New York, as Gover- nor of all the New England colonies, excepting Connecti- cut. Chalmers says, " there was a great new seal appoint-
" Though Colonel Dongan was appointed to the government of New York on the 30th Sept. 1632, he did not arrive in New York until the 27th August, 1633 .- Smith, i. 66, ed. 1820.
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ed for New England, under the administration of Andros, which was honored with a remarkable motto: Nunquam libertas gratior extat." Hume, speaking of the colonies. says, " King James recalled the charters, by which theil liberties were secured; and he sent over governors vest- ed with absolute powers."
Governor Andros arrived at Nantasket on the 19th December, 1686, in the Kingfisher 50 gun ship, landed at Boston on the 20th, and the same day published his commission .* "He was received," says Chalmers, " with a satisfaction in proportion only as he was less dreaded than Kirke."+ Andros held his first Council on the 30th December, and commenced with fair professions; but soon violated them, and proved himself a fit and willing instrument of tyranny. He evidently entered upon the discharge of the duties of his office with a strong preju- dice against the people of Massachusetts, and exhibited his arbitrary temper by removing from office the magis- trates under the old charter, and overturning most of the institutions of the first settlers of New England.
The last records of the State, under the old charter, appear to be of May 12th, 1686. Such was the rigor of his government, that the people were universally dissatisfied. They despised him and his confidential asso- ciates. So sensible was he of this, that, by some means at this day unknown, he or his Secretary Randolph, des-
* The Commission to Andros is published, from an authentic copy, in Force's Tracts, vol. IV. No. 8.
t Colonel Kirke, afterwards so infamously distinguished by the cruelties which he practised upon the adherents of the ill-fated Duke of Monmouth, had actually been appointed in June, 1631, by Charles II., as Governor of Massa- chusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, and New Plymouth ; but the death of the King annulled the appointment.
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troyed or carried away all the records of his administra- tion, and there is now no trace of them, or even a single paper relative thereto, left in the office of the Secretary of State at Boston.
Andros was authorized by his commission, to appoint and remove the members of his council; and with their consent, to make laws, inipose taxes, and control the mili- tia of the country. " He was also empowered to grant lands on such terms, and subject to such quit-rents, as should be approved by the King. The council at first consisted of forty or more persons, but after a short time a few only acted with the governor, and seven being suf- ficient for a board, he took care to select such as were likely to prove themselves his most devoted adherents.
A series of despotic measures ensued. The press was placed under the censorship of his secretary and in- strument, the notorious Randolph. Personal liberty was disregarded, and none were permitted to leave the prov- ince without license from the governor. Magistrates alone were permitted to solemnize marriages, and mar- riages were not allowed, until bonds with sureties were executed to the governor, to be forfeited if any lawful impediment should afterwards appear. Enormous ex- actions were made in the shape of fees, particularly in matters of probate. The people were only allowed to vote for municipal officers; and the vote by ballot was abolished. And when the people of Lynn remonstrated, Andros told them plainly, " There is no such thing as a town in the whole country." He gave out that all titles to land were annulled ; and when Indian deeds were pro- duced, he declared them to be " no better than the scratch of a bear's paw." Landholders were obliged again
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to pay for lands which they had quietly held for forty or fifty years. A tax of a penny in the pound and a poll- tax of twenty pence was laid. The towns generally re- sisted its payment, and the people of Ipswich published a protest against the exaction, as being contrary to law, for which the most conspicuous amongst them were im- prisoned, and fined, one of whom was the intrepid John Wise, the minister of the town, who was suspended from his ministerial functions, fined £50, and compelled to give bonds for good behavior .*
The first episcopal society in Boston had been formed in June, 1686, by Edward Randolph and ten others, and they had obtained permission to use a room in the town hall for public worship. When Andros arrived, he - determined to obtain, by favor or force, a more suitable place. The archbishop of Canterbury had suggested that one of the congregational meeting-houses might be- obtained for episcopalian worship, by way of compromise with the clergy of that sect, in exchange for liberty of conscience. But when this proposition was made known to the Boston clergy, they answered with one voice, that they " could not consent that any of their meeting-houses should be used for Common Prayer worship." They also refused to have their bells tolled for episcopal meet-
* Andros, returning from an expedition into Maine, in March, 1680, calling upon Rev. Mr. Higginson of Salem, inquired by " what title the colonists pre- sumed to hold their lands?" Higginson replied, "by the rights of occupation and or' purchase from the natives." Andros said " the lands were the King's. because he had given them only by a charter, which the colonists had violated, and thus forfeited." Higginson added, that "the King himself had no other than a Popish right to New England, but that protestants denied the validity of such a grant." Andros, at length, growing warm, said " Either you are his subjects. or his rebels !"-intimating that if the people would not take out now patents and pay rents, they should be treated as rebels. Felt's Annals, 200
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ings. On the evening of December 22, Mr. Mather and Mr. Willard waited on the governor at his lodgings, and " thoroughly discoursed his excellency about the meeting- houses, in great plainness, showing they could not con- sent to his demands." The governor, either from an un- willingness to wound their feelings too rudely, or from a fear of displaying his power too suddenly, seemed to say that he would not impose upon them what was man- ifestly so disagreeable. And so the matter was suffered to rest, but for a short time only. On the 23d of March, 1687, the governor sent Mr. Randolph for the keys of the south meeting house, now called the Old South, in or- der that the Episcopalians might have prayer there. A committee of six, of whom Chief Justice Sewall was one, thereupon waited upon his Excellency, and earnestly represented to him that the house was their own private property, and to repeat that they could not consent to part with it to such use as had been required. This was on Wednesday. The following Friday, which was Good Friday, Sir Edmund Andros sent to command the sexton of the South Church to open the doors and ring the bell, for the service of the Church of England. The sex- ton, though he had resolved not to do so, was persuaded or intimidated into compliance, and the Governor and his party took possession of the house, where the epis- copal service was afterwards regularly performed until he left the province .*
In relation to this matter, which excited so much feeling among the people of Boston at the time, it may be said, that if Andros had never done any thing worse than introduce the Episcopal mode of worship,
* Greenwood's Hist. King's Chapel, Boston, p. 38.
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his name would not have been covered with so much obloquy. The Puritans of 1686, had as little charity for their christian brethren of the Church of England, as they had previously shewn for the Baptists and Quakers. IIutchinson mentions that this feeling was carried so far, that a deacon of the South Church actually interfered and prevented the burial of one Lilly, according to the form prescribed in the burial service of the Church. What would have been the reflections of the worthy dea- con, could he have foreseen, that in less than a century, his own Church would be indebted to the liberality of King's Chapel for the privilege of worship? While the British, in the Revolutionary War, made use of the Old South for a riding school, or circus, the South congregation were received with welcome at King's Chapel, and min- gled with their Episcopalian brethren in worship at that sanctuary.
On the 12th January, 1687, Andros published his commission at Providence, dissolved the government of Rhode Island, broke its seal, and assumed the adminis- tration.
The colony of Connecticut, as has already been stat- ed, was not originally included in Andros's commission. Supplementary instructions were, however, issued by the King, under date of the 13th September, and on the 22d of December, Governor Andros wrote to Governor Treat, of Connecticut, that he was " particularly empow- ered and authorized to receive the surrender of the char- ter" of that colony.
Connecticut for some time evaded his demands. But on the 13th June, 1687, he sent his Secretary, Randolph, to Connecticut, with a threatening message, which that
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government disregarding, Andros, with his suite, and some sixty regular troops, repaired in October to Hart- ford, where the assembly was then in session. Appear- ing before that body, Governor Andros declared the government to be dissolved, and demanded the surrender of the charter. The assembly was slow to surrender the charter, or to adopt any motion to bring it about. The tradition is, that Governor Treat represented the great expense and hardships of the colonists, in planting the country ; the blood and treasure which they had ex- pended in defending it, both against the savages and for- eigners; the hardships and dangers to which he himself had been exposed for that purpose; and that it was giv- ing up his life, to surrender the patent and privileges so dearly bought, and so long enjoyed. The important af- fair was debated at large, and kept in suspense until the shades of evening had descended, when the charter was brought, and laid upon the table, where the assembly was sitting. By this time, great numbers of people, sufficiently bold to undertake whatever enterprise might be necessary or expedient, were assembled. The lights were all at once extinguished, though no disorder or confusion prevailed; and when re-lighted, the charter had disappeared. William Wadsworth, of Hartford, stealing noiselessly through the crowd, had taken away the cherished patent, which he concealed in the hollow of an oak, which is yet standing to confirm the tale. Sir Edmund assumed the government, on the 31st October, 1687, and calling for the records of the colony, wrote the word " FINIS," at the close of the proceedings.
Returning to Boston, Governor Andros continued his course of arbitrary measures there, and directed the ra-
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pacity of his Secretary to the settlements in Maine; but that territory had already been subjected to official pil- lage. In the spring of 1688, Andros, at the head of a body of seven hundred men, proceeded to the Penob- scot, against the Eastern Indians, who retired on his ap- proach, and his only trophy was the plunder of the house and fort of the Baron de St. Castine .*
In March, 1688, a new commission was issued by the King, adding New York and the Jerseys to the jurisdic- tion of Andros, and on the twenty-eighth of July, the order to Governor Dongan, of New York, to deliver up the seal of the province to Andros, was read in the pro- vincial council, and placed upon the records. But an im- portant change in the affairs of England and her colonies was near at hand.
In addition to the real grievances under which the people of New England labored, their fears were excit- ed. They believed Andros to be a papist ; that he had hired the Indians, and supplied them with ammunition, to destroy their frontier settlements ; and that he was preparing to betray the country into the hands of the French .¡ At the same time, the large strides that King
* In the summer of 1841, a quantity of silver coins, of different denomina. tions, and varying in date from 1011 to 1682, was found at Johnson's point, near the site of the old fort, and residence of the Baron Castine, supposed to have been deposited by him and his followers near the time when his settle- ment was destroyed.
t " Revolution in New England Justified," pages 29, 40. Justice to Sir Edmund Andros requires it to be stated in reply to the allegations in " Revolu- tion in New England Justified," that he sent a letter to the Justices of the Court of New Hampshire, concerning trading with the Indians, whereupon it was, probably in pursuance of the instructions contained in it, at a private or special session, holden on the 26 January, 1688-0, by his Majesty's Justices, " Ordered, that no person within this Province (of New Hampshire) presume to trade with, furnish, or supply, any Indian or Indians (particularly those of Pennicook) with any ammunition, instruments of war, goods, provisions, or
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James the Second had been making towards the estab- lishment of popery and despotism, excited the most terrible apprehensions.
The news of the landing of the Prince of Orange in England, reached Boston on the 4th of April, 1689. Andros was so excited with alarm at the news, that he im- prisoned the messenger, (John Winslow,*) who brought a copy of the Prince's declaration to Boston, and pub- lished a proclamation commanding all persons to be in readiness to oppose " any invasion from Holland," which proclamation was utterly disregarded.
The patience of the people had long since been ex- hausted. They now resolved upon striking a decisive blow. On the morning of the 18th of April, the town of Boston was in arms, and the people from the country poured in, to the assistance of the capital. The insur- rection was general. The citizens were unanimous in their determination to overthrow the existing government. Early in the morning, the boys were seen running along the streets of Boston, armed with clubs, encouraging one another to fight by the sides of their fathers, who were gathered in arms in various parts of the city. The cap- tain of the Rose frigate was one of the first seized and con- fined, and the arrest of others followed. The drums began to beat a general summons to the multitude to gather near the fort, when Andros sent a messenger re-
any thing whatsoever. . And whosoever can give any information of any per- son or persons that have already supplied and furnished the said Indians with ammunition, or instruments of war, they are desired forthwith to give notice thereof to the next Justice of the Peace, that they may be secured, and pro- ceeded against with all severity." Records of the Court of Quarter Sessions, held at Great Island, New Hampshire, in 1669-9.
* See p. 133, of this volume.
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questing four of the ministers to come to him at the fort. to act as mediators between him and the people. The ministers did not consider it safe to do so, and declined. By this time the multitude had secured all the obnoxious persons about town, and Andros was summoned to sur- render .* The frigate, now commanded by its lieutenant, made preparations for battle, but the commander, who was in custody, sent him word to forbear, as all who had been arrested would be put to death, should he fire upon the people. Andros now endeavoured to escape on board the frigate, but his retreat had already been cut off by the multitude, who were approaching on both sides of the fort. The lower battery was deserted by the reg- ulars, who fled up the hill into the fort; and such was their panic at the appearance of the multitude before them, that, though the cannons were charged with grape, they did not fire a gun. The people marched up to the mouths of the cannon. Capt. John Nelson, a merchant of Boston, entered the fort, and made the second demand for Andros to surrender. Sir Edmund, finding resistance useless, surrendered to Capt. Nelson, and was conduct- ed under guard to the house of John Usher. Here he re- mained for a short time, until the people began to clamor for his imprisonment in a place of greater security. Nothing would satisfy them but binding the Governor with cords, and carrying him to a safe place. Capt. Dan- iel Fisher, of Dedham, whose father had suffered great indignity from Andros, was soon seen among the crowd, leading the pale and trembling Sir Edmund by the collar of his coat, from the house of Usher, back to Fort Hill. The revolution was complete. A declaration, defending
* See pp. 385-357, of this volume.
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the insurrection, was publicly read; the old magistrates were reinstated as a Council of Safety ; and the venera- ble Governor Bradstreet was made their president. On the 29th May, William and Mary were proclaimed King and Queen at Boston .*
Andros and his accomplices, in the meantime, re- mained in confinement, until the pleasure of the king and queen could be made known. Andros on one occasion managed to elude the vigilance of his keepers, and escap- , ed, but was soon after taken in Rhode Island, and again conducted to prison.t On the 30th of July, William III. issued an order for the immediate conveyance of Andros, Randolph and others to England, "to answer what may be objected against them." The order was not received until near the close of the year, and in Feb- ruary, 1690, they were sent home to England.
In considering their case, the king was placed in an awkward dilemma. If he condemned the conduct of Andros, and sanctioned the proceedings of the colonists, it might be used as an argument and precedent in favor of future insurrections. On the other hand, to approve the course of Andros, and censure the acts of the people, . would be condemning the very same course which had produced the revolution in England, and elevated him- self to the throne.t The case was therefore summarily disposed of. The colonists were confirmed in their
* See Byfield's "Account of the Late Revolution in New England ;" and " Revolution in New England Justified." [Both these rare tracts are re-print- ed, from originals, in the 4th volume of Force's Tracts.] Compare also Ilutch- inson's Colony of Massachusetts Bay, 373-3-2, and Bancroft, ii. 447.
t Byfield, in his Account of the Revolution, says Andros attempted " to es- cape in women's apparel, and passed two guards, and was stopped at the third, be- ing discovered by his shoes, not having changed them."
# See extracts from letter of Elisha Cooke, in Hutchinson's Colony of Mass. Bay, 394.
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rights. Andros was released, and though generally re- garded as a bad man and magistrate, he still contrived to retain a degree of influence at home.
In 1692, a little more than two years after his dis- grace at Boston, he was appointed. by William III. gov- ernor of the province of Virginia, in which office he remained until he was superseded by Nicholson, in 1698. Andros arrived in Virginia in Feb. 1692. Beverly, Burk, and other historians of that colony, represent him to have been actuated in his administration by a sound judgment and liberal policy-to have been exact, diligent and methodical in the management of business, and of great public generosity. . Beverly says he was "a great en- courager of manufactures. He also gave particular marks of favor towards the propagation of cotton, afterwards so much neglected. He was a great lover of method- caused all the loose and torn records in the public of-' fices, which were of any value, to be transcribed into new books-took measures for their preservation, and for re- ducing them to such order that they could at once be referred to. The public offices were burnt in October, 1698, just before his term of office expired, but the pa- pers were saved. By great diligence, he got them all properly arranged before he left the government. He made offers to rebuild the public edifice at his own ex- pense in part, and would have done so, had he not been superseded."# Whether Andros, in his last government in America, found a people in spirit more congenial with his own, or, what is more probable, had learned wisdom from misfortune, it is certain that few governors of Vir- ginia were more generally beloved. He returned to * Beverly, sec. 142, p. 90. Burk, ii. 316.
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England in 1699, was governor of the Island of Guern- sey, from 1704 to 1706, and died in London in Februa- ry, 1714, Douglas says, "at a very advanced age." He was 82, at the time of his death. His wife died at Bos- ton, according to Sewall, in February, 16SS .*
History has done no more than justice to Andros, in stamping him with the character of a tyrant. Oldmixcu, in 1741, said he "was a man of as mean a character as fortune," and that it was a matter of amazement that such a man should have been continued in office after the revolution. Smith, the historian of New York, says of Andros, that " he knew no law but the will of his master, and Kirke and Jeffries were not fitter instruments than he to execute the despotic projects of James II."
The family of Andros is one of the most ancient upon the Island, and descendants were living in Guernsey and Alderney, as late as 1798. John Andros, the ancestor of Governor Andros, was, from 1582 to 1607, one of the twelve jurats or judges, who, with the bailiff, composed the Royal Court of the Island-an office which contin- ued in some of the family name down to as late a period as 1705. Amice Andros, the father of Sir Edmund, was bailiff of the Island from 1660 to his death, on the 7th April, 1674, at. 64. In the inscription upon a mural
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