USA > New York > Kings County > Brooklyn > A history of the city of Brooklyn and Kings county, Volume I > Part 8
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" Weras during this Court of Sessions their have been several misdemeanors committed in contempt of authority in the towne of Grave- sende, by one throwing down the stocks, pull- ing down of fences and such like crimes ; the court also find that there was noe watch in the town which might have prevented itt, and being the offenders cannot be discovered, itt is ordered that the towne stand fined five pounds till they have made discovery of the offenders."
The penalty in slander cases was very light, as appears by a verdict rendered in an action for defamation in 1699. The verdict was as follows : " At a cort of General sessions, held att Gravesende, December 1, 1669, John Ffur- man, plf., vs. Adraiaen Ffrost, def't. The Plaintiff declared in an action of defamacon, how that the defendant reported him to be a purjured person, and common lyer, which was
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sufficiently proved, and also confessed by the defendant. The Jury brought in the verdict for the plaintiff, with five pounds damages and costs."
Among the measures marking the progress of the county was a provision by which all the highways in the region were to be laid out four rods wide.
When, in 1685, the Duke of York succeeded to the throne of England under the title of James II., he instructed Governor Dongan to assert the prerogative of the Crown as a natu- ral right, to impose taxes, and also prohibited the establishment of printing presses in the colony. He was opposed to the diffusion of information, and evidently thought that edu- cation and knowledge would weaken and de- stroy his power over the people. Thus, self- ishness marked his whole course. In August, 1685, the provincial council was dissolved by order of the Governor, and no other was chosen or summoned. This course was adopted to lessen the influence of the people, and concen- trate the entire management and control in the hands of the Governor.
On the 3d of May, 1686, an important event occurred for Brooklyn. It was the issuance of a patent whereby all the rights and privi-
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leges granted by Governor Nichols in 1667 were fully confirmed and ratified. Dongan, in the same year, also granted a charter to the city of New York, confirming the franchises previously granted to the corporation, and placed the government upon a solid founda- tion. The Governor, however, still retained the appointment of mayor, under-sheriff, clerk, and all other important officials, merely giving the people the right to choose their aldermen, assistant aldermen, and minor officials, at an annual election to be held on St. Michael's day. This patent of 1686 was a very impor- tant document for New York City. Upon this document New York based its claims to ownership in the Brooklyn shore. It was this charter which made sailors on board of United States vessels at the Brooklyn Navy Yard citi- zens of New York City, and gave them the right to vote in the seventh ward of New York.
Dongan was a fast friend of the Indians, and during his administration secured their good will by counsel and assistance. He had their confidence, and in various ways they manifested gratitude. They called him the " white father," and he was long held in re- membrance by the savage tribes, who appreci-
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ated his many kind acts to them. He suc- ceeded better with the Indians than he did with the whites.
The King was anxious to introduce the Catholic religion, in opposition to the wishes of the colonists. The feeling between the two parties formed as a result of this threat became very bitter. Dongan quickly saw that the policy of intolerance would jeopardize the perpetuity and peace of the English posses- sions, and opposed the measure. The Crown officers appointed by the home government were all Catholics, and in order to appease popular prejudices, Dongan selected his coun- cilors from among the best known and fore- most Protestants. This judicious policy was not approved by the King, and in 1688 Don- gan was recalled, and Francis Nicholson as- sumed the management of affairs.
In the mean time, Sir Edward Andros had been appointed royal governor of New Eng- land and New York. Nicholson, as his dep- uty, acted during his absence. The troubles which assailed the people in consequence of the arbitrary acts of the King were not to last long. The hour of deliverance was at hand. The dismal forebodings of the people were removed when the intelligence was received
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that the King had abdicated his throne, and that the reign of William and Mary had be- gun. This was in 1689. The citizens of New York thereupon assumed the power to remove and depose all the officials who had been ap- pointed through the instrumentality of the late king. The authority of Deputy Nichol- son was questioned. Each sovereign had ad- herents. Parties were formed among the peo- ple. One sustained the late sovereign, while another supported the new potentates. Polit- ical and religious discussion waxed warm, and the two parties became known as the demo- cratic and aristocratic classes. Some main- tained that the change of sovereigns in no way affected the colonial government, and that the commissions granted by James were valid until set aside and declared illegal by the new power. Others considered the change in England as a complete revolution, which ex- tended to every province belonging to the kingdom. They held that all things were in a state of anarchy, and that no one possessed the power to control; that all officials were functus officio, and consequently the power rested with the people, and that they alone could devise measures or means of govern- ment, until the sovereign will should be ex- pressed.
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As a result of this condition of affairs the inhabitants of Long Island deposed their magistrates and elected others to fill the places of those they had removed. They also took occasion to send a large body of militia to New York to aid the popular party in that city, which was led by Jacob Leisler. He held the position of captain, was an old, wealthy, and respected citizen, a firm Protestant, and an opponent of the Catholics. The public money was deposited in the Fort, and the peo- ple were anxious to secure its control. A de- tachment of forty-seven men repaired to the Fort, obtained possession without resistance, and Captain Leisler became the acknowledged and recognized leader of the revolutionary movement. He assumed control in behalf of the new sovereigns, and at once took measures to protect the public property. The defenses were strengthened, and a battery of six guns erected. The erection of this battery was the beginning of the public park long known as the Battery.
As everything was in a chaotic state, it was deemed advisable to organize a Committee of Safety, whose first act was to place the city under the command of Leisler. Subsequently the authority of Leisler was confirmed by a
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dispatch directed to the late Governor, or to such other persons as might be in command, requiring such person to assume the entire control of governmental affairs. Thereupon Leisler took the title of Lieutenant-Governor, and appointed his advisory council, consisting of eight well-known citizens, to aid him in the discharge of his trust. Having entire and complete supremacy, he resolved to place the city in an orderly condition, and to accomplish this purpose took active measures. His con- duct did not please the people. Some were jealous of his power, and began to stir the people into rebellion. This was accomplished with but little effort, and resulted in a street riot, from which the Governor barely escaped with his life. The services of the militia were called in requisition, and for a short time the result was uncertain. The riot, however, was subdued. Several of the ringleaders were cap- tured, thrown into prison, and a court sum- moned to try them for treason. The chief leader, Nicholas Bayard, was kept in the cells of the City Hall for a period of fourteen months, until released by Governor Sloughter.
In 1691, General Henry Sloughter was ap- pointed Governor by the sovereign authority. Upon his arrival he demanded the surrender
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of the Fort, which at first was refused. Major Ingolsby, who had been appointed by him Lieutenant-Governor, at once landed his forces and blockaded the Fort. In this work Ingolsby was aided and urged on by the enemies of Leisler. For seven weeks the city was kept in this state. Leisler refused to surrender his authority until the commission of the new governor was produced. At the same time, however, he declared himself willing to sur- render possession to any one duly authorized and deputed to take his place. Ingolsby, still urged on by Leisler's foes, did all he could to irritate and annoy him.
On the 19th of March, 1691, Sloughter was met by a delegation consisting of Philipse Van Courtland and others, representing the anti-Leislerian party, which expressed to him a cordial greeting and loyalty. With his es- cort from the city he proceeded to the City Hall, exhibited his commission, and took the oath of office. It was late at night when he reached the Hall, and although it was near midnight he dispatched Ingolsby and a party of soldiers, at the instigation of Van Court- land and his friends, to demand a surrender of the Fort. Leisler was suspicious, and thinking that all was not right, refused to surrender,
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and sent a letter by one of his men who had known Sloughter, with directions to ascertain if he was really present and had issued the order, or whether it had been prepared by some one who had assumed the role of author- ity. This act angered Sloughter, and he at once told the messenger that he intended to make himself known in New York. Major Ingolsby was again directed to return and take possession of the Fort, and to release Bayard and the other prisoners who had been com- mitted by Leisler for treason. 'Upon their re- lease and restoration to freedom they were elevated to the position of members of the Council. This augured ill for Leisler. The new Governor summoned Leisler and his son- in-law, Milburne, to appear before him with- out delay. Leisler refused to give up posses- sion and still held the Fort. He, however, sent Milburne and Delanoy to the Governor to obtain the assurance that his life would be spared. The messengers sent to make terms were imprisoned, and another demand was made to surrender. Leisler became fright- ened; matters were becoming exceedingly hot and disagreeable. Resistance could not be kept up much longer, and he feared his life would be forfeited in consequence of his dis-
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obedience to the lawfully constituted author- ity. He deeply felt the necessity of recon- ciliation, and sent a letter of apology to the Governor for holding the Fort. He admitted that his action had been unwise, and excused himself on the ground that he feared the peo- ple would take his life if he gave up control to Ingolsby. This letter was treated with con- tempt, receiving no consideration at the hands of the Governor or his Council. Sloughter convened his Council at the City Hall. All of its members were enemies of Leisler. Leis- ler, deserted by the soldiers of the Fort, was brought a prisoner before Sloughter, and im- prisoned with several others in the guard- house.
At this meeting of the Council the Gov- ernor appointed John Lawrence Mayor of New York.
Leisler with his fellow prisoners remained in the guard-house four days, when the Gov- ernor and Council again met to consider the propriety of his removal to prison. On the following day a court was organized to try the prisoners for murder and rebellion. The court met on the 30th day of March. Leisler refused to put in any plea, maintaining that the court had no jurisdiction of the case; that
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the sovereigns alone had the right to decide whether he had acted without legal authority. The judges were unwilling to assume the power to decide the question, and submitted it to the Governor and Council, who held that the point was not well taken. Thereupon Leisler was found guilty on the 13th day of April, declared to be a usurper, and with Mil- burne was condemned to death.
The Governor did not at once sign the death warrant. He was not satisfied with the situation, and feared to incur the displeasure of the King. The enemies of Leisler urged him to the act, without success. At last, after a month had passed away, they adopted a new method to gain their desire. A feast was pre- pared, to which the Governor was invited. They again urged upon him his duty in the matter, and at last by the use of flattery, and while the Governor was under the influence of the good wine which had been provided for the occasion, succeeded in their endeavor.
The anti-Leislerian party, having accom- plished the desire of their hearts, could not rest until the warrant was put into execution. They feared that the Governor might relent and revoke his order. Nicolls, Van Court- land, Bayard, and those of their adherents who
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had been imprisoned by the direction of Leis- ler, were burning for vengeance, and nothing but his ignominious death would allay their fury.
The warrant having been signed, the festal board lost its attractions. An officer took pos- session of the document and carried it to the City Hall. Orders were issued to lead out the prisoners to instant execution. In order to keep the matter from the ears of Sloughter, some remained at the entertainment and kept the Governor in good humor and forgetfulness with wine. The day of execution was cold and dismal. In the drizzling rain the prisoners were led out to meet their fate. The scaffold was erected in the park opposite the City Hall. Friends of Leisler gathered round him in the trying hour, bewailing the doom of their leader, and in bitter words execrated those who had sought and obtained the death warrant. Leisler lamented the fate of his son- in-law, and with his dying breath addressed his son and friend in words of tenderness. Turning to Milburne he said: "Why must you die? You have been but a servant doing my will. What I have done has been in the service of my King and Queen, for the Pro- testant cause and for the good of my country ;
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for this I must die. Some errors I have com- mitted ; for these I ask forgiveness, and I en- treat my children to do the same."
Thus perished the last Dutch Governor of New York.1 His remains were interred in his own ground near the location of old Tam- many Hall. The treatment he received was unjust. He had assumed the reins of govern- ment at the behest of the people, when they had no ruler, and continued to act in that capacity, considering the open letter of the new sovereigns as a sufficient authorization. He was condemned unheard, receiving the
1 " No man has been more maligned or misunderstood than Jacob Leisler. Historians have deliberately misjudged him, drawing their conclusions from the biased reports of the few aristocrats who hated or the English officials who despised him. Jacob Leisler was one of the earliest of American patri- ots. His brief and stormy career as Provincial Governor of New York was marked by mistakes of judgment, but his mis- takes were more than overbalanced by his foresight and states- manship. He acted as one of the people for the people. He summoned a popular convention, arranged the first mayoralty election by the people, attempted the first step toward colonial union by endeavoring to interest the several provinces in a continental congress, and sought to cripple the chief adversary of the English in America, France, by the masterly stroke of an invasion of Canada. That he failed is due to the jealousy, the timidity, and the short-sightedness of his fellow colonists. But he builded wiser than he knew; for, though he died a martyr to colonial jealousy and English injustice, his bold and patriotic measures awoke the people to a knowledge of their real power, and prepared them for that spirit of resistance to tyranny which a century later made them a free republic." - Elbridge S. Brooks, The Story of New York, p. 74.
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treatment of a common malefactor. It is but just to say of him that he resigned his authority to the new government as soon as the Council had been sworn in, and as soon as he was properly apprised of his supersedure. He was prejudged by a court composed of his ene- mies, some of whom, on account of malice, were not qualified to try him. In 1695 his estate, which had been confiscated, was re- stored to his family. Subsequently Parlia- ment declared that Leisler had held under proper authority, set aside all acts of attainder and judgments which had been passed against him and his associates, and the bodies of Leis- ler and Milburne received the honor of a pub- lic reinterment. It was but tardy justice.
During Sloughter's administration many important changes were made. The govern- ment was placed upon a firm basis, and various courts were organized. Courts of Common Pleas and General Pleas were organized in every county, and the town governments as- sumed in a measure their present form. The number of supervisors was reduced to one from each town, with three surveyors of high- ways.
In May, 1691, the General Assembly con- firmed all previous grants and patents. The
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grants to Breuckelen were thus again con- firmed.
Governor Sloughter died suddenly July 23, 1691. Some supposed that he was poisoned by the friends of Leisler, whose bitterness was ever manifested toward him. The theory of poisoning, however, was not supported by the post mortem examination.
If religious questions had been at the bot- tom of the democratic revolt led by Leisler, the triumph of the aristocratic class did not close the religious differences.1 Benjamin Fletcher, who succeeded Sloughter as Gover- nor, was a man of limited education, narrow views, self-opinionated obstinacy, and always questionable personal sincerity. It was a dar- ling project with him to introduce the English language and the Episcopalian forms of wor- ship. To accomplish this purpose he made
1 " The government of the colony was at once put on the basis on which it stood until the outbreak of the Revolution. There was a governor appointed by the king, and a council likewise appointed; while the assembly was elected by the freeholders. The suffrage was thus limited by a strict prop- erty qualification. Liberty of conscience was granted to all Protestant sects, but not to Catholics ; and the Church of Eng- land was practically made the state church, though the Dutch and French congregations were secured in the rights guaran- teed them by treaty. It was, then, essentially a class or aristo- cratic government, - none the less so because to European eyes the little American colony seemed both poor and rude."- Theodore Roosevelt, New York, p. 71.
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strenuous efforts, bringing to bear every in- fluence within his power. The Hollanders were wedded to their own peculiar forms of church government, and regarded their church as best entitled to be considered the estab- lished form of religious worship. Vigorous efforts were consequently made to retain its supremacy, and great opposition was mani- fested toward the proposed change. The Dutch language was long successfully retained in the Dutch churches. It was not until 1767 that the English language was introduced, causing great dissatisfaction among the old Knickerbocker stock. The tenacity displayed in retaining the language of the fatherland, and the refusal to provide English services, drove many young people into the Episco- palian fold. To this circumstance may be ascribed the reason why to-day so many Dutch families are found connected with that denom- ination. Had the fathers gratified the wishes of their children by providing services in the English language, the Reformed Dutch Church would have retained many families that found their way into the Episcopalian Church.
William Bradford, of Philadelphia, in 1693, established the first printing - press in New York City, and had the exclusive contract
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from the city government to print the laws, ordinances, and corporation advertising. He had no competitor, and must have enjoyed a rich harvest. To Bradford belongs the credit of establishing the first newspaper ever printed in the province. His effort in this direction proved eminently successful. The paper was first given to the public in 1725, and was called the " New York Gazette." At first it was merely a weekly paper, printed on a small half sheet, containing only two pages. As his business increased it was enlarged to four pages.
In 1693 Long Island received a new name, being designated as Nassau Island. The change met with but little favor, and although the name Nassau is intimately associated with the history of the island and with local institu- tions, it failed to become permanent.
During this period a system of privateering came into vogue, which in a great measure received encouragement from the authorities. The entire coast was infested by daring buc- caneers and pirates, who plundered the ship- ping, making serious depredations upon the commerce of the country. The province suffered greatly from these freebooters, and, although complaint was made from time to
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time to the constituted authorities, no redress or protection was received. The officials themselves were corrupt, and participated in the profits derived from the nefarious and infamous business. Governor Fletcher fell under strong suspicion of complicity. Legiti- mate trade was destroyed, and many embarked in the new calling who under other circum- stances could not have been induced to pollute themselves by engaging in so vile a traffic.
The English government at last became alarmed. Trade was suspended and merchants were afraid to send their vessels and wares over the ocean. They were unwilling to risk their property in so dangerous and hazardous an enterprise. It became necessary to adopt active means to suppress piracy. The Gov- ernor could not be trusted, and, in order to break up this evil, Governor Fletcher was re- called in 1695, and Lord Bellomont appointed in his stead.
Lord Bellomont did not enter upon the dis- charge of his duties until 1698. He was a man of quick perception, and was convinced that active measures were necessary. To carry out his views he urged the Government to equip an armed naval force to cruise in the western waters and capture the human sharks
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who were pillaging vessels and destroying the commerce of the nation. England at that time was engaged in a war with France, and had not the means or equipments to respond to the appeal. She required all her naval ves- sels to defend herself against her neighbor. Bellomont was determined to accomplish his laudable undertaking to destroy piracy in American waters, and, as he could receive no aid from the Crown, resolved to organize a stock company for the purpose. He was encouraged in his effort by the King, who approved the plan, and, with the Duke of Shrewsbury and others of the nobility, became a shareholder in the company thus formed. The object of the company was to build and man vessels to capture the pirates. A sum of money amounting to about $30,000 was raised. A fine and strong vessel called the Adventure Galley was placed in commission. She carried sixty sailors and mounted thirty guns.
Captain William Kidd, a bold and adven- turous officer, was placed in command of the ship thus equipped. In order to encourage him in his labor, it was provided that his share in the enterprise should be one fifth of the proceeds. He was a man of large experience,
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having been engaged in the West Indian and New York trade for many years, and having at various times been employed as captain of packet ships. His experience and knowledge of the coast preeminently fitted him for the undertaking. He had lived in New York a long time, owned considerable property, and was looked upon as a man in every way worthy to discharge the duties assigned him. Bello- mont and Robert Livingston had the utmost confidence in him, and gave him a warm rec- ommendation for the position. He married a lady of high social rank in New York, and was privileged to move in the best circles of the city.
The vessel sailed under flattering auspices in April, 1699, from Plymouth, England, for New York. Arriving at the latter port, Cap- tain Kidd shipped ninety additional men, and proceeded to the Indian seas in search of pirates. Kidd soon found that his own sea- men sympathized with the buccaneers, and were far from unwilling to assume the rôle of pirates. It will never be known what argu- ments induced him to turn aside from the path of duty, and join the band of pirates he was sent to destroy. The fact is that he was led to abandon his enterprise, and became the
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