USA > New York > Ecclesiastical records, state of New York, Volume II > Part 48
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When the citizens perceived that nothing could be accomplished with the Magistrates, and that there was a determination some way or other to outwit them, they looked earnestly about for a leader. Finally, they induced Capt. Jacob Leisler to begin opera- tions among the citizens. They did not design, indeed, to ignore the Magistrates or the Lieutenant-Governor, but only to take such control of affairs, that in case some outside forces should appear - of which they heard plenty of rumors, and which ultimately proved to be true - it would be impossible to force them into any arrangement against their will. Things then took such a shape as this: Capt. Leisler, compelled by the people, entered the Fort. At the same time the various companies of the militia gathered in front of the houses of their respective Captains. But some of these Captains and Lieutenants were not to be found. The militia then, led in an orderly manner by certain inferior officers, marched off to the park about the Fort. While standing quietly in this place, the Captains, with the Colonel, who was also one of the High Council, approached, and by threats, tried to prevent the . militia from joining the force of Capt. Leisler. They remained true, however. At last one of the flag-bearers of the militia had the audacity to march into the Fort with his company and was und immediately followed by all the others. The Captains were now
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persuaded, and also entered; and although some were rather re- luctant, yet, finally, they gave their signatures that they were in favor of the Prince of Orange. These signatures were written on a drumhead. But the Colonel could not be induced to go with them, although very courteously, and in the name of all the militia, entreated to do so. Personal friends also argued with him and endeavored to make him see his duty. He well knew, and even admitted, that if he should do this, all would follow his example.
When these efforts with the Colonel did not succeed, which the militia greatly regretted, they endeavored to arrange affairs as well as they could. They requested the people everywhere to hold meetings. It was resolved that the Captains should have the care of the Fort, by turns; that they should write a joint letter to England of all that had been done, and request the chief au- thorities there to direct them what further to do. All this was easily and peacefully accomplished, and everything would have remained peaceful, until relief had come from the higher powers, if only the Magistrates had remained quiet and awaited orders from England. They had already given up the administration of affairs. But they now began to disturb everything. They tried to expel from office those who now held the power of arms in their hands, because such were few in number. And this mad- ness of theirs grew worse and worse, as soon as it became known that matters were taking a good shape in England, and that all things were leading up to the desired result.
Now it must be remembered that most of the Magistrates, as well as those who were friendly to them, and especially those of Dutch origin, were elders and deacons in the Dutch Church, and therefore leaders of the same. Domine Selyns joined himself to these, and, very unwisely, allowed himself to be used by them, to advocate their side of the case from the pulpit. He accord- ingly accused the people with very great severity and partiality, of rebellion and riot against their chief Magistrates. But by this means the alienation was at once made incurable.
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knew that what they had done, had been done honestly and in behalf of a good cause. They felt that the Magistrates ought to have led them in this affair, and they manifested great disgust at them. And Domine Selyns continued in that same attitude during the entire administration of Commander Leisler. He did not fail to do anything which he believed would further exasperate the peo- ple, and repeated from the pulpit everything which the grossest partisanship could suggest. Even the wisest and most peaceably disposed of the Classis tried to reason with him, and urged him to keep aloof from such quarrels, and not bring a stain on his minis- terial office thereby; that his official position was too lofty for such conduct, if he would not utterly destroy the usefulness of his office; that enough mistakes had already been made by each party; that it was his duty to point out the path of duty to each, but not to take sides with either. But it was impossible to induce him thereto.
Commander Leisler was now established in his position not only by the people, but also by a letter from his Majesty. He soon brought the Fort, and especially the City into a good state of de- fence. The old fortifications had quite fallen into decay. In all his efforts he was assisted by an unwonted zeal among the people. Notwithstanding the opposition of enemies, he soon put things in such good shape, that the government was finally established. In a short time his name became so greatly respected through all the West Indies that we had nothing to fear from any enemy from without. If we could only have been united among ourselves, we would have had no wars.
In Albany also, where we could not always be personally pres- ent, the French and Indians, of Canada, had their full opportunity, because of his (Leisler's) Enemies. They took advantage of this, and surprised Schenectady, a place twelve miles distant, and massacred the inhabitants, and burned the town under the most atrocious circumstances. The people of Albany were much to blame for this, for they forcibly prevented the adherents of Com-
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mander Leisler from going thither, when they heard that the French were coming. It was at this place that the good Domine Tesschenmacker was so sadly and horribly killed. His head was stuck on a pole, and carried in triumph to Canada. An expedition was soon after gotten up for which the neighboring Governments sent many people. This was so well conducted that the plan could hardly have failed, unless by some unforseen circumstance; yet the whole thing was completely ruined, because he (Leisler) could not be personally present, for they grudged him the honor of it.
In the month of January (1691) Major Richard Ingoldsby ar- rived with some soldiers from England. He was to remain in garrison, because Colonel Sloughter, our new Governor had been obliged to go first to the Bermudas. He (Ingoldsby) at once per- mitted himself to be influenced by the enemies of Leisler, and demanded the surrender of the Fort. Leisler asked to see his authority, either from the King or from Governor Sloughter. As he could show no such authority, the Fort was at once refused him. He was, nevertheless, treated with the greatest courtesy, and was invited to make the house of Commander Leisler his home until the arrival of Governor Sloughter. He would there have been entertained to the utmost of Leisler's ability. His soldiers were also to be quartered among the citizens, where they would be well taken care of. But nothing would satisfy Ingoldsby except the surrender of the Fort. Yet he well knew that his or- ders were, should he arrive before the Governor, to remain quietly on board ship with his soldiers until the Governor's arrival. Otherwise the Commander (Leisler) could order him to do this, if it seemed proper. He also knew that Commander Leisler had no right to deliver up the Fort, except upon a written order, ac- cording to the usages of war. Else he would betray himself and be liable to be hung as a traitor at the entrance of the Fort. This, indeed, was their intention, but he knew how to avoid that snare. The whole country was then instigated against him. He was made out to be a rebel, in that he refused to let the King's soldiers enter
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his Majesty's Fort. Everything possible was done to bring on a collision. They said to each other, let us keep on provoking this dog until he bites, and then we will have some ground of action; against him. They did their utmost to exasperate him, and make him lose his patience; and all this, moreover, was done in so rude and swinish a manner that we are ashamed to write about it.
Certain ones of the Consistory also did not think it beneath their dignity to march with all sorts of scoundrels against their fellow-citizens in the Fort, who were also church members under them. Now under these circumstances it so happened that a cer- tain large piece of ordnance, loaded with musket-balls and small shot, and which was pointed towards the Fort, was rashly fired off. Several persons were killed, and among them an elder and deacon (of the Dutch Church). Others were painfully wounded. And these friends (!) only the Sunday before had been present to- gether at the celebration of the Lord's Supper. Think of the con- trast of such things! About this time, Domine Selyns was asked by a certain sick elder, how the French were getting along. (Did he mean the enemies of Leisler?) He answered they are reso- lutely faithful in their work. Upon the occurrence of this acci- dent, they (Leisler's enemies ) cried out - That it was all the fault of that black dog; that he was the murderer of those poor people. Yet all this time Leisler and his men in the Fort were keeping perfectly quiet; although, if he had so wished, for it was within his power, he could quickly have destroyed everything; for he could have had a thousand men at his disposal in a few hours, if he had expressed such a wish.
Leisler had, however, full confidence in the justice of his cause, and he hated to shed the blood of citizens. He never dreamed that he would be condemned by his enemies, without permission to de- fend himself before the King; or that the Governor would ap- prove such a sentence and sign his execution. A few days later Governor Sloughter arrived. Inasmuch as it was evening, the surrender of the Fort was delayed until the next morning. In
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the meantime Major Ingoldsby cried out before the Fort that if Leisler and some of the ringleaders were secured, the rest would be pardoned. It would have been easy enough to do this, but there was not the slightest design on the part of any within. They all only wanted the privilege to stand before his Majesty, the fountain of justice, and make their defence. The next morning Ingoldsby entered the Fort, and requested Commander Leisler to order his men, more than three hundred strong, to lay down their arms, and, in order to avoid all excitement, to march out in an orderly manner; and that then their arms would be imme- diately restored to them. Without any suspicion, he commanded this to be done.
But as they came out, with only their side arms, they were at once attacked by the crowd on the outside, abused as scoundrels and traitors, robbed of all their belongings, all of which was done with murderous fury. Even the officers cried out - Plunder them, plunder them, take the guns away from these scoundrels lest they murder our wives and children. Indeed, one of these very brave men afterward declared that he regretted that he had not ordered them to be stripped, and to be scourged out of the city with walnut switches.
Commander Leisler was quickly taken before the Governor, who spoke but a few words to him. However, he permitted the men to spit in his face, and rob him of his wig, sword and sash, and of a portion of his clothes. These were torn off him. Then they abused him like raging furies, and put irons on his legs, and cast him into a dark, underground dungeon, full of filth and stench. The members of his Council, the officers of the militia and others who were found in the Fort or who were afterward arrested among the citizens, were all treated in the same way. Governor Sloughter never after saw or spoke with Leisler nor with any of the prisoners; except that, once, when they were con- fined in a casement of the Fort after their condemnation, he, while drunk, approached them one night, and promised them that
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not a hair of their heads should be hurt. And although these and six others, had been condemned by a packed jury, composed of youths and bitter-minded men, the Governor was not easily per- suaded to sign their execution. In fact they only got him to do this after they had made him drunk, and under promise of a large sum of money. For he was a poor man, and had been hunted up in England for the very purpose of putting through this tragedy.
Indeed, everything was done to impress upon the Governor the importance of the moment. All three of the Dutch ministers, both from the pulpit and in ordinary conversation, overstated the tyranny, which was all a pretence, of Leisler. They insisted that an example should be made of him; some of the wives even, of some of the chief men, prostrated themselves before the Governor and besought him for the love of God to pity them and their country. They declared that unity could never be restored so long as this rascal remained alive; that the Governor ought not to delay to hang him; that then, immediately, peace and union would be restored. Otherwise these would be impossible. And, finally, he was especially nagged on by a covetous wife; until reluctantly, and with great dejection of mind, he signed the war- rant for their execution. But as he did so, he exclaimed with great agitation, O God! how shall I vindicate this act before thy divine Majesty, as well as before my King; and from that moment he never had an hour's peace of mind.
But another reason for his dejection was that he learned from the High Sheriff, through whom the execution was carried out, that these men had died with Christian courage, declaring that all that they had done, had been done in behalf of Protestantism and the cause of King William and Queen Mary. They also prayed that the Lord would give them a long and prosperous reign. They prayed also for the Governor, that he might enjoy an ad- ministration of peace. They forgave all who had striven to bring about their death; and that if they had wronged anybody, that they would forgive them. Indeed, in everything they showed
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such Christian resignation, that even Domine Selyns was affected by it, and acknowledged that they died like Christians. Yet pre- viously, he had declared that Leisler was an incarnate devil, and there was no hope of his salvation. For this utterance he was rebuked by his wife and others who were present. The Magis- trates tried to drive away Governor Sloughter's melancholy by often making him dead drunk; but as soon as he had slept off the wine, remorse and despair again took possession of him. But for all his doleful lamentations, he received from them no better com- fort than Judas received from the High Priests. After much of such perturbations, caused by conflicting passions and emotions, he suddenly died of heart disease.
If our three Dutch Domines had acted as Domine Daille - now the French minister at Boston - acted, things might have been different. He thought that more moderate measures should be employed. He was, therefore, accustomed to go to Commander Leisler, and exhort him to moderation. And after he was in prison and under sentence of condemnation, he exerted his good office with Governor Sloughter, to prevent the execution. He besought him not to permit Leisler to be put to death. Now if these three Dutch ministers (Selyns, Varick and Dellius) had done' their duty in a similar manner, who does not understand that this murder would have been avoided. But they acted very dif- ferently. As soon as the Governor's signature and consent had been obtained for the execution, which occurred on Thursday, May 14, 1691, Domine Selyns consented to be the vehicle to an- nounce to them their approaching death. He appeared before them while they were taking their supper. He had not the patience to allow them to finish it, although he might have known that such a measure would have destroyed their appetite. And then he delivered his message in a very strange way. He said that he had come to bring them good news; that they were not all to die. But said he, addressing Commander Leisler and Secretary Milbourne, both of you are to die on Saturday next, the 16th of May, and you will prepare yourselves accordingly.
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Now, by such circumstances, he showed that he had not as much feeling in such a matter as was becoming. After giving them these sad tidings, he did not visit them again until the day of their execution. And the general hilarity of those who de- sired to kill him (Leisler) was something indescribable. They cried out, Where, O where shall be put the gallows? When cer- tain ones reminded them that if such things should reach the ears of his Majesty, they might yet all be changed, they replied; but we will look out that the King shall not hear of it (in time) as has been the case so far. Nobody will inform against it. The' gallows was then constructed of those same pieces of wood, which they had got ready on the walls of the Fort, wherewith to resist a storming enemy. To give a detailed account of the execution is unnecessary, as this was fully done by certain women a short time after its occurence, who went hence to Amsterdam. We now, therefore, only relate how Domine Selyns outdid the other two. He declared that unless this thing had been done, neither peace nor unity among the people could be hoped for. But the result was exactly contrary to this. The people well understood that Commander Leisler and the others, had done what they did, for the King and for their liberties. They therefore, began to feel more bitter hatred against those who had instigated this murder, and these latter, by their conduct, intensified this bitter feeling as much as possible.
It is usual after the punishment of the principals, to proclaim an amnesty, and grant a general pardon to all the rest, especially when the offenders are numerous. In this case the contrary was done. Some boasted that they wanted to take their full revenge; that if they could not have the blood of their victims, they would have their goods. Now all who are acquainted with English law, know how far the power of confiscation extends in that country. One can then easily understand what was proposed to be done here, except in so far, as the fear of being called to account, kept them back. And even in the Church the same spirit prevailed.
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Those who had been most bitter in these affairs, were elected to fill all the Church-offices. Thereby the people came to abhor the public services of religion, so that only about one tenth enjoyed the celebration of the Lord's Supper. And some to this day, (after nearly nine years, 1691-1698,) have never resumed the celebration of the same. Domine Selyns was principally to blame for this. He incessantly vindicated the acts of the Magistrates in all these affairs, and declared that unless the people confessed their faults there could be no pardon.
Now such conduct also exposed the country to the greatest con- fusion and peril imaginable. For the Magistrates, thinking only of retaliation, allowed the fortifications, which Commander Leisler had kept in such excellent order, to fall into decay. Indeed, the very strength of the country was departed. For in case of the appearance of an enemy, such of the people as would have been called upon to fight, had been deprived of their arms, denounced as rascals, and snubbed in all sorts of ways. In case of a hostile sur- prise, therefore, they would be more apt to run toward the enemy than toward the Fort. The Magistrates professed, however, not to be afraid of the French. Some of them even said, that the French knew well enough where to go. Indeed, Domine Varick, minister at Midwout (Flatbush, L. I.), said that he would go out to meet them with a glass of wine, and bid them welcome. This also agrees with the remark of Domine Dellius, who, by the way, is a constant correspondent of Jesuits in Canada,- that the King of France was not at war with the Kingdom of England, but only with the adherents of the Prince of Orange.
Domine Selyns also at every opportunity when it was possible, elaborated on the power of France, and tried to impress it upon the people, that no good result could follow, (except by the course pursued by their party.) From all this the very wretched con- dition of our Province can be understood. The Magistrates, who ought to have been fathers to us, became stepfathers, seeking every pretence to punish us. In the church service, more (legal)
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pleading was heard, than preached. And what seemed especially dreadful to us, was, that, had the enemy arrived, we (the friends of Leisler) would not have been dealt with as prisoners of war, but as captured rebels and traitors. We would have been pointed out as such, by men who were our fellow-citizens and fellow-believers. Many of the more bitter-minded wanted just such a chance. If affairs had gone according to their way of thinking, not only the two would have been hung, but many more. Indeed, the more envious, estimated that hundreds would have been hung; and neither would this have been done all at once, but a holiday would have been taken occasionally, for such things.
When such evils had lasted for more than seven years, it would seem that we might have had peace among ourselves, at the same time that so joyful a peace was established (in England?) and such would surely have been the result for the Church in general, if we could have had in addition to Domine Selyns a peaceful and un- partizan minister. We would have found such a man in Domine (Peter) Nucella, (of Kingston). But this plan was frustrated by the other party, even that of Domine Selyns, as your Reverences may learn from our Petition to the Governor, my lord Bellomont. Nevertheless, as it now happens, we have the pleasure of submit- ting our side of the case to the wise Assembly of your Reverences. We have perfect confidence, that the Rev. Classis by their au- thority and wisdom will bring about a reconciliation between the parties here; and to your judgement we will fully submit. But we only request, that the calling of ministers for this congregation, shall be done in no other way than according to ancient custom and law. This has been sufficiently set forth in our Petitions; especially because the call (now made) upon Domine (Verdieren) was made by only seven persons of the regular Consistory. Sub- sequently, when the matter had proceeded so far, and the letters were ready to be sent off, some of the old Consistory also agreed to the said call.
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But it is not our understanding of the matter, that in case his Reverence declines this call, that then two partizans at Amster- dam shall be permitted to provide us with some young advocate instead of a minister. For we know that this is the plan of Domine Selyns and his party. It is our opinion that those are incompe- tent to find for us an unpartizan teacher. For one of them, (Banckert) while here, was a bitter enemy of the Revolution, and did his best to bring affairs here to the extremity which they reached, and which results might otherwise have been easily pre- vented; and the other (Van Schaick) is hasty and one-sided, in all his opinions in reference to our views. It was he who condemned Domine Nucella so severely, making him out as unworthy even to enter a pulpit again for something that he had done; and this he did upon the bitter testimony of Domine Selyns, before he had any proper understanding of the case; and he wrote the same to friends over here.
Of this story no other contradiction is needed than this: that his congregation (at Kingston) in general received him again with much love. They disapproved entirely of certain violent proceed- ings which some of their Consistory had instituted against his Reverence. If the selection of Domine (Verdieren) is therefore not confirmed, no better man can be found than the brother of this Domine Nucella (of Kingston). He is now a minister at Suri- nam. For this individual would certainly have become our minis- ter, if the congregation had had full liberty to choose, and if Domine Selyns and his party had not been in opposition thereto. We think it very strange that Domine Selyns and his party should try to prevent the calling of a minister from a neighboring church here, or from Surinam. We have some commercial relations with the latter place, and, therefore, we could have secured a minister from there much sooner and much more cheaply, than from Hol- land. Therefore it is our humble petition that the Rev. Classis would be pleased to give directions to those here, as well as to
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