USA > New York > New York City > History of New York City : embracing an outline sketch of events from 1609 to 1830, and a full account of its development from 1830 to 1884, Volume I > Part 2
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OUTLINE HISTORY, 1609-1830.
was threatened with destruction. The war finally ceased. The people riamored for the recall of the governor, and he was summoned to Holland. He perished by shipwreck while on his way with a large fortune, and was succeeded by Peter Stuyvesant in 1647, late governor of Curacoa, a soldier of eminence, and possessed of every requisite for an efficient administration of government .*
Stuyvesant was too frank and bold to conceal his opinions and inten- tions. At the very outset he frowned at every expression of republi- can sentiment, defended Keift's rejection of the interference of the Twelve, and plainly told the people, " If any one during my adminis- tration shall appeal, I will make him a foot shorter and send the pieces to Holland, and let him appeal in that way. It is treason to petition against one's magistrate, whether there be cause or not." With such despotic sentiments Stuyvesant began his iron rule. IIe was a tyrant ; yet honesty and wisdom marked all his acts. He set about reforms with vigor. The morals of the people, the sale of intoxicating liquors to the Indians, the support of religion, and the regulation of trade received his immediate attention, and he imparted much of his own energy to the citizens. Enterprise took the place of sluggishness. He treated the Indians so kindly, and so soon won their respect and friendship, that the foolish story went abroad that he was forming an alliance with the savages to exterminate the English at the east ward.
Stuyvesant found the finances of the colony in such a wretched con- dition that taxation was necessary. For two centuries a political maxim of Holland had been, " Taxation without representation is tyranny"-a postulate copied by our patriots when they began the old war for independence. Stuyvesant dared not disregard this great prin- ciple, for it woukl offend his masters the States-General, so he called a meeting of citizens and directed them to choose eighteen of their best men, of whom he might select nine as representatives of the taxpayers, who should form a co-ordinate branch of the local government. IIe was careful to hedge this popular council about with restrictions. The
* Peter Stuyvesant was the last Dutch governor of New Netherland. He was born in Holand in 1602, and died in the city of New York (formerly New Amsterdam) in August, 13. Serving as a soldier in the West Indies. he became governor of Curacoa. He st a leg in battle. Returning to Holland, he was sent to New Netherland as First Director or Governor, in 1647, where he ruled tyrannically but righteously until 1064, se on the province was taken possession of by the English. After that event he went to !! ! on to report in person the misfortunes of the colony. He returned to New York, Ir sided on his farm, which lay along the East River on Manhattan Island. His wife Andlith Bayard, by whom he had two sons. He was dignified, honest, and brave.
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HISTORY OF NEW YORK CITY.
first nine selected were to choose their successors, so as to prevent the people having a direct voice in public affairs. But the Nine proved to be more potent than the Twelve. They nourished the prolific seed of democracy, and gave Stuyvesant much uneasiness.
The inhabitants of Manhattan asked the States-General for a muni- cipal government. It was granted in 1653, under the corporate title of New Amsterdam. Its government was modelled after that of old Amsterdam, but with somewhat less political freedom in its features. The soul of Stuyvesant was troubled by this " imprudent trusting of power with the people." The burghers wished for more power, but it could not then be obtained. A silver seal was given to the authorities of the new city, and a painted coat-of-arms was sent to them.
A new trouble disturbed Stuyvesant. In the fall of the same year when New Amsterdam was incorporated, a convention of nineteen delegates, chosen by the people of eight villages or communities, assem- bled at the town-hall in the city, ostensibly to take measures against the depredations of savages and pirates. The governor tried to control their action, but failed. When they adjourned they invited the governor to partake of a collation with them. Of course he would not so sanction their proceedings, and refused, when they plainly told him he might do as he pleased ; they should hold another convention soon, and he might prevent it if he could. Stuyvesant stormed and threat- ened these incipient rebels, but prudently yielded and issued a call for another convention, and so gave legality to the measure. They met on December 10, 1633. Many English people were now settled among the Dutch, and had intermarried with them, and of the nineteen dele- gates chosen ten were of Dutch and nine of English nativity. This was the first real representative government in the great State of New York, now an empire with a population of over five millions.
Now and here was fought the first battle between democracy and despotism on the soil of New York. The convention adopted a remon- strance to the States-General against the tyrannous rule of the gov- ernor, and sent it to him, with a demand for a categorical answer to each of the several counts. Ile met it with his usual pluck. He denied their authority. IIe blustered and threatened. They told him plainly that if he refused to comply with their demand they would appeal to the States-General. At this threat, uttered by the lips of a bold messenger-Beeckman, of Brooklyn-the governor took fire, and seizing his cane ordered him to leave his presence. The ambassador folded his arms and silently defied the wrath of Stuyvesant. When his anger cooled he asked Beeckman to pardon his sudden ebullition of
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OUTLINE HISTORY, 1609-1830.
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fling. but he ordered the convention to disperse instantly. They la no such thing, but executed their threat by sending an advocate to Holland with a list of their grievances, and asked for redress. So wymiblicanism, like any other truth, has remarkable vitality, and is fintered by persecution. It never receded from the position it assumed in New Amsterdam at Christmas, 1653.
Stuyvesant was a faithful servant of the Dutch West India Company, watching and defending its interests at all points. The Swedes on the Delaware became aggressive ; he made war upon them, conquered them, and as did Alfred of England with the Danes, he absorbed them politically, and they became loyal subjects of the Dutch. This accom- plished, the long peace with the Indians was suddenly broken by the murder of a squaw by a citizen of New Amsterdam, who detected her stealing his peaches. The fury of her tribe was fiercely kindled. Before daybreak one morning, about two thousand River Indians appeared before New Amsterdam in sixty canoes. They landed, and searched for the murderer of the squaw. Stuyvesant summoned their leaders to a conference at the fort. They were promised justice, and agreed to leave the island. They did not, and at midnight they invaded the city and shot the murderer. whom they knew. The people How to arms and drove the barbarians from the city. The Indians crossed the surrounding waters and ravaged New Jersey and Staten Island. Within three days a hundred white inhabitants were killed, fifty were made captive, and three hundred estates were utterly desolated by the dusky foe. Stuyvesant finally restored order, and then issued a proclamation directing those who lived in secluded places in the country to gather themselves into villages for mutual defence.
Another and more serious crisis for New Amsterdam and New Netherland came. The British always claimed the whole territory of New Netherland as their own. The British monarch granted the domain to his brother, the Duke of York. In 1664 the duke sent ships of war and troops to take possession. The people of New Amsterdam were quite willing to exchange Dutch rule for " English liberty," and vouselled submission when the armament appeared. Stuyvesant held out. but was finally compelled to yield. The English took possession. The name of the fort was changed from Amsterdam to JJames, and the name of the city and province were changed to New York. The city was held temporarily by the Dutch awhile afterward, when New Netherland became a permanent English possession. But the people woon found " English liberty" not so easy to bear as " Dutch tyranny."
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HISTORY OF NEW YORK CITY.
for their new masters taxed them almost without stint. Yet they prospered, and were comparatively happy.
Republicanism grew apace in the city and province of New York. Many of that faith had fled from persecution to America, and inocu- lated the people here with its doctrines. The people of New York clamored for a representative government, and in 1683-about thirty years after the Dutch of the same city made a similar demand-their request was granted. Governor Dongan, an enlightened Roman Catholic, favored their wishes, and on the 17th of October, 1683, was established the first General Assembly of the Province of New York, which sat three weeks and passed fourteen acts which became laws. The first of these was entitled " The Charter of Liberties and Privileges granted by his Royal Highness to the inhabitants of New York and its Dependencies." It was ratified by the duke. The day of that assen- bling is a memorable one in the history of New York.
Before we proceed further, let us take a brief glance at the social condition of New York before its surrender to the English. At that time it contained about three hundred houses and about fifteen hundred inhabitants. The city was then one of considerable wealth, and many of the inhabitants were enjoying the comforts which riches bring. But riches is a thing of relative estimate. A citizen then worth a thousand dollars was esteemed a rich man. At first their houses were of logs, the roofs thatched with reeds and straw, the chimneys made of wood, and the light of the windows entered through oiled paper. Their tables were made of rough planks ; their platters were of wood or pewter ; the spoons of the same ; and carpets were unknown until the time of the revolution in 1688. Finally the unsafe thatched roofs and wooden chimneys gave place to tiles and shingles and brick. The better houses were built of brick imported from Holland until some enterprising citizens established a brickyard on the island during the administration of Stuyvesant.
Every house was surrounded with a garden, in which cabbage was the chief vegetable cultivated, and tulips the principal flowers. Good horses were rare until they began to import them from New England, but their cows and swine were generally of excellent quality. There were no carriages until after the revolution, and the first hackney coach was introduced into the city of New York in 1696. It is said that the first carpet-a big Turkey rug-seen in the city belonged to Sarah Oort, the wife of the famous Captain Kidd. The clean floors were daily strewn with white beach-sand wrought into artistic forins by the skilful motion of the broom. Huge oaken chests filled with
OUTLINE HISTORY, 1609-1830.
!. wawhold linen were seen in a corner of a room in every house, and in another corner a triangular cupboard with a glass door, in which was delayed shining pewter or other plates. As wealth increased a few Lol china tea-sets, and solid silver tankards, punch-bowls, porringers. and laalles. Tea had only lately found its way to New York when the solution of 16SS occurred.
( 'locks and watches were almost unknown, and time was measured by sun-dials and hour-glasses. The habits of the people were so regular that they did not need clocks and watches. At nine o'clock they all said their prayers and went to bed. They arose at cock-crowing, and breakfasted before sunrise. Dinner-parties were unknown, but tea- parties were frequent. These ended, the participants went home in thne to attend to the milking of the cows. In every house were spinning-wheels, and it was the pride of every family to have an ample supply of home-made linen and woollen cloth. The women spun and wove, and were steadily employed. Nobody was idle. Nobody was anxious to get rich, while all practised thrift and frugality. Books were rare luxuries, and in most houses the Bible and Prayer-book constituted the stock of literature. The weekly discourses of the clergymen satisfied their intellectual wants, while their own hands. industriously employed, furnished all their physical necessities. Knit- ting and spinning held the place of whist and music in these " degener- ate days," and utility was as plainly stamped upon all their labors and pleasures as is the maker's name on our silver spoons. These were the " good old days" of simplicity, comparative innocence, and positive ignorance, when the "commonalty" no more suspected the earth of the caper of turning over like a ball of yarn every day than Stuyvesant did the Puritans of candor and honesty.
CHAPTER II.
THE Duke of York became King of England as James II. in 1685. As king he refused to confirm the " Charter of Liberties" which, as duke, he had granted to the inhabitants of New York. Ile ordered a direct tax, forbade the use of a printing-press in the province, and filled the public offices with Roman Catholics, whose faith he had embraced and avowed. The liberal and just Governor Dongan stood by the people as long as he could, but in the spring of 1688 he was ordered to surrender the government of New York into the hands of Sir Edmund Andros, a supple tool of the king, who had a viceregal commission to rule that province and all New England. Andros was received in New York by Colonel Bayard's regiment ; and in the midst of rejoicings among the royalists-the aristocracy-because of his arrival, news came that James's queen had given birth to a son and heir to his throne. The event was celebrated that evening by a banquet at the City Hall, while bonfires blazed in the streets. At the festive table Mayor Van Cortlandt became hilarious, and testified his loyalty and joy by making a burnt sacrifice of his hat and periwig. waving the blazing offerings over the banquet-table on the point of his straight sword.
Republicanism had grown apace in New York, and there was great disappointment among the Protestant republicans ; for in case of failure of an heir on the part of King James, his daughter Mary, who had married the Protestant Prince William of Orange, would be his suc- cessor. Their disappointment was soon turned to joy when news came that James had been driven from the throne, was an exile in France, and William and Mary were joint monarchs of England. The people seized Fort James, at the foot of Broadway. Their leader was Jacob Leisler,* a popular and leading shipping merchant, who had come to
* Jacob Leisler was a native of Frankfort, in Germany. He came to America in 1660, resided awhile in Albany, New York, when he became a merchant in the city of New York. While on a voyage to Europe in 1678, he, with several others, were made prisoners by Turks, and paid a high price for their ransom. He entered public life under Governor Dongan, and as a military leader he was at the head of an insurrec-
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OUTLINE HISTORY, 1609-1830.
New Amsterdam a soldier in the service of the West India Company, and was captain of one of the militia companies of the city. He was a warm friend of William of Orange and an ardent republican. The aristocratic party of New York, led by Mayor Van Cortlandt, Colonel Bavard, and other members of the council, hated Leisler because of his political principles, and when, obedient to the wishes of the people, he assumed the functions of governor of the province in the absence of a representative of royal authority, they were enraged by this democratic movement, led by " an insolent plebeian and foreigner." They resolved on his destruction ; and when a royal governor (Sloughter) came, they procured Leisler's arrest on a charge of treason. He was unfairly tried and condemned. The governor hesitated to sign his death-warrant before the pleasure of the sovereigns should be known. Sloughter was made drunk at a feast, and in that condition was induced to sign the fatal document. Before he was sober, Leisler and his son-in-law, Jacob Milborne, were hanged. His enemies thought they had crushed democracy in New York. Swift disappointment overtook them. The Earl of Bellomont came as governor, and under orders from the Privy Council and his king he gladly aided in reversing the attainder of Leisler and procuring the restoration of the victim's confiscated property to his children. The tables were now turned. Democracy obtained a stronger foothold in New York than ever. Under the very law enacted for the purpose of bringing Leisler to trial for treason, Colonel Bayard, its chief promoter, was tried for the same offence, found guilty, and saved from the gallows only by the death of Bello- mont and the accession of Edward Hyde, a profligate man and a bitter enemy of republicanism in any form. He liberated Bayard.
We have now come to a period in the history of New York when the political and social forces known respectively as Democracy and Aristocracy were organized for the great conflict which resulted in the triumph of the former at the close of the old war for independence in 1753. From the accession of Governor Lovelace in 1708, to that of Governor Cosby in 1732, democracy prevailed in the General Assembly of New York, and the royal representatives were compelled to yield to the will of the people as expressed by that assembly.
A new social element had just been introduced into the city of New
tionary movement in the city of New York after the accession of William and Mary. He assumed the functions of governor of the colony, but on the arrival of a royally appointed governor he was arrested, condemned as a traitor, and hanged on May 16, 1401, with his son-in-law, Milborne. Leisler purchased New Rochelle for the Hugue- tot».
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HISTORY OF NEW YORK CITY.
York by Governor Ilunter. Louis XIV. had caused the expulsion from their country of Protestant Rhenish Palatines, who besought the British Government to give them homes in America. It was done. and £10,000 were appropriated to defray their expenses, they pledging themselves to produce materials for the royal navy in the way of reimbursement. By command of Queen Anne, three thousand of the German Palatines accompanied Governor Hunter to New York. A considerable number of them remained in the city ; others went up the Hudson River to Livingston's manor and settled the region known as Germantown ; others went to the Mohawk Valley and founded the settlement of the German Flats ; while the greater portion made homes in Pennsylvania, and so laid the foundations of the German population which forms so large and influential an element in the social fabric of that commonwealth. These Germans were industrious and frugal. Those who remained in the city soon built a Lutheran church on Broadway, on the site of the first Grace Church, near Trinity. This was the beginning of the vast German emigration to America.
In 1725 a new element of power in the realm of opinion appeared in New York: William Bradford, " who had set up the first printing- press in the province, issued the first newspaper published in that colony in October of that year. Ile entitled it the New York Weekly Gazette. It became the organ of the aristocratic party.
When Governor Montgomerie died, in 1781, Rip Van Dam, the senior member of the council, took charge of public affairs until the arrival of Governor Cosby the next year. The latter was avaricious and arbitrary by nature. On his arrival he demanded of Van Dam an equal share in that officer's salary while acting as governor. It was refused, and Cosby sued him in the Supreme Court. A majority of the judges were of the aristocratic party, and gave judgment against Van Dam. The chief justice (Morris) decided against the governor, and the latter removed him and put James De Lancey in his place. The sympathies of the people were with Van Dam. They wanted an
* William Bradford was a Friend or Quaker, and a printer by trade. He was born in Leicester, England, in 1659, and at the age of 23 years emigrated to America, landing on the spot where Philadelphia was begun. He had learned his trade in London, and set · up a press (the first) in Pennsylvania. There was a quarrel among the chief religionists of Pennsylvania. Bradford having become unpopular with the dominant party, he removed to New York, where he introduced printing into that province in 1693. That year he printed the laws of the colony. He established the first newspaper in New York, called the New York Gazette, in the fall of 1725, and in 1728 he established a paper-mill at Elizabeth, N. J. He was printer to the government for fully fifty years, and the only one in the colony for thirty years,
.
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OUTLINE HISTORY, 1600-1830.
organ, and they persuaded John Peter Zenger,* who had been an apprentice with Bradford and his business partner for a while, to estab- lish an opposition newspaper. He did so in November, 1733, giving it the title of the New York Weekly Journal. Van Dam, who was a leading merchant, stood behind Zenger as his financial supporter.
This organ of the democratic party made vigorous war upon the governor and his political friends, and finally it charged him and them with violating the rights of the people, the assumption of tyrannical power, and the perversion of their official stations for selfish purposes. When they could not answer nor endure these attacks any longer, Zenger was arrested on a charge of libelling the government, and the council ordered his papers containing these alleged libels to be burned by the common hangman.
After lying in jail several months Zenger was brought to trial. Meanwhile a republican association called " Sons of Liberty" worked assiduously for Zenger, and his friends employed the venerable Andrew Hamilton of Philadelphia, then eighty years of age and the foremost lawyer in the colonies, as the prisoner's counsel. The case excited widespread interest and attention, for it involved the great question of liberty of speech and of the press.
At that famous trial Chief-Justice De Lancey presided. The court- room was crowded. The citizens generally sympathized with Zenger. The prisoner pleaded ". Not guilty," admitted the publication of the alleged libel, and offered full proof of its justification. The attorney- general rose to oppose the admission of such proofs. At that moment the venerable Hamilton entered the room. Rumors had gone abroad that he would be there. The multitude rose to their feet and welcomed him with waving of hats and loud huzzas. With his long white hair flowing over his shoulders, this Nestor of the bar in a few eloquent words scattered all the legal sophistries of the prosecution to the winds. He declared that the jury were themselves judges of the facts and the law ; that they were a part of the court ; that they were competent to judge of the guilt or innocence of the accused : and he reminded them
* John Peter Zenger was a German, a son of a widow among the Palatines who came to New York in the reign of Queen Anne. He was apprenticed to William Bradford, the printer, became his partner, and in 1733 began a weekly newspaper in the city of New York, called the Weekly Journal. For some strictures on the conduct of the governor. Zenger was prosecuted for a libel, and was imprisoned thirty-five weeks. His trial was a famous one. He was defended by the great lawyer, Andrew Hamilton of Philadelphia, and was acquitted. His acquittal was regarded as a vindication of the freedom of the press. Zenger died in New York in 1746.
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HISTORY OF NEW YORK CITY.
that they were the sworn protectors of the rights, liberties, and privi- leges of their fellow-citizens, which, in this instance, had been violated by a most outrageous and vindictive series of persecutions. The chief- justice's charge to the jury was wholly averse to this doctrine of the great advocate, but after a brief conference they returned a verdict of " Not guilty." A shout of triumph went up from the multitude, and Hamilton was borne from the court-room upon the shoulders of the people to an entertainment prepared for him. The citizens gave him a . public dinner the next day, and a few weeks later the corporation of New York gave Hamilton their thanks and the freedom of the city in a gold box. He had served a righteous cause without a fee, because it was a righteous cause.
To the city of New York is due the imperishable honor of first vindi- cating the freedom of the press in the English-American colonies, and it has ever maintained the exalted position of a champion of liberty and the rights of man under all circumstances.
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