USA > New York > New York City > History of the New Netherlands, province of New York, and state of New York : to the adoption of the federal Constitution. Vol. I > Part 40
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NEW PANICK:
having been made, on the 3d of August the grand jury was sworn and charged by the recorder to search into all' dram shops and tippling-houses, &c., for notwithstanding great pains and industry (as it should seem) had been taken to bring the notion of a plot into contempt, he tells them he has no doubt but that popish emissaries are at work, like moles in the dark, in the shape of dancing-masters, schoolmasters, physicians, and such like, to accomplish the work of the devil. He therefore charges them, that if they find any such obscure persons, they shall present them to the court, to be appre- hended and examined according to law: Nothing follows on this terrible charge. And on Thursday, 2d September, Mary Burton, the wretched bought servant who had detected the conspirators, i. e. had been the witness against Ury and all the others, is rewarded according to promise, with £S1, which is the balance of ££100- she having already been paid £19. This wretched woman was an indented servant, as it was then called, to Hughson ; and one part of her reward was to be liberated. She had sworn at first, that no other white persons but Hughson, his wife, and Peggy Carey, had been seen by her, as conspirators, but as the business goes on, she sees Ury and as many others as circumstances require.
John Ury fell a sacrifice to the panick which the arts and power of the Jesuits had instilled into the minds of men. -
To account for the blind injustice exercised towards Ury, we must remember the evils which popery had inflicted on many parts of Europe, and particularly on England. A just dread was felt of the return of those evils, by the restoration of the race of the Stuarts-the tools of France and Rome. Ury had confessed himself a non-juror; and the minds of his judges were not in a state to appreciate or allow freedom of opinion, in any case : to be . an opponent to that revolution, on which they supposed their reli- gion and civil liberties to depend, was a deadly crime; and a jacob- ite, suspected of Jesuitism, or the Roman Catholick religion, especially a priest, was, in their minds, already convicted.
In conclusion, the historian gives thirteen close printed quarto pages, in recapitulation of all the stories sworn to : and, giving them as undoubted facts proved, he supports his plot by the history of popery and all the plots and pretended plots of England and Ireland.
Two features appear in the summing up of the writer : first, that there was an outcry of many against Mary Burton and her testi- mony : second, that she threatened to impeach people of conse- quence in the city. This, however, she was afraid to do, or the magistrates were afraid to permit. When the people of conse- quence were likely to be implicated, the proceedings stopped; as in the case of the prosecutions for witchcraft in Massachusetts.
The whites executed, were four. Negroes, eleven burnt,
351
YELLOW FEVER.
eighteen hanged, fifty transported and sold, in the West Indies principally+-a few to Madeira and Newfoundland.
While New York was in this deplorable state, Franklin, the benefactor of mankind, was laying the foundations of the Philadel- phia Library .*
The year 1742 is memorable in medical annals, by the preva- lence of a malignant epidemic fever in the City of New York. The disorder was similar to that more recently called the yellow fever, and is described by Colden. Out of a population of seven or eight thousand, two hundred and seventeen persons died.t
* In connection with the negro plot of 1741, I will here remark, that Clarke, in his speech on occasion of the fire in the fort, ascribed it to accident; but when the panick was rife, it appeared plain that it was a thing designed. The government party, the officers of justice, the judges, all joined in the cry of " plot," and perhaps believed in it.
William Smith, the historian of New York, says of Mary Burton, that she " was the bought servant to John Hughson, a shoemaker and keeper of a low tavern, in the west quarter of the town." Peggy Carey he calls another maid servant in the house of Hughson : but she was a lodger or boarder. The historian says, " the jails were crowded." By jails, is meant the apartments so called, in the city hall, which building was council chamber, court honse, jails, and dungeon. I have since ascertained, by studying the records in the clerk's office, that it was common to speak of the apartments in the above building, as so many jails. The same records furnish me with : the testimony that the indentures of Mary Burton were pur- chased by the corporation, and kept by them until March the 6th, 1742, when they were delivered to her, and she was discharged from the further term of her service : so that she was the bought servant of the magistracy, all the time she was giving her testimony. In September, 1742, Joseph Moore, appointed guardian to this girl by the courtof chancery, applies for and receives the balance of the reward, £81.
t See Hosack's and Francis's American Medicalfand Philosophical Register, vol. 1, in which work may be found Colden's account of this fever.
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353
ADMIRAL CLINTON GOVERNOUR. 1
CHAPTER XXII.
Arrival of Admiral Clinton, as Governour of New York-Capture of Louisberg-Distress of the frontiers-Destruction of Hoosick and Saratoga-Sir Peter Warren-Governour Clinton at Al- bany-Failure of England to second the projected conquest of Canada-Governour Clinton's insolent language to the House of Assembly, and their spirited reply-David Brainard-Murder by a shot from a man-of-war in the harbour of New York-Sir Danvers Osborne-Congress at Albany.
1743 WHATEVER may have been the arts by which Lieutenant- governour Clarke managed the lords of trade and others at the Court of Great Britain, who were interested in the govern- ment of the Colonies, at length it was determined (for the benefit of his finances) to send out Admiral Clinton, as governour-in-chief of this province. He was the younger son of an earl, and uncle of an earl. He was connected, by marriage, with other nobles, and this opportunity was taken to mend his fortunes from the purses of the colonists, though he knew nothing of the art of governing fur- ther than directing the movements of a ship of war.
On the 22nd of September, 1743, Admiral Clinton arrived, with his wife and family, and his commission was published the same day. The people showed their pleasure at a change by the usual shouts ; and he was instructed that it would please them still more if he dissolved the present assembly and convened another.
The new governour fell into the hands of James De Lancey, the Chief Justice ; who, though he cuts but a poor figure during the panick of 1741-2, had acquired sufficient knowledge of colonial affairs to guide Clinton, and had, unquestionably, sufficient talents to direct him in the course that was popular. The new assembly sat from November 8th to December 17th. . They gave the gover- nour a salary of fifteen hundred and sixty pounds, one hundred pounds for his house-rent, four hundred pounds for fuel and candle light to himself and the garrison of the independent companies, one hundred and fifty pounds to enable him to visit the Indians, eight hundred pounds to make presents to those tribes, and one thousand more for the unsuccessful solicitations of the king's aid, at their instance, towards rebuilding the fort, and obtaining a supply of am- munition. They continued the salary of three hundred pounds to
353
WAR WITH FRANCE.
the Chief Justice ; and now, without opposition, voted one hundred pounds a year to Mr. Justice Phillipse ; half that sum to Mr. Hors- manden, the third judge ; and, on motion of Mr. Morris, began the practice of enabling the governour and council to draw upon their treasurer for contingent services, now limited to sixty pounds, but afterwards increased to one hundred pounds per annum. The governour, in return, assented to all the bills that were offered him, without any objection to those limiting the support to a year.
1744 The enmity (formerly called natural) between France and England had been displayed by doing each other as much injury as possible for some time past; and the reader will recollect the endeavours of "Onas," or Pennsylvania, to enlist the Iroquois on the side of the English colonies ; but, in 1744, formal declara- tions of war were made by the great powers of Europe, and the northern frontiers of New York were exposed to all the horrours which had formerly attended the inroads of the French and their Indians from Canada. The traders fled from Oswego, and, indeed, the province was left to the guardianship of the Five Nations.
Doctor Abeel, speaking from his own knowledge of this time, says :- "On the hill, near the run of the fresh water to the East River, was a wind mill. Some years before this, there was a wind mill between what is now called Liberty and Courtlandt streets. Here it was that, less than forty years ago, the Indians, still resid- ing in the lower parts of the state, at particular seasons of the year, came to the city and took up their residence until they had disposed of their peltry, their brooms and shovels, trays and baskets. I have seen wheat growing, in 1746, where St. Paul's Church now stands. Then there were not twenty houses from Division street to Fresh Water. I have seen, in 1744, and afterwards, several Indian canoes come down the East and North . Rivers, and land their cargoes in the basin, near the long bridge, [at the foot of Broad street.] They took up their residence in the yard and store-house of Adolph Phillips; there they generally made up their baskets and brooms, as they could better bring the rough material with them than the ready made articles. When the Indians came from Long Island, they brought with them a quantity of dried clams, strung on sea-grass, or straw, which they sold-or kept for their own use-besides the flesh of animals, &c. Clams and oysters, and other fish, must have formed the principal food, together with squashes and pumpkins, of the natives of the lower part of the state."
1745 The English provinces were again impressed with the just conviction that their only safety lay in the conquest of Canada ; and Governour Shirley, of Massachusetts, made known a project for capturing Louisburg, which was the French stronghold, VOL I. 45
354
CAPTURE OF LOUISBURG.
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and, at that time, the key to all their possessions. The govern- ment of New York was wise enough to join in this plan of conquest, and sent field pieces, and other military equipments, to Governour Shirley. They likewise despatched succours to Oswego, strength- ened the frontier forts, took measures to engage the Iroquois in the war, and to combine the forces of the other provinces in their defence.
On the 13th of May, 1745, the governour dissolved the second assembly which had met him, who were neither so complaisant or complying as the first. They parted, bearing ill will to each other, and the people, taking part with their representatives, returned the same men to the subsequent house. The assembly, however, in June, saw the necessity of forwarding the views of the governour, or his directors, and aided in the preparations for defence at home
and conquest abroad.
1746 Louisburg, situated on the island of Cape Breton, was justly considered the Gibraltar of America, yet it was besieged and taken by provincials, from New England, by a plan contrived in the mind of a lawyer, and an army commanded by a merchant. Pepperel, the commanding officer, was seconded by Vaughan and Wolcot. The vessels, the officers, and men, were all Yankees ; but were joined, unexpectedly, by four ships of war, commanded by. Captain Warren, from New York-unexpectedly, for he had refused his aid, but received orders from England to assist the pro- vincials. After a two month's siege, this formidable fortress sur- rendered. Warren claimed the victory, and England awarded it to him. He was dubbed Sir Peter Warren; but Pepperel was likewise complimented with a title.
The French flag was kept flying to decoy their ships in, and ' many thus were made prizes. The prizes altogether were valued at a million sterling, which was appropriated to Warren and his fleet ; and the claim of the men who took the town was disallowed by the British government. This was the only conquest made under the flag of England during the war : it was made by Americans. It was of great importance to their future security ; but England gave it up to purchase a peace.
New York contributed in money to this expedition, but had none of the honour of reducing Cape Breton.
Great Britain and her government magnified the services of Warren, and the naval heroes of England, while they depreciated the just claims of the colonists to the conquest of Louisburg. The official accounts, published by the ministry, suppressed the truth in respect to the American project, energy, and success ; and the colonists, with surprise and disgust, saw their expense, labour, and bloodshed, represented as nothing by the government of Great Britain. This Captain Peter Warren, a provincial, and Lady Warren, took rank among the aristocracy of Great Britain, in con-
355
CAPTURE OF LOUISBURG.
sequence of the reduction of Cape Breton. While at New York, this Captain Warren commanded several vessels of war, and, of course, was called commodore. He issued his notice, by way of proclamation, that the boatmen and market men should not be im- pressed for his majesty's service ; but says, he will impress "such as belong to inward bound vessels from sea." Now Commodore, or Admiral, Warren was as ignorant as Admiral, or Governour, Clinton that an act of parliament had been passed in the sixth year of the reign of Queen Anne, (1707,) by which, for the encourage- ment of trade in America, it was enacted that " no person serving as a mariner on board any privateer, or trading vessel, should be impressed, unless such person shall have deserted from a ship of war ;" and, doubtless, thought he was very kind in permitting boats to supply New York with provisions. But what shall we say of the judges and learned lawyers of the time, who were ignorant of the existence of the statute ?
On the subject of Cape Breton, we have the testimony of Tin- dal, the continuator of Rapin, that 3850 volunteers, new to military service, ".embarked at Boston, and proceeded to the reduction of the strongest fortifications in the new world with regularity and un- conquerable spirit ; with the assistance of some officers, lent them by Sir Peter Warren, who commanded a naval force, they mounted a large train of artillery, and compelled the garrison to surrender on the 13th of June, thus gaining a fortress which secured the com- mand of this country and relieved their frontiers ; but which Eng- land, for her own purposes, gave up to the French, in exchange for fortresses in Europe." Smollett calls this the most important achievement of the war ; and the authors of the Universal History state that New England gave peace to Europe by conquering this fortress, which,'at the peace of Aix-la-chapelle, in 174S, proved an equivalent for all the French successes. But notwithstanding all this, Sir Peter Warren (after whom we of New York call one of our streets) did, on the 29th of September, 1747, depose "on oath," in the High Court of Admiralty, in England, that, with the assistance of his majesty's ships, he, the deponent, " did subdue the whole island of Cape Breton."*
Meanwhile the country, north of Albany, was kept in perpetual alarm by parties of French and Indians, who perpetrated, as usual, all the horrours of savage warfare. The French garrison at Crown Point, under M. Vandruei!, sent out a force sufficient to attack and destroy the Fort at Hoosick, where Col. Hawks, the commandant, after a spirited defence, surrendered. In November, the settlement at Saratoga was surprised : a brother of Schuyler, with many others,
* See Robert Walsh's England and America, and others on this subject.
356
DESTRUCTION OF HOOSICK AND SARATOGA.
was slain-captives carried off-and destruction spread over the neighbourhood. Even the counties of Ulster and Orange were struck with panick, and expected the arrival of Canadians and Indians.
The Assembly of New York voted monies for defence, and offered rewards for the capture or scalp of an enemy. We are glad to find, that double the sum was awarded for a captive, to that given for a scalp.
Hostilities were carried on by the French and their Indians, in their worst shape. The destruction of private property, devastation of the scenes of rural happiness, and wanton waste of the product of agricultural industry, with the murder of the aged and defence- less, the sprinkling of the blood of women and children over the . blazing ruins of their peaceful domestic joys, seem to have been the only end proposed by these christian Europeans and their con- verted savage allies.
Thirty families, with the thriving village of Saratoga, were sacri- ficed to the demon of invasive war. A detail would be a repetition of the story of Schenectady, in 1690, and anticipate the horrours of Wyoming and Cherry Valley.
The destroyers of Saratoga issued from the stronghold of Crown Point, which, by criminal negligence, the French of Canada had been suffered to fortify, in pursuance of the great scheme of the Court of Versailles, for accomplishing a restrictive chain of garri- sons to confine the English hereticks to the sea-shore, previous to their expulsion from America, or subjugation: for such appears to have been the vast plan formed by the Court of France. By sur- rendering Cape Breton to Louis, England subsequently facilitated these great views; and if, as was urged by the Governour of Canada, the City and Port of New York had been secured, the Hudson and the northern lakes gave an opportunity of dividing the colonies before conquering them.
The same savage irruption which passed over Saratoga and left it a leap of ruins, swept with equal desolation the village of Hoosick, after destroying the fort existing in that quarter.
In August and September, 1746, Governour Clinton held a council at Albany with the Iroquois, for the purpose of keeping them in alliance with New York, and to counteract the intrigues of the French of Canada, carried on through their Jesuits and priests, who fomented the discontents of the Indians which arose from the character of the traders sent among them by the English ; and, as Colden says, "the misconduct of those who were entrusted by the government of New York with the management of Indian affairs." The Indian agent was Mr. Johnson.
As England and France were then at war, and an expedition intended against Canada, orders were sent to Clinton, directing
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357
CLINTON'S ADMINISTRATION.
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him to engage the Iroquois to take part in this enterprise ; and he proceeding to Albany with Colden aud Livingsion, of his majesty's council, (the others declining) and with Captain Rutherford, sta- tioned at Albany, likewise of the council, a sufficient number for business was convened. The Iroquois were invited to meet the governour at Albany, in July ; and on the 21st, he arrived there, but found the small-pox prevailing in the town, and never having had it, he continued on board the sloop till next day, and then deter- mined to take up his residence in the fort. On landing, he was received by the corporation, the regular troops in the place, and the militia. That same day, three Iroquois came into Albany, and presented the governour with two French scalps, which they said they had taken at ncon-day, within sight of the French fort at Crown Point. These Indians had already received the reward given by the act of assembly, but the governour gave, in addition, his thanks, four Spanish dollars each, and to the leader, a fine laced coat and hat, and a silver breast-plate : to the others, each a stroud blanket and laced hat.
These Indians had been in the bushes several days, watching the fort gate ; and when two Frenchmen came out unarmed, shot them, tomahawked and scalped them, before assistance arrived from the fort. For this, they are honoured and rewarded by christians. Such is war.
Other scouts came in, and informed that there was a great force of French and Indians at Crown Point. The French Indians were the Algonkins, and Caugnawaligas, or christian or praying Indians, considered by the French as converts-most of them originally Mohawks. Sixteen Mohawks, who had been sent by Mr. Johnson, afterwards Sir William, to take prisoners and gain intelligence near Crown Point, arrived at Albany. Clinton endea- voured to prevail on them to return to Crown Point, and offered for every prisoner or scalp they might take, a piece of stroud and a suit of laced clothes, besides the bounty; but they chose to go home. The Mohawks were apprehensive of an attack from the French, and the Governour of New York sent a captain of militia and thirty men to reinforce their lower castle, and wrote to Mr. Johnson, that the French exaggerated their force, to prevent the Iroquois coming to the treaty. There were appearances of some secret understanding between the Mohawks and the French Indians (Caugnawahgas) residing near Montreal.
William Johnson exerted himself to rouse the Mohawks to war against the French, by dressing himself like them, and feasting them-by setting them to dance their war-dances, and other artifi- ces-for all which, the governour promised to pay him. Still, some of the sachems insisted on remaining neuter in the war be- tween the two European nations. This neutrality was what the
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358
ALLIANCES WITH THE IROQUOIS
French endeavoured to influence, as they had no hopes of engaging the Iroquois in hostilities with New York. At length, a large num- ber of the Iroquois came to Albany ; but divided among themselves so much, that the Mohawks separated from the others, marching on the opposite side of the river as they came to Schenectady.
When the Indians came near the town of Albany, on the Sth of August, Mr. Johnson put himself at the head of the Mohawks, dressed and painted as an Indian war captain. The Indians fol- lowed him, painted for war. As they passed the fort, they saluted by a running fire, which the governour answered by cannon. The chiefs were afterwards received in the fort hall, and treated to wine. A good deal of private manœuvering with the individual sachems was found necessary to make them declare for war with France before a public council was held. After the governour's speech was arranged, he fell ill ; and to prevent delay, Mr. Colden was appointed to speak ; and on the 19th of August, the three coun- sellors and the commissioners of New York, with the commission- ers, of Massachusetts, met the Indians; and Mr. Colden tells the Indians, in Clinton's name, the events of the war : that the French had attacked Annapolis and been beaten off; that Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire had taken Louisburg; that a message had been sent to the Governour of Canada, saying, if he should revive the inhuman custom of murdering private people by skulking Indians, that all the colonies, "and you, our brethren," would make reprisals, and carry on the war in like manner; that the Iroquois had promised Governour Clinton last fall, that if any of the English should be killed by any Indians, they would join against them and the French ; that since then, the French Indians have murdered the people, at Saratoga and near Albany, and in Mas- sachusetts ; and therefore he demands the fulfilment of their promise. He then tells them of the second and principal object of the meet- ing, i. e. to engage them to assist in taking Canada from the French; that troops from all the colonies are on the march by land, or on their voyage by sea ; that the king, the father of the Iroquois, has sent forces enough to take Canada, "but expects and orders you, his children, to join with your whole force," giving an opportunity to gain renown by subduing the enemies of the Iroquois. He then boasts of the superiour magnanimity of the English, in comparison with the French. He reminds the Iroquois of the French invasion of Onondaga-of their treachery, in seizing the sachems at Cada- raqui, (Fort Frontignac)-of the revenge the Iroquois took on the French of Montreal, a revenge which he tells them the French have neither forgotten nor forgiven. He invites them to join in the expe- dition, and the Governour of New York would furnish arms, ammu- nition, provision, clothing, &c., and protect their wives and chil- dren in the absence of the warriours. During this, belts are given
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359
AND OTHER INDIANS, AGAINST THE FRENCH.
and received with the Indian Yo-ha. The Iroquois took to the 23d of the month for deliberation, and then answered-the governour being present. They agreed to join in the war generally against the French; and add, that they take in the Messesagues as a seventh nation .- These, I call the Mackinaws, from their situation : they are represented as having five castles or villages, containing eight hundred men, all ready to fight the French. The orator declared war, by throwing down a war-belt, with gestures of indignation. The orator says, if the French priests come among the Iroquois, they will roast them.
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