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. II > Part 46
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ries at work to alienate the affections of your majesty's subjects from their duty to your majesty, reflecting upon your majesty's government established here by your majesty's authority, and in- sinuating by the libels sent amongst the ignorant people, that the legal proceedings made by your majesty's authority in this province, were of no force, and that other tumultuous acts would be jus- tified by your majesty, borrowing your majesty's sacred name to cover his turbulent designs, that he might with the greater ease blow the coals of rebellion amongst your majesty's dominions upon this main of America. They therefore supplicate his majesty's captain-general to lay their humble address at his majesty's feet, etc. etc., assuring that their lives and fortunes shall be, etc. etc., for his majesty.
July 14th .- The recorder is ordered to draw an address of con- gratulation to the governour on his safe return from Albany, and a " cup of gold, value £100, to be presented to his excellency as a testimony of the citty's gratitude for his care of its security."
20th .- Reported, that 20oz. of gold hath been bought of Peter Marcus, for a cup to be presented, etc. They order £106 to be paid, and the revenue of the Ferry to be appropriated therefore.
.20th .- The humble address of the mayor to his excellency, Benjamin Fletcher, governour and commander-in-chief of his majesty's province of New York, province of Pennsylvania, coun- try of New Castle, territory and tracts of land depending thereon, etc. This is to praise and thank him for the dangers he has in- curred in his late voyage to Albany, and for reducing the Indians to an union with his majesty's interest, etc. whereby the frontiers are se- cured, etc. All this is owing to the inestimable virtue, prudence, and pious conduct of his excellency. They pray his excellency, say- ing, they wish him to look into our citty, " and you will find that our inhabitants are dayly erecting monuments to perpetuate the memory of your excellency's virtue," etc.' and with many other prayers for the king, queen, and his excellency, they present this famous cup of gold.
August 11th .- Assessors appointed to raise £725, being one moiety to be paid by the citty, according to act of assembly, for raising £6,000 for the payment of 300 volunteers to be employed in reinforcement of the frontiers of this province att Albany, from the 1st of May next, 1694.
21st .- All Indians, negroes, and others not " listed in the mili- tia," are ordered to work on the fortifications for repairing the same, to be under the command of the captains of the wards they inhabit. And £100 to be raised for the fortifications.
October 10th .- The governour and council, in consequence of actual war between the king and queen on one part, and the French,
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and the knowledge that a squadron of ships are ordered to invade this citty, order that a platform be made upon the outmost point of the rocks under the fort, whereon, as the governour says, "I in- tend to build a battery to command both rivers ;" therefore he requires the corporation to order the inhabitants of the Out ward of the citty and Manning and Barne's Islands to cut down eighty-six cords of stockades of twelve feet in length, and to have them in rea- diness at the water side to be conveyed to New York, at the charge of the citty and county.
1694 January 15th .- The common council again address the governour with compliments, as before. They thank him for ordering the platform and battery on the point of the rocks un- der the fort-" a work absolutely needful, and of so great contri- vance that no doubt (by the assistance of God, your excellency's indefatigable dilligence,) etc., the province for the future will be in perfect security, and the rumour thereof make the enemy change his measure and not attack the citty."
19th .- The common council receive the answer to their request made to the governour, for his opinion .respecting their power to tax the inhabitants. He in council answers in the affirmative. " It is a power natural to every body politique by the very act of incor- poration to do all those reasonable acts that are necessary to the continuance of that being."
1695 January 16th .- Ordered, that no merchant or handicraft tradesman shall take any apprentice, without being bound by indenture before the mayor, recorder, or one of the aldermen. Such apprentice to be bound for not less than four years ; and at the expiration, if he has truly served, to be made free of the city- registering the same, and the master paying 3s.
July Sth .- Order is received from the governour to summons all the freemen of this city, who by themselves or servants are to be immediately employed in the repair of the fortifications, bulwarks, flankers, and batteries thereof, and to see that all the guns are mounted and ready for use : powder, balls, and gunners proper and fit to defend the citty.
November 10th .- £864 15s. to be raised for " paying and main- taining a company of fusileers, employed on the frontier att pre- sent under the command of Major Schuyler."
' 1696 In this year the general assembly pass an act making it lawful for every place in the province to bolt flour for ex- portation ; by which the monopoly of the city is broken up.
The city by this time had increased to 594 houses, and had (says the common council,) 60 ships, 40 boats, and 62 sloops- killed 4,000 " beefes," and lands had advanced to ten times their former value. All which prosperity is attributed to the city's pos-
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sessing the exclusive privilege of bolting flour and baking biscuit for transportation ; and all is lost by the Bolting Act, as the com- mon council say.
During this year Trinity Church was begun : it was opened for worship by the Rev. Mr. Vesey, in the year 1697. This building was enlarged in 1735-6, and burnt down in 1776, and another building erected in 17SS. It was consecrated by Bishop Prevost, in 1791. The last has in its turn (1839,) been demolished, with the intention of erecting a third Trinity. The cemetery of this church was granted by the common council gratuitously to the vestry, in 1703, on condition that it be neatly fenced, and that the fees for burial be limited to 3s. 6d. for grown persons, and 1s. 6d. for those under twelve years of age. By the records, it appears that this cemetery had received more than 160,000 bodies before the conflagration of 1776.
May 12th .- " Upon consideration of building a new Citty Hall, it is ordered that Alderman Cortlandt, Alderman Daw- kins and Alderman Boelen, Mr. De Peyster, Mr. Rip Van Dam, and Mr. Erwalye, together with Captain Clarke, Mr. Lurting and Captain Kip, be a committee to make a draft of the City Hall, and the conveniences that thereunto may be needfull, and compute and estimate what the building thereof may cost ; and likewise how much the Citty Hall and ground and the land under the trees by Burger's Path will sell for, and make report thereof in fourteen days to the Clerk's office."
June 23d .- A warrant is ordered " for payment of £41 current money of New York, to Captain Brandt Schuyler, for his service as a representative of this citty to the breaking up of the last ses- sions of assembly."
26th .- " By a majority of votes, itt is agreed that a Citty Hall be built." A warrant ordered for paying to Mr. Lawrence Reade £41, " for his salary as one of the representatives of the citty in general assembly."
The " easiest and best way for building a Citty Hall, powder- house, etc. etc., is to mortgage the rent of the Ferry for fifteen years ; to sell the present Town Hall and ground thereunto be- longing, and the ground concluded to be sold in the rear of the Dock street, at 9d. per foot. The new Citty Hall to be built and covered by the 1st of November next come twelve months." i. e. November 1697.
October 17th .- Captain Teunis Dekay petitions " that a cart- way may be made leading out of the Broad street to the street that runs by the pye-woman's, leading to the commons of the citty." The petitioner undertakes to do the same, provided he may have the soyle.
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The inhabitants complain that there is no bread to be bought. The bakers being summoned, " complain that they have no corne, neither can get any to purchase at a reasonable rate whereby to occupy their trades, in order to supply the inhabitants with bread." Aldermen are ordered to inquire in their wards what flour, wheat, and bread are therein, and report.
23d .- A committee appointed to devise means to cause corne to be brought to the citty for the relief of the inhabitants.
November 11th .- £10 ordered to be paid James Graham, [Re- corder] being in full for his salary as speaker of the house of repre- sentatices, and a member for this city, ending the third day of this present November.
£21 4s. is one year's salary of the clerk of the mayor's court.
17th .- Upon inquiry, it is found that there is not more than seven hundred bushels of corn within the city, and the number of inhabitants being computed six thousand or more, therefore found that the stock of corn would not be sufficient for a week's mainte- nance. The cause assigned by the common council for this scar- city, is " the liberty and latitude that every planter had lately taken, of making his house or farme a market for his wheat, or converting the same into flour by bolting of itt, and that under pretence of a privilege they conceive they have obtained, by virtue of a law of the general assembly, entitled an act against unlaw- ful by-laws," which had deprived the citty of the monopoly for- merly enjoyed. The mayor craves advice to remove this intolera- ble grievance, that the citty may be restored to its rights and privi- leges ; they recommend an address to his majesty for the repeal of said law, and a committee is accordingly appointed. An assize of rye bread agreed on-" a loaf weighing five pounds for 43d .- Rye being at 3s. 3d. the bushel."
October 2d .- The mayor, William Merritt, informed 1697
the board " that on Tuesday next the supreme court of the province would sitt, at which several criminals would be tried, to which it is supposed great numbers of people would resort, in- somuch that it is feared the City Hall will not be of sufficient strength to contain them :" whereupon certain carpenters and brick- layers are ordered to view and report thereon, and what will be wanting to secure the same. They reported that " six studs and a plank will secure the same from any danger of falling." The same are ordered accordingly.
4th .- The mayor produced a letter from the judges of the su- preme court, stating that jurors and others summoned to appear, declare that in consequence of danger from the condition of the City Hall, they cannot attend on the court ; therefore the magis- trates are required in his majesty's name " to appoint and prepare some other place." Signed, William Smith, William Pinhorne.
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Ordered, that this letter be answered, informing the judges that measures had been taken " for making the Citty Hall secure from falling, and the workmen doe believe the house to be of sufficient strength to contain any number of people that may be therein."
November 13th .- In common council: present, Merritt, mayor, and others. Resolved, in consequence of the ruinous situation of the City Hall, that the common council sit at the house of George Reparreck, adjoining to the City Hall, until the 13th of October next, and that he be paid for the same £12.
20th .- An order from the governour read, absolving the militia from the duty of night guard by a military watch, until the 25th of March next, provided " the magistrates of said citty doe ap- point a bellman or some other civil watch to go round the citty in the night time to prevent irregularities that may happen, or fire," etc. Whereupon the board resolve, that four sober, honest, men be appointed to keep a watch in this citty every night until the 25th of March next, and that they hourly go through the several wards of the city during the said time to prevent irregularities .*
. 23d .- Unanimously agreed, that a new City Hall is necessary. " In consideration of the great inconveniency that attends this citty, being a trading place, for want of having lights in the dark time of the moon in the winter season, ordered, that all and every body of the house keepers within this citty shall put out lights in their win- dows fronting the respective streets," according as the mayor and two aldermen and two assistants shall direct.
December 2d .- Resolved, that the mode of lighting the city be that " during the dark time of the moon until the 25th of March next, every seventh householder cause a lantliorn and candle to be hung out on a pole every night." The expense to be divided equally between the seven. The aldermen are charged to see this done.
. 2Sth .-- Four barrels of powder ordered for saluting the Earl of Bellamont on his arrival.
1693
April 2d .- Bellamont's commission read, as governour, and Nanfan's, as lieutenant-governour.
. 4th .- The address to the governour read and approved. It is full of humility, professions of obedience, lamentations of dissen- tions among themselves, and prayer for his influence to heal the same.
11th .- Resolved, that a dinner be proposed at the charge of the corporation for the entertainment of his excellency, Richard, Earl of Bellamont, captain-general, etc. etc., and a committee appointed
* In the year 1837, the number of watchmen is 1,064. The cost $215,420 50 per annum.
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to make a bill of fare, (two aldermen and two assistants,) "and that for the effectual doing thereof, they call to their assistance such cooks as they shall think necessary to advise."
May 23d .- No person absent twelve months considered a free- man unless he keep fire and candle.
June 14th .- Alderman Provoost and Mr. Duykink appointed to take care that the publick house of office on the dock be cleaned and put in repair, and a person appointed daily to keep the same clean. A committee appointed to revise the laws. Thus the pas- sion for codification appears to be of early date.
2Sth .- All the inhabitants of the city, " their apprentices and children that were here at the time the charter was granted," be deemed freemen ; they registering their names, (but none under 21 years,) and the oath administered to all who come to be regis- tered.
An address ordered to " my lord," praying that the sole bolting of flour and baking of biscuit for transportation be restored to this city.
29th .- The address read. It complains of " that grievous law" which took away this monopoly from them and "placed at every planter's door the privilege-that the assembly hath deprived the citty of its rights, etc. and they pray," etc. etc.
" It is considered that the sum of £50 sterling be raised upon the word of the city, to be employed by an agent at home in England for the representing the state of this city unto his majesty and the lords commissioners of trade and plantations, in order to the repealing the said act," i. e. the Act abolishing the city's monopoly.
July 7th .- Several papers relating to the wished for repealing of the bolting act. The privilege of bolting, they say, was con- firmed by Dongan, and enjoyed till 1694; when, by act of assem- bly, every planter's house was made a market. The calamity hath produced anarchy in the province, and destroys the reputation of New York flour. When the bolting began in 1678, there were only 343 houses ; in 1696, 594. The revenue in 1678-9 and SO, not exceeding £2,000 in the year ; 1687, £5,000. The bolting being removed, the revenue decreased. In the year 167S, there were 3 ships, 7 boats, and S sloops ; in the year 1694, there were 60 ships, 40 boats, 62 sloops. Since which, a decrease. In the year 167S, New York killed 400 beeves ; in 1694, near 4,000. Lands had advanced ten times in their value. If this act continues, they say, many families in New York must perish, and besides they enu- merate many other evils.
The recorder, in a letter to the committee appointed to address the king, states : He is grieved " for the great heats" he saw among them at the last meeting. When the great concern in hand
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1
is considered, " no less than the livelihood of all the inhabitants of New York." He reminds them of the scarcity of corn, when ouly seven hundred schepels were found in the city-not sufficient for bread for a week; that this was the consequence of the Bolting Act ; that the inhabitants cannot be supplied with bread unless the monopoly is restored ; that the inhabitants must either perish or transport themselves elsewhere. Accordingly, he had so repre- sented the matter to his majesty. "Now, gentlemen," he contin- ues, " this being the truth, where is the defect ? What is the cause of such heats ? Yea, there is cause ; your stile is defective ; it is not Billingsgate language that is used : therefore allay your heats, and I will both vindicate the language and save the government from arraignment, as falsely suggested." He states the objected words to be " and in that growing and flourishing state it had continued, if your majesty's said benign favours and protec- tion to your majesty's said city had not been interrupted by an unaccountable and rash humour that seized upon the assembly." " Shall we ask the king to repeal a law made with due delibera- tion ?" He states that by this act, S,000 souls in New York are doomed to perish for want of bread, to give plenty to 1,500 in the country .- This is a letter of many pages, and is followed by seven or eight pages of reasons in defence of the rights and priri- leges, and then the articles of surrender to Colonel Nicolls are given in full.
November 11th .- The mayor presents a letter from Lord Bella- mont, requiring him to give the citizens an opportunity, and call upon them, to take the oath to his majesty and the test " that a dis- crimination may be made between good and loyal subjects and the enemies of his majesty."
1699 February 2d .- The Ferry is let for seven years, on condi- tion of security for payment given. The farmer to provide two great boats or scows for cattle, etc. and two small boats for pas- sengers, one of each to be kept on each side. That the city build a Ferry-house within the first year of the lease. The fare for a sin- gle person is fixed at cight stivers in wampum, or a silver twopence. If a company cross together, each to pay four stivers in wampum, or a silver penny ; but after sun-set, double ferriage. A single horse, 1s. ; several in company 9d. ; a colt, 3d. ; Ahog, the same as a single person ; a sheep, half ; a barrel of liquid, 3d. ; an empty barrel, four stivers in wampum, or a silver penny ; a beast's hide, do. ; a firkin or tub of butter, two stivers in wampum ; a bushel of corn, half; a hogshead of tobacco, 9d. The rent per year, £165.
May 25th .- Unanimously resolved " to build a new City Hall at the upper end of Broad street, and the materials of the old Citty Hall be exposed to sayle, and the ground belonging to the same to
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be lett to farme for the term of ninety-nine years ;" and a committee appointed to manage the same. The same advertised by putting up placards.
August 9th .- Ordered, the old Citty Hall and all belonging to it, the bell, king's arms, and iron works belonging to the prison excepted, be sold at publick outcry ; the purchaser to pay at three payments. That the cage, pillory, and stocks standing be- fore the same be removed within the space of twelve months ; the slip fronting the said Citty Hall shall remain, continue, and abide for ever a publick slip for the publick use and benefit of the citty. That the citty have the liberty and benefit of the jail within the said Hall for the space of one month next ensuing.
"John Rodman, of the City of New York, merchant, hath by publick outcry and vendue purchased the said Citty Hall with the ground and appurtenances, for the sum of £920 current money of New York."
About this time Davenant, writing of the American colo- nies, says :- " The stronger and greater they grow, the more this crown and kingdom will get by them, and nothing but such an arbitrary power as shall make them desperate, can bring them to rebel." This man, in the seventeenth century, saw clearly the true policy of Great Britain, and her statesmen, in the eighteenth, were altogether blind to it. Liberal as Davenant was, he warned England of the danger that would threaten her com- merce, if America should be allowed " to set up manufactures, and clothe as well as feed their neighbours ;" but he thought this would not be attempted under three or four hundred years. He insinu- ates that the English government does not think the colonists have the same rights as their fellow-subjects in England, but advises a confirmation of their liberties, keeping their charters free from vio- lation ; and declaring "that Englishmen have right to all the laws of England, while they remain in countries subject to the dominion of this kingdom." But Lord Chatham, the friend of America, in vulgar estimation, thought otherwise ; and declared that England had a right to tax the colonists without their consent, and that she was " sovereign over the colonies in all cases whatsoever."
Nicholson, who as lieutenant-governour of New York, fled from Leisler, was now governour of Virginia, and proposed to the as- sembly of Virginia to assist in the defence of New York, for the security of Virginia, by building a fort on the New York frontiers, but they refused. William III. seconded Nicholson's views ; but the Virginians still refused.
1700 April 9th .- The ill disposed of the city are charged with " a common practice of emptying tubbs of odour and nasti- ness" in the streets, and therefore ordered, that a fine not exceeding 40s. be inflicted for the offence.
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In the year 169S, Nicholson, the former lieutenant-governour of New York, under James II. and governour of Virginia under Wil- liam III., says in a letter to the board of trade in England, that many people in all the colonies think no law of England ought to be binding on them without their consent, because they are not repre- sented in Parliament. In 1701, the board of trade directed Lord Bellamont to curb this humour, and added " the independancy they thirst after is so notorious" that with other objections to these colo- nies, it should be laid before parliament.
1701 March 29th .- Salary of William Sharpe, clerk of the common council, is paid for half a year, and for drawing, en- grossing, and recording a deed to John Rodman, for the old City Hall, and a lease of the Ferry, £15 2s. Johannes Depeyster, and David Provoost, receive each £14 10s., for their service in general assembly, from 1st October, to 2d November following.
In this year New York, and Massachusetts, passed laws pro- scribing Roman Catholick priests. It is acknowledged by Walsh, (a Roman Catholick) that these laws were political and not religi- ous : that the law makers " believed, that those priests laboured uniformly to excite the Indians to hostilities against the Anglo- Americans :" Mr. Walsh might have said, that they knew it. The Jesuit Charlevoix, gives us ample testimony on that head.
The Earl of Bellamont, as we have seen,* died on the 5th of March in this year. (The Irish peerage, says he died in 1700.) Nanfan, the lieutenant-governour, was at the time absent at Bar- badoes. This Richard Earl of Bellamont, was of the family of Coote, and the second Lord Coloony. He was created an Earl, in 1696 : his father had been created an Earl, in the first of Wil- liam and Mary. The Earl of Bellamont who was governour of New York, married Catharine, daughter and heir to Bridges Nan- fan, Esq., and she died in 1737. By her, Bellamont had two sons : the first was born before his mother was twelve years of age, and he succeeded his father as Earl of Bellamont. John Nanfan, the lieutenant-governour, was related to the Earl as a con- nexion of the countess.
1702 May 12th .- In the congratulatory address of the com-
mon council to Edward Lord Cornbury, they say : he is to heal their divisions-secure them against the enemy-be an ex- ample of piety, etc.
All the soldiers of his majesty's garrison of Fort William, are to be made freemen if natural born subjects, gratis. This made them electors or voters.
26th .- Samson Shelton Broughton produces his majesty's com-
· Sen Vol. 1., p. 243.
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mission as recorder. His excellency and council, order the num- bering of the men, women, children, and slaves, that are within the city and county, and the number of men from sixteen to sixty. The dock and slips of the city are farmed to James Spencer, car- penter, for £25 -- he to clean the dock and slips, and keep them clean and build a wharf enclosing the dock, and give security for performance. Resolved, that when the court of common council shall be equally divided, that part shall be considered prevalent, on which the mayor gives his vote. The salary of the clerk of the common council, is £20 per year. Resolved, to compliment Lord Cornbury with the freedom of the city, " covered with a gold box." And all the governour's suite (Bridges, Millwood, Con- greve, Rich, Rookeby, Lovel, Freeman, etc., etc., and such other of the household, as came into the province with his excel- lency,) are made freemen of the city, gratis. All his majesty's na- tural born subjects residing in the city, and too poor to purchase their freedom, shall be made freemen gratis.
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