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 51
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September 1Sth .- Several of the ex-mayors claim to retain in their hands half the amount received by them during their mayor-
" See Parker's Postboy, of this date.
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alties for "'stalls and standings;" and a committee advise to agree, reserving the right to all the monies proceeding from stalls and standings in future, or that £100 per annum be appropriated to the mayor for the time being, and the remainder to be for the common council.
October 30th .- An address ordered to " his Excellency Robert Monckton, captain-general and governour-in-chief of the province of New York." The freedom of the city with its arms on the lid of the gold box containing it, is presented.
1762 March 7th .- Colonel Peter Schuyler died, at his seat
at Newark, in East Jersey.
1Sth .--- Severe winter continuing to this date.
Counterfeiters abound, both of paper and hard money. At Poughkeepsie, a silversmith (Hamilton) committed on suspicion of making false money, lung himself.
A negro-plot was this year discovered at Schenectady. Three conspirators in jail-ten not yet taken. Another negro lately mur- dered his mistress and fled. 1763 April 18th .- Dr. Cooper was elected president of King's College ; Dr. Johnson having resigned.
May 16th .- King's College receives a donation of 1,200 vol- umes-left to it by Dr. Bristow, of England. At commencement, May 23d, Messrs. Depeyster, Cuyler, Verplanck, Livingston, Watts, Bayard, Wilkins, Hoffman, and Marston, took degrees. All these names continue among the foremost in New York, to this day. Is not this a proof of the force of education ?
Weyman publishes his Gazette in Broad street, opposite Syna- gogue alley. There being no numbers to the houses, directions are given in the advertisements by opposite to Mr. so-and-so, and next door to such or such a sign.
Under date of June 6th, a record of retribution is given. A slaver, or Guineaman, from Newport, Rhode Island, (the great slave-market for the southern planters,) was wrested from the cap- tain and crew by the slaves they were preparing to bring from their friends and home, and the officers and some of the sailors were put to death. Other Europeans or Americans endeavoured to regain the vessel. The Africans defended themselves, but unused to gunpowder and firearms, blew up the vessel, and most of them perished. These scenes of murder were, and probably are, fre- quent.
November 10th .- There is in Holt's Gazette a long account of disorderly people doing mischief and pilfering on Sundays, in the Bowery, particularly that a great number surrounded the orchard of Mr. Nicholas Bayard, where a large quantity of apples " lay on heaps for making cider," and Mr. Bayard being from home, the overseer was abused, who then ordered a gun to be brought, which
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kept them off till dark ; when the orchard was attacked, and he fired at the legs of one, and wounded him. The family sent ano- ther gun, and a reinforcement of another white man. The loafers came on again, supposing the garrison out of ammunition, but received another shot in the legs of one of the party, who then retreated. Mr. Bayard, on returning, kept watch with his neigh :- bours all night. All this occurred near the present Grand street and Bowery.
17th .- The assembly vote to raise 200 men for the defence of Ulster and Orange counties against the Indians.
I find at this time 2,000 firkins of butter advertised as arrived in one ship from Belfast, and a large quantity in another from Cork.
In November, a negro who was executed at Fresh Water, (pro- bably where Centre street now strikes Pearl street) was cut down from the gallows by the mob, and dragged through the streets until one gentleman "put a stop to their inhumanity by seizing the corpse and ordering it to be interred." It is thus that brutal vio- lence will oft-times yield to and bow before moral courage. Why is not the name of this gentleman given ?
December .- " To be sold, a negro-wench, now with child." How forcibly such an advertisement marks the feelings of the time ! If it were possible now to see a fellow-creature advertised to be sold, how startling and atrocious it would appear ! but what printer in New York would dare to add the words which mark the sex and peculiar condition of the victim of avarice and injustice ? Whitfield was preaching in New York about this time. .
23d .- " Whereas, it hath this day been represented to this board that John Carpenter, butcher; hath openly and contemp- tuously declared that he would sell his beef for 43d. per lb. in spite of all the wise heads that made the law could do, or words to that effect," he is ordered to appear before this board, at the house of Walter Brock, inn-keeper, near the City Hall, "to show cause why he should not be disfranchised."
Jacob Arden, another butcher, is complained of, for speaking in a contemptuous manner, and publickly violating the law for assizing all kinds of provisions. The board request the mayor to remove him out of the markets, until he shall have obtained the freedom of the city.
Carpenter attended, and William Bayard, Esq. proved on oath the charge against him. The board ordered him to be disfran- chised.
The former law of assizing, or fixing the price of provision, is repealed, and another passed, fixing the price of beef 43d. per lb., pork 5} per lb., veal, the hind quarter 6d., the fore quarter Add., mutton 4}d., butter 15d. per lb., milk 6 coppers the quart.
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1764 January 12th .- For a long time, there appears to have been no publick whipper, but now James O'Brien is paid £5 for a quarter's salary.
The New York Gazette or Weekly Postboy is printed in Broad street, near the Exchange, by John Holt, who had been concerned with James Parker, but now has sole control. " Advertisements of moderate length, 5s. for four weeks, and 1s. for each week after."
19th .- On Sunday night last, (January 15th,) the city of New York was alarmed by the ringing of bells and cry of fire, arising from the riotous attack of a party of soldiers upon the jail, (new jail, now the record office.) They broke in, (the front door was open) with guns and axes, shouting Major Rogers ! who was con- fined for debt. They demanded the keys of Mr. Mills, who re- fused : in their attempts to force them from him, he was wounded. The lights were extinguished, and they fired three shots through the grate of the inner door. A ball grazed the eyebrow of the man they came to set free. They forced the door, and demanded the Major; he said, " Here I am." One of them said, " You are my prisoner. He said, "I am afraid, gentlemen, you will ruin me." They told the debtors they would set them all free. The prisoners did not choose to be forced into liberty, and the sol- diers seemed to be determined to give them death or liberty. The militia arrived in force, and the riot was quelled. On the trial of the soldiers, they said, that Rogers was privy to the attempt.
February 10th .- The Exchange is let for SO per year. The " committee of the new jail" are empowered to cause to be erected opposite the said new jail a publick whipping-post, stocks, cage, and pillory.
People begin to think of looking for coal in America.
May Commencement held at St. George's Chapel. General Gage and his majesty's council, etc., present. Richard Harrison, seventeen years of age, delivered the salutatory oration-John Jay, a dissertation on the blessings of peace.
In May, a gold medal was adjudged, at Edinburgh, to Samuel Bard, of New York, student of medicine, " by Dr. Hope, for pro- moting the study of Botany."
June 1Sth .- " The New York Light-house erected at Sandy Hook, was lighted for the first time. The long wished for ferry, is now established, from the place called Powless's Hook, to the city of New York. The landing on the New York side is fixed at the dock, commonly called Miesier's Dock," opposite " Powless's Hook," distance three quarters of a mile. Also a ferry established across the " Kill Van Kull," from Staten Island to Bergen.
August 5th .- Alderman Jolin Lawrence, of New York, died. Rev. Mr. Whitfield preached his funeral sermon, and he was bu- ried in Lord Stirling's vault, at Trinity Church.
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14th .- Alexander Forbes, " the present keeper or over- seer of the work house or alms house and house of correction, having petitioned for more salary, ordered, the sum of £20 be given him, in consideration of the many perquisites he has lost, occasioned by the said house of correction being without any whipper for a considerable time."
September 4th .- A question is raised, in the common council whether " the people residing on that part of New Jersey called Powle's Hook, have any right of ferriage to and from this city." 1765 January 10th .- A traveller passing from Albany to
Boston, put up at a tavern and gave his bags with money in charge of the landlord. Next day proceeding, he found his horse lame and stopped at a blacksmith's, who found the horse had been cut just above one of his hoofs, and some of the hair drawn through the wound. He inquired where the traveller lodged last night, and being told, shook his head and advised him not to pur- sue his journey through the woods alone. " I have good pistols !" " Examine them !" He did, and found that the charge had been drawn, and supplied with dirt. This confirmed suspicion, and the blacksmith advised him not to go on. The traveller persisted, and cleaning and reloading bis pistols, pursued his way. The blacksmith, anxious for his safety, mounted his horse and followed. Before he overtook the traveller, he heard two pistols discharged, and soon met the traveller returning, who said, " I have done the business for two of them !" It being near niglit, he returned to the blacksmith's and remained until morning, when they both entered the wood, and found the landlord and his son dead-the victims of their own plot to rob the wayfarer.
24th .- The grand jury return thanks to the judges, for deciding that it is illegal to appeal from a verdict of a jury, to the governour and council. This was one of the struggles of the governours for arbitrary power.
1766 At different periods, mobs assembled upon the eastern part of the manor of Rensselaer. They called at his house, and left a message for him, that if he did not appear at their place of rendezvous, they would come to him.
On the 20th of June, the sheriff of Albany, with 105 men, went to a house on the manor to disperse the rioters, of whom there were about 60. On the sheriff's approach to the house, they fired upon him and shot off his hat and wig, without injuring him. Several shots were exchanged, and Mr. Cornelius Tenbrook, of Claverack, was killed, and seven otliers of the militia wounded. Three of the rioters were killed, and many wounded : among the latter, Captain Noble, one of the leaders. They retreated to Noble's house, where they formed a breastwork and kept their ground until
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the sheriff and his party left the place. Ou another day the rioters, or Pendergrast's party had a skirmish with a party of regulars, with some loss.
July 15th .- Gage writes from New York, to Conway, that the 2Sth Regiment had been ordered into Duchess county to assist in executing the laws, and to quell riots ; that a small body of Light Infantry had been fired upon by the rioters, and three wounded ; the fire returned, some of the rioters wounded; all pursued and dispersed. 'That in Albany county a skirmish took place between the sheriff and his followers, 200, and a party of rioters ; some killed and wounded on both sides, but the sheriff's party was put to flight.
Permission given by the king to the colony of New York to issue paper bills to the amount of £260,000, their currency.
2Sth :- Pendergrast, the rioter, having been taken, with others, Chief-justice Horsemanden embarked for Duchess county to try them. Pendergrast was tried for high treason, and sentenced ac- cordingly.
At the trial of Pendergrast, mentioned above, the court, besides the chief-justice, consisted of Messrs. John Watts, William Wal- ton, Oliver Delancey, Joseph Reade, William Smith, jun., John Morin Scott, and Whitehead Hicks. The usual barbarous sentence against traitors was pronounced, and it is stated that the prisoner be- haved very penitent. He was to be executed in September. Fifty or sixty others were fined, imprisoned, or pilloried. " Any person inclining to assist at the execution of Pendergrast, by applying to James Livingston, the sheriff of Duchess county, will meet with a good reward ; he shall be disguised so as not to be known, and sc- cured from insults."
August 11th .- Depositions taken before the magistrates, state that on the 11th August, when the people had assembled to " ereet . a post that had been taken down the night before," (the liberty-pole in the fields) a party of soldiers with their bayonets in their hands, some unsheathed, and others in the act of unsheathing, attacked the people, cutting and slashing every one that fell in their way-the people retreating, pursued to Chapel street, (Beekman) and that among the persons cut and wounded, were Captain Sears and John Berrien. To these facts, sworn before John Cruger and Nicholas Roosevelt, we have the names of Theophilus Harden- brook, Peter Vandervoort, Isaac Sears, John Berrien, Cornelius Berrien, Philip Will, and Ephraim Brasher. Major Brown, of the 2Sth Regiment, to which the soldiers belonged, said, on reading the affidavit, that he would " prove every word of it to be false," and Hardenbrook and Vandervoort threaten to prosecute him for his assertion.
September .- Sir H. Moore reprieves Pendergrast until his ma-
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jesty's pleasure be known. Lady Moore releases, by paying their debts, all the prisoners at Albany, confined for less than £30.
November 17th .- Sir H. Moore sent a message to the New York assembly respecting the quartering of troops and finding necessaries, and they tell him that in providing for two battalions and a company of artillery, that had burthened their constituents beyond other colonies, they thought themselves entitled to com- mendation rather than censure from England ; that they con- sidered it their duty, to provide for troops on a march, and that by providing for them permanently and for an indefinite number, the burthen would be beyond their power.
1Sth .- Governour Moore lays before the assembly of New York Lord Shelburne's letter, in which he says, " I am or- dered to signify to you by the king, that it is the indispensable duty of his subjects in America to obey the acts of the legislature of Great Britain, the king both expects and requires a due and cheer- ful obedience to the same." He therefore requires a compliance with the Act " for quartering his majesty's troops, in the full ex- tent and meaning of the act." The governour adds, "that he flatters himself no difficulties can possibly arise, or the least objec- tion be made to the provision for the troops as required by the act of parliament."
December 1Sth .- Governour Franklin writes from Burlington, New Jersey, that he had endeavoured to make his legislature do all required by his majesty for finding the troops, but they would only do as has been done before.
A sloop bound from New York to Fayal, commanded by Cap- tain Harrison, became a wreck on the sca, from a storm, and the people reduced to the necessity of casting lots for life, or to become the food of the living. A negro was killed and eaten : this lasted seven days .. Another man drew the lot of death, and became mad ; but before he was killed, a sail appeared, and discovering them, although they had no canvass to hoist, relieved them.
The boundary line between New York and Canada is fixed at Lat. 45, which crosses Lake Champlain about two and a half miles north of Windmill Point, and is marked by openings made on each side of the lake, where several trees are girdled, and square posts set up, marked with the letters Y. and Q. (York and Quebec.) Sir H. Moore and General Carleton were present. While Moore was at Windmill Point, several Canadian gentlemen waited upon him and preferred their claims to lands on both sides of the lake, founded on grants from the Frenchi king, as far south as Crown Point. They were informed that these claims must be referred to the king and council.
The first Methodist church in America was erected this year, in Jolin street, New York.
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1767 January .17th .-- There was a plan in agitation to establish by subscription a publick academy in New York for the study of architecture, sculpture, and painting .*
May 15th .- A bill was brought in parliament and passed, to punish New York for disobedience, in not complying with the or- ders for quartering troops, (as specified by his majesty) by prolii- biting the passing of any law whatsoever in the colony.
Governour Bernard and his assembly of Massachusetts quarrel about the expenses of quartering troops, etc. This subject causes discontent all through the colonies.
A petition from the merchants of New York was presented to parliament, pointing out grievances under which their commerce lay, and praying such redress as would be beneficial to both coun- tries. It was laid on the table and not noticed.
September 3d .- A soldier of the 16th Regiment drunk, and in company with two prostitutes, fell off the ramparts of the battery, and was drowned, although in shoal water; the women were ordered to be whipped at the workhouse. The accounts of crimes are great, in proportion to the population ; but most are commit- ted, as now, by Europeans.
Professors at King's College-Samuel Clossy, of Anatomy ; Peter Middleton, Theory of Physick ; John Jones, Surgery ; James Smith, Chem. and Mat. Med. ; John Tenant, Midwifery ; Samuel Bard, Practice of Physick. Dr. Jones extracted a stone from the bladder of a boy, between four and five years old, suc- cessfully.
November 17th .- Twenty negroes " received the discipline of the whip, at the publick whipping-post, having been detected the Thursday night before in a junketting-frolick, designed in a poor white man's house, in the Out ward of this city, where two pigs, ready for the fire, and two gallons of wine awaited them ; and though the proofs were not positive, they were such as left the design out of doubt. It is such houses that ruin servants, as the receiver is as bad as the thief."+
A bill was brought into the house of assembly " to prevent the unnatural and unwarrantable custom of enslaving mankind, and the importation of slaves into this province." It was changed into an act " for laying an impost on negroes imported." This could not pass the governour and council ; and it was afterward known that Benning I. Wentworth, the governour of New Hampshire had received instructions not to pass any law "imposing duties on negroes imported into that province." Hutchinson, of Massachu-
+ See. Holt's Journal, of this date.
t Weyman's Gazette.
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setts, had similar instructions. The governour and his majesty's council knew this at the time.
December 21st .- The Society for promoting Arts met. Philip P. Schuyler informed them that he had in the present year erected a flax-mill, at Saratoga, and the society adjudged him a medal and their thanks.
176S January 1st .- The Presbyterians of this city, in com- munion with the established Church of Scotland, opened their Brick Church lately erected on the green. Preacher, Dr. Rogers.
2Sth .- Colonel Kalb, (afterwards so well known as Baron De Kalb,) with eight others, in crossing from the Blazing Star, New Jersey, to Staten Island, was the only person who escaped unin- jured, the rest either dying, from suffering all night on a sand island, where the scow sunk, or being more or less frozen ; some losing toes, others, feet. But Kalb, after being with the rest res- cued from their perishing situation, instead of sitting with them by the fire, put his feet and legs in cold water, and took some refresh- ment, then went to bed, and got up unhurt by the frost. One gen- tleman, a Mr. George, died before succour arrived. Kalb died, fighting for the liberties of this country, at Camden.
February 12th .- The friends of James Delancey solicit votes for him, although he is in England, as he had declared before going that he intended to return soon enough to offer himself as a repre- sentative in the assembly, but is detained solely to serve America at the present parliament. Jacob Walton offers himself as a can- didate, and requests the favour of votes and interest. Lewis Mor- ris and John Delancey were the opposite candidates for West- chester borough ; and Delancey elected by three votes.
13th .- Thomas Shrieve, coroner, receives &7 1Ss., for the burial of 49 bodies, for one year, ending 1st January.
March 3d .- The friends of James Delancey assure the publick that he is coming home.
Abraham 'l'en Broeck chosen for the manor of Rensselaer. Peter R. Livingston for the manor of Livingston, (he being a resi- dent of Albany.) Jacob H. Ten Eyck and Philip Schuyler for the county of Albany. Dirk Brinckerhoff and Leonard Van Kleeck for Duchess county. George Clinton was member for Ulster.
There were at this time four judges of the supreme court, viz : Daniel Horsemanden, chief-justice ; David Jones, William Smith, and Robert R. Livingston, justices.
At New York Commencement, the following gentlemen took degrees : Benjamin Moore, (afterwards bishop.) Governeur Mor- ris, John Stevens, Gulien Verplank, Robert Livingston, Egbert Benson-(all distinguished hereafter)-James Ludlow, Charles
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Douglity, Peter Van Schaick, Rev. John Beardsley. Messrs. Moore and Morris were presented with silver medals by the Lit- rary Society.
The state papers of 1768, of New York, are by Chancellor Kent compared with, and thought to resemble in style, spirit, and mat- ter, the resolutions and addresses of the first continental congress, in 1774 .* For these praiseworthy addresses and resolutions, the assembly was severely rebuked by Sir Henry Moore, and dissolved. Philip Schuyler and George Clinton were among the foremost leaders in these patriotick resolutions, and continued to exert them- selves in the same station, until the termination of colonial legisla- tion, in 1775.
1769
January 27th .- Jolin Cruger, James Delancey, Jacob
Walton and James Jancey, was elected to the assembly for the city of New York. The four successful members on the close of the poll gare £200 for the poor.
April 10th .- The assembly resolved that the thanks of the house be given to the merchants of the city and colony for their patriotick conduct in declining the importation or receiving of goods from Great Britain, until such acts of parliament as the general assem- bly had declared unconstitutional and subversive of the rights and liberties of the people be repealed.
The minority of the assembly, (and in which minority were Colonel Schuyler and George Clinton,) asse. ted that taxable free- hold estate in the county or borough, qualified a person to be voted for the assembly though he did not reside therein. The majority determined to the contrary.
26th .- The assembly resolved, that non-resident freeholders had a right to vote for members of assembly.
May Sth .--- Major Rogers was acquitted of charges preferred against him : but the deputy adjutant-general, says, there was rea- son to suspect him of improper correspondence, and his attempt to escape confirmed it.
10th .- The freeholders of the manor of Livingston, by peti- tion, insisted that non-resident freeholders of the manor were eligible to the assembly-that it was a sacred and incontestable pri- vilege in the English constitution, and according to usage in the colony. But the majority of the assembly held otherwise, and dismissed Mr. Livingston their member for that cause.
17th .- The assembly resolved, that no judge of the supreme court should have a seat in their house.
July 20th .- Simeon Cooley made his amende honorable to his fellow citizens of New York, for his opposition to the non-impor-
* See Chancellor Kent's Discourse before the His. Soc. of N. Y. p. 16.
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tation agreement, by begging pardon, and promising to send the goods in liis possession to the publick stores, and never offend again.
Similar apologies were made by traders in Philadelphia, Bos- ton, New Haven, and other places.
Robert Murray of New York, is reported to own "more tons of, and value in shipping, that any house in America."
- August 21th .-- Theophilus Hardenbrook, and other house-car- penters, complain to the common council, that a number of country carpenters come into this city in the summer season, and follow their trade, and in the fall, return again to their families, without paying taxes or assessments, to the prejudice of the petitioners.
November 1st .- Celebrated by the Sons of Liberty, as that on which the inhabitants of the colony of New York, determined not to surrender their rights to arbitrary power, " however august."
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