USA > New York > History of the state of New York. Vol. II, Pt. 2 > Part 12
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S Novem.
* Council Min., v., 163, 105-170; Charlevoix, ii., 333, 834; Col. Doc., iii., 395, 490 ; ix .. 302, 308, 310, 320, 302; Doc. His., i., 139, 141, 142, 265, 206. Colden does not give any ac- count of this interview at New York.
+ Col. Doc., ill., 455; ix., 299; Doc. Ilist., i., 134; Charlevoix, il., 234, 335; Shea, 315.
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443
THOMAS DONGAN, GOVERNOR.
Denonville sent Dongan a caustic reply, charging him CHAP. IX. with duplicity in his transactions with the Iroquois ; wrong- fulness in sending English parties to Michilimackinac ; and 1686. 1 October. want of religion in furnishing the savages with "Eau de Denonville vie," which converted them into demons, and their cabins to Dongau. "into counterparts and theatres of hell." With Irish wit, Dongan retorted that he had " only permitted several of 1 Decem. Albany to trade among the remotest Indians," and hoped retort. Dongau's that they would be civilly treated by the French, among whom they intruded ; while as to furnishing liquors to the savages, " certainly our Rum doth as little hurt as your Brandy ; and in the opinion of Christians, is much more wholesome."*
Dongan did not fail to show that he was as bold as his French rival. The expedition he had sent from Albany the last year having been so successful, he again commis- 13 Septem. sioned Captain Rooseboom to go with another party and and others Rooseboom trade with the Ottawas. Rooseboom's company was made to the gain sent West. up of active young men, chiefly Albanians, among whom were the sons of Arent Schuyler, and Jan Jansen Bleecker. The refugee La Fontaine accompanied them. From Sche- nectady they traveled westward in canocs, twenty of which, " freighted principally with rum," were reported by James October. de Lamberville as having passed " Galkonthiage," near the head of Oneida Lake. This party was to winter among the Senecas, and go on to Michilimackinac in the spring. It was accompanied by two savages from each of the Iro- quois tribes, as Dongan had desired.+
Another party was organized to start from Albany car- ly in the spring, under the command of Major Patrick MacGregorie, a Scotch officer, who had served in France, and whom Dongan had made ranger general of Staten Isl- and, and muster master general of the militia of the prov- ince. MacGregorie was commissioned by the governor to 4 Decem.
15 June. 16 Septem. 21 Septem.
* C.l. Doc., ill., 461-403 ; ix., 298, 312, 979, 1013; Doc. ITist., i., 131, 132, 130, 140 ; Wol- ley's Two Years, etc., 35, 47; ante, 146, 332.
t Col. Documents, ill., 436, 437, 463, 476, 480, 513 ; ix., 802, 308, S02, 816; Doc. list., i., 167; Col. MSS., xxxiii., 256, 292; ante, 409, 429, 432. 442. Johannes, the eldest son of Cap- tain Jan Jansen Bleecker, was eighteen years old when he left Albany with Captain Roose- boom on the eleventh of September. 1636. He was taken prisoner by the Canadians in the following May, and did not return to Albany until "after the second sermon," on Sunday, the 23d of October, 16-7. Johannes Bleecker became recorder of Albany in 1700, and mayer in 1501 ; and was member of the Provincial Assembly in 1701 and 1702: Holgate, 91; Mun- sell, iv., 119, 122, 142, 145, 153; ante, vol. i., 625, note.
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HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
Cuar. IX. be commander-in-chief not only of his own party, but of
MacGrego- rie's party also seut westward.
1686. that of Rooseboom, which he was to overtake, and lead both to the Ottawas country and back again to Albany. Viele, the interpreter, accompanied MacGregorie, who was ordered " not to disturb or meddle with the French.""
13 October. 8 Novem. 10 Nov 11 Novem. 16 Novem. In his dispatches home, Denonville complained of Don- gan's proceedings, and insisted that Canada would be lost to France if war were not made against the Iroquois the Population next year. The population of the colony was now a little of Canada. over twelve thousand, and its military strength only eight hundred men. Troops must be sent from France, and the post at Chambly be strengthened, so as to hold the Mo- hawks in check, while the main attack should be made on the Senecas. A strong fort should be established at Niag. ara, and that at Detroit be maintained, so as to command the Western lakes. Fifty or sixty Huguenots from the French West Indies had lately settled themselves in New
Hague- nots shel- tered in New York hud Bog- ton.
York, and some had come to Boston from France. These were " fresh material for banditti." Exasperated at Don- Denonville gan's trading-parties to the West, Denonville asked the min- wishes to burn Al- baby. ister to send him specifie orders, "for I am disposed to go straight to Orange, storm their fort, and burn the whole concern."+
Pemaquid. The affairs of Pemaquid had meanwhile fallen into con- fusion ; but as Dongan was unable to go there, it was de- 10 June. 19 June. termincd in council to send Judge Palmer thither with large powers. West was likewise deputed by Spragg to act for him as secretary at "Pemaquid, in the County of Cornwall." Dongan also licensed Spragg, Graham, and others to take up parcels of land in that country. On reaching Pemaquid, Palmer and West tore "all in pieces" September. the old grants and settlements of Andros. "They placed and displaced at pleasure, and were as arbitrary as the Great Turke." Extravagant grants of land were made, chiefly to Dongan's favorites. As they had been directed to claim all the territory eastward to the Saint Croix as
Palmer and West arbitrary 39 "the Great Turke" in Hainc.
* Col. Doc., iii., 805, 431, 437, 442, 473, 476, 453 ; ix., 308, 318; Doc. Ilist., i., 100; Cvl. MSS., xxxiii., 137, 138, 236, 208; Council Min., v .. 115; Licenses, etc., v.
. t Col. Doc., ix .. 296-318, 801, 802 ; Col. MSS., xxxiii., 219-298 ; Quebec MSS. (if.), v., 9:3- 345; Doc. Ilist., i., 132-139 ; Charlevoix, ii., 333-336; Garneau, i., 259, 960. Dongan re- ported that the population of Canada, in 1685, was 17,000: Col. Doc., ifi., 396; Chalmers. 1., 603. This is an error of 5000 (1% for 12), as in 10S6 Denonville reported a census of 12, 353 : Col. Doc., ix., 31€.
445
THOMAS DONGAN, GOVERNOR.
belonging to New York, the commissioners seized from CuAr. IX. Saint Castin, at Penobscot, a quantity of wine and brandy 1686. belonging to John Nelson, of Piscataqua. This seizure 23 July. was at first thought good; but, at the instance of Louis's Saint Cas.
tin's liq- ambassador at London, James ordered the " chearing como- uorsseized. dity" to be restored. In the autumn Palmer and West re- Novem. turned to New York, and reported their proceedings at Pemaquid. Disgusted with the trouble and costliness of Dongan disgusted that distant dependency, Dongan prayed the king to au- with Pem- nex it to Massachusetts, and, in its place, to add Connecti- aquid. cut and Rhode Island to the government of New York."
Randolph had meanwhile returned to Massachusetts in 14 May. the Rose frigate, accompanied by Robert Ratcliffe, an again at Randolph Episcopal elergyman recommended by the Bishop of Lon- and the Boston, don. For the first time the Protestant service of the Church English Church of England was celebrated in the Boston Town celebrated. service HIall, with Bibles and Prayer-books provided by James the Second. The king's commission was published ; and Pres- 26 May. ident Dudley, with his associate counselors, quietly re- stalled at Dudley in- placed the magistrates of the late corporation. Instead of Boston. Sewall, who had controlled the Puritan colonial press, Ran- Randolph dolph was made its censor; and Massachusetts sullenly sunk into her condition as a part of her sovereign's territo- Sewall. ry of New England. While a baffied oligarchy mourned its loss of power, James's new government of his colonies assumed its duties, " with the generall consent and applauso of the people."t
Although sectarian tyranny was quelled in Massachu- setts, the older colony of Plymouth had departed from the liberal maxims of its founders. Quakers were taxed for 22 June. the support of its Puritan ministers. Randolph expressed unjustly Quakers to Governor Hinckley his regret that, while their king had Plymouth taxed in made conscience free in Massachusetts, it was restrained in Plymouth, " without any particular directions from White-
* Col. Doc., iii., 387, 301, 402; ix., 919; Council Min., v., 15%, 186, 1S7, 1SS; Col. MISS., xxxi., 166; xxxiii., 47, 48, 249-253; Patents, vi. ; Quebec MISS. (iii. ), i., 134; Hutch. Mass., L., 370; Cell., 547, 548, 553-565; Mather's Magnalia, il., 586, 539 ; Force's Tracts, iv. (0), 37; Maine H. S. Coll., v., 89-21, 107-130; Col. Rec. Conn., iii., 366, 367; Williamson, i., 581- 534; Palfrey, ili., 533 ; ante, 394, 407.
+ Col. Doc., iii., $68; Col. Rec. Conn., iil., 251, 352 ; Hutch. Mass., i., 341-343, 350-353, 355, 256 ; Coll., 544-550; Mass. Rec., v., 452, 515.517 : Anderson's Col. Church, ii., 454, 455; Coit's Puritanism, 203; Dixon's Penn., 241; Palfrey's N. E., ill., 494-495, 500, 519; ante, 434. Why should Mr. Palfrey (iii., 519) say that Randolph "assumed to be censor of the press" in Massachusetts, when he only took the place of Sowall, who formerly controlled that press? S e Hutch. Mass., i., 255; Mass. Rec., v , 452.
censor of its prex + instead of :
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HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
Cuar. tx. hall." With caustic. logic he added : " It will be as reach-
1686.
able to move that your colony should be rated to pay our minister of the Church of England, who now preaches in Boston, and you hear him not, as to make the Quakers jay in your Colony.""
2% May. Connecti- ed by James.
14 June. Treat ap- preals to Dongan.
3 July.
& July.
21 July. Dudley and Treat against Dongan.
Without loss of time, Randolph wrote to Governor Treat, cut claim- of Connecticut, that "his Majesty intends to bring all Nex England under One Goverment, and nothing is now ro- maining on your part but to think of an humble submis- sion and a dutiful resignation of your Charter, which if you are so hardy as to offer to defend at law, whilst you are contending for a shadow you will in the first place lose all that part of your Colony from Connecticut to New York, and have it annexed to that Government ; a thing you are too certainly informed of already." In tribula- tion, Treat besought Dongan to recommend Connecticut t , the king's favor ; suggesting that, if that colony must fall. it might be as easy to slide westward to New York as east- ward to Boston ; and that nothing said by Randolph had "at all prejudiced us against your Honor or your Govern- ment." Again Treat asked Dongan's "good advice." The General Court at Hartford also begged the king to allow his colony to retain its charter, which would " he most for the profit" of the inhabitants; while the contrary would " be very prejudiciall to them." The Massachu- 1 June. setts rulers had meanwhile prayed James's Plantation Com- mittee that Rhode Island and Connecticut might be annex- ed to the old "Bay" colony. Jealous of Dongan, Dudley informed Treat that "the consideration of the new model- ling and perfect settlement of all his Majesty's Provinces, from Pemaquid to New York, is now lying before his Majesty, and probable to have a sudden and lasting dis- patch; and that your parts, as lying between the two seats ' of government, may be the more easily poised either way. if early solicited." Pynchon and Winthrop, of the Massa- 27 July. 98 July. chusetts council, were dispatched to Hartford to urge this view. But Connecticut instructed an agent at London to 24 August. defend the colony against her king's Quo Warranto ; and put off Dudley with a sarcasm, while she sent a special mes-
* Hutch. Mass., i., 356, 857; R. I. Rec., iii., 199; Arnold's R. I., 1., 484, 455, 501, 502 ; Il. frey, iii., 504, 522.
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417
THOMAS DONGAN, GOVERNOR.
senger to New York to ask Dongan's "favorable aspect." CHAP. IX. The metropolitan governor replied, that "for subjects to 1686. stand upon terms with Princes, is not very proper ;" that the 4 August. best policy of Connecticut would be " a downright humble 13 August. Dongan's submission ;" and that if that colony thought it convenient reply. to be annexed to New York, every thing would be made pleasant. Quit-rents would be lightened ; ports would be continued where they now were; there would be " no neces- sity of entering at New York, or coming hither for any, ex- cept such as shall be named to be of the Council and As- sembly ; and the Judges in their circuits shall bring the laws to your doors. I shall say nothing of Boston, or any other place. You know what this is; and I am sure we live as happily as any in America-if we did but know it. The condition of some of our neighbors will best commend us." Dongan wrote truly. He might have said more .*
While James's colony of Connecticut was thus coquet- ting with her wooers in Boston and New York, her sover- eign at Whitehall was arranging her affairs to suit him- self. In the previous November James had prorogued his Parliament, and then virtually annulled the Test Act of Jan'y. 1673 by stretching his prerogative so as to dispense with a action at James's statute of his realm.t And now he thought of New En- gland, which Dudley and his council were temporarily governing. The king's attention had been drawn to the encroachments of the French upon the territory claimed by England in North America, and especially to their in- terference with the New England fisheries, of which Pres- ton, his ambassador at Paris, had complained, but had gotten no satisfaction. It was therefore determined in the Privy Council that Connecticut, New Plymouth, and Rhode Island should be united with Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, and the Narragansett country, and be made " one entire government, the better to defend them- selves against invasion." This was good policy for En-
Whitehall.
* Col. Doc., ill., SC8, 385-3ST: Col. Rec. Conn., ill., 207-213, 352-375; Hutch. Coll., 544- 540; Chalmers, i., 419; Palfrey, ili., 424-511.
+ Burnet, i., 667-671 ; Rapin, il., 753, 755; Macaulay, il., 35, 76, 80-S4, 146, 200, 270 ; Har- graves's State Trials, vii., 611-646 ; ante, 201. It may interest Americans to know that Sir Edward Hales -- whom James used as his instrument to procure a judicial decision that he could dispense with statutes-was appointed governor of Barbadees in March, 1686, which office Hales exercised through his Lieutenant Stede, preferring to stay in England : Ellis's Correspondence, i., $5, 122, 297 ; Oldmixon, ii., 42.
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445
HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
1686. Consolida- tion the idea of James.
CHar. IX. gland. It was the despotic idea of consolidation. It was opposed to the republican system of confederation, as ex- emplified by the Helvetians and Batavians of Europe, and by the British colonists of New England. It was the an- tagonism of sovereignty and subordination. Consolidation was indeed the best mode of establishing in his colonies the king's direct government which Charles had adopted in November, 1684, and which Jaines was now to enforce. It was charged, and it appeared to be true, that in some of the New England colonies there was less real popular lib- erty than there was in Old England. There certainly was less religious freedom in most of them. The reasoning of James was, that if the people of New England were not to govern themselves on democratic principles of general rep- resentation, they would be more equitably governed direct- ly by the crown than by subordinate corporations, which justified their local tyranny by appealing to the grants of the crown. If there must be despotism, that of the sover- eign of all Englishmen would be better than that of colo- nial oligarchies which, under English charters, claimed to rule in their own way all their fellow-subjects within their corporate bounds. In spite of the opinions of the crown lawyers, " that the right did yet remain in the inhabitants to consent to such laws and taxes as should be made or im- posed on them," James had directed that there should be no mention of an Assembly in Dudley's commission. He now went a step further, and determined that the legisla- tive and executive authority throughout New England should be conjoined in the same persons; "whereby a tyr- anny was established."*
Royal in place of colonial despotism.
Sir Ed- mund An- dros ap- pointed governor New En- gland by James,
Who should be James's governor general to "regulate" New England was already settled. As Kirke could not be spared from commanding his "lambs" at home, the king chose Sir Edmund Andros as a more fitting instrument to do his will in America. This arrangement seems to have been known to Randolph when he brought over Dudley's temporary commission. There was every reason why An- dros should be selected. James had chosen him, in 1674. to govern New York; and in 1678, as the duke's deputy.
· Col. Doc., ill., 579, 581 ; La Potherie, i., 145; Charlevoix, ii., 302; Arnold, 1., 4 :: Chalmers's Ann., 1., 419 ; Rev. Col., i., 178; Macaulay, il., 12; Palfrey, iii., 493, 4:3, 573. ante, vol. i., 361, 362 ; ii., 419, 434, 445.
449
THOMAS DONGAN, GOVERNOR.
he had recommended a strong royal government should be CHAr. IX. established in New England. Although " misrepresented as a Papist, because he was fond of prelacy," Andros- 1686. from his long American experience, his administrative ability, his irreproachable private character, and, above all, his soldierly notions of prompt obedience to orders -- was just the agent to execute his king's arbitrary designs. Sir Edmund's worst enemies said that he had "large indow- ments of mind." Since his recall from New York, Andros had lived quietly in Guernsey. Yet his faithful service had not been forgotten by James, who, soon after his ac- cession, promoted him to be the colonel of his daughter's (the Princess Anne's) regiment of horse."
For more than twenty years James had been trying his "'prentice hand" upon New York. The time had now come when he was.to use his master hand on New England. The best English lawyers concurred in the opinion that the only way in which English authority could be exercised in English unchartered colonies was by their king's com- mission under his great seal. Indeed, there was no other mode of securing English supremacy beyond " the four American seas." Without the king's great seal no English patent James the policy of had life. With it came power. If that "mysterious" seal Second. could quicken a royal charter, why could it not quicken a royal commission ? If the king could delegate any of his prerogatives to any of his subjects, so as to make them pro- prietors or corporations, by charters under his great seal, he certainly could delegate similar authority to his govern- or by a commission under the same waxen symbol of his sovereignty. This logic seemed to be indisputable. So, by the advice of Sunderland, James commissioned Colonel Sir 3June. Edmund Andros to be captain general and governor-in- commis- Andros's chief over his " Territory and Dominion of New England sion. in America," which meant Massachusetts Bay, New Plym- outh, New Hampshire, Maine, and the Narragansett coun- try, or the King's Province. Andros's commission was drawn in the traditional form, settled by the Plantation Board for those of other royal governors in Virginia, Ja-
' Chalmers, i., 419. 423; Douglas, il., 247 : Hatch. Mass., i., 342, 353, 354; Coll., 542, 547, 548; Palfrey, ili., 499, 517; Burnet, i., CAT, C+>; Mackintosh, 14; Col. Doc., ii., 741; ili., 963; Hist. Mag, viii., 247; N. Y. H. S. Coll. (1565), 300; Whitmore's Andros, 29, 23 ; ante, 316, 370, 419, 403, 434.
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HISTORY OF THE STATE- OF NEW YORK.
char IX. maica, and New Hampshire. Its substance, however, was
1686. much more despotic. Andros was authorized, with the consent of a council appointed by the crown, to make laws and levy taxes, and to govern the territory of New England in obedience to its sovereign's Instructions, and according to the laws then in force, or afterward to be es- tablished. Vice was to be discountenanced and virtue en- couraged. " And for the greater case and satisfaction of our loving subjects in matters of religion," added the king, "We do hereby will, require, and command that liberty of conscience be allowed to all persons, and that such espe- cially as shall be conformable to the rites of the Church of England be particularly countenanced and encouraged."*
Liberty of conscience to "all persons."
James's In- structions to Andros.
The king's instructions to Andros, which were also pre- pared by the Plantation Committee, followed the form of those given by the crown to its American governors: to Berkeley, of Virginia, in 1661; Culpepper, in 1679; and Howard of Effingham, in 1683; to Cranfield, of New Hampshire, in 1682; and to Sir Thomas Lynch, and Sir Philip Howard, of Jamaica, in 1681 and 1685. But An- dros's orders differed from those models in important de- tails.t They exhibit a singular picture of the mind of James :- "humane and severe, tyrannons and conciliatory: affecting an attention to the rights of the governed, while. by the same stroke, he removed the fence which secured them." This "fence" was a popular, a democratic " As- sembly." Yet James should not be charged with having "removed" that which never existed. "The people" of Massachusetts, before the abrogation of the charter which a sectarian oligarchy misused, never had the share in local government which their fellow-English subjects in Jamai- ca, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and
No Assem- bly allow. ed in New England.
' Macaulay, ii., 523; Chalmers, i., 141, 142, 245, 419, 420, 464, 465, 493 ; Col. Doc., ii., 45%; vil., 363 ; Force's Tracts, iv., No. S, 1-14: Mass. HI. S. Coll., xxvii., 129-149; R. I. Rec., ili .. 212-218; Narrative of the Miseries of New England, 33; Mather's Magnalia, i., 175; Pal- frey, iii., 512, 516.
t The Instructions of James the Second to Andros, in 1656, among the New England " Entries" in the British State Paper Office, have never been published. A synopsis of them is given in Chalmers's Ann., i., 420, 421, 463. Mr. Palfrey, in his third volume, p's" 515, erroneously states that they are in what he calls "O'Callaghan Documents" (appar- ently intending to refer to the " New York Colonial Documents" procured in Europe-1- 11 - 1544-by the agent of the state, and afterward printed by its order), iii., 543. This is to, gross a blunder to be passed by. The instructions thus cited are dated 16 April, 16-, And are Andros's second, not his first general orders from the king, which Mr. Palfrey refers to in a note on page 532 of his third volume.
451
THOMAS DONGAN, GOVERNOR.
New York actually enjoyed. Although arbitrary in form, CHAP. IX. the Instructions of Andros were equitable in substance. Among other things, the governor was directed to allow 1686. Press cen- no printing-press without his special license. But this was sorship no only extending to America the restrictive policy of the Massachu- novelty in late act of Parliament. It was no colonial novelty; for setts. the royal governors of Virginia had been similarly instruct- ed-and the press in Massachusetts had almost always been under the restraint of spontaneous Puritan censorship .*
A salary of twelve hundred pounds sterling was assign- cd to Andros ; and a peculiar local flag was devised for the territory under his government. At the same time, a great seal for New England was delivered to the governor, which 29 Septem. bore "a remarkable motto" abstracted from Claudian : of New Ea- Great seal "NUNQUAM LIBERTAS GRATIOR EXTAT." The phrase was, gland. just then, "the theme of every song, and, by the help of some perversion of Scripture, the text of every sermon" in England ; and it has always been familiar to the friends of despotism-"Liberty is never more agreeable than under a pious king."t
To secure Andros in his government, two companies of soldiers regular soldiers, chiefly Irish Papists, were raised in Lon- Boston. sent to don, and placed under his orders. One of these companies was commanded by Captain Francis Nicholson, who, al- though a Protestant, had not hesitated to gratify the king by kneeling during the celebration of the mass in the royal tent at the camp on Hounslow Heath. At the suggestion 20 June. of the Plantation Committee, James also ordered that the annexed to Pemaquid fort and country of Pemaquid, " in regard of its distance gland. New En- from New York, be for the future annexed to and con-
" Chalmers's Ann., 1., 241, 245, 340, 345, 392, 420, 421, 463, 403; Rev. Col., i., 179 ; Col. Doc., vii., 362, 363; Anderson's Col. Ch., ii., 281. 258, 289, 341, 375, 360; Belknap, i., 139- 187; Mass. Rec., iv. (ii), 62, 73, 141. 211, 509; v., 4, 32, 323, 452; Hutch. Mass., i., 248, 251, 258, 355; Palfrey, ii., 530; iii., 519; Thomas, 1., 207, 246, 247, 276, 278; Penn. Col. Rec., i., 105, 278; iii., 145; ante, SO, 145, 146, 333, 436, 445. The names of Andros's counselors are given in Palfrey, iii., 604.
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