USA > New York > History of the state of New York. Vol. II, Pt. 2 > Part 17
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* Col. Doc., ili , 400, 422, 423, 429, 475, 475, 487, 402 : Burnet, i., 246; Council Journ., i., Int., xxiii. ; Secret Services Charles II. and James IL., 195.
t Council Min., v., 211. On the 20th of October. 1657, before he left New York, Dongan chartered the manor of Pelham : Patente, vi., 506; Bolton, i., 556-539.
$ Col. Doc., iii., 304, 465, 527, 613, 747; iv .. 396, 490; v., 47%; ix., 266; Doc. Hist., i., 115; ii .. 14, 147 ; 11., 73: Smith, i., 90; N. Y. H. S. Coll. (1568), 335; Bayley's Sketch, 12, 22; Shea's Charlevoix, iff., 265; Sheit's Missions, 314; ante, 374, 40S, 431, 440, 412. Sixty pounds a year were paid to "two Romish priests that attended ou Governor Dongan :" Coun. Min., vi., 17; Col. MSS., xxxvii., 163; post, 611.
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HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
Novem. Andros's jealou-y of Pongan.
Cosr. IX: On reaching Albany, where he was attended by Chap. 1657. lain Innis and Father Harrison, Dongan asked from Gov- ernor Treat, of Connecticut, the assistance of some of ker infantry and cavalry. But Andros, having now superseded Treat, paid no attention to Dongan's " very inconvenient" request .*
9 Septem. Dongan protests against Denon- ville's in- vasion of New York.
Meanwhile Dongan had protested to Denonville against his invasion of English territory, and demanded the release of MacGregorie and the other New York traders whom he had seized for going to the Ottawas, who, with "the In- dians who wear pipes through their noses, traded with Al- bany long before the French settled at Montreal." De- nonville soon afterward returned them safely to Albany, 12 October, and asked that the Canadian prisoners whom the Senecas The New York pris- oners re- turned. had sent to Albany should be given up; praising the En- glish king, " whose rare virtues have attached him to the hearts of all the French."t
24 October.
3 Novem. Fort Chambly besieged by Mo- hawks and Mahican .. August. Trench captured at Catara- couy.
Exasperated against the Canadians, a party of Mohawks and Mahicans besieged Fort Chambly, burned houses, and took several prisoners. Another band, led by an Onon- daga chief, captured, near Fort Frontenac, Mademoiselle D'Allonne, and three soldiers of its garrison. Lamber- ville, who was then there, came out with a white flag, and gave two wampum belts to the savages to prevent them from injuring their prisoners, and from taking part with the Senecas, against which nation only the French were at war. The prisoners were carried to Onondaga, and thence Lamber- ville's belts sent to Al- bany. 25 October. to Albany; and Lamberville's belts were faithfully handed to Dongan. The governor dispatched MacGregorie with letters, demanding Denonville's explanations of these belts ; 31 October. maintaining that the Iroquois had been in "brotherly cor- 38 Novem. respondence" since the first settlement of Albany; had Dongan demands explana- tions. "submitted themselves, their Country, and Conquests to the Dutch in their time, and to the King of England since this Colony came under his Majesty's obedience ;" and suggest-
.
* Col. Doc., il., 527, 579 ; Col. Rec. Conn., iii., 398, 309, 400; Mass. II. S. Coll., xxiii., 167- 160; ante, 457, 409. Colonel Talent, writing from Hartford on 5 December, 16St, to Andros at Boston, about Dengan's call for aid from Connecticut, says that in King Philip's War " Your Excellency did very honourably and wisely prevent the barbarous heathen from drawing the sword against His Majesty's subjects in the territory of New York, and then under your government :" ante, 250-296.
t Council Min., v., 202, 204; Col. Doc., ill., 490, 437, 472-475, 516, 512, 513 ; ix., 330, 34%. 355, 356; Doc. Ilist., i., 163-167; Holgate, 91; shea's Charlevoix, 201; ante, 443, 47S.
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Talll
489
THOMAS DONGAN, GOVERNOR.
ing that a French agent should be sent to arrange all dif- CHAP. IX. ferences with the English governor at Albany .*
1687.
Denonville accordingly sent the Jesuit, Francis Vaillant, 18 Decem. who had been the last French missionary to the Mohawks Denonville sends Vail- in 1683, as his representative to Albany, with the Father lant and Elambert Dumont, who could speak English. Vaillant was Albuny. Dumont to instructed to make no propositions, but only to receive any that Dongan might offer. On his return to Canada the father was to visit his old Mohawk flock. So, on the last day of the year, the Canadian agents began their dreary gt Decem. journey from Montreal.t
In writing to Paris, Denonville put as good a face as he could on his miserable Seneca expedition ; blamed Dongan 25 Aug. heartily, and advised a new French campaign the next year against the Onondagas and Cayugas. But the best thing for France would be to get the Iroquois country from the English, " either by exchange or otherwise." Dongan had not asserted English sovereignty over these savages until · 1684, and would never faithfully execute the Whitehall 33 Oct. Denonville Treaty of Neutrality. The forts at Niagara and Detroit complain- must be maintained by the French; and more soldiers to Louis, of Dongan should be sent to Canada. If Louis could gain from En- vises the and ad- gland "the entire coast of Manate, it would be a great ad- New York. gaining of vantage for religion and our country, which will, sooner or later, suffer from the vicinity of the English." This idea, broached by Duchesnau in. 1681, Denonville now enforced. Callières also urged that Dongan should be recalled, as the November surest means of ending the French and English strife about the Iroquois. The acquisition by Louis of New York, with its beautiful harbor of Manhattan, " would render his Maj- esty master of all North America."$
English domestic affairs had meanwhile grown more crit- ical. Having dispensed with the Test Act of 1673, James determined to take another step, which, he thought, would put the Church of Rome in place of the Protestant denom- ination which had been established by law in England. By his commissions and instructions to Andros and to Dongan,
* Col. Doc., ifL, 479, 480, 513-517, 527, 522, 535: ix., 362, 889, 390; Quebec MSS., v. (ii.), 497; Doc. Hist., i., 266; Charlevoix, ii .. 365, 366, 367 ; Garneau, i., 267; Warburton, i., 411 ; Smith, i .. SS, SC; ants, 441, 491, 433, 494.
t Col. Doc., ifi., 517-519. 521: ix., 882, 362 ; Quebee MSS., v. (ii.), 423 ; Charlevoix, ii., 3GT; Smith, i., 56: ante, 377, 476.
# Col. Doc., ix., 165, 286, 336-354, 357-371, 373, 919, 920; ante, 304, 401, 431.
400
HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
cur. IX. the king had already ordained liberty of conscience to all 1657. his subjects in New England and New York. Hle now adopted the same policy in regard to those in Great Brit- ain. Among his motives, as stated by himself, were "the example of several foreign countries, where trade flourish- ed most, that nothing could be more beneficial to it than liberty of conscience ; that it was the support of Holland ; and that the want of it in England had not only crampt its trade, but had furnislied the seeds of several rebellious, which had no other origin than one religion's lording it over the rest." James accordingly issued his royal dec- laration -- which Penn is said to have helped to draft-that all laws against non-conformity to the English formula of religion should be suspended, and that all British subjects should have free leave "to meet and serve God after their own way and manner." This declaration was ordered to be published throughout the kingdom, and in the Planta- tions of England."
4 April. Declara- tion of erty of conscien
by James.
:1 April. French Protestant :fugees
The Protestants, who had been driven from France after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, were now openly fa- vored in England; the liberality of the nation was again appealed to in their favor, and they were chartered to build wendly a new church in London. In answer to a petition of sev- cral of them in New York, Dongan was directed to give such French Protestants as might settle in the province " all fitting encouragement, so far forth as may be consist-
Jaines.
19 July. ent with His Majesty's service ;" and letters of denization lerization promised. were promised, " whereby they may become qualified to trade."+
29 May.
Writ- of Quo War- ratito or- dered against charters sud corpo- raciona iu America. Pennsyl- vania ex- cepted.
At the same time, James resolved to carry out his pur- pose of making the Plantations more immediately depend- ent on the crown. He accordingly ordered writs of Quo Warranto "to forfeit all the Charters of the Proprietors and Corporations in America." New Jersey, Maryland, and Carolina were the special objects of this fresh attack ; for Connecticut was understood to have surrendered her charter. Pennsylvania was excepted by the express com-
" Clarke's James II., ii., 102-115; Ellis Corr., i., 269 ; Evelyn, ii., 273, 276; Dalrymple. Ii., S5-SS; Rereaby, 243; Wodrow, iv., 424-426 ; Parl. Hist., iv., 13SS; Kennett, ilf., 463-445; Rapin, il., 757, 75 ; Burnet, i., 714; Lingard, xiv., 121-124; Macaulay, il., 204-213; Palfrey, il., 450, 54S ; Col. Rec. Conn., ili., 393; N. Y. Council Minutes. v., 214; ante, 472-405.
t Col. Doc., 419, 420, 420, 427 ; Evelyn, il., 253, 262, 277, 252, 251; Ellis Corr., ii., 15 ;; Kennett, ill., 472; Macaulay, ii., 76-80, 215, 216; ante, 404.
HOT211I
٦
491
THOMAS DONGAN, GOVERNOR.
mand of James, as her proprietor had purchased immunity CHAP. IX. by becoming " a tool of the King and the Jesuits.""
1687.
East Jersey, however, obtained a temporary boon. Her capital and sea-port was Perth Amboy, which was consider- cd to be " within the River of New York," up which Don- gan had been instructed to allow no goods to pass, unless the duties on them should have been paid at the metropol- itan custom-house. This regulation having been enforced, the New Jersey proprietors complained to the king, and asked that " an officer might be appointed at Perth Am- 30 May. boy to collect the Customs, [and] to cause the acts of Nav- igation to be executed." Dongan was accordingly instruct- 14 August. ed to permit all vessels bound to New Perth, in East Jer- boy made Perth Aus-
a port, sey, to go thither directly, without touching at New York ; subject toa New York provided that the person whom he or the receiver general officer. at New York might appoint should be suffered by the East Jersey government " peaceably and quietly to receive and collect for His Majesty's use the same customs and im- posts as are usually paid at New York for such ships and their lading as are entered there."t
James at the same time ordered that a new seal, which 14 August. had been so long desired, should be sent to the governor of seal for : New royal New York. It was made of silver, engraved on both sides, New York.
and bore the significant motto, " ALIUS Q: ET IDEM"-oth- er, yet the same. This seal was to be "of the same force . and validity as any former seal" within the province .¿
These dispatches reached New York while Dongan was 19 Novem. at Albany. Andrew Hamilton, the acting governor of East Jersey, having produced before the council a dupli- 21 Novem. cate of James's letter regarding Perth Amboy, measures to & Novem- Action in give it effect were ordered. The king's declaration of the New York. previous April for liberty of conscience was also read and published in the metropolis.§
4 Novem. Santen re-
Collector Santen's case having been considered in Lon- moved and
Plowman don, his commission was revoked. Although Dongan had appointed recommended Graham, Matthew Plowman, an English Ro- New York collector of
* Dalrymple, il., $0, 90; Annual Reg., 1771, 247 ; Chalmers. i., 298, 371, 425, 540, 622, 654; Grahame, i., 455; Whitehead, 111, 112; Col. Rec. Conn., ill., 378, 384: Proud, i., 309-314; Dixon, 239, 250 ; Kennett, ill., 469; Macaulay, if., 202, 295-997 ; ante, 433, 471.
t Col. Doc., ill., 349, 373, 392, 428, 502; Chalmers, i., 622 ; Whitehea I's E. J., 111; Inier to N. J. Col. Doc., 12, 13: N. Y. Council Min., v., 1-6, 212, 213; ante, 455, 460.
Col. Due., Hi., 360, 365, 378, 427 ; iv., SI". v., 200 ; Doc. Hist., iv., 1, "; ante, 127, 135. $ Council Minutes, v., 212, 213; 214; Whitehead's E. J., 118, 155.
£
HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
var ix. man Catholic, was appointed collector and receiver of New York, at a cost of five hundred pounds. Plowman's in- 1657. structions were fuller than Santen's in 1683. Among oth- 13 Ixcem. er things, he was directed to permit all vessels bound to East Jersey to go directly to Perth Amboy. At Dongan's 10 Novem. request, Counselor Stephanus van Cortlandt was commis- sioned by Auditor General Blathwayt to be his deputy in New York .*
19 May. Negotia- tion at London about Ne
York.
Negotiations for the settlement of all differences in Amer- ica between the French and English governments had been going on in the mean time at London. Louis sent Bonre- pos to assist his ambassador Barillon, and ordered them to represent to James that Dongan continued to " thwart" the French in Canada ; had supplied the Iroquois with arms; and had broken the Treaty of Neutrality of November, 1686. The French ambassadors accordingly requested the king to order Dongan "to put an end to the troubles" he had caused; and also to direct Andros not to disturb the French established in Acadia by virtue of the Treaty of Breda.t
93 Oct.
7 Novem.
At this moment Palmer reached London with Dongan's September dispatches. It was now perceived at Whitehall that " a treaty of neutrality in America was not for the in- terest of England." Denonville's invasion of the Seneca country, and the appeal of the Five Nations to their " Great sachem beyond the great Lake," brought to a crisis the ques -. tion of European sovereignty over the Iroquois. As that sovereignty must be either French or English, James de- termined to maintain the claim asserted by Andros and Dongan, that the Five Nations were British subjects. Ac- cordingly, he instructed Dongan that those savages had, " from all times," submitted themselves to English govern- ment, and, " by their acknowledgments," had become his subjects; and he directed his governor of New York to de- mand from the Governor of Canada the release of all Brit- ish prisoners, " as well Indians as others," with the restitution of their goods. " And as we are sensible," continued James, " of what great prejudice it may be to us and our subjects,
12 Novem. James's in- strictitis about the Iroquois.
* Col. Doc., ili., 235, 336, 407-414, 420-421, 429, 493-503, 641, 650, 718, 519 ; Doc. Itist., i., 110-116: Commissione, i., IS ; Council Min., v., 223; N. Y. H. S. Coll. (1868), 200; ante, 463. t Col. Doc., ili., 500 ; ix., 314, 330, 345; Ellis Corr., i., 224, 259, 305; ante, 475.
£
493
THOMAS DONGAN, GOVERNOR.
if any incroachment be allowed on our Dominions, or the CHAP, IX. French permitted to invade our Territories or to annoy our subjects without a due care in us to preserve the peace 1687. of our government, and to give all due protection to such as have brought themselves under our subjection; We do, therefore, hereby charge and require you to give no- tice, at the same time, to the said Governor of Canada, that upon mature consideration We have thought fit to own the Five Nations or Cantons of Indians, namely, the Maquaes, Senecas, Cayougas, Oneydes, and Onondagues, as Our Sub- jects, and resolve to protect them as such." To make good this assertion, James farther ordered Dongan "to defend and protect" those Indians from the Canadians; to build necessary forts; to employ the militia of New York; and to call on all the neighboring English colonies for assist- ance. Royal orders were, at the same time, sent to Andros 10 Novem. and the other English governors in North America to give other royal Orders to New York "such help" as her governor might require." governors.
"Very much surprized" at the complaints of Louis 10 Novem. against Dongan, James answered that it was " well known" Answer of James to that the Five Nations of New York had been British sub- Louis about the jects, as proved, since the first settlement of their country Iroquois. by Europeans, " and now lately by their voluntary submis- sion, made and confirmed by them in writing to the Crown of England, on the Thirtieth of July, 1684, before His Maj- esty's Governors of Virginia and New York." The English king was therefore obliged to protect those Indians, "as other his subjects;" but he would not suffer them to annoy the French Canadians if the latter did not injure them ; and the limits between the dominions of France and En- gland in North America might be adjusted by a treaty be- tween the two European crowns. The French commission- ers, not prepared to make such a treaty at once, signed an ih Decem. agreement that until the first day of January, 1689, and to prevent Agreement afterward, no English or French commander in America hostilities. colonial should " commit any act of hostility against," or invade the territories of either king; and that the necessary orders should be given by each sovereign. At the same time, the n'y Decem agents of Louis, in answer to the " entirely novel"' preten-
* Col. Doc., ill., 428, 438, 475. 503, 501: Chalmers, 1, 425, 466, 500; Col. Rec. Conn., iii., 43S, 443; Penn. Arch., i., 104, 105; Burk, il., 301, 302 ; ante, 4-3, 455.
£
HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
Gar Ix. sion of James, insisted that the Iroquois had acknowledged French sovereignty since Champlain " took possession" of
Tha French deny the Loglish and assert their own claim to sovereign- ty over the Iroquois.
1657. their country; that, in 1665 and 1666, they had by treaty declared themselves French subjects; that in October, 1668. Tracy had again taken possession of their country, and that their alleged acknowledgment of British sovereignty in 1684 " cannot be admitted, to the prejudice of the ancient right and actual possession of the French." Moreover, when the Neutrality Treaty was made in November, 1686, the English had not pretended that "the Iroquois were sub- jects of His Brittanic Majesty; and not a word was said about it." Here the negotiations at London ended.
16SS. 22 Jan. James's orders to Dengan.
In communicating their result to Dongan, James direct- ed him to avoid "all occasions of misunderstanding" with the Canadians; "entertain a good correspondence" with them, and take care that no just complaints should be made against him. Similar letters were sent to Andros and to Penn .*
Vaillant and Du- mont at Albany.
February. Negotia- tions w Dorgan. 37 Feb.
Meanwhile Vaillant and Dumont, whom Denonville had sent to Dongan, had reached Albany, under the escort of MacGregorie, after maltreatment on their winter's journey by a party of drunken Mahicans. Dongan promptly re- stored their effects and punished the offenders. A long ne- gotiation followed between the representatives of New York and Canada, chiefly upon the proper construction of the Treaty of Neutrality. The king's letter of November hay- ing been sent to him by Andros at Boston, Dongan an- nounced that he "must protect" the Five Nations as En- glish subjects, and required the French to demolish the fort at Niagara, and restore all goods and prisoners they had taken. At the request of the Iroquois, he also demanded that the forts at Cataracouy and Tircksarondie, or Detroit, should be demolished. The French agents demurred, and were sent back directly to Canada with a letter to Denon- ville, under the escort of Direk Wessels, of Albany, and some savages, who did not allow them to visit the Mohawk country.t
ig Feb.
Dongan also had an interview with "the wisest men of
* Col. MISS., xxxv .. 197; Col. Doc., ill., 121-127, 135, 417, 418, 504-510, 540 ; ix., 371; Chal- mers's Ann., i., 466, 590; Penn. Arch., i., 103, 104; ante, 397, 475, 4:1.
+ Col. Doc., iii .. 519-332. 536 ; ix., 380, 762; Col. Rec. Conn., ili., 438, 442; Charlevoix, li., 307, 368, 370; Quebec 3ISS., v. (if.), 441 ; Council Min., v., 218; Smith, i., 56; ante, 475, 42.
495
THOMAS DONGAN, GOVERNOR.
the Five Nations", at Albany, and told his " Brethren" that CRAP. IX. the King of England had adopted, and would protect them as his own "Children." The sachems expressed joy that 1688. 33 Feb. James had taken them under his protection, and said that Dongan's instead of the French having any right to their country, the talk with the Iroquois could better claim all Canada. Dongan re- Iroquois. plied that his king was "the greatest man that the sun shines upon :- he never told a lie in his life," and he would surely protect them. He therefore wished them to promise not to make peace or war without the consent of all. The sachems answered that they would refer themselves wholly 36 Feb. to Dongan, who represented their " great King," and hoped that he would remove the French from Niagara, Catara- cony, and Detroit .*
Dongan's
In writing from Albany to Sunderland, Dongan reported 13 Feb. his doings with the Canadian agents and with the delegates report to of the Iroquois, who must be kept " fast" to the English, land. Sunder- "for if they were otherwise, they are able to ruin all the King's Colonies in these parts of America." And, he add- ed, "we must build forts in the country upon the Great Lake, as the French do, otherwise we lose the country, the beaver trade, and our Indians ; and also there must be Mis- sionaries sent amongst them ; the French Priest [Vaillant] desired of me leave for their Missionaries to go and live amongst them again, by which I find they make religion a stalking-horse to their pretence." Again he urged that the Jerseys would be a "very convenient" addition to New York, which, in case of war with the French or Indians, " must be the bulwark to Boston, which is not at the fourth part the charge New York is, and has ten times the reve- nue." Connecticut should also be annexed to the govern- ment of New York.t
Baxter now came down to New York with instructions 13 March. from the governor for the Council to consider ways and Baxter means to defray the extraordinary charges which the French York. to New movements had caused the province. These charges were more than eight thousand pounds ; and the Council, finding
* Col. Doc., Iii , 510, 533-536, 579. A different account of this interview is given in Col. Doc., ix., 383, 390, upon the report of an escaped Caghnawaga prisoner, from which Charle- voix (ii., 365) compiled his statement about Dongan's advising the Iroquois only to cover the hatchet " under the grass."
sent down
t Col. Doc., iii., 510, 511, 512 ; Col. Rec. Conn., ill., 287, 412; ante, 472, 482.
HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
Cuo.Ix. that New York " alone is no way able to bear so great a burthen," advised that the "neighboring colonies" should
Es March.
1688. be invited to contribute. A few days afterward Dongan returned to the capital, and gave the Council a full account of his doings at Albany. Under the authority of the king's letter of November, 1687, he also called on the governments of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and New Jersey to aid that of New York with money; as New England, " being to help us with six hundred men, any other assistance can- not be proposed from them.""
30 March. Dıngan calls on t neighbor- ing colo- nies for help.
2S March. New York's address to the king.
To fortify Dongan's appeal to Sunderland from Albany, it was also resolved in Council to address the king " that this government has been much diminished by taking away Pemaquid, the Jerseys, Pennsylvania, and the lower coun- ties of Delaware ; that this is the bulwark of all these parts of America ; that the revenue is but small, yet the charges very great ; that Connecticut in his Majesty's patent from Charles the Second, is added to Boston by the contrivance of the Governor of it and the Clerk of the Colony, and un- known to the major part of the Colony; that the French war has stop't the beaver trade; so that, without some speedy help, this place will be ruined."t
* Council Min., v., 220, 221, 222; Col. Doc., 503, 504; Doc. Ilist., i., 167; Penn. Arch .. i , 104, 105; Col. Rec., i .. 217 ; Chalmers, i., 466; ante, 493.
t Council Min., v., 221, 222; Col. Doc., iii., 511; Maine II. S. Coll., v., 132; ante, 472, 482.
1
497
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THOMAS DONGAN, GOVERNOR.
CHAPTER X.
16SS-1689.
WHILE Dongan and his counselors, in the citadel of Man- CHAP. X. hattan, were thus urging their trans-Atlantic monarch to restore to New York some of her ancient territory, as a 1GSS. means of protecting her frontier against colonial enemies, King James the Second of England, near the Whitehall banqueting-house, where his father lost his head, was ar- ranging American provincial affairs to suit his own royal purposes.
Of all the sovereigns of England, James the Second knew most about her colonies. Soon after the restoration of his brother he was made the proprietor of a large royal English-American province. In the details of its adminis- tration he took a lively personal interest, because the rev- enue of that province affected his pocket. So, with his own hand, the hard-working Stuart prince wrote many letters to his deputies in New York. Certainly his dispatches had the merit of directness and precision. Unconstrained by the conventional phrases which often beguile mere secre- taries, the terse holographs of the Duke of York uttered his own imperious will.
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