USA > New York > History of the state of New York. Vol. II, Pt. 2 > Part 23
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ja Mar.
19 March
13 April,
Meanwhile, James had come over to Ireland at the head of a large French expedition, hoping to recover his desert- ed throne. By William's command, Secretary Shrewsbury wrote a circular letter to the British American governors, informing them that, by reason of the assistance which Louis had given to the king's enemies in Ireland, " and by the invading His Majesty's territories in America. and dis- turbing the trade of his subjects in those parts for several years past," preparations were to be made for a speedy war
* Mass. II. S. Coll., xxxii., 223; N. Y. Col. Doc., Hil., 573, 5:4; Chalmers's Rev. Col., i., 223 ; Diron's Penn, 209.
545
SIR EDMUND ANDROS, GOVERNOR GENERAL.
with France, and ordering them, with all diligence, to " take CHAP. XI. effectual care for the opposing and resisting any attempt of 1689.
the French." The king and queen also issued their proc- William's lamation granting an asylum in England, with their royal lonial or- protection, to the Protestants who had been driven from 25 April. ders. France after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. This ugees pro- Freuch ref- was followed by a declaration of war against France, drawn tected. 7 May. by Solicitor General Somers, which set forth, among other
War de- clared be- causes of hostility, the invasion of the territory of New tween En. York by the Canadians as an act "not becoming even an France. gland and enemy." The necessity of promptly securing the English- American colonies was obvious, for it was reported in Lon- 21 April. don that Louis had ordered their seizure before news of the revolution in England could cross the Atlantic. But the embarrassments of William's situation, and the folly of his Whig ministers, caused him to neglect the best opportunity Error of which England ever had to crush the power of France in ionial poli- English co- North America. Thus Whitehall placemen, sacrificing the cy. interests of their mother country, inflicted present miseries on her Plantations, and left them victims to domestic dis- cords and protracted border wars .*
The policy of Louis the Fourteenth glittered in contrast with that of William the Third. The French king had around him at Versailles devoted and accomplished men, who did not hesitate to give him, when he demanded it, their best advice. Louvois, his ablest minister next to the dead Colbert, was yet savagely vigorous ; Seignelay was la- borious to please ; and about Canada, the displaced Fronte- nac was at hand to personally relate all his own experience there. And now Callieres reached Paris with Denonville's January. dispatches of the previous autumn. These were promptly policy of Colonial considered. Louis was of opinion that if James had re- Louis. mained King of England, he " would no doubt have recog- nized" the French right of sovereignty over the Iroquois. But, however this might have been, the condition of Euro- pean politics was greatly changed. A Dutch Protestant prince-the unrelenting enemy of France-was now a
* Clarke's James II., ii., $10-331 ; Dalrymple, ii., 311-342 ; jil., 45-52; Macpherson, i., 174 -196 ; Kennett, ili., 526, 527; Tindal, ill., $0, 89, 90, 91 ; Sylvius, xxvii., 113; Narcissus Lut- trell, 1, 524; Macaulay, iii., 128, 170; Chalmers's Rev. Col., i., 223, 227, 228; Annals, ii., 9, 10, 25, 42, ST : Virginia Entries, iv., 241-246; Penn. Col. Rec., i., 301, 302; Dixon, 263; N. Y. Col. Doc., ifi., 099 ; Doc. Hist., ii., 26; ill., 500; Bolton's Church in Westchester, 392; ante, 435.
II .---- M M
346
HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
Year. st. chosen sovereign of England. Her Jesuitical old king was a refugee in France, encouraged to attempt the regaining 1652. of his abdicated royalty. Notwithstanding all his fault .. Louis was a chivalric gentleman. With James on his throne in London, he might have negotiated about sover- eignty over the North American Iroquois. With James his own guest at Saint Germains, Louis could not chaffer. Louis therefore gave James French soldiers, with which the "abdicated king" went to Ireland to regain the crown lze had so foolishly thrown away. What the result of this Irish campaign might be was uncertain ; but, at all events, Louis could have no friendly dealings with the Dutch Prince of Orange, who, he considered, had usurped the Brit- ish throne. While James was thus in Ireland, and while William in London was declaring war against France, Louis resolved to make peace with the New York savages at any rate; and to render this more casy, he ordered that all the Iroquois prisoners which Denonville had sent over to serve in the royal galleys at Marseilles should be re- turned to Canada, and supplied with gaudy clothes from the shops of Paris .*
March.
1 May. Iroquois pri-onera sent home.
January. Callivres's project.
But Callières, in an able memorial to Seignelay, expound- ed the advantage, and even the necessity, of now seizing New York, where Andros, who was a Protestant, would cer- tainly acknowledge the Prince of Orange, and be sustained in doing so by the inhabitants, who were mostly Dutch, and generally Protestants.+ In a separate memoir, Callières detailed his plan, which was to advance with two thousand men, in canoes and bateaux, from Montreal, through the Richelieu River, Lake Champlain, Wood Creek, and the Iludson River, to Albany, and thence to New York ; while two ships of war were to blockade the metropolis, the con- dition of which was described with tolerable accuracy. February. Louis, however, hesitated; and Callières again and again May. urged prompt action, arguing in favor of the conquest of New York that, even if James should continue to be recog- nized as king there, " we can make use of the plausible pre-
* Col. Doc., ix., 303-308, 416-418; ante, 520.
+ Col. Doc., ix., 403, 404, 499. It is clear that the French did not expect Andros to be- tray his government to them, as suggested in Mather's ". Narrative, " and afterward charge ! by the Puritans of Boston : Force's Tracts, iv., No. 9, p. 41; No. 10, p. 11; compare Paltaer's Impartial Account, p. 36; Andros Tracts, i.
547
SIR EDMUND ANDROS, GOVERNOR GENERAL.
text of having seized it with a view to preserve it for him- CHAP. XI. self against the attacks of the rebels, and to give it back to him after his restoration, or treat with him for it." 1689.
While the king " thought well" of Callières's project, he put off its execution, and ordered Denonville to send a full re- 1 May. port on the subject. The English declaration of war, how- 2- May. ever, forced Louis to act promptly. Disregarding the treaty of colonial neutrality, he approved the project of Callières; Louis ap- proves the but he confided its execution to an abler general than him project of whose ineffectual campaign against the Senecas was esteem- Callieres. ed only valuable " as material to be put in history, as if it were some glorious achievement." Denonville was accord- Denonville ingly recalled to serve in Europe, and the veteran Fronte- recalled nd Fron- nac, who had been living in poverty at Paris since 1682, pointed. tenac reap- was again appointed Governor General of Canada." 21 May.
Frontenac's instructions, prepared with great care by ī June. Louvois, after conferences with the new governor himself nae's in- Fronte- and La Motte Cadillac, of Acadia, were more complex than structions. the original plan submitted by Callières. It was now de- termined that the English were to be simultaneously attack- ed at Hudson's Bay and in New York. The expedition was to embark at Rochelle, and after Frontenac had reached Quebec and organized his forces, he was to direct Caffinière, the admiral commanding, to coast southward to Sandy Hook, and then co-operate with him as soon as he should have passed victoriously down the Hudson. After the conquest of New York, its Roman Catholic inhabitants might be suf- fered to remain ; but all French refugees, especially those What was of the " Pretended Reformed Religion," were to be sent to in New to happen France. Mechanics and laborers might be retained as pris- York. oners to work and build ; but all the other inhabitants were to be sent to New England, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere. These instructions certainly did not suggest any anticipated co-operation of the Protestant Andros, or any purpose of Louis to acquire New England, for which he did not care. What he desired was to obtain New York, and New York only. After its conquest, Callières was to remain Govern- or of New York, under the command of Frontenac, and " all the English settlements adjoining Manatte, and further
* Col. Doc., iv., 475; ix., 401-408. 411-422, 427, 503; Charlevoix, il., 292, 503, 301, 395; Dec. Hist., i., 179-152; Garneau, i., 271, 201, 355-567 ; La Hontan, 1., 190, 197; ante, 420, 439.
515
HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
truy. at. off if necessary," were to be destroyed. These savage in.
structions were worthy of the iron-hearted Louvois, wie
1059. had just before directed the devastation of the Palatinate. French frigates, the "Embuscade," the " Fourgon," and the "Saint Francis Xavier," were ordered to be prepared at Rochelle to convey and co-operate with the expedition meant to lay waste New York. But while Maintenon could plead with Louis against the inhuman atrocities he had an- thorized on the Rhine, she felt no sympathy for his medi- tated victims on the far off Hudson. The providence of God alone was their almighty protector .*
In those colonial days news from Europe came tardily and uncertainly across the Atlantic. James's monitory let- ter to Andros of October, 16SS, did not reach Boston until 1 January. the beginning of January, 1689. By the same vessel which bore it, Mather and his fellow-workers in London conveyed to their friends in Massachusetts the result of their "solici- tations" with the king, and "warned them to prepare the minds of the people for an interesting change." James's James's let- letter was sent by express to Maine, where Andros then was, vor of Octo- tur sent to Andros in M.inc. 10 Jan. Andrus's Proclama- tion from Pemnaquid. bravely guarding the New England frontier against the sav- ages. In loyal obedience to his orders, the governor gener- al promptly issued his proclamation, dated " at Fort Charles at Pemaquid," charging " all officers civil and military, and all other, his Majesty's loving subjects within this his Terri- tory and Dominion aforesaid, to be vigilant and careful, in their respective places and stations; and that, upon the ap- proach of any Fleet or Forreign force, they be in readiness. and use their utmost endeavour to hinder any landing or in- vasion that may be intended to be made within the same."+
Soon afterward, while Nicholson was busily putting New York in a better condition of defense against a "foreign force," news of the landing of the Prince of Orange at Tor-
* Col. Doc., ix., 422-431, 416, 659, 660, 071; Doc. Hist., i., 183-155; Charlevoix, ii., 395- 401; Garneau, 1, 502 ; Macaulay, iii., 122-126 ; Martin's Louis XIV. ; Chalmers's Ann., ii .. 63. In the light of Frontenac's instructions, it is amusing to read the hearsay twadile about Andros which Its compiler has stuffed into the " Revolution in New England Justi- fied :" Force's Tracts, iv., No. 9, p. 31-43; compare Palmer's "Impartial Account," p 36 ; Andros Tract., i.
t Chalmers's Ann., 1., 400; il., 20, 21, 23, 30 ; Force's Tracts, iv., No. 9, p. 10; Mather's Mag., i., 179 ; Hutch. Mass., 1., 373; Coll., 571; Barry, i., 504; Palfrey, iii., 569, 570, 571, 579; New England Papers, v., 34-94; ante, 534. An original of Andros's Proclamation of 10 Jan- uary, 1689-9, printed by Richard Fierce, "at Borton in New England," is in the New York Society Library, and a lithograph fac-simile of it is in Valentine's Manual for 1859. p. 452, and a copy in Hist. Mag., x., 144, sup. : see als> a copy post, Note Hf., p. 602, 663.
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519
SIR EDMUND ANDROS, GOVERNOR GENERAL.
bay reached Virginia. A coasting vessel from there came Car. XI. to New York, and Andries Greveract, her master, called on 1689.
the lieutenant governor in Fort James. Astonished to hear 5 Feb. of William's invasion of England, Nicholson compared him News of William's to Monmouth, and prophesied that " the very 'prentice boves invasion
received at of London will drive him out againe ;" and he strictly for- New York, bid Greveraet to divulge the news. A week afterward, Jacob Leisler, then engaged in importing liquors, and com- missioned a captain in Colonel Bayard's city regiment, re- ceived a confirmation of the intelligence by way of Mary- land. The news, which, " to hinder any tumult," was kept 1 March. The news private at first, was dispatched by Nicholson to Andros in dispatched to Andros. Maine by two separate expresses, on land and water .* 2 March.
·
HIaving put the garrisons in good condition, and placed Brockholls in command at Fort Charles, the governor, as soon as he received the intelligence, left Maine, accompa- 16 March. Andros re- nied by West, Graham, and Palmer, and hastened to Bos- turns to ton, which he reached " about the latter end of March." A Boston. few days afterward a ship came to Boston from Nevis in 4 April. the West Indies, which brought as a passenger John Wins- low, who had copies of the Prince of Orange's declaration of the previous October, and also confirmatory intelligence of "his happy proceedings in England, with his entrance there." Instead of promptly calling on the governor, as Greveraet had called on his subordinate in Fort James, Winslow sullenly remained at home, and Andros, hearing that he had important intelligence, required his attendance. Being asked for the prince's declarations, Winslow refused to produce them, telling the governor that he was "afraid to let him have them, because he would not let the people know any news." Winslow was then sent before a justice Winslow of the peace, and, remaining obstinately contumacious, hic at Boston was committed to prison for not imparting to the Govern- macy. for contu- or of New England important and unique public documents from the mother country, which, in default of their open production, were supposed to be " traiterous and treasona- ble libels."t
* Col. Doc., iii., 501, 660 ; Hutch. Mass., i., 372; Penn. Col. Rec., i., 246 ; N. Y. H. S. Coll., 21 (1569), 241-243, 359 ; Chalmers's Aanals, ii., 21; ante, 533. Mr. l'alfrey does not refer to this New York intelligence.
t Palmer's Narrative, 55: Rov. in N. E. Justified, in Force's Tracts, iv., No. 9. 10-12, 13; N. Y. Col. Doc., ill., 581, 723; Chalmers's Anni, it., 21; Hatch. Masy., i., 373; Palfrey, ili., 570-375; Mather's Magnalia, i., 150; Andros Tracts, i., ii. ; ante, 533.
imprisoned
530
HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
Mather's intrigue in London, which prevented the trans- 16-9. Mother's mission to Andros of the Prince of Orange's confirmatory letter of the 12th of January, now produced its intended result. That wandering divine had written from England that a " charter with larger power" for Massachusetts would be obtained from James the Second. It was plausibly ar- gued by Bradstreet and other correspondents, whom Mather had encouraged, that if favor was to be expected from James, much more would surely come from William. The Dutch invading prince-although the stadtholder of that large-minded Continental nation of which insular English- men were always jealous -- was nevertheless a Protestant and a disciple of Calvin, whom the English Puritans also followed. The success of William of Orange over their bigoted popish king was now the carnest prayer of most British subjects in Old and New England. Although it was well understood in France that Andros would declare for the Dutch prince if he should become the sovereign of England, the chief leaders of opinion in Massachusetts pro- Falchords nounced otherwise. It was accordingly rumored that. by rumored in Busto3. his proclamation from Pemaquid to hinder the landing of any " foreign force" in New England, its governor general meant to oppose the lawful commands of the British sover- eign, whoever that sovereign might be. Of such a political solecism, Andros was too good an English soldier and too faithful a colonial officer to be guilty. In truth, few En- glish-American governors were more thoroughly "loyal" than the slandered, domineering, and exacting Sir Edmund. He was only a prototype of meaner pretenders. But by this time an unusual excitement prevailed in and around Boston. Hearing of it, the governor wrote to Brockholls at Pemaquid that "there's a general buzzing among the people, great with expectation of their old charter, or they know not what ;" and he cautioned all officers there to be faithful in their trusts, and careful "to avoid surprise." By this order, Andros meant to guard his subordinates in fron- tier Pemaquid -- not from any imaginary " surprise" by Wil- liam or the Dutch, who, if they had any longings for Amer- ican dominion, would surely not have made their first dem- onstration there, but-from the French savages, to whom " some merchants in Boston" had, as has been seen, traitor-
16 April. Andros's letter to Brockholls.
551
SIR EDMUND ANDROS, GOVERNOR GENERAL.
ously, but very characteristically, conveyed supplies of am- Car. XI. munition while their own governor was absent fighting 1689. those savage enemies in Maine."
Andros sent Brockholls an expressive metaphor. The "buzzing" people were stirred up by their ministers to "Buzz. swarm on the "old charter" granted by " King Charles the Boston. ing" in Martyr," under which Congregational clergymen had long been used to control their flocks in Massachusetts. But the most discerning colonial minds saw that the fate of the British Plantations must follow that of the mother country, and they wished to await in quiet the event in England, about which a few more days would bring those authorita- tive orders that no English subject in America could loyal- ly question. So the " principal gentlemen in Boston," aft- er consultation, agreed that they would, if they could, " ex- tinguish all essays in the people towards an insurrection." Yet, if an " ungoverned mobile" should push matters to an extremity, those " principal gentlemen" would themselves head the movement, and secure any official rewards that might follow the contemplated stroke of state. Cotton Ma- ther accordingly prepared a prolix " Declaration of the Gen- Polities of tlemen, merchants and inhabitants of Boston and the Coun- "gentle- the Boston try adjacent," giving their reasons for a revolt against the men." government of Andros, and announcing their resolution to secure him and his officers, " for what justice Orders from his Highness with the English Parliament shall direct, lest, ere we are aware, we find (what we may fear, being on all sides in danger) ourselves to be by them given away to a Forreign power, before such orders can reach unto us." This " Declaration" was just such a writing as its penman, who was " more a clergyman than a lawyer," was likely to draft.t
The mine, thus carefully prepared, was adroitly exploded. It was rumored that Boston and its inhabitants were to be Lica circu- destroyed by the New York Mohawks, and by undermining Inte-L. the town; that the soldiers in Maine were poisoned with rum ; and that there was a French fleet on the coast. These
* Col. Doc., iii., 573, 561 ; fx., 403, 404; Chalmers', Ann., i., 469 ; ii., 20, 21 ; Hutch. Mass., i., 372, 373; Williamson, i., 5-9, 500, 606-610 ; Bancroft. il., 445; Palfrey, ili., 571-577; An- dros Tracts, i., 54, 55; il., 193, 216; ante, 522, 523, 537, 546.
t Palmer's Impartial Account, 13; Mather's Magnolia, 1, 179, 180; ii., OSS, BS0; Hatch. Mass., i., 373, 361; Palfrey, iii., 576, 57%, 549 ; Byfield, in Force's Tracts, iv., No. 10, 6-12; Col Doc., ifi., 552; Historical Magazine, vi., 10-14; Andros Tracts, i., ii.
£
352
HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
Insurrec- tho of the populare in Roztou.
(os xt. and other absurd stories were so generally believed as te
16-9. provoke insurrection. On Thursday morning, the dish !!
1- April. eenth of April, " a sudden irruption of the people from all
parts" awaked Boston, and the town rose in arms, " withou!
the privity" of her most " substantial men." Captain George, of the royal frigate Rose, was seized as he came on shore ; and with him Sherlock, Randolph, Farewell, and other obnoxious officials, were imprisoned. About noon, Brad- street, the last Governor of Massachusetts under its cancel- ed charter, with several clergymen and other prominent cit- izens of Boston, had assembled at the Council Chamber in the Town House, in front of which " all the companies were Cotton Ma- soon rallied." Mather's verbose "Declaration" was read ther's " Deckera- from the balcony, and a message from the "gentlemen" in tion" read. the Council Chamber, for themselves and "many others," who were "surprised with the people's sudden taking of arms," was sent to their governor at the fort. It urged him to "forthwith surrender and deliver up the Government and Fortification, to be preserved and disposed according to order and direction from the crown of England, which suddenly is expected may arrive; promising all security from violence to yourself or any of your gentlemen or sol- diers, in person and estate." If the signers of this sum- mons were "surprised" by the insurrection, the "strange and sudden" movement was, as he himself deliberately wrote, "wholly a surprise" to Andros, who knew "noc cause or occasion for the same." He sarcastically "ad- mired" whence so many armed men came now, because when he wanted them " to go to the eastward, he found it difficult to have them procured." But the lieutenant of the Rose frigate, hearing that her captain had been seized, had meanwhile prepared the ship for action, and had sent a boat ashore to bring off the governor. As Andros and his at- tendants were going down to embark, they were met by an armed party, headed by John Nelson, which, having over- powered the boat's crew, delivered the summons from the Town House. Seeing that it was signed by " several of the Council," some of whom he had particularly " sent for from distant parts," the governor and those with him went at once to the Council Chamber. As they passed thither, " the streets were full of armed men, yett none offered him, or
2
553
SIR EDMUND ANDROS, GOVERNOR GENERAL.
those that were with him, the least rudeness or incivility, CHAP. XI. but, on the contrary, usual respect." In his Council Cham- ber, Andros was ordered by those present, "who had no suitable regard to him nor the peace and quiet of the coun- prisoned by the in- try," to be imprisoned, as were also Graham, Palmer, West, rgents in and other subordinate officers of the "Dominion." The Boston. insurgents broke open the secretary's office, and took away all the records; but they missed finding " Sir Edmund's papers," which they were especially anxious to secure; and the great seal of New England seems to have disappeared."
1689. Andros im-
A more unjustifiable rebellion of colonists, who profess- cd allegiance to their mother country, never happened. Yet it has been praised as patriotism by many writers of Amer- ican history. If Massachusetts had been an independent Salecism of state at that time, she might have well done. But Massa- setts. Massachu- chusetts was only a subordinate colony of England, and a part of its royal " Dominion of New England in America." The colony at that very moment was beseeching royal favor. Loyalty should have kept her quiet. There was no reason why she should vex William. Yet, with the headstrong audacity which always marked her pretensions, she set her- self up as superior to other English colonies in America, and demanded privileges greater than those of her coequals.
The governor being safely in prison, the question arose how the government of the royal dominion of New England was to be lawfully administered ? If Andros had embark- ed in the Rose frigate, as he intended, he would probably have transferred his seat of government to New York, and thus have maintained his authority. This is the main rea- son why the insurgents were so anxious to secure his per- son. Under the king's commission, Lieutenant Governor Nicholson was to succeed his chief only in case of his death or absence from the territory. Forced incapacity of the governor had not been contemplated. Whether the im- prisonment of Andros entitled Nicholson to assume the goy- Was Nich- ernment of New England under a strict construction of the govern in olson to king's commission, is doubtful; yet no maladministration Andros ? place of
* Mass. II. S. Coll., xxvi., 205, 206; xxxv., 120-1?S; Conn. II. S. Coll., i., 77, 78; N. Y. Col. Doc., ill., 575, 723, 724; R. T. Rec .. ifi., 281-255; Palmer's Impartial Account, p. 9, 34-37; Force's Tracts, iv., No. 9, p. 90-33, 40-43 ; No. 10, p. 3-5; Hutch, Mass., i., 374-381 ; Coll., 507-571, 575; Chalmers's Ann., i., 429, 420. 450, 460; il., 23, 24; Barry, 1, 502-004 ; Arnold, 1, 515; Palfrey, iii., 577-557; Andros Tracts.
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