USA > New York > History of the state of New York. Vol. II, Pt. 2 > Part 27
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The news from Canada caused great anxiety in Albany, where every effort was made to keep the Iroquois friendly. The near Mohawks asked and were granted assistance of 2 Sept. men and horses to draw the heaviest logs for stockading their "new castle of Tionondage, which they removed an English mile higher up." An express was also "sent down 4 Sept. to Captain Leisler and the rest of the militia officers of the and the City and County of New York" for help of men, money, and ammunition "for the securing of their Majesty's fort
Iroquois.
* Col. Doc., ix., 420, 431, 432, 434, 435; Mase. HI. S. Coll., xxxv., 212; La Hontan, i., 193, 194; La Potherie, il., 220 ; iii., 58; Garneau, 1, 272-214; Bell, i., 295-237 ; ante. 520. Char- levoix, li., 403, errs in stating this attack on Lachine to have been made on the 25th (in- stead of the 5th) of August; and Colden, i., 91 (whom Smith follows, i., 89), blunders still more, antedating it in 16ss.
t Col. Doc., ix., 436-438, 441, 443, 464; Charlevoix, il., 406-409 ; La Hontan, 1., 193; Que- bec MSS. (ii.), v., 28; Colden, i., 92; Documentary History, ii., 37, 78; Millet's letter of 0 July, 1631, p. 45.
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HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
aw. t. and the out plantations of this County." But the German captain in New York would not recognize the Albany Con-
Istler. Wedel,
Bleecker.
16:0. vention. The messenger reported that Leisler said " he had nothing to do with the civil power; he was a soldier, and would write to a soldier." Accordingly, he addressed a let- ter to Captains Wendell and Bleecker, declining to send men or money to Albany, and desiring them to "induce the common people to send two men to assist them in their Committee." Finding that Leisler was playing demagogue, and would not assist them, the Albany Convention raised money, sent down to the Esopus Indians on the river, and also wrote to Massachusetts and Connecticut, asking each to send one hundred men " to be in garrison here this win- ter, to secure their Majesties Fort and the frontiers of this County against the French or their Praying Indians.""
23 Sept.
4 Sept. New En- gland apenta at Albany.
23 Sept.
24 Sept.
Meanwhile Pynchon, with Savage, Belcher, and Bull, had visited Albany as agents of Plymouth, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, to engage the Iroquois against the Eastern say- ages, and were " kindly treated by the gentlemen there," who quickly summoned the Five Nations to a conference. But the New England agents failed in their endeavor to commit the Iroquois delegates to a war with the Abenaquis and Panococks. The Mohawk orator Tahajadoris, in an adroit speech, declined to attack the Eastern savages, who had done the Five Nations no harm, and desired their "Brethren of the three colonies" to send men for the se- curity of Albany against the French, where " the Christians have victuals enough for their entertainment." The next day, at a private conference, the Iroquois delegates assured the Albany officers that, "if the French shall attempt any thing this way, all the five nations will come to your as- sistance ; for our Brethren and we are but one, and we will live and die together. We have desired a hundred men of our Brethren of Boston to assist us here, because this place is most exposed." And they all joined in singing, and cry- ing out " Courage ! courage !"t
55 Sept. "The action of the Iro- quois.
On the return of the New England agents, Secretary Al-
* Doc. Hist., ii., 12, 20, 50-35, SS; Munsell, ii., 108; Dunlap, i., 153; Mass. II. S. Coll., xxxV., 212, 217, 215; ante, 287, 517.
t Doc. Hist., ii., 19, 51; Col. Doc., iii., 611, 621; Colden, i., 106-111; Smith, 1., 90, 100: Plymouth Records, vi., 213 ; Mais. H. S. Coll., xxxv., 205, 212, 217, 21S. Millet's letter of 6 July, 1621, 40-45, gives an interesting account of what happened at Oneida when the Albany messengers came to summon that nation to the conference.
555
JACOB LEISLER, ACTING COMMANDER.
lyn, of Connecticut, notified Leisler that the ten soldiers of CHAP. XI. that colony doing duty in New York would be transferred to Albany. Governor Treat also wrote to the Albany Conven- 10 October.
1689. tion that eighty Connecticut soldiers would be sent there, 15 October. under Captain Bull, if the Convention would pay the wages of the commissioned officers. This was agreed to, " Pro- º1 October. vided they be under the command and obey such orders eut in favor Connecti- and instructions as they shall receive from time to time of Albany. from the Convention of this City and County ;" and Cap- tains Van Rensselaer and Teunise were sent to return 25 October. "hearty thanks" to Connecticut. But Massachusetts, plead- ing " their present circumstances of things," declined to as- sist Albany .*
On the day appointed in its charter, the city of Albany duly installed its aldermen and other municipal officers, at 14 October. least as regularly as New York had done. Lieutenant ficers in- Albany of- Thomas Sharpe, the commandant of the fort, and all his stalled.
soldiers, also took oaths of fidelity to William and Mary. 19 October. To stop the " false aspersions" of Leisler and his friends, who called them "Jacobites," the civil and military officers and citizens of Albany also swore allegiance to their new 25 October. sovereigns. Three out of the four militia captains at Eso- Leopus, pus declared that they would help Albany in case of need .;
There were now two rival local governments within the Rival gov. province of New York. The one was as rightful as the in New ernments other. But the independent attitude of Albany galled the York. ambitious German captain, whose few subservient instru- ments had undertaken, in August, to declare him " com- mander in chief" of the whole province. Leisler therefore prepared a force of fifty-one men, under the command of Milborne, to go to Albany and take possession of its fort for himself. Hearing of this, the Albany Convention, through Alderman Levinas van Schaiek, notified him that 26 October. they would willingly accept any re-enforcements he might by ideas. The Alba- send for the defense of the country, "Provided they be obedient to, and obey such orders and commands as they shall from time to time receive from the Convention; and that by no means will they be admitted to have the com-
' Doc. Hist., il., 20, 21, 55, 50; Trumbull, i., 679; Mass. II. S. Coll., xxxv., 217, 213; N.Y. II. S. Call. (1968), 28, 29. 68.
t Doc. Hist., if., 50, 57, 58; Munsell, ii., 100, 110; Dunlap, i., 159; ante, 439.
HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
Quan. at inand of their Majesties' Fort in this city, which we intend. 1653. by God's assistance, to keep and preserve for the behoof of their Majesties William and Mary." The logic of this paper was conclusive. By the same right that the "Com- mittee of Safety" exercised local power in New York, the " Convention" exercised it in Albany. As to forma! regularity, Albany was perhaps more rightful than New York. But this made no impression on the infatuated $S October. Leisler and his followers. They wrote letters to Albany, Kinderhook, and Schenectady, urging submission to the captain in New York; and some of them were stupid 2 Novem. enough to try to persuade the Dutch freeholders that "all lands, plantations, houses and lots, which were escheated since the year 1660, are again restored, by act of Parlia- 2) October. ment."' Leisler himself declared "that they of Albany absurd des- should bring their charter here, if they have one;" and Lisler's protiem. that Lieutenant Sharpe and Sergeant Rodgers, of its gar- rison, who had sworn allegiance to William and Mary, " were Papists." Milborne, who was well "acquainted with the place and people," where he had formerly lived, was accordingly dispatched to Albany with three sloops full of armed men and ammunition."
4 Novem. When the Albany Convention learned from Alderman Van Schaick that the German demagogue at New York meant to turn the government of their city "up-side down," and get possession of their fort, they acted. The citizens of Albany were summoned " by bell-ringing," and 5 Novem. Albany acts. . a declaration was signed that they would not, in this con- juncture, suffer " them of New York, or any person else," to rule over Albany, of which the Convention was the "only lawfull authority." "To prevent all jealousies and animosities," Mayor Peter Schuyler-as thorough a Dutch- S Norem. man as he was a gentleman-was appointed to the chief command of the fort, with the loyal Lieutenant Sharpe un- der him; and the principal burghers of Albany with great pomp led Schuyler up the hill to the little fortress, where he was " with all cheerfulness received by the officers and soldiers of their Majesties' garrison."+
* Doc. Ifist., il , 14, 15, 23, 57, 50. 00, 63.67 ; Col. Doc., ili., 645, 646, 655, 075; Smith, [., 95, 90, 97; Dunlap, i., 159, 101; ante, 300, 575, 576.
t Doc. Ilist., ii., 60, 61, 62, 63 ; Smith, i., 96 ; Dunlap, L, 150, 100.
587
JACOB LEISLER, ACTING COMMANDER.
The next morning the three sloops sent up from New CHAP, XI. York, under the command of Milborne, were descried at Albany, anchored near " Martin Gerritsen's Island," a little 1689. 9 Novem. below the city. Leisler's emissary demanded, and was re- Milborne fused, admission into the fort, of which Mayor Schuyler was at Albany, in command. Milborne then came to the City Hall, where he harangued the people " in a long oration, with a high style and language," telling them that all that had been done in the reign of King James the Second was illegal- "yea, the charter of Albany was null and void." This cx- position was characteristic of the demagogues who had just gained local power in the city of New York by a pretend- ed observance of a similar charter granted by the same governor. Wessels, the recorder of Albany, quietly an- swered that "there was no arbitrary power here." The next day, which was Sunday, " after the second sermon" in 10 Norem the old Dutch church, Milborne appeared before the Con- vention and produced his commission, signed by Leisler and his Committee of Safety. Recorder Wessels replied "that such a commission granted by a company of private men" in New York was of no force in Albany, " but that if he could show a commission from his Majesty King William," he would be willingly obeyed. Milborne then "made a long oration to the common people which were got togeth- er in the City Hall," condemning all things which had been done in the reign of King James, especially Dongan's char- ter to Albany. He was answered " that if all things were Godl ren- null and void which were passed in King James's time, then Alany. soning of the inhabitants were in a desolate condition," and their land titles good for nothing; that there had been "a free clection according to the charter;" that his only aim was "to raise mutiny and sedition ;" and that if things were car- ried on as he would have them, " all would run into confu- sion with the Indians, and all authority be turned upside down, as in many parts of the government was done, to which the Convention by no means could condescend." Milborne was therefore told " to desist from such discourse, for that they would dispute no more with him about it, leaving all 'till a lawful power came, not acknowledging him to have any.""
* Doc. Hist., ii., 03-CS, 12; Col. Doc., ilf., 646, 047; Smith, 1., 98; Dunlap, i., 16), 161.
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£
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HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
Defeated in the Convention, Milborne plied the people out of doors, about one hundred of whom, chiefly youths 10-3. and not freeholders, met tumultuously at the City Hall and chose Jochim Staats, a lieutenant in Captain Wendell's Al- mob at ARaby. bany company, to command the men whom Leisler had sent from New York. Milborne also wrote to the Conven- tion that Leisler's New York committee had authorized him 12 Novem. to "order the affairs at Albany." The next day the Con- vention met at Captain Jan Jansen Bleecker's house, and refused to accept the men from New York unless they should be under the command of the Convention. Mayor 1 Novem. and Schuy ler oppose Milborne. Schuyler also explained to the burghers at the City Hall the reasons why he had seized the fort, which were to de- feat Leisler's design "to make an absolute change of gov- ernment, to carry some persons prisoners to New York, and so to make a general disturbance among the people, and force us to comply with their new-fashioned government." These reasons were satisfactory to the burghers, who thought that their Convention had done rightly.
Milborne now resolved on a bold step to get the mastery. 15 Novem. Assembling his company in arms, he marched out of the city gate up to the fort, of which he demanded possession. Schuyler answered that he held it for their majesties, and ordered him away "with his seditious company." Mil- borne attempted to enter, and, " having one foot in, was thrust out." He then withdrew his company inside of the city gate, before which he put up the king's Jack, ordered his men to load, and then "read a paper." Upon this, a protest by Schuyler, on behalf of the Convention, was read "off one of the mounts" of the fort, directing Milborne and his seditious troops to withdraw at once. These move- ments were watched by a company of Mohawks standing on the hill near the fort, who charged their guns, and sent word to Schuyler that if the New York soldiers came out Ipi-ler's emissary bafiled at Albany. of the city gates "in a hostile manner to disturb their Brethren in the Fort," they would fire on them. At Schuy- ler's request, Domine Dellius and Recorder Wessels went to pacify the savages; but they insisted on sending the dom- ine to tell Milborne that if he came out of the city gates
" Martin Gerritsen's Iland," or the old " Castle Island," just below Albany, was so named after Martin Gerritsen van Bergen, to whom it was leased in 16GS.
£
580
JACOB LEISLER, ACTING COMMANDER.
they would fire on him. Upon this, Leisler's baffled emis- CHAP. XI. sary " marched down the town and dismissed his men."*
1689.
Finding that he could do nothing at Albany, Milborne, after signing a contract with some " private but extreme active men" for the support of his soldiers, prevailed on them to accept Staats as their captain, and went back to 16 Norem. New York, leaving his company in great confusion. On his way down the river he stopped at Esopus; but the peo- Milborne ple of Ulster county, being informed of his defeat at Al. at Esopis. bany, dispatched him quickly from there "for to give an account of his misfortune to his commander Leisler and the cominittee that sent him."t
A few days afterward Captain Bull reached Albany with 25 Novem. eighty-seven men from Connecticut, who were " extremely bany. well accepted." As it was necessary to garrison Schenec- tady, Lieutenant Enos Talmage, of Captain Bull's company, was sent there with twenty-four men. Staats refused to 29 Novem. assist with any of his New York soldiers, but went to Sche- nectady himself, to create faction. Considering " the lam- entable condition" of Albany, the Convention ordered that & Novem. Fast-day Wednesday, the fourth of December, should be observed as at Albany. " a day extraordinary for fasting and prayer.";
Bull at Al-
Anxious to visit New York, where his only son was very ill, Bayard had meanwhile written to the justices of the peace there, offering to answer any complaint against him. They replied that " the sword now ruled in their city," and that they could not protect him against Leisler. Upon this, Bayard, as their colonel, wrote to De Peyster and De Bruyn, 90 Oct. two of the captains in his regiment, declaring that Leisler letter de- Bayard's and his associates, without " any the least shadow of Au- Leisier. thority" from William and Mary, having "subverted all manner of Government by law established" in the city of New York, it was his duty, as a royal counselor and their own colonel, to require them to " desist from any ways counselling, aiding, assisting, or abetting the illegal pro- ceedings of the said Jacob Leisler and his associates," be- cause the commissions issued by Andros, who represented the crown of England, were "in full force, notwithstanding
* Doc. Hist .. if., 60-73 ; Smith, 1., 99; Dunlap, 1., 162.
t Col. Doc., ill., 617, 675 ; Doc. Hist., f., 74; Dunlap, i., 163.
# Doc. Hist., il., 74, 75, 76; Col. Rec. Conn., ill., 403; Dunlap, i., 103.
nouncing
HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
av. At. the imprisonment, yea death, of any Governor that granted the same, he being only an inferior officer of the crown, 1059. and the commissions being matters of record."*
This was certainly a true exposition of English law. It was just what William himself had declared to be his will when he directed all English colonial officers in America to remain in the places which they held under James. But L Mer can the German demagogue in New York, to whom Bayard's not with- Mand B: ard's logic. letter was shown, saw at once that its logic, if followed, would defeat his own personal ambition. Leisler therefore assembled his adherents in New York, Bergen, and Kings counties, armed, in the fort, where he told them, with im- pudent falsehood, that their Lieutenant Governor Nichol- son, who had been some time in London, was a "Popish dog," and " was turned a Privateer, and would never show his face in England ; and that he [Leisler] had discovered Irider's falschood. a plot, in which Bayard, with about three hundred men, would attempt to retake the Fort for the late King James." Bayard's Albany letter had clearly asserted the supremacy of William and Mary. So Leisler cansed his partisans " to make a new subscription, in substance for to be true and faithful to King William and Queen Mary, and to be obe- dient to the Committee of Safety, as the supreme authori- ty, and to himself as their commander in chief." Dougan, who was now living quietly on his farm at Hempstead, was charged with holding " cabals at his house and other places adjacent, to make an attempt on the Fort ;" and this in- duced many to subscribe Leisler's new association. Such as scrupled were denounced as creatures of King James; and as Captains De Peyster, Lodwyck, and Stuyvesant were dissatisfied, more pliant officers were put in their places. Phillipse, who quietly submitted to Leisler, was not disturb- ed; but his colleagues, Bayard and Van Cortlandt, were roughly searched for in their own houses, as well as in those of their friends, including that of Domine Selyns, and the two royal counselors were obliged to hide themselves from Leisler's rage "till relief from England." These violent doings caused many of the inhabitants of New York to fly to East Jersey and Pennsylvania, where the German cap- tain charged that the Quakers encouraged his opponents.
* Col. Doc., fif., 646, 647, 658; Doc. Hist., il., 22; Dunlap, 1., 163.
ichillipre rubmits to Ivisler.
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591
JACOB LEISLER, ACTING COMMANDER.
Yet, amid all their troubles, the people of New York joy- CHAP. XI. ously kept two new holidays. The birthday of King Wil- liam was heartily observed in the metropolis with bonfires 1689. and the roasting of an ox. The next day -- which doubly William's 4 Novem. birthday. commemorated the "gunpowder treason" of Guy Fawkes 5 Novem. and the landing of William at Torbay-was as earnestly Fawkes. Guy celebrated "with bonfires and burning the Pope.""
" Col. Doc., iii., 034, 646, 647, 64S, 655, 65G ; Doc. Hist., ii., 24, 25, 88, 246; ante, 533.
£
592
HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
CHAPTER XII.
1689-1691.
CHAP. XII. WHEN the reports which Nicholson and his counselors had dispatched from New York in May, and the other co-
July.
1689. lonial intelligence brought by Riggs reached Whitehall, Trouble in they showed that William and his ministers had been duped London about the colonies. by Mather and Phipps into committing a great mistake in colonial administration. The intrigue which had withheld from Andros the directed notification of the accession of William and Mary, and of the continuance in their several places under them of all English colonial officers, had ro- sulted in a mutiny in Massachusetts, the disruption of the royal " Dominion of New England," and great confusion in New York by reason of " secession." After the departure of Phipps to Boston in April, the most active notice which William's embarrassed government took of his American colonies was to send a packet-boat in June with orders to the colonial authorities in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsyl- vania announcing his war with France, and promising that a squadron would be sent to protect the English Plantations. 3 July. By a letter of Randolph from " the common gaol" of Bos- ton, the king's Plantation Committee learned that the re- volt in Massachusetts was not so much against Andros as for restoring the old charter of that colony, under which its Puritan ministers might regain power, and gainful pri- 4 July. vateering and illicit trade be encouraged. The next day Mather hurried to Hampton Court, where he was received by the king in his bedchamber, who did " kindly accept" of what the Boston insurgents had done. Sir Henry Ash- urst also presented the Plymouth address to the king, who assured him " that he would take care of the good of his colonies in New England." But William saw that an un- expected colonial mutiny had broken up his " dominion" there, and that it was necessary for him to re-establish his
593
JACOB LEISLER, ACTING COMMANDER.
direct authority in the several colonies and provinces into Cuar. XII. which that dominion had been reduced against his will. Mather's adroit suggestion that "by means of New En- 1689. gland" he might become " the Emperor of America," had William no weight with the new British sovereign, whose mind was European occupied with Europe. A few days afterward, when Riggs ie July. told the Plantation Committee his story of what he had wit- 22 July. nessed at Boston, the whole truth came out. It was clear that Andros had been imprisoned because he had executed the orders of his lawful English sovereign. Such orders it was not William's colonial policy to undervalue. A peti- tion from Andros having been read before the king in coun- 25 July. cil, it was ordered that Sir Edmund, and his fellow English subjects, " seized by some people in Boston, and detained under close confinement there," should be sent at once to London "to answer before his Majesty what may be ob- jected against them." A royal letter was accordingly writ- 20 July. ten to the acting authorities in Massachusetts, requiring letter to William'a them to send Andros, Randolph, Dadley, Palmer, West, Gra- setts. Massachu- ham, Farewell, Trefrey, and Sherlock by the first ship to England. The existing government of the colony was also 12 August. authorized by William to continue in administration until further directions."
A letter was at the same time addressed to Nicholson by 99 July the Privy Council, directing him, as lieutenant governor, "with the assistance of the principal frecholders and in- habitants of their Majesties' Province of New York," to pro- claim William and Mary according to a form which was in- closed. The king also authorized Nicholson to take on him- 20 July. self the government of the province, calling to his assistance letter to such of " the principal freeholders and inhabitants" as he should think fit; and requiring him, until further order, " to do and perform all things which to the place and office of our Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief of our Province of New York doth or may appertain." Wil- liam's letter, like that of his Privy Council, was addressed to "Francis Nicholson, Esquire, Our Lieutenant Governor
8 Augu-t.
William's
Nicholson.
' Col. Doc., iii., 574-576, 578-563, 593, 664; Doc. Hirt., ii., 26; Fenn. Col. Rec., i., 301, 302; Burk, ii., SO7; Mass. H. S. Coll., ix., 246, 247 ; xxvii., 121 ; xxxii., 209; xxxv., 199-202, 200, 209, 210; Parentator, 122; R. I. Rec., ifi., 256, 257 ; Hutch. Mass., i., 393, 800, 391; Narcissus Luttrell. i., 557; Macaulay, iii., 379-414 : Chalmers'e Annals, il., 26, 27, 29 ; sixth Collection of Papers, 20; Davis's Morton, 472; Bancroft, li., 39; Barry, i., 500, 310; Palfrey, ili., 5$5, 586; Andros Tracts; ante, 513, 501.
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HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
raus. Att and Commander in Chief of our Province of New York in America, and in his absence, to such as for the time being 1053. take care for preserving the peace and administering the laws in our said Province of New York in America.""
August.
The royal dispatches for Massachusetts were delivered to Increase Mather, who, after losing the Corporation Bill by the adjournment of Parliament, embarked for Boston. But Mather was obliged to give them to another passenger, aft- er landing at Deal, where his son Samuel had " fallen sick with the small-pox." Those for New York were intrusted
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